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NS recently unveiled this new locomotive paint scheme in Altoona, Pa., that pays tribute to its railroaders. (Alan Shaw Photograph)

Class I Briefs: NS, CPKC, CN (UPDATED 6/12)

Norfolk Southern (NS) celebrates its railroaders with a Thoroughbred Locomotive painted in a special scheme. Also, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) meets with officials in Toronto, Canada, and marks the completion of the Final Spike Steam Tour in Mexico; and CN continues its partnership with Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.

(Port NOLA Photograph)

Louisiana Commits $230.5MM to Port NOLA Infrastructure Projects

A commitment of $230.5 million was made to the Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) for its Louisiana International Terminal (LIT), St. Bernard Transportation Corridor, and St. Claude Bridge projects by the Louisiana Legislature prior to its June 3 adjournment, according to Port NOLA.

Pictured, Left to Right: Richard Andreski and Sally Librera, Commuter Rail Coalition (Photographs Courtesy of CRC), and Patrick Preusser, Utah Transit Authority (UTA Photograph).

People News: CRC, UTA, MBTA

Richard Andreski and Sally Librera join the Commuter Rail Coalition (CRC) Board. Also, Utah Transit Authority (UTA) appoints Patrick Preusser as Chief Operating Officer; and Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s (MBTA) Desiree Patrice earns COMTO-Boston 2024 Women Making Transportation History Award.

Santa Clara VTA on June 8 held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Eastridge to BART Regional Connector Project, extending light rail service from the existing Alum Rock Light Rail Station to the Eastridge Transit Center with an elevated guideway, located primarily in the center of Capital Expressway. (Santa Clara VTA Photograph)

Transit Briefs: Sound Transit, Santa Clara VTA

At Seattle’s Sound Transit, testing is under way on the 8.5-mile Lynnwood Link Extension and a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) has been released for the Operations and Maintenance Facility South project. Also, Santa Clara Vally Transportation Authority (VTA) breaks ground for the Eastridge to BART Regional Connector project.

  • News

J. Craig Thorpe Leads Rail Artist Workshop

Noted railroad painter and illustrator J. Craig Thorpe will lead a three-day artists’ workshop at the Station Inn, Cresson, Pa., August 23-25. Thorpe , the event’s artist in residence, “will bring a

“Thanks to Governor Greg Gianforte and Montana Department of Agriculture for joining Ardent Mills, Calumet Montana Refining, Bridge Agri Partners and about 30 community members for the groundbreaking of another rail expansion project,” the BNSF-served Port of Northern Montana reported via Facebook. (Port of Northern Montana Photograph)

Class I Briefs: BNSF, UP

BNSF releases an operations update for customers, and the BNSF-served Port of Northern Montana multimodal hub center launches an expansion project. Also, Union Pacific (UP) joins Clean Fuels Alliance America.

GRYR (pictured) and FGA are now part of the EPA’s SmartWay® Transport Partnership. (GRYR Photograph)

FGA, GRYR Become ‘SmartWay’ Partners

Jacksonville, Fla.-based Pinsly Railroad Company on June 7 reported that its Florida Gulf & Atlantic (FGA) and Grenada Railroad (GRYR) subsidiaries have joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) SmartWay® Transport Partnership.

“Wabtec has a proven history of providing integrated services designed to maximize reliability and availability of customers' locomotives at optimal operating costs,” said Danilo Miyasato, President and Regional Leader of Wabtec in Latin America, during the announcement of its 10-year master service agreement for Vale's Evolution Series locomotive fleet at Estrada de Ferro Carajás (EFC) railway in Brazil. “This contract reinforces our long-standing working relationship with Vale to drive sustainable and efficient growth of EFC's railway operations.” (Wabtec Photograph)

Wabtec Lands Another Vale Contract (UPDATED 6/10)

Global mining company Vale has signed a 10-year master service agreement valued at approximately $340 million (R$1.8 billion) with Wabtec Corporation “to increase the efficiency and operations” of the Evolution Series (EVO) locomotive

The TTC and ATU Local 113 have reached a tentative agreement that avoids a strike. Pictured during the June 7 announcement: TTC Chair Jamaal Myers (right) and TTC CEO Rick Leary. (TTC Photograph)

Transit Briefs: TTC, Metrolink, NCTD, SEPTA

The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) and Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 113 avert a strike. Also, Southern California’s Metrolink approves a contract extension for CEO Darren Kettle; North County Transit District (NCTD) is launching first-mile/last-mile service for COASTER commuter rail riders; and Elavon will enable contactless fare payments for Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) riders.

