Author: Marybeth Luczak

Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority on June 14 held a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of construction of its West Portal facility, the future location of the Santa Clara Station and Newhall Yard & Maintenance Facility, and the site where the Tunnel Boring Machine will be assembled and launched to bore the five-mile underground tunnel for the BART Silicon Valley Phase II Extension Project. (SCVTA Photograph)

Transit Briefs: DART, Denver RTD, SCVTA, SEPTA, Valley Rail

Dallas (Tex.) Area Rapid Transit (DART) eyes fare structure changes. Also, Denver (Colo.) Regional Transportation District CEO earns a Women in Business Award; California’s Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (SCVTA) celebrates the West Portal groundbreaking for its BART Silicon Valley Phase II Extension Project; Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) advances a subway station accessibility project; and construction kicks off for the Valley Rail program in California.

(STB Logo)

STB Sets 3Q24 Rail Cost Adjustment Factor

The Surface Transportation Board (STB) has adopted for third-quarter 2024 the rail cost adjustment factor (RCAF), defined as “an index formulated to represent changes in railroad costs incurred by the nation’s largest railroads over a specified period of time.”

TTC CEO Rick Leary (left) with Chair Jamaal Myers during the June 7 announcement of the TTC-ATU Local 113 tentative agreement that avoided a strike. (TTC Photograph)

TTC’s Leary Stepping Down

Boston-native Rick Leary has announced his resignation, effective Aug. 30, as CEO of Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), after more than six years leading the Ontario, Canada, agency that has grown since 1921

According to Rail Vision, its Shunting Yard System “automatically detects and classifies objects within a range of 200 meters [656 feet]—in any weather or light conditions.” (Image Courtesy of Rail Vision)

Supply Side: Rail Vision/Loram; Wabtec; Eco-Energy/Commtrex

Track maintenance equipment and services provider Loram takes delivery of Rail Vision Ltd.’s monitoring and obstacle detection system for yards. Also, Wabtec Corporation achieves ISO 27001 certification; and Eco-Energy, LLC partners with Commtrex to deliver outsourced logistics and fleet management services throughout North America.

“The concentrated wind gusts at this location coming out of Abo Canyon [in New Mexico] have caused problems in the past,” reports Craig Rasmussen, BNSF Assistant Vice President of Engineering, Services and Structure. “Installing the wind screen will help by lowering the wind impact against the side of trains, which will help keep trains safely flowing through the area.” (BNSF Photograph)

Class I Briefs: BNSF, CN

BNSF crews install fencing at the Abo Canyon mountain pass to mitigate wind speed and boost safety. Also, CN Police signs the 30×30 Initiative pledge to add more women to the policing ranks.

(Norfolk Southern Photograph)

AAR: North American Rail Volume Up Through Week 24

Through the first 24 weeks of 2024 (ending June 15), total North American carload and intermodal traffic rose 2.0% from the same point last year, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR). The U.S., Canada and Mexico all experienced gains.

High school students this summer will shadow CTA’s construction management team and document the 5.6-mile Red Line Extension project. (Project Rendering Courtesy of CTA)

Transit Briefs: CTA, Minn. Met Council, NJT, SEPTA, Metrolinx

This summer, Chicago will see CTA’s Red Line Extension project through the eyes of three high school students. Also, Minnesota’s Metropolitan (Met) Council and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) prepare an environmental report for the Metro Blue Line extension project; New Jersey Transit (NJT) hosts a workshop on transportation and security planning ahead of large-scale events like the FIFA World Cup 2026; Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) in May exceeds 70% of pre-COVID ridership for the first time; and Ontario’s Metrolinx awards a rail program advisory contract to Jacobs.

Lake State Railway was Railway Age’s 2021 Regional Railroad of the Year. (Kevin Burkholder Photograph)

For LSRC, Changes at the Top

Michigan-based Lake State Railway (LSRC) on June 18 reported that Mike Stickel, Executive Vice President (EVP) and Chief Operating Officer (COO), will transition to President and CEO, succeeding John Rickoff, who will

Aerial view of Pier B, courtesy of Port of Long Beach.

POLB Sets $760MM Budget for FY 2025

The Long Beach (Calif.) Board of Harbor Commissioners has signed off on a $760 million budget for the Port of Long Beach’s (POLB) 2025 fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1, 2024, according