NS Endorses NTSB’s National Safety Policy Recommendations

Norfolk Southern (NS) on July 10 endorsed the national safety policy recommendations made by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) as part of the agency’s investigation of the 2023 East Palestine derailment. The recommendations, NS says, “align with safety initiatives currently under way at the railroad designed around the principles of accident prevention, mitigation and response.”

MBTA will begin accepting contactless payments onboard Green Line and Mattapan Line trolleys as well as buses, and at all gated subway stations beginning Aug. 1. (Photograph Courtesy of MBTA)

Transit Briefs: MBTA, BART

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) will next month debut contactless payments onboard Green Line and Mattapan Line trolleys as well as buses and at subway fare gates, and has officially opened the Worcester Union Commuter Rail Station’s center platform. Also, San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) releases a report detailing its role in the region.

People News: POLB, HNTB, Kelso, CSX

The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners approves the selection of Ashley Morteboy to lead the Project Controls Division at Port of Long Beach (POLB). Also, Percival Buxhoeveden joins HNTB as Project Director; Frank Busch is appointed Interim CEO of Kelso Technologies, Inc. (Kelso) following the departure of President and CEO James Bond; and CSX Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer Angie Williams receives Florida State University’s Accounting Alumni Achievement Award.

(CN photo)

AAR: Carloads Down, Intermodal Up in Week 27

U.S. rail traffic for the week ending July 6, 2024 (Week 27) was up 3.3% from the prior-year period, as intermodal gains more than offset carload losses, according to the Association of American Railroads’ (AAR) latest report.

“We’re proud to be a partner on the Holdom Overpass project. This new rail overpass will increase trade capacity at the Port of Vancouver and benefit the local community in Burnaby, B.C.,” CN reported via LinkedIn on July 9. (Image Courtesy of CN)

Intermodal Briefs: CN/Port of Vancouver; UP/Port Houston

CN teams with the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, the City of Burnaby (British Columbia) and the government of Canada on the Holdom Overpass project. Also, Union Pacific (UP) marks the one-year anniversary of its Port Houston on-dock rail service.

Subcommittee Examines CARB’s In-Use Locomotive Regulation

Four witnesses on July 9 discussed the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) request for authorization for a state-based regulation at a hearing of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials.

Meet VIA Rail’s One-Off Lumi Trainset

As reported on June 27, 2024 by Railway Age, the 18th of 32 Siemens Venture trainsets was delivered to VIA Rail’s Montreal Maintenance Center in a new, never-before-seen livery, which now has

Pictured, Left to Right: Michael Keenan and Marie-France Poulin, VIA HFR (CNW Group/VIA HFR Photograph); Tim Kizer, R&RS; Rachel Maguire, NRC; and Grace Tell, HNTB. (All photographs supplied by the respective companies unless otherwise noted.)

People News: VIA HFR, R&RS, NRC, HNTB

Michael Keenan and Marie-France Poulin are appointed to the Board of VIA HFR (High Frequency Rail) – VIA TGF Inc. (VIA HFR), a federal Crown corporation in Canada. Also, Road & Rail Services, LLC (R&RS) hires Tim Kizer as Vice President of Supply Chain Solutions; Network Rail Consulting (NRC) names Rachel Maguire as its new Finance Director; and HNTB Corporation welcomes Grace Tell as Project Director.

Transit Briefs: WMATA, Caltrain, Amtrak

Auto doors are now operating on all of Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) rail lines. Also, Caltrain is offering customized service alerts; and Amtrak increases Northeast Regional service at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), improves Ethan Allen Express with faster trips, and announces that Borealis ridership has topped 18,500 in its first full month of service.

The team at Juniata Locomotive Paint Shop in Altoona, Pa., “creates the face of the Norfolk Southern”—from its Heritage units to the new Thoroughbred Locomotive and everything in between. (Screenshot of NS Video showcasing Juniata).

Class I Briefs: NS, CPKC

Have you ever wondered who paints Norfolk Southern (NS) locomotives? The Class I releases a special video showcasing the team and its Juniata shop in Pennsylvania. Also, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) is wrapping up its Final Spike Anniversary Steam Tour in Canada.

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