Thursday, March 19, 2009, marked the official beginning of the tunneling phase of MTA New York City Transit’s Line 7 subway extension project. With a who’s-who of politicians looking on, MTA Capital Construction lowered a key part of the first of two tunnel boring machines (TBMs) that will excavate two 7,100-foot tunnels. The piece lowered Thursday is known as the cutter head and has 44 rotating discs.
Trinity Industries says it achieved “strong fourth-quarter and full-year results” in 2008, but TrinityRail’s order backlog was substantially lower at year’s end.
CN has announced a public debt offering of US$550 million 5.55% notes due 2019. CN says it expects to close the financing on Feb. 25, 2009.
The Surface Transportation Board has reversed a prior decision in longstanding litigation between BNSF Railway and Western Fuels/Laramie River, ruling that BNSF’s rates for a short-haul coal movement out of the Powder River Basin are unreasonable. The ruling reversed a fall 2007 decision in which STB determined that the rates were reasonable. Western Fuels originally challenged the rate reasonableness in 2004 for a coal move BNSF has termed “unusual.”
The Surface Transportation Board has reversed a prior decision in longstanding litigation between BNSF Railway and Western Fuels/Laramie River, ruling that BNSF’s rates for a short-haul coal movement out of the Powder River Basin are unreasonable. The ruling reversed a fall 2007 decision in which STB determined that the rates were reasonable. Western Fuels originally challenged the rate reasonableness in 2004 for a coal move BNSF has termed “unusual.”
Mexico’s Federal Competition Commission (Cofeco) has fined two domestic rail companies a total of $27 million for monopolistic practices, according to Mexico City-based Reforma.com.
Two American Association of Railroad Superintendents-sponsored scholarships are available for Class III railroad employees interested in attending the Michigan State University Certificate Course in Railway Management.
Calgary, Alberta’s C-Train light rail service, which opened in 1981, officially recorded its 1 billionth passenger Wednesday, as officials also noted the system now carries 280,000 riders per weekday.
CSX Corp. will delay its construction of a new intermodal container transfer facility in its headquarters city of Jacksonville, Fla., by six months to a year. The planned terminal, originally set to open in 2011, will handle sea/rail container traffic with TraPac Container Terminal and Hanjin Shipping Co. Ltd.
10EastCorp. announced Wednesday that both the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad and theBelt Railway Company of Chicago have chosen the company’s RailDOCSTM PreventiveMaintenance Management System (PMMS) in support of preventive maintenance andgovernment compliance logistics for their signal requirements. This includes the Tests &Inspections System and the Configuration Management System.
10EastCorp. announced Wednesday that both the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad and the Belt Railway Company of Chicago have chosen the company’s RailDOCSTM Preventive Maintenance Management System (PMMS) in support of preventive maintenance and government compliance logistics for their signal requirements. This includes the Tests & Inspections System and the Configuration Management System.
FreightCar America President and CEO Chris Ragot says the company expects ”a significant reduction in railcar deliveries” in 2009, but after a strong finish in 2008 is well-positioned to ride out the downturn.
Acela Express fares up to 25% lower than the lowest previous fares are available now for travel between March 3 and June 26, Amtrak announced Tuesday.
Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc. (EMD) has launched two websites in India, one of the locomotive manufacturer’s fastest-growing markets.
Systra SA has appointed Diego Diaz as SYSTRA USA’s new president CEO, effective immediately.
H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, contains billions of investment dollars for rail projects, passenger and freight.
As Congress tinkered last week with final details of the proposed Stimulus Package, some transportation analysts lamented that funding for all rail modes totaled only 2% of the $787 billion plan.
The American Public Transportation Foundation, which provides scholarships for young professionals pursuing careers in public transportation, is in the midst of a fundraising drive. APTF’s goal is to raise $5,000 during the month of February.
Norfolk Southern’s 2009 capital spending program, totaling$1.412 billion, is the railroad’s second-largest in five years. It is exceeded by 2008’s $1.556 billion, but tops expenditures of $1.341 billion in 2007, $1.178 billion in 2006, and $1.025 billion in 2005.
