USA railroad industry news – Page 30
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NewsFRA approvals pave way for Texas high speed line construction
USA: Construction of the Texas Central high speed line linking Houston with Dallas is expected to start in the coming months following completion of the regulatory approval process. This concluded on September 21 when the Federal Railroad Administration released a pre-publication version of its final Rule ...
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Metro Report InternationalDenver opens North Metro Rail
USA: Denver’s Regional Transportation District formally inaugurated the first phase of its North Metro Rail commuter service to Thornton on September 21, with a ceremony attended by RTD General Manager & CEO Paul Ballard, Chair Angie Rivera-Malpiede and local authority representatives. Developed by ...
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NewsProcessing track survey data
USA: Image processing specialist Ardenna has launched its cloud-based Rail-Inspector system for monitoring the condition of track and infrastructure assets using aerial survey images. Rail-Inspector is designed to process survey images and generate quantifiable track condition that can support data-driven maintenance decisions. It identifies and measures railway ...
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Metro Report InternationalSouthwest LRT federal funding confirmed
USA: After several years of negotiation, the Federal Transit Administration has formally approved a $928·8m Full Funding Grant Agreement to support construction of the Green Line extension of the light rail network in Minneapolis, which will run southwest of the city to Eden Prairie.
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NewsSiemens Mobility awarded US locomotive support contract
USA: San Diego’s North County Transit District has awarded Siemens Mobility a 20-year contract covering technical support and material management services for up to nine Charger locomotives. In 2018 NCTD ordered five charger locos to be delivered between March and June 2021 for use on Coaster ...
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NewsKatie Farmer to head BNSF
BNSF has named Kathryn M Farmer as its next President & Chief Executive Officer with effect from January 1 2021.
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Metro Report InternationalNew York Subway offers under-river connectivity
USA: New York MTA and Transit Wireless have provided the first mobile phone voice and data connectivity in one of the Subway’s under-river tunnels, with AT&T customers now able to stay connected in the East River bores between 1st Avenue and Bedford Avenue on the L/Canarsie line. ...
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NewsEnvironmental approval marks milestone in California’s truncated high speed programme
USA: The board of the California High-Speed Rail Authority on September 10 approved the Final Environmental Impact Statement for an 80 km section of the planned high speed railway between Merced and Fresno, known as the ‘Central Valley Wye’. The formal approval means that environmental clearance has ...
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NewsAutomating level crossing inspections
USA: VisioStack has been awarded funding for two projects to develop automated level crossing inspection technology, as part of the Department of Transportation’s Small Business Innovation Research programme. The Aerial Crossing Inspection System project aims to use unmanned aerial vehicles and machine learning to perform level crossing ...
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NewsFreightCar America to move production to Mexico under ‘operational realignment’
NORTH AMERICA: FreightCar America has signed a letter of intent to acquire joint venture partner Fabricaciones y Servicios de México’s 50% stake in the new wagon manufacturing plant at Castaños in Mexico, and will consolidate all of its production there by January 2021. This will mean the ...
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NewsFRA updates track inspection rule
USA: The Federal Railroad Administration has introduced an updated rule on the use of ultrasonic rail inspection technology with GPS location data, enabling railroads to undertake continuous testing of rails more efficiently.
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NewsX-ray train inspection systems ordered for US border crossings
USA: The Department of Homeland Security’s Customs & Border Protection agency has awarded Smiths Detection a framework contract for the supply of X-ray scanners for use at railway checkpoints on the borders with Canada and Mexico. The side-view high-energy X-ray inspection scanners will be used to screen ...
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NewsAmtrak works with Reckitt Benckiser to increase cleaning
USA: Amtrak is to work with cleaning, health and household products manufacturer Reckitt Benckiser to strengthen its disinfection protocols for trains, stations and lounges. RB is to supply disinfection equipment for use across high-touch and high-traffic areas, including products which Amtrak said were proven to be effective ...
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NewsFreight RAILCAR bill aims to support US wagon industry
USA: The Railway Supply Institute which represents more than 200 companies has welcomed the bipartisan introduction to the House of Representatives of the Freight Rail Assistance & Investment to Launch Coronavirus-era Activity & Recovery Act, which would offer a time-limited 50% tax credit for purchasing new wagons ...
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NewsTrinity Railway Express information systems to be replaced
USA: The Dallas Area Rapid Transit board has approved a contract for MacKenzie Laboratories to replace the automated information system on the Trinity Railway Express commuter rail fleet which operates between Dallas and Fort Worth. MacKenzie Laboratories will replace the public address and intercom systems, as well ...
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NewsPTC deployed on all Amtrak-owned routes
USA: Amtrak has announced that Positive Train Control has now been implemented on all 1 440 route-km of line that it owns or controls, following the final installation that covered less than 2 km of low-speed track in Chicago. All 550 Amtrak-owned locomotives are also fully equipped ...
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NewsNational Railway Equipment announces consolidation plan
USA: New and remanufactured locomotive supplier National Railway Equipment has announced a consolidation plan, which Executive Committee Leader Pat Frangella, said would ‘significantly streamline our operations, while maintaining all of our service offerings for our customers around the globe’. Over the next few months NRE’s operations at ...
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NewsRJ Corman acquires three short lines
USA: RJ Corman Railroad Group has finalised an agreement to acquire three short lines and a transloading company from Steve May, subject to customary regulatory approvals. The 43 km Owego & Harford Railway in New York state operates on a long-term lease from Tioga County Industrial Development ...
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NewsMassachusetts commuter rail construction contract awarded
USA: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s Fiscal & Management Control Board has approved the award of the second and largest of the two principal construction packages for the South Coast Rail Phase 1 project. The $1·047bn project which is scheduled for completion in late 2023 will extend Boston’s ...
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NewsAmtrak sells ‘Ocean View’ dome car
Source: Joseph M Calisi USA: Amtrak has sold its ‘Ocean View’ full- length dome car to private coach fleet owner Paxrail, two years after it was withdrawn from traffic because of high maintenance costs. The vehicle is one of six Great Dome cars built by Budd ...