Quiet zone coming to SoCal hub
One of Southern California’s busiest railroad towns will be a whole lot quieter a year from now.
Intercity
You get one chance to get it right
On June 8, the Associated Press reported that Virginia authorities had indicted a garbage truck driver on charges of involuntary manslaughter and driving under the influence, after he allegedly drove into the path of an Amtrak charter train carrying Republican members of Congress, near Charlottesville.
Connecticut bets big with Hartford Line
HARTFORD, Conn. – If it takes money to make money, then Connecticut has pushed all its chips into the rail transit pot.
WTS International honors VHB
Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS) International has named planning, design and engineering firm VHB, Watertown, Mass., 2018 Employer of the Year.
SKF, Siemens keep ’em rolling
SKF and Siemens Mobility have entered into a partnership that will integrate SKF’s Insight Rail condition-based maintenance technology Siemens’ Railigent Application Suite, which is linked with MindSphere, an IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) operating system.
Reimagining Amtrak stations
Amtrak is embarked upon an aggressive plan to “de-staff” the majority of its stations, to “cut costs.” The project downgrades the service support for its largest and most commercially successful group of trains, the long-distance interregional services. Amtrak justifies this by the trend toward selling tickets on the web rather than from agents at stations.
Taking technology to the next level
A few weeks ago, the Federal Rail Administration asked for input from the rail industry and the public about the role automation and artificial intelligence (AI) can play in rail. It is a sign that FRA recognizes the rail industry will need to leverage technology to safely and efficiently transport more freight and passengers by rail in the coming decades across the U.S.
NJT: $600MM for Portal North Bridge
New Jersey Transit’s Board of Directors on June 13 approved a financing agreement with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) that provides up to $600 million toward the construction of the first phase of a new Portal Bridge, a key component of the ambitious Gateway Project to improve passenger rail service between New York City and New Jersey. The funding commitment “solidifies New Jersey’s local share of the project cost,” NJT said.
NYAB names Camilo CEO
New York Air Brake (NYAB) has appointed Ulisses Camilo President and CEO. Camilo will succeed current President and CEO Michael J. Hawthorne, who has accepted the position of President and CEO at Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC, a sister company within the Knorr-Bremse Group, NYAB’s parent company.
HDR’s Walsh chairs WTS board
HDR Vice President Maggie Walsh was recently appointed Chair of the WTS (Women’s Transportation Seminar) International Board of Directors. WTS, of which Walsh has been a member for 20 years, focuses on promoting equity and access for women in transportation careers. Her two-year term started in May.