The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recently determined that the probable cause of a February 13, 2020, derailment of CSX Transportation (CSX) train K42911 on a railroad track that runs between a hillside and the Russel Fork River in Draffin, Ky., was loose mud, vegetation, sand, soil and rock from a mudslide that obstructed the track following excessive rain accumulation over several weeks.
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) on Sept. 20 announced that, beginning Nov. 19, a soft launch of the Central Subway Project, an extension of the T Third Line, will open with dedicated shuttle service on weekends between 4th and Brannan Station to Chinatown/Rose Park Station, stopping along the way at Yerba Buena and Union Square where passengers can make transfers to Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) service and the Market Street subway.
The U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU), the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) have announced a partnership program “to help small and disadvantaged businesses improve their access to capital, resources and relationships … to ensure that everyone can benefit from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.”
Five commuter rail agencies will receive a total of $59 million in grants for highway-rail grade crossing improvements in California, Florida, New York and Pennsylvania from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), in coordination with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The awards are part of round two of the Commuter Authority Rail Safety Improvement (CARSI) Grants Program.
TransLink announces partnership with PCI Developments to study the benefits of providing subsidized transit at new King George Hub development. Also, the Chicago Transit Authority’s (CTA) Bryn Mawr Red Line Station wins People’s Choice Award from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Chicago; the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) announces that closure of the Green Line D Branch will begin Sept. 24 for infrastructure upgrades; NJ Transit unveils art project at New Brunswick Station; and the City of Lexington in North Carolina prepares to kick off the construction phase of its passenger service project.
Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI) urges public to help stop track tragedies during Rail Safety Week (RSW) 2022 and beyond. Also, Operation Lifesaver (OL) Canada joins forces with Thomas & Friends™ to teach kids about rail safety; CN police services mobilize across Canada and the U.S. to raise awareness about rail safety; and Metro-North Railroad and Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) announce national campaign to educate public about safety around trains and tracks.
The U.S. Department of Transportation has selected 26 projects—nine rail/intermodal-related—to share $1.5 billion in INFRA (Infrastructure for Rebuilding America) grants.
The U.S. DOT has issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) announcing the availability of more than $1.4 billion in Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement (CRISI) Grant funding.
A total of $4.8 million will be awarded under the Regional Infrastructure Accelerators (RIA) program, the U.S. Department of Transportation reported.
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) on Aug. 18 awarded more than $233 million to 11 projects in eight states that will upgrade intercity passenger rail service. The grants are provided under the FY 2021 Federal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair (SOGR) Program (Partnership Program).