How CSX will invest $1.7 billion
With capacity available, this is a good time to buy freight cars, says Michael Ward. So he’s buying about 1,400.
Management
Don’t jolt me!
Multiple forces in a freight train can damage cargo, at high cost. Modern load securement devices can mitigate them.
An LRT advocate’s take on Bogota’s Transmilenio
Responding to a July 10 New York Times article by Elisabeth Rosenthal entitled “Buses May Aid Climate Battle in Poor Cities,” Lyndon Henry, a data analyst for Austin, Tex.’s Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority and also a technical consultant with Light Rail Now!, wrote the following. As of July 13, the Times had not yet published the response.
Railway Age names 2009 Short Line, Regional Railroads
Railway Age magazine has named Wilmington, Calif.-based Pacific Harbor Line, Inc. 2009 Short Line Railroad of the Year, and the Wisconsin & Southern Railroad Co. 2009 Regional Railroad of the Year. The awards will be presented at the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association’s annual meeting in Las Vegas, Nev., April 25-28.
Houston banks on more LRT
Houston’s Metropolitan Transit Authority Wednesday unanimously approved a $1.46 billion contract for four new light rail lines, which would add 20 miles to its current initial seven-mile route, cementing its decision to bank on LRT in lieu of Bus Rapid Transit routes.
CN reaches accord with another EJ&E community
Canadian National and West Chicago, Ill., have come to terms on CN’s operations over the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway, which CN acquired in January. West Chicago will accept CN’s commitment to $1.8 billion in improvements on the line to reduce the impact of the anticipated frequency increase on the EJ&E.
Phoenix warms to light rail
Add Phoenix to the growing list of cities with a successful light rail launch. The 20-mile LRT line, which debuted late last December, averaged 30,600 riders per weekday, significantly above the 26,000 boardings per weekday anticipated by Metro.
Balfour Beatty Rail lands two Denver RTD work orders
Balfour Beatty Rail, Inc.’s Transit division says it has successfully negotiated the first two work orders in its systems on-call services contract with the Denver Regional Transportation District (RTD), with a combined value in excess of $16 million. Both work orders have a completion date of Oct. 31, 2010.
AARS scholarships for MSU Railway Management Program
Two American Association of Railroad Superintendents-sponsored scholarships are available for Class III railroad employees interested in attending the Michigan State University Certificate Course in Railway Management.
MidAmerica Corridor under way
The MidAmerica Corridor, a new trackage rights agreement between CN and Norfolk Southern, is designed to establish shorter, faster routes for merchandise and coal traffic moving between the Midwest and Southeast.