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Federal Railroad Administration

July 12, 2024|Regulatory

FRA: $153MM Available for R&E Grant Program

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) on July 12 issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) that makes available more than $153 million in funding for the Restoration and Enhancement (R&E)…
Commentary
July 2, 2024|Regulatory

‘Arbitrary and Capricious’

The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on June 21, 2024 ordered the Federal Railroad Administration to cease its attempt to limit BNSF’s use of ATI (Automated…
“Thanks to Secretary Pete [Buttigieg], USDOT, the Federal Railroad Administration and all our partners for making the S-Line passenger rail a reality!!” NCDOT Secretary Joey Hopkins said in a July 1 LinkedIn post. “Thanks to the hard work of our NCDOT team we broke ground on the first construction project in the Raleigh to Wake Forest segment, a $19M project to grade separate Durant Road 7 months after the grant announcement!!” (Photograph Courtesy of Joey Hopkins)
July 2, 2024|Intercity

S-Line Project Kicks Off in North Carolina

State and federal officials on July 1 participated in a groundbreaking ceremony in North Carolina for the S-Line Project, part of the Raleigh to Richmond Innovating Rail Program to create…
It looks and acts like a diesel-electric. But it’s not a diesel-electric. It’s the Progress Rail EMD® SD40JR Joule battery-electric, seen here operating in regular service on Pacific Harbor Line. (Photograph by Progress Rail, a Caterpillar Company)
July 2, 2024|Short Lines & Regionals

PHL Hosts Tour for STB’s Primus

Pacific Harbor Line (PHL) last month hosted a “fact-finding” tour at the San Pedro Bay port complex in California for Robert E. Primus, the new Surface Transportation Board (STB) Chair,…
Commentary
July 2, 2024|Intercity

FRA L-D Study Reveals ‘Interesting’ Numbers

The Federal Railroad Administration released the latest update of its Long-Distance Service Study in mid-June. While there is nothing definitive revealed as far as routes (if any) likely to be…
Amtrak will soon begin construction of a new, modern Connecticut River Bridge to replace the existing bridge, which opend in 1907. It is located on the Northeast Corridor between the towns of Old Saybrook and Old Lyme and used by Amtrak, CTRail’s Shore Line East and freight trains. (Amtrak Rendering)
June 28, 2024|M/W

Amtrak Awards Connecticut River Bridge Contract

Amtrak on June 28 reported awarding the O&G/Tutor Perini joint venture a construction contract to replace the existing Connecticut River Bridge, which opened in 1907 and links Old Saybrook and…
A new Amtrak station in Brattleboro, Vt., is being built to improve accessibility; it will have the state’s first-ever level boarding train platform. (Rendering Courtesy of Amtrak)
June 25, 2024|Passenger

Transit Briefs: Amtrak, MBTA, Metrolinx, Chicago RTA, Sound Transit, SEPTA, TriMet

Amtrak breaks ground on new Brattleboro, Vt., station and platform upgrades. Also, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) teams with Tufts University on a new university pass pilot; Metrolinx’s Eglinton Crosstown…
(FRA Logo)
June 25, 2024|Regulatory

CN Eyes Expansion of ‘In-Train Wheelset Replacement Program’

CN subsidiary Illinois Central (IC) has petitioned the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for a waiver of compliance to add a new location to its “in-train wheelset replacement program,” according to…
June 24, 2024|Passenger

Transit Briefs: SBCTA, Denver RTD, MBTA, LA Metro

The San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) welcomes North America’s first self-powered, zero-emission passenger train to Southern California. Also, Denver’s Regional Transportation District (RTD) launches a new program to provide…
June 21, 2024|News

Rogers Appointed NCTD Director of Rail Operations

The North County Transit District (NCTD) recently announced that it has appointed Maria Rogers to serve as the agency’s Director of Rail Operations, effective June 3, 2024.
The Federal Railroad Administration in June hosted a signing ceremony with leaders from the American Train Dispatchers Association and BNSF, making their membership in the C3RS Program official. Now, 650 BNSF employees can confidentially report close calls and unsafe events through this program. (FRA Photograph)
June 17, 2024|Safety