Townline is seeking authorization to construct and operate approximately 5,000 feet of new, common carrier rail line and associated switching and sidetrack in the hamlet of Kings Park, town of Smithtown, N.Y. The proposed line would connect and run parallel to the existing MTA Long Island Railroad main line, and add two daily New York & Atlantic Railway (NYA) trains (one roundtrip) to the LIRR system five days per week. (Map Courtesy of STB)

STB Releases Final EA for Proposed Suffolk County, N.Y. Rail Line

The Final Environmental Assessment (EA) for the proposed construction and operation of Townline Rail Terminal’s new rail line in Suffolk County, N.Y., was issued June 7 by the Surface Transportation Board’s (STB) Office of Environmental Analysis. The Board will now consider the transportation merits of the proposal and the entire environmental record as part of its final decision.

(Top) Last year, members of UP’s Engineering Department met to discuss safety accomplishments and opportunities to continue reinforcing a “safety mindset.” The nearly 600-member group—including employees in Tucson, Ariz., (bottom left) and Tucumcari, N.Mex. (bottom right)—recently marked one year injury-free. (Caption and Photographs Courtesy of UP)

Class I Briefs: UP, CPKC, CN

Union Pacific’s (UP) Southwest Maintenance-of-Way team reaches a safety milestone. Also, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) distributes iPads to conductors; and CN celebrates Pride month (June) with specially designed containers.

(TSA Logo)

TSA: STSAC Member Applications Welcome

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is seeking candidates to serve on its Surface Transportation Security Advisory Committee (STSAC), whose mission is to provide advice, consultation, and recommendations on “improving surface transportation security

(Port of Los Angeles Photograph)

Approved Revenue, Spending Plan Supports LA Port Priorities

The Los Angeles (Calif.) Harbor Commission on June 6 signed off on a $2.6 billion Fiscal Year (FY) 2024/25 budget for the City of Los Angeles Harbor Department that it said will support the “community investment, decarbonization of port-related operations, workforce development, and cargo infrastructure modernization” priorities of the Port of Los Angeles.

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Moving More With Less

GUIDE TO EQUIPMENT LEASING, RAILWAY AGE JUNE 2024 ISSUE: The battle for the soul of Norfolk Southern concluded with more whimpering than expected. Together, Ancora’s three-board-seat-limited victory and its highly scripted vow

Atlas (pictured) is a 12-axle U.S. Department of Energy-designed railcar for transporting shipments of spent nuclear fuel weighing up to 480,000 pounds (240 tons). The $33 million project took 10 years to complete. (DOE Photograph)

Watch: Atlas Cleared for Operation

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) Equipment Engineering Committee (EEC) has certified the Atlas railcar system to run on all major U.S. freight railroads, according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy, which developed it to transport the nation’s commercial spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste weighing up to 480,000 pounds (240 tons).

ASLRRA President Chuck Baker (ASLRRA Photograph)
Commentary

Seven Reasons to Love CRISI Grants

ASLRRA PERSPECTIVE, RAILWAY AGE JUNE 2024 ISSUE: If I were writing an ode to the CRISI (Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements) Grant Program, I couldn’t do better than by plagiarizing the title of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s most famous poem, “How Do I Love Thee, Let Me Count the Ways.”

RailState: ‘Container Volumes Drop on CPKC; Volumes on CN Continue Historic Levels’

Total container volume through the western Canada ports was 94,791 containers in May, down slightly from April’s nearly 97,000 containers, according to real-time network visibility provider RailState, which independently tracks all freight rail movements across Canada. April’s totals were the highest ever recorded by RailState, which was established in 2021. The declines all came on CPKC, which moved 15.3% less container volume than in April, and was down 2.9% from May 2023.