Breaking News

“Congratulations to Conductor Thara Hall and Engineer Courtney Thompson for making history as the first Black female crew in Columbia, South Carolina!” NS reported via social media on March 26. (Photograph Courtesy of NS)

Class I Briefs: NS, CN

Norfolk Southern (NS) pays tribute its first Black female crew; highlights the “strength” of its Board; and reports on improved safety, productivity and efficiency at its Dillard Yard in Savannah, Ga. Also, CN releases a new Indigenous Relations Policy in support of its commitment to Reconciliation, and earns a 2023 Logistics Partners Award from LP Building Solutions.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy on March 26 reported via social media: “Today I signed legislation investing billions into our transportation infrastructure for the next five years. This critical funding will help upgrade our roads and bridges, create thousands of good-paying union jobs, and help commuters across NJ get to where they need to go.” (Photograph Courtesy of Gov. Murphy via social media platform X, formerly Twitter)

New Jersey TTF Renewed Through 2029

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has signed legislation renewing the state’s Transportation Trust Fund (TTF) for five more years (July 1, 2024-June 30, 2029). It will invest billions to modernize and maintain infrastructure and provide additional capital funding for New Jersey Transit (NJT).

Mark Lester, Project Director, Associate Vice President, HNTB (left); and Terri Mestas, Deputy CEO, Sound Transit (right).
  • News

People News: HNTB, Sound Transit

Mark Lester joins HNTB as a Project Director and Associate Vice President. Also, Terri Mestas joins Sound Transit as Deputy CEO for megaproject delivery.

Commentary

New Portal Transforming BNSF Customer Experience

Everyone’s been there: you know the website information you need is at your fingertips you just can’t find it. Even using the search function, the information remains elusive. Or perhaps you have your go-to webtool, and beyond that, you spend more time searching for information than should be necessary.

AAR: Carloads Down, Intermodal Up for Week 12

U.S. rail traffic for the week ending March 23, 2024 (Week 12) was up 2.1% from the prior-year period, as intermodal gains more than offset carload losses, according to the Association of American Railroads’ (AAR) latest report.

The last Train #75, SP's Lark, with SDP3206 on the point ready to leave Los Angeles, April 8, 1968. Wikimedia Commons/Drew Jacksic

Report: Dreamstar Lines Signs MOU With UP for Coast Line Track Access

Dreamstar Lines of Newport Beach, Calif., has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Union Pacific (UP) “formalizing the parties’ negotiations toward a comprehensive final agreement” and “identifying the fundamental terms for Dreamstar to operate its trains” on UP’s Coast Line via Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and San Jose, according to a SFGate report.

Photo Courtesy of BNSF, via X (formerly Twitter)

Class I Briefs: CSX, BNSF

CSX makes a $10 million donation toward the Museum of Science & History’s (MOSH) move to the Northbank in Downtown Jacksonville, Fla. Also, BNSF’s Needles Third Mainline, Segments 1 and 2 project is recognized with the American Council of Engineering Companies’ (ACEC) Engineering Honor Award for California.

ASLRRA President Chuck Baker

ASLRRA Honors Safety Professional, Safety Person of the Year; Names 2024 Environmental Award Winner

The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) has named Mission Mountain Railroad (MMR) Railcar Repairman Sam Pederson as its Safety Person of the Year and Florida East Coast Railway (FECR) Training Program Manager Albert Manning as its Safety Professional of the Year. Also, Sierra Northern Railway is named ASLRRA’s 2024 Environmental Award winner. All three awards were presented on March 25 at ASLRRA’s Annual Conference, held this year in Kansas City, Mo.

CadRI Expands Long-Term Metrolinx Contract

CAD Railway Industries Ltd. (CadRI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Sojitz Group, has signed a 23-year rail fleet maintenance, repair, and overhaul agreement with ONxpress Operations Inc. (OOI), the operations and maintenance