Commentary

Union boss may have LIRR in checkmate

This is about the Long Island Rail Road. It’s about a dispute over wages and benefits. It’s about politics that have a stereotypically anti-labor House Republican majority poised to line up on rail labor’s side to embarrass a Democratic governor. And it’s about a union boss named Anthony Simon, who should be teaching strategy to future battle commanders at the Army War College.

Siemens, Bombardier pair on NYMTA PTC

The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority has awarded a contract to a consortium of Siemens Rail Automation and Bombardier Transportation Rail Control Solutions to install Positive Train Control (PTC) on MTA Metro-North Railroad and MTA Long Island Rail Road, the two largest regional/commuter rail systems in the U.S. The maximum value of the contract is $428 million, including all phases and options.

LIRR hails renovated Queens Village Station

MTA Long Island Rail Road President Helena E. Williams and New York State Assemblywoman Barbara Clark on Oct. 30, 2013 marked the renovation of Queens Village Station, located within the namesake New York City borough.

Commentary

MTA labor talks: Cannon to left, cannon to right

Hard times motivate T-bone steak lovers to chow down on Spam or Sloppy Joes, but unionized workers employed by MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), MTA Metro-North Railroad, MTA Staten Island Railway (SIR), and New York’s subways, MTA New York City Transit (NYCT)—all operated and largely funded by the cash-strapped State of New York, under the umbrella of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)—are resolved to resist a change in diet.

MTA taps Kawasaki for M-9 railcar order

Kawasaki Rail Car, Inc. has been awarded a $1.8 billion contract by New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority to supply an initial order of 92 M-9 married-pair electric multiple-unit (EMU) cars to the Long Island Rail Road. The contract also covers additional anticipated deliveries of 584 M-9s for both LIRR and sister Metro-North Railroad.

SYSTRA names Harrison Sector Manager, Systems

SYSTRA has named Patrick Harrison, P.E., as Vice President and Sector Manager, Systems. He will lead SYSTRA’s signal, communications, and systems integration engineering practice and be based in the company’s New York City headquarters.

LIRR receives narrowband locomotive radios

Ritron, Inc. has delivered 59 of its U.S.-designed and –built RCCR-151 narrowband analog locomotive radios to the Long Island Rail Road. The contract, which includes radios and accessories, is worth $200,000 and was awarded in March 2013 to Ritron’s authorized dealer, Diversified Electronics Systems of Forest Park, Ga.

LIRR eyes weekend service upgrades

MTA Long Island Rail Road says it will hold a public hearing Aug. 27 on a proposal to restore half-hourly service on its Port Washington Branch on weekends, as well as on a proposal to operate weekend service on the Ronkonkoma Branch between Ronkonkoma and Greenport for approximately 10 additional weekends each year. 

Group seeks revived Queens, N.Y., rail route

In Queens, N.Y., the Queens Public Transit Committee for the Reactivation of Rockaway Beach Line plans a media event Saturday, Aug. 24, 2013, in order to emphasize public support for reactivation of a long-disused rail right-of-way for rail transit purposes.

Three found guilty in LIRR disability fraud case

Three people have been convicted of disability fraud, enabling hundreds of Long Island Rail Road retirees to garner additional funds through the federal Railroad Retirement Board illegally over several years.

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