PITTSBURGH — Wabtec Corp. has signed agreement to acquire Beena Vision, which manufactures machine-vision-based wayside inspection systems, from Sunnyvale, Calif., technology firm Trimble. Beena Vision’s rolling-stock wayside detectors assess components ranging from wheel surface condition to full train inspection for trains in motion., allowing companies to manage fleet maintenance through sensor and image-based inspection systems. […]
Magazine: Trains Magazine
Gulf Coast hearing, week 3: Mobile rail executive outlines train movements; Amtrak witnesses criticize randomized data
WASHINGTON — Switching details and conflicting traffic modeling assumptions dominated discussions at the Surface Transportation Board’s hearing into Amtrak plans to launch passenger service between New Orleans and Mobile, Ala. The seventh and eighth days of testimony and cross-examination, spread over three weeks, on the dispute over plans for two daily Amtrak round trips precedes […]
More transit agencies drop mask requirements, but some stay in place
WASHINGTON — More transit agencies determined or clarified their stance on Tuesday in the wake of a Monday court ruling striking down a federal requirement for mask use on public transportation, with most — including some that initially planned to retain a mask requirement — dropping the mandate. Meanwhile, the Biden administration said Tuesday it […]
Ontario awards contract for massive expansion of GO Transit system
TORONTO — The government of Ontario has awarded a contract for major expansion of Go Transit service in the Toronto area, a plan calling for more than 120 miles of new track and electrification of more than 370 miles of the system. The electrification will also bring new trains capable of speeds exceeding 85 mph, […]
CSX, union reach agreement on advance payments against future wage deal
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX Transportation announced it has reached a tentative agreement with one of its operating unions to provide monthly advance payments against future wage increases expected when current bargaining over a national rail labor contract is completed. The railroad agreed to pay trainmen and yardmasters represented by the International Association of Sheet Metal, […]
League of Railway Women launches four-part career webinar series
GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. — The League of Railway Women is launching a four-part career webinar series beginning Thursday, April 21, with a session on applying for railway jobs. The session, set for 1 p.m. EDT, will be hosted by Erika Bruhnke, a director at large for the league and vice president, training services, at RailPros. […]
VIA seeks to electrify High Frequency Rail route
MONTREAL — VIA Rail Canada wants about 90% of its proposed High Frequency Rail route between Toronto and Quebec City to be electrified, the passenger operator’s CEO has told the Montreal Gazette. VIA CEO Cynthia Garneau said the 90% figure “is not a written goal” but that the company will aim to electrify as much […]
Jewell named as interim director of LOSSAN agency
ORANGE, Calif. — Jason Jewell has been appointed interim managing director of the LOSSAN Rail Corridor Agency, which oversees Amtrak Pacific Surfliner service in Southern California. Jewell was appointed unanimously by the LOSSAN board of directors, effective April 18, the agency announced Tuesday. He will also continue to serve as chief financial officer, a position […]
CN raises new train count data issues around CP-KCS merger
WASHINGTON — Canadian National claims it has found additional train count inconsistencies in the Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern merger application and related environmental filings. The Surface Transportation Board last month put review of the CP-KCS merger on hold until discrepancies in train density data could be sorted out. CP has provided the board with clarification […]
Court rules Japanese railway must return 1 minute of pay to driver docked for delay
OKAYAMA, Japan — A Japanese railway driver who sued over being docked one minute’s pay will have the money returned posthumously, a court has ruled. But his request for 2.2 million yen (more than $17,000) for emotional distress was dismissed, Kyodo News reports. The driver sued last year after he was docked 56 yen (currently […]
Amtrak to restore four long-distance trains to daily service in late May
WASHINGTON — Four of the seven Amtrak long-distance trains currently operating five days per week will return to daily schedules the week of May 23, according to information obtained by Trains News Wire. Two others will continue to run on the five-day-per-week schedule, while cancellation of Silver Meteor service to and from Florida will continue […]
Federal judge strikes down transportation mask mandate (updated)
WASHINGTON — Amtrak will continue to welcome mask use in stations and aboard trains but will not require it following a Monday ruling by a Florida judge striking down the federal mask mandate. But some public transit agencies indicated they would leave their mask rule in place, at least temporarily. The government had just extended […]