Deal will provide $33 million for Huron Central route repairs
The threatened closure of Ontario’s Huron Central Railway appears to have again been averted. Northern Ontario Business reports the co-chair of a task force working to save the 173-mile line between Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury says the railroad is “comfortable that it will in fact finalize agreements” with the federal and provincial governments to prevent the shutdown. Those agreements will provide for $33 million in line repairs, with the Canadian government, Ontario government, and owner Genesee & Wyoming each picking up a third. The infrastructure work will be carried out over seven years, said Joe Fratesi, the task force co-chair. Genesee & Wyoming had said it would close the railroad in December 2020 without government help to repair the line, then delayed closure to June 30 of this year while negotiations continued [see “Huron Central gets reprieve — again,” Trains News Wire, Dec. 12, 2020]. The railroad, which employees 43 people, is a vital rail link for steel and timber companies, among others. The railroad had previously faced closures in 2009, 2010, and 2019.
Colorado DOT concludes deal to buy Burnham Yard from Union Pacific
The Colorado Department of Transportation has closed its $50 million deal to buy the former Denver & Rio Grande Western Burnham Yard from Union Pacific. Colorado Politics reports about 17 acres of the 58-acre site will be used for improvements to Interstate 25 and preserve right-of-way for light rail and commuter rail use. State and city officials have not yet determined how to use the remainder of the land. “This strategically located parcel is important for both transportation and economic development,” said state highway director Shoshana Lew, “which is why multiple agencies including CDOT and OEDIT [the Office of Economic Development and International Trade] have worked together on its purchase.” The economic development agency stepped in to help fund the purchase after budget contraints created by the COVID-19 pandemic jeopardized the Department of Transportation’s efforts to buy the land [see “Digest: VIA operations continue …,” Trains News Wire April 19, 2021].
Bombardier-Alstom consortium wins $1.84 contract for Maya Train rolling stock and systems
A consortium including a unit of Bombardier and its parent, Alstom, has provided the winning bid for rolling stock and rail systems for Mexico’s Maya Train project, Reuters reports. The $1.84 billion contract will include design, manufacture, and testing of 42 trainsets, the National Tourism Promotion Fund said an announcing the decision. The group’s proposal came in $44.6 million lower than the next-lowest bid. The first tests for the equipment are scheduled to begin in 2023. The controversial $6.8 billion, 913-mile Maya Train project, a flagship project for Mexico’s President, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, will create a loop around the Yucatan Peninsula connecting coastal resorts to inland archaeological sites. A series of court decisions have slowed its construction [see “Digest: Maine’s WW&F cancels …,” Trains News Wire, Feb. 19, 2021].
