BNSF and Union Pacific have each moved two of the longest and heaviest unit frac sand trains ever seen in North America. BNSF and short line Southwestern Railroad recently delivered a 150-car train to Rangeland Energy’s RIO Hub near Loving, N.Mex. UP operated a 233-car, DP (distributed power) train out of Mason City, Iowa in late September 2012.
Pioneer Railroad Services, Inc., a subsidiary of Pioneer Railcorp, announced Oct. 6, 2015, that Dale Montgomery has joined the Pioneer Lines team effective October 1. Montgomery will assume the role of Vice President of Business Development and will be developing new revenue streams outside the parameters of the current core business.
Appalachian Railcar Services, Inc. (ARS) announced Sept. 30, 2015 that its wholly-owned subsidiary, ARS Nebraska, LLC, has acquired all of FreightCar America, Inc.’s railcar repair and maintenance services business.
The Short Line Safety Institute (SLSI) is seeking candidates for the position of executive director. This person will be responsible for implementing the mission, vision, and goals of SLSI, which is to “provide leadership to enhance the safety culture and conformance of short line and regional railroads through voluntary, non-punitive partnerships in close coordination with the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA).”
On Sept. 15, 2015, Congresswoman Gwen Graham’s (D-FL-02), District Director Mary Lee Kiracofe and Economic Development Liaison Kent Watson toured the Georgia & Florida Railway (GFRR) in Perry, Fla. The GFRR is a network of approximately 264 miles of track commencing from its Albany, Ga. headquarters, and extending into northwestern Florida near the Gulf of Mexico. Throughout the entire line, connections are made along the way with other railroads in Florida and Georgia, including Class I’s Norfolk Southern and CSX. The GFRR is owned and managed by OmniTRAX Inc.
Cowen and Company’s 8th Annual Global Transportation Conference featured presentations by publicly traded U.S. railroads as well as a panel discussion on the railcar industry. In general, traffic levels appear to be recovering in several sectors, with modest growth expected in 2015’s second half and into 2016.
Rocla Concrete Tie, Inc., supplier of pre-stressed concrete ties, has entered in to a long-term supply agreement with All Aboard Florida and Florida East Coast Railway (FEC), which will require the construction of a new facility in Ft. Pierce, Fla.
The Morristown & Erie Railway has announced that 2015 will be the final year for its Maine Eastern Railroad subsidiary’s freight and passenger excursion operations.
OnTrackNorthAmerica (OTNA) and Cisco Systems Inc. have signed an MOU (memorandum of understanding) on a partnership “to build the next generation of transportation life-cycle cost and benefit measurement tools,” according to OTNA President and Founder Michael Sussman. “The purpose of this project is to develop clear, functional measures for future planning and investing in transportation infrastructure.”
The Indiana Rail Road (INRD) is participating in Indiana Rail Safety Week, which runs the week of Aug. 23-29, by partnering with the Terre Haute Police Department and Indiana Operation Lifesaver for a grade crossing safety “blitz.”
