Archive for March 2018
Batory to railroads: We’re here for you
(Source: Railway Age March 20, 2018) Written by William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-Chief Characterizing progress on Positive Train Control as “uneven,” Federal Railroad Administrator Ron Batory pledged that the agency he now officially leads “is taking a proactive approach to ensure railroads acquire, install, test and fully implement certified PTC systems in time to meet the congressional interim deadline…
Read MoreIce to STB: “We are prepared”
(Source: Railway Age 03/28/2018) Written by William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-Chief BNSF is the first U.S. Class I (and the second overall) to respond to the Surface Transportation Board’s March 16 blanket letter requesting information on each railroad’s 2018 service outlook. In a March 22 letter to STB Chairman Ann Begeman and Vice Chairman Deb Miller, BNSF President…
Read MoreCAGTC: More than half of TIGER IX awarded to freight
(Source: Progressive Railroading 03/19/2018) More than $275 million of recently announced federal grants issued under the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program were awarded to freight projects or those with a strong freight component, according to the Coalition for America’s Gateways & Trade Corridors (CAGTC). The freight-related awards represent 56 percent of total dollars awarded under the ninth…
Read MoreUP slates $59 million for Utah track, bridge projects
(Source: Progressive Railroading 03/29/2018) In the latest of its state-by-state capital expenditure announcements, Union Pacific Railroad officials said this week the Class I will spend $59.3 million on track and bridge projects this year in Utah. UP’s investments will include $54.1 million to maintain track and $123,000 to maintain bridges in the state, according to a UP…
Read MoreFRA seeks input on railroad industry automation
(Source: Progressive Railroading 03/29/2018) The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is soliciting public comments on the future of automation in the railroad industry. The agency is requesting information and comments from industry stakeholders, the public, local and state governments, and other interested parties on the potential benefits, costs, risks and challenges to implementing automated railroad operations, according to a…
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