More Friday morning rail news:
— Legislation introduced Thursday in Congress would end Amtrak’s forced arbitration policy, which bars passengers and their families from suing the passenger carrier if they injured or killed in crashes. The Washington Post reports the legislation, introduced in both houses, would do away with the policy introduced last year which makes a ticket purchase an agreement by passengers to surrender the right to sue, instead settling disagreements by arbitration. The policy was introduced after the 2015 crash of Amtrak train No. 188 in Philadelphi and the 2017 derailment of a Amtrak Cascades train in DuPont, Wash., which have led to large awards and settlements. Sen. Richard Blumental (D-Conn.) introduced the Ending Passenger Rail Forced Arbitration Act, which has 12 other sponsors; Reps. Conor Lamb (D-Pa.) and Denny Heck (D-Wash) introduced the house version.
— The Wisconsin Department of Transportation has received a $26.6 million grant from the Federal Railroad Administration that will create a bypass for freight trains currently passing through the downtown Milwaukee Amtrak station, needed as part of efforts to expand the frequency of Chicago-Milwaukee Hiawatha service. The Milwaukee Business Journal reports the total cost providing two signaled tracks through Canadian Pacific’s Muskego Yard, which will allow some trains to avoid passing through the Milwaukee Intermodal Station, is $55 million. The award is one a series of Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement (CRISI) grants which are gradually being announced by local recipientsm [see “Announcements begin on rail infrastructure grants,” Trains News Wire, March 2, 2020].
— Also receiving an FRA grant is Bernalillo County, N.M., which will get $4.6 million for partial rehabilitation of the Kirtland Rail Spur and construction of a half-mile of sidings in Albuquerque, the Associated Press reports.
— Reopening of Pan Am Railway’s Hoosac Tunnel in Western Massachusetts has been pushed back again, this time until at least the end of March. Norfolk Southern is advising customers that, because of lower detour capacity than originally anticipated, it is reestablishing an embargo on general merchandise until a backlog of traffic can be addressed. An embargo remains in place for auto traffic to Ayer, Mass., but permits allow moves based on detour capacity. Intermodal gates for traffic to and from Ayer remain closed. A partial collapse of a wall closed the tunnel on Feb. 12.
Don’t we have thru tracks in the Milw yard now? The east end could use some help. $55 million seems like alot for something that is there already.
HaHa,,,the Milwaukee Rd’s “Airline” is baaaack, sort of.
“The Wisconsin Department of Transportation has received……”
Mr. Landey, are you there?