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(Hitachi Rail Photograph)

Hitachi Rail Refiles Thales Merger Notification (Updated)

Hitachi Rail on Sept. 18 reported refiling its merger notification with the European Commission, which it said formally restarts the merger clearance process for acquiring Thales’s Ground Transportation Systems (GTS) in the European Union.

Commentary

Q&A with BNSF VP Transportation Matthew Garland

One by one, the U.S. railroads are getting their operating houses in order following the difficulties of 2022, and as that evolves we’re engaging with senior operations leaders to understand how they’ve

Brightline enters a multi-year agreement with Orlando Health to be the official “health and wellness partner” of Brightline Orlando as well as station naming partner. (Brightline Photograph)

Transit Briefs: Brightline, MARTA, SMART-TD, APTA

Brightline partners with Orlando Health ahead of its Sept. 22 Miami-to-Orlando service launch. Also, the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) Board approves a new contract for General Manager and CEO Collie Greenwood; the Transportation Division (TD) of SMART, the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers, forms a new committee to address assaults on bus and transit operators; and the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) hosts the 2023 Congressional Fly-In.

The first BNSF grain shuttle leaving Minnesota for the Pacific Northwest, September 2023. (Caption and Photograph Courtesy of BNSF)

Class I Briefs: BNSF, UP

BNSF provides an operating performance update for September. Also, Union Pacific (UP) Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Jennifer L. Hamann joins the Board of Directors at Fort Wayne, Ind.-based Steel Dynamics, Inc.

(NECR Photograph, Courtesy of Genesee & Wyoming)

BLET Ratifies New NECR Contract

Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) members have ratified a new five-year on-property agreement governing rates of pay, benefits and work rules at Genesee & Wyoming subsidiary New England Central Railroad (NECR),

CN Resurrects Iconic Steam Era Logo

In an unexpected move, CN has resurrected an iconic Canadian National logo on one of its newest locomotives, 100 years after it initially appeared on its steam fleet. CN 3309, a Wabtec AC44C6M

CTA has released a Request for Proposals to the three pre-selected contracting teams that demonstrated the ability to design and build the $3.6 billion Red Line Extension in a Request for Qualifications process that began last year. (CTA Rendering)

Transit Briefs: CTA, Minn. Met Council, San Diego MTS, SBCTA, WMATA

Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) issues a Request for Proposals (RFP) to build Red Line Extension track structure and stations, and hits the ridership “million mark” on multiple days, a post-pandemic first. Also, Minnesota’s Metropolitan Council announces a grant agreement that will fund work on the Metro Transit Blue Line extension project through 2024; San Diego Metropolitan Transit System’s (MTS) Board signs off on measures to improve operations, accessibility and security; San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) takes delivery of the ZEMU (Zero-Emissions Multiple Unit) from Stadler; and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) delays until next year the full switch to automatic train operations (ATO).

Stephen Goodman, National Transit and Rail Practice Consultant and Vice President, HNTB Corporation

Stephen Goodman Joins HNTB

Stephen Goodman, former Regional Administrator for the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), has been tapped as HNTB Corporation’s National Transit and Rail Practice Consultant and Vice President.

“We anticipated a modest peak season as our cargo numbers continue to stabilize at pre-pandemic levels,” Port of Long Beach CEO Mario Cordero said during a Sept. 13 announcement of August 2023 volumes (POLB Photograph)

Intermodal Briefs: POLB, Port of LA, UIPA (Updated Sept. 15)

Overstocked warehouses and a consumer spending shift contributed to an August “cargo lull” at the Port of Long Beach (POLB), Calif. Also, August was a “solid month” for the Port of Los Angeles, with imports and exports increasing; and the Utah Inland Port Authority (UIPA) is establishing the Central Utah Agri-Park Project Area.

Commentary

NJTRO Honors ‘Forty Year Club’

At the New Jersey Transit (NJT) Sept. 14 Board of Directors meeting, the agency paid tribute to current or recently retired employees who have been with NJT Rail Operations (NJTRO) since its

(Bruce Kelly Photograph)

J.B. Hunt to Acquire BNSF Logistics’ Brokerage Assets

J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. has entered a definitive agreement to purchase the brokerage operations of BNSF Logistics, LLC, an affiliate of Class I railroad BNSF, the companies reported Sept. 14. Railway Age Contributing Editor Jim Blaze weighs in.

Crews replace windows broken by vandals on Sept. 12. (Marc Hermann / MTA)

Transit Briefs: NYMTA, GO Transit, MBTA

The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) addresses extensive vandalism on subways. Also, Ontario upgrades two GO stations along Stouffville Line; and residents say the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) is “unsafe and service isn’t great either,” according to a recent poll.

“Blume’s asset management solution is well established as the marketplace where IMCs obtain railroad-owned intermodal equipment,” Blume Global CEO Pervinder Johar said Sept. 11. “We look forward to helping CPKC expand their business in the U.S.”
  • News

Supply Side: Blume Global, Rio Tinto IOC, Wabtec

Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) will use Blume Global’s asset management system to foster intermodal traffic growth. Also, Rio Tinto’s Iron Ore Company of Canada (Rio Tinto IOC) is donating C$4 million to a Quebec college for a new training, research and innovation pavilion for the rail, industrial maintenance and energy intelligence industries; and Penn State names Wabtec Corporation as its 2023 Corporate Partner of the Year.

CDPQ Infra Provides Update on Montreal’s REM

Nearly six weeks after Réseau express métropolitain’s (REM) first segment was inaugurated in Montreal, CDPQ Infra on Sept. 13 provided an update on the automated rail network it is developing—from operations so

  • News

L.B. Foster’s Combs Joins NRC Board

L.B. Foster Vice President of Rail Sales Doug Combs has been named to the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors. Combs assumes a recently vacated seat on the

Screen Shot Courtesy of CSX

Class I Briefs: CSX, NS, UP

CSX celebrates two years injury-free at its Intermodal Terminal in Tampa, Fla. Also, Norfolk Southern (NS) is recognized for energy efficiency and nature-based initiatives; and Union Pacific (UP) thanks military veterans.