Cathcart was selected by CORP, a Genesee & Wyoming subsidiary, to provide railcar inspection and repair services across the 362-mile railroad’s major yards in Roseburg, Cottage Grove, and Medford, Ore. (G&W Photograph)

Small-Road Briefs: CORP/Cathcart; OmniTRAX/SLSI; R.J. Corman

Central Oregon & Pacific (CORP) contracts Cathcart Rail (Cathcart) for railcar inspection and repair. Also, OmniTRAX hosts emergency response training in Colorado with the Short Line Safety Institute (SLSI) and local fire departments; and R.J. Corman Railroad Group (R.J. Corman) holds its annual RJC Gives Week.

“We heard first-hand from firefighters that were responding to the Norfolk Southern derailment in East Palestine that they and other first responders need hazardous materials train consists as soon as an incident occurs,” PHMSA Deputy Administrator Tristan Brown reported during the June 24 announcement of the agency’s final rule requiring railroads to provide train consist information. (PHMSA Photograph)

PHMSA Finalizes Rail Safety Rule to Aid First Responders in Hazmat Incidents

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) on June 24 reported finalizing a new rule that would require railroads “to proactively provide” real-time, electronic information about rail hazmat shipments to first

NS to Establish Vent and Burn Workshop

Norfolk Southern (NS) on June 21 announced that it will convene a Vent and Burn Workshop “to integrate key learnings for the betterment of any future scenario where a vent and burn may be necessary.”

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.

TSB Releases Annual ‘Safety Recommendations’ Assessment

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) on June 20 issued an annual assessment of responses to its “outstanding safety recommendations” in the rail, marine and air transportation sectors.

“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.

The Federal Railroad Administration in June hosted a signing ceremony with leaders from the American Train Dispatchers Association and BNSF, making their membership in the C3RS Program official. Now, 650 BNSF employees can confidentially report close calls and unsafe events through this program. (FRA Photograph)

BNSF: Second Class I to Participate in FRA C3RS (UPDATED 6/17)

BNSF and the American Train Dispatchers Association (ATDA) are partnering with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to join a one-year pilot program of the FRA-sponsored Confidential Close Call Reporting System (C3RS). Their decision to

Amtrak has released its 10th Sustainability Report, disclosing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) activities during FY 2023, from Oct. 1, 2022, through Sept. 30, 2023 (Photograph by Mike Armstrong for Amtrak)

Transit Briefs: Amtrak, MARTA, MBTA

Amtrak issues a Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Sustainability Report, detailing its progress to Net-Zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2045. Also, Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) adopts FY 2025 operating and capital budgets; and Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) delays the launch of South Coast Rail.

(Courtesy of TSB)

TSB Releases Final Transportation Occurrence Stats for 2023

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has published its final annual statistical summaries from 2023 on transportation occurrences (accidents and incidents) in the rail, air, marine, and pipeline sectors, showing accidents were down from the previous year for all sectors but air.

Metra, Union Pacific, state, and local officials cut the ribbon to officially open the new Peterson/Ridge Station in Chicago. (Metra Photograph)

Transit Briefs: Metra, NJT

Metra launches its long-awaited commuter rail station in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood. Also, New Jersey Transit (NJT) advances its Brick Church Station modernization and Brielle Drawbridge replacement projects.

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