Cambridge Systematics turns 45

Transit and transportation planning and development consultant Cambridge Systematics is celebrating 45 years as an industry consultant.

Railway Interchange 2017 a record-setter

Organizers for Railway Interchange, North America’s largest railway industry exhibition and technical conference, report that the 2017 event, held in Indianapolis Sept. 17-20, posted total registered attendance of 8,150, with a record-breaking 738 exhibitors. There were 1,099 international attendees and 108 international exhibitors representing 46 countries.

FWRR taps HTI for PTC

The Fort Worth & Western Railroad (FWWR) is the most recent short line to contract with Herzog Technologies, Inc. (HTI) for PTC Hosting services.

USDOT streamlining environmental review for multimodal projects

The U.S. Department of Transportation plans to streamline the environmental review process for multimodal projects, to speed development while removing bureaucratic obstacles.

Commentary

I have this recurring nightmare …

The Federal Railroad Administration’s new Hours of Service (HOS) app is now available via the iPhone App Store:

Siemens and Alstom announce “merger of equals”

It’s official: Siemens AG and Alstom SA have signed a Memorandum of Understanding “granting exclusivity to combine mobility businesses in a merger of equals.” The combination is largely viewed as a move to remain competitive in a global market in which Chinese rolling stock manufacturers have gained considerable market share. Based on how the merged company, “Siemens Alstom,” will be structured and named, Siemens is the lead company, with 6 of 11 board members.

Siemens+Alstom+Bombardier?

Germany’s Siemens AG and France’s Alstom SA are discussing a merger to create a European rail transportation manufacturing conglomerate to counter growing competition from China, according to a report in the Sept. 23, 2017 Wall Street Journal. Meanwhile, Siemens continues to engage in talks with Canada’s Bombardier, Inc. about merging their railway businesses.

NTSB dockets opened for NJT, LIRR crashes

Dockets for the fatal Sept. 29, 2016, NJ Transit commuter rail collision in Hoboken, N.J., and the Jan. 4, 2017, Long Island Rail Road collision at the Atlantic Terminal, Brooklyn, New York, were opened to the public Sept. 21 by the National Transportation Safety Board as part of its ongoing investigations of the two accidents.

NJT touts safety initiatives

On Sept. 21, the same day the National Transportation Safety Board opened the docket on New Jersey Transit’s Sept. 29, 2016 Hoboken Terminal crash to the public, NJT announced it “has implemented a variety of rail safety upgrades over the past year and is looking at additional enhancements for the future, as part of its commitment to safety.”

HTI adds Watco to its PTC family

Watco Cos. LLC, a short line railroad holding and transportation services company based in Pittsburg, Kan., has selected Herzog Technologies, Inc. (HTI) to provide Positive Train Control (PTC) hosting services. HTI previously announced PTC hosting contracts with Tacoma, Wash.-based short line Tacoma Rail and Ohio-based regional Wheeling & Lake Erie.

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