Metra honors winners of safety contest
Winners of the 2015 edition of Metra’s Safety Poster and Essay Contest were honored June 17, 2015 at the June meeting of the Metra Board of Directors.
Commuter Regional
Commentary
GUEST BLOG: We must do something transformational about Amtrak
Amtrak’s May 12th Philadelphia train derailment has renewed focus on funding Amtrak. With more than 200 people injured and eight fatalities, the debate has shifted from “Can we agree to do anything for Amtrak?” to “How much can we agree to do for Amtrak?”
Union Pearson Express, powered by Cummins
With the launch of Union Pearson Express (UPE) connecting Lester B. Pearson International Airport to Toronto Union Station on June 6, the Cummins QSK19-R becomes the first railcar diesel engine produced in North America certified to meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Tier 4 Final emissions regulations.
Duos Technologies lands follow-up DHS grant
The Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate has awarded Duos Technologies Inc. (Duostech), a supplier of intelligent analytical security technology, a follow-up research grant to complete the next phase of a railcar undercarriage screening system.
LRT boosts Salt Lake City economy: Study
Salt Lake City’s TRAX LRT has generated 1,300 new jobs that have spurred an estimated $225 million in value to the local economy, according to a study conducted by the Economic Development Research Group, a Boston-based research company LRV supplier Siemens retained to assess the system’s economic impact.
New DART VPs in operations, safety, strategic planning
Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) has named Maureen McCole as Vice President, Commuter Rail/Railroad Management; Garrome “Jerry” Franklin as Vice President and Chief Safety Officer; and David Schulze as Vice President, Policy and Strategy.
Booker/Wicker bill advances in Senate
U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Roger Wicker’s (R-Miss.) “Railroad Reform, Enhancement, and Efficiency Act,” S.1626, has been approved by the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, the senators announced on June 25, 2015. The committee unanimously passed the proposal.
Edraki joins Gannett Fleming as VP of Canadian Operations
Alireza Edraki, PEng, PMP, has joined Gannett Fleming as a vice president of Canadian operations for the Gannett Fleming Transit & Rail Systems, the company announced June 24, 2015.
Booker/Wicker bill thickens passenger rail funding mix
U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) introduced the “Railroad Reform, Enhancement, and Efficiency Act” on June 19, 2015. The senators say the bill is written to “improve passenger rail safety, reauthorize Amtrak services and improve existing rail infrastructure.”
Allen Wright, 1939-2015
Allen Wright, 76, a well-known and highly respected figure in the rail transit industry for more than 60 years, died at his home in Stratford, Ontario, Canada.