BNSF: Second Class I to Participate in FRA C3RS (UPDATED 6/17)

BNSF and the American Train Dispatchers Association (ATDA) are partnering with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to join a one-year pilot program of the FRA-sponsored Confidential Close Call Reporting System (C3RS). Their…
The May 29 ribbon-cutting ceremony for the National University Rail Center of Excellence was attended by federal and state dignitaries, including FRA Administrator Amit Bose, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Rep. Nikki Budzinski (D-Ill.), Illinois Department of Transportation Secretary Omer Osman, and university officials, including UIUC professor and National University Rail Center of Excellence Director Chris Barkan. (Photo Credit: Heather Coit)
May 31, 2024|Regulatory

UIUC Launches National University Rail Center of Excellence

The first-ever National University Rail Center of Excellence officially opened May 29 at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s (UIUC) Grainger College of Engineering, with support from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). FRA…
“Receiving the EMAP accreditation for the second time reaffirms our dedication to maintaining the highest emergency preparedness and response standards,” said Mary Carlson Bis, Amtrak AVP of Response and Resilience and one of Railway Age’s 2022 Women in Rail honorees. (Amtrak Photograph)
May 30, 2024|Passenger

Transit Briefs: Amtrak, MARTA, City of Peoria, Ill.

Amtrak achieves emergency management accreditation. Also, Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) this summer is beginning a $230 million renovation of Five Points Station; and the City of Peoria, Ill.,…
Rendering Courtesy of CHSRA
May 29, 2024|High Performance

CHSRA Applies for $450MM in Federal Funding to Advance Merced Extension

The California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) on May 28 announced that it is applying for $450 million in federal funding to “advance construction and expedite important safety improvements” between Madera…
(Rendering Courtesy of Brightline West)
May 24, 2024|Regulatory

FRA Issues Nonavailability Waiver of Buy America Requirements for Brightline West Project

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) on May 24 reported issuing a waiver of its Buy America requirements to the Nevada Department of Transportation (NVDOT) for the planned Las Vegas-to-Rancho Cucamonga,…
FRA said its three recently finalized reports on the “safety and performance of long trains” include findings from tests conducted on air brake racks (pictured) and the air brake system of a stationary train to examine how the length of long trains affects air brake system behavior and performance. (Photograph Courtesy of FRA)
May 23, 2024|Freight

FRA Finalizes Research Reports on Long Trains

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) on May 22 announced that it has finalized three reports on the “safety and performance of long trains,” which have been submitted to the National…
(Union Pacific Photograph)
May 20, 2024|Regulatory

FRA Finalizes Dispatcher, Signal Employee Certification Rules

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) on May 20 announced two final rules requiring freight railroads, Amtrak and commuter railroads to develop certification and training programs for train dispatchers and signal…
Commentary
May 16, 2024|Intercity

South Dakota: No Longer Abandoned in the Cold?

People live here. Yes, right here in South Dakota—our home that has often been derided as “flyover country.” For the first time in more than 50 years, we have an…
(Amtrak Photograph)
May 14, 2024|Regulatory

FRA: $2B Available for Fed State-NEC Grants

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) on May 14 reported that it is making available more than $2 billion in Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program funding for projects located…
Pictured, left to right: Marlon Taylor, New York & Atlantic Railway (NYA Photograph); Tom Tulley, North County Transit District (NCTD Photograph); Peter Schwartz, HNTB (HNTB Photograph); Joy Riley, HNTB (HNTB Photograph); and Erin Slayton, HDR (HDR Photograph)
May 14, 2024|News

People News: NYA, NCTD, HNTB, HDR

Anacostia Rail Holdings (ARH) elevates Marlon Taylor to President of New York & Atlantic Railway (NYA). Also, California’s North County Transit District (NCTD) hires Tom Tulley as Chief Operations Officer…
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