The Buckingham Branch (BBRR) operates across four divisions and 280 miles of track in Virginia. (DRPT Photograph)

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).

Early construction for the B&P Tunnel Replacement Program is starting March 10. (Amtrak Photo)

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

“We’re proud to support construction technology that helps communities build transit projects more quickly,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

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 Photograph)

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.

David C. Lester Photograph

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

“We’re proud to support construction technology that helps communities build transit projects more quickly,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

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.”

Aerial photograph of derailment site, courtesy of the NTSB.

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 Administrator Amit Bose speaks about national rail safety initiatives at a FEMA-led press briefing.

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 Photograph)

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.

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