FRA OKs Virginia Rail Plan
The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation’s (DRPT) 2022 Statewide Rail Plan has received approval from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).
FRA
Amtrak Kicking Off $6B B&P Tunnel Replacement Program
Amtrak on March 10 will start early construction work for the B&P Tunnel Replacement Program. The nearly 150-year-old, 1.4-mile tunnel that connects Baltimore, Md., and Washington, D.C., is a single point of failure for
FRA: Supplemental Safety Assessment of NS Operations
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) on March 7 announced its plan to conduct a 60-day supplemental assessment of Norfolk Southern (NS) following multiple safety incidents.
Brightline Reaches 130 mph, Completes CRISI Grant Program
After hitting speeds of 130 mph, Brightline is officially the fastest train in Florida and the Southeastern U.S.
Norfolk Southern Outlines New Six-Point Safety Plan
Norfolk Southern (NS) on March 6 announced a six-point plan to immediately enhance the safety of its operations. The initiatives are based on the preliminary findings of the National Transportation Safety Board
USDOT Marks ‘Significant Progress’ on Key Rail Safety Reforms Following NS Ohio Derailment
Following the derailment of 11 Norfolk Southern (NS) hazardous materials (hazmat) tank cars in East Palestine, Ohio, on Feb. 3, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) says it is “marking significant early progress on its efforts to hold the rail industry accountable to work with Congress on key rail safety reforms that will improve safety for communities and rail workers in the long-term.”
East Palestine: NTSB Examining Tank Car Hatch Covers
Following the completion of damage assessment inspections of the 11 Norfolk Southern (NS) hazardous materials (hazmat) tank cars, including the five carrying vinyl chloride, that derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, on Feb. 3, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) says it is “concerned that aluminum protective housing covers on some tank cars melted or were consumed when pressure relief devices (PRDs) vented burning gas while functioning as designed to relieve tank pressure.”
FRA Announces New Hazmat Safety Initiative (Updated)
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) on March 1 announced a national initiative for focused inspections on routes that carry high-hazard flammable trains (HHFTs) and other trains carrying large volumes of hazardous material (hazmat) commodities.
FRA Releases Scenario-Based Training Research Report
Scenario-based training (SBT) can help new railroad transportation employees learn about real-world scenarios they might not encounter during standard training, according to a new report released by the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) Office of Research, Development and Technology.
ENSCO Creates Brazilian Subsidiary
Railway inspection technology supplier ENSCO, Inc. announced Feb. 14 that it has created a new subsidiary, ENSCO Tecnologias do Brasil LTDA, that will serve Brazilian and South American railway customers.