Green new Jaxport CEO
The Port of Jacksonville Port Authority Board of Directors unanimously voted to hire longtime Jaxport executive Eric Green as Chief Executive Officer. Green had served as interim CEO since March.
Short Lines
Commentary
Timing is everything
Isn’t it, though? Six weeks ago, the Federal Railroad Administration announced it is withdrawing its ANPRM (Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking) regarding testing and treatment of obstructive sleep apnea for safety-sensitive personnel, and then the National Transportation Safety Board opens its dockets on the two bumping post collisions at Hoboken Terminal on NJ Transit and Atlantic Avenue on the Long Island Rail Road.
FedEx cuts ribbon at Tradepoint Atlantic
Tradepoint Atlantic, the multimodal logistics center near Baltimore, announced the completion of FedEx Ground’s new distribution facility at Sparrows Point.
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.
New from Amsted Rail: TrakMaster™
How many times can the three-piece freight car truck—which has been in use since the 19th century—be improved? For Amsted Rail, there appears to be no limit.
Progress Rail updates Seeing Machines pact
INDIANAPOLIS: Progress Rail, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Caterpillar Inc., has signed an updated Master Development Agreement with Seeing Machines, a specialist in computer vision technologies. The new exclusive agreement provides the framework to ready the companies’ fatigue monitoring solution for commercial use in rail applications.
Commentary
NMB nominees and labor talks advance
Senate confirmation of two new Republican members to the three-member National Mediation Board (NMB), and confirmation of a Democrat to a third NMB term, is anticipated in the next few weeks. The NMB will then be under Republican control for the first time since 2009.
Railway Interchange: Wait until 2018 for infrastructure bill
INDIANAPOLIS – It will likely be 2018 before Congress makes good on President Trump’s pledge to pass an infrastructure spending bill, according to a member of his inner circle, just one item on a long waiting list of legislative issues concerning the rail industry.
Tacoma Rail, W&LE tap HTI for PTC
Tacoma, Wash.-based short line Tacoma Rail and Ohio-based regional Wheeling & Lake Erie have selected Herzog Technologies, Inc. (HTI) to provide Positive Train Control (PTC) Hosting services.
Commentary
UPDATE: Kill your boxcar ad, Subaru!
I’m pleased (and relieved) to report that, with a push from readers of this blog and the Association of American Railroads, Subaru has thankfully removed its “Boxcar” ad from circulation, demonstrating at least some sense of corporate social responsibility. Now, I’d like to hear from the Fillmore & Western, the tourist railroad that provided the equipment and right-of-way for the infamous commercial. Why would you allow this? Aren’t you aware of the dangers of trespassing and attempting to ride a freight train? What were you thinking?