TRENTON — The New Jersey Senate voted unanimously on Monday to confirm four new board members of the NJ Transit board. Even with the confirmations, the board still has five seats to fill. NorthJersey.com reports that the new board members, nominated by Gov. Phil Murphy in March, are: — Retired Democratic state senator Bob Gordon, […]
Kentucky miners block coal train from leaving mine NEWSWIRE
PIKEVILLE, Ky. — Less than six months after a group of coal miners blocked a coal train in Kentucky in protest of unpaid wages, another group of allegedly unpaid miners have blocked yet another coal train. On Monday, Quest Energy coal miners, claiming they have not been paid by the company in three weeks, blocked […]
LA Metro clears development teams for possible involvement in Sepulveda project NEWSWIRE
LA Metro has cleared five teams for potential involvement in its Sepulveda Corridor project. Shown are possible routes for the project, which could be a monorail or heavy rail system. LA Metro LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced it has cleared five corporate teams to help develop its Sepulveda Transit […]
Union Pacific to idle another yard hump, this time in Texas NEWSWIRE
Union Pacific will close the hump at Davidson Yard in Fort Worth, shown in November 2008, according to a company memo. Steve Schmollinger OMAHA, Neb. – Union Pacific plans to idle the hump at Davidson Yard in Fort Worth, Texas, this month, the fifth such move since the railroad adopted a Precision Scheduled Railroading operating […]
Winter weather hits BNSF hard in the Northwest NEWSWIRE
BNSF Railway train Q-CHCSSE (quality intermodal, Chicago, Ill., to South Seattle, Wash.) pulls up the 2.2% grade at Berne on BNSF’s Scenic Subdivision in Washington Jan. 5, 2020. The train is about to enter the Cascade Tunnel under Stevens Pass. The snow on this day was the beginning of a multiple-day weather event in the […]
AAR backs White House plan to streamline environmental process for infrastructure projects NEWSWIRE
WASHINGTON — The Association of American Railroads has expressed support for a plan by the White House to dramatically change the National Environmental Policy Act and streamline the environmental review process for infrastructure projects. NEPA requires the federal government to review how major infrastructure projects would impact the environment, but federal officials say it is […]
Austin commuter rail line resumes Saturday service NEWSWIRE
Austin Capital Metro has resumed Saturday commuter rail service. The Saturday service had been stopped to allow for construction and positive train control installation. TRAINS: David Lassen AUSTIN, Texas — Austin’s Capital Metro has resumed Saturday service on its 31-mile commuter rail line between downtown and Leander, Texas, six months after suspending the service. KVUE-TV […]
California budget earmarks $4.2 billion for high speed rail NEWSWIRE
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed 2020-2021 budget would provide $4.2 billion for the state’s High Speed Rail Authority over five years. “The High Speed Rail Authority is continuing to construct the Central Valley segment completing electrified High Speed Rail from Merced to Bakersfield with Proposition 1A bonds, federal funds, and 25 percent of […]
California high speed agency holds track and systems forum NEWSWIRE
Southbound Amtrak San Joaquin train 710, operating former New Jersey Transit Comet equipment on BNSF tracks, passes under the American Avenue overpass south of Fresno, where California High Speed Rail construction segment CP-2 begins. The high speed rail right-of-way west of those tracks has been cleared in the foreground. Bob Johnston Behind the trees on […]
Metrolink to end Amtrak contract for crews NEWSWIRE
An inbound Metrolink Ventura County Line train approaches the Corbin Avenue grade crossing in Northridge, Calif., on Jan. 10, 2020. Metrolink will end its operating contract with Amtrak, according to an Amtrak memo. TRAINS: David Lassen LOS ANGELES — Commuter railroad Metrolink will not renew its operating contract with Amtrak, Amtrak executive Stephen Gardner has […]
New NS department combines communications, signals, locomotives NEWSWIRE
CORONADO, Calif. — A few final notes from last week’s National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Conference at the Hotel Del Coronado: NS communications restructuring: One unique aspect of Norfolk Southern’s “reimagining,” — its label for Precision Scheduled Railroading-style changes — is that it has spun off its communication and signals group, historically part of its engineering […]
Transit agencies outline capital plans at NRC conference NEWSWIRE
Amtrak Pacific Surfliner No. 785 heads north through Del Mar, Calif., just before sunset on Jan. 4, 2020. The San Diego Association of Governments is putting together a project to stabilize the slide-prone bluffs in Del Mar, but eventually wants to relocate the rail line inland. TRAINS: David Lassen CORONADO, Calif. — Transit agencies from San […]