The Federal Railroad Administration in June hosted a signing ceremony with leaders from the American Train Dispatchers Association and BNSF, making their membership in the C3RS Program official. Now, 650 BNSF employees can confidentially report close calls and unsafe events through this program. (FRA Photograph)

BNSF: Second Class I to Participate in FRA C3RS (UPDATED 6/17)

BNSF and the American Train Dispatchers Association (ATDA) are partnering with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to join a one-year pilot program of the FRA-sponsored Confidential Close Call Reporting System (C3RS). Their decision to

The May 29 ribbon-cutting ceremony for the National University Rail Center of Excellence was attended by federal and state dignitaries, including FRA Administrator Amit Bose, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Rep. Nikki Budzinski (D-Ill.), Illinois Department of Transportation Secretary Omer Osman, and university officials, including UIUC professor and National University Rail Center of Excellence Director Chris Barkan. (Photo Credit: Heather Coit)

UIUC Launches National University Rail Center of Excellence

The first-ever National University Rail Center of Excellence officially opened May 29 at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s (UIUC) Grainger College of Engineering, with support from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). FRA last fall

“Receiving the EMAP accreditation for the second time reaffirms our dedication to maintaining the highest emergency preparedness and response standards,” said Mary Carlson Bis, Amtrak AVP of Response and Resilience and one of Railway Age’s 2022 Women in Rail honorees. (Amtrak Photograph)

Transit Briefs: Amtrak, MARTA, City of Peoria, Ill.

Amtrak achieves emergency management accreditation. Also, Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) this summer is beginning a $230 million renovation of Five Points Station; and the City of Peoria, Ill., advances the Peoria-Chicago passenger rail corridor project.

Rendering Courtesy of CHSRA

CHSRA Applies for $450MM in Federal Funding to Advance Merced Extension

The California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) on May 28 announced that it is applying for $450 million in federal funding to “advance construction and expedite important safety improvements” between Madera and Merced along the northern portion of rail line in the Central Valley.

(Rendering Courtesy of Brightline West)

FRA Issues Nonavailability Waiver of Buy America Requirements for Brightline West Project

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) on May 24 reported issuing a waiver of its Buy America requirements to the Nevada Department of Transportation (NVDOT) for the planned Las Vegas-to-Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., high

FRA said its three recently finalized reports on the “safety and performance of long trains” include findings from tests conducted on air brake racks (pictured) and the air brake system of a stationary train to examine how the length of long trains affects air brake system behavior and performance. (Photograph Courtesy of FRA)

FRA Finalizes Research Reports on Long Trains

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) on May 22 announced that it has finalized three reports on the “safety and performance of long trains,” which have been submitted to the National Academy of

(Union Pacific Photograph)

FRA Finalizes Dispatcher, Signal Employee Certification Rules

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) on May 20 announced two final rules requiring freight railroads, Amtrak and commuter railroads to develop certification and training programs for train dispatchers and signal employees.

Commentary

South Dakota: No Longer Abandoned in the Cold?

People live here. Yes, right here in South Dakota—our home that has often been derided as “flyover country.” For the first time in more than 50 years, we have an opportunity to

(Amtrak Photograph)

FRA: $2B Available for Fed State-NEC Grants

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) on May 14 reported that it is making available more than $2 billion in Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program funding for projects located on the

Pictured, left to right: Marlon Taylor, New York & Atlantic Railway (NYA Photograph); Tom Tulley, North County Transit District (NCTD Photograph); Peter Schwartz, HNTB (HNTB Photograph); Joy Riley, HNTB (HNTB Photograph); and Erin Slayton, HDR (HDR Photograph)

People News: NYA, NCTD, HNTB, HDR

Anacostia Rail Holdings (ARH) elevates Marlon Taylor to President of New York & Atlantic Railway (NYA). Also, California’s North County Transit District (NCTD) hires Tom Tulley as Chief Operations Officer of Rail; HNTB appoints Peter Schwartz as Railroad Development Practice Lead and Vice President, and announces that Senior Project Manager Joy Riley has been named WTS South Carolina Chapter’s Member of the Year; and HDR’s Transportation Program Management Services Director Erin Slayton has been elected to the Executive Committee of WTS International.

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