All North America articles
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NewsGeopier launches subgrade strengthening GeoSpike
TRACK: Geopier Foundation Co has introduced its GeoSpike, which is designed to provide a low‐cost way to strengthen the subgrade without needing to remove the rails, sleepers or ballast. Pairs of polymer shells are installed between the sleepers, and filled with aggregate which is then compacted. ...
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Cat litter by rail
USA: Cat litter producer Intersand has begun construction of a rail-served production, packaging and distribution facility at the Great Western Industrial Park in Windsor, Colorado. GWIP is owned by short line group OmniTRAX, whose Great Western Railway of Colorado will provide direct rail services to the new ...
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Partnership to develop North American rail portfolio
NORTH AMERICA: Middle-market investor Connor, Clark Lunn Infrastructure has announced a partnership with Alpenglow Rail’s short line management team with the aim of developing a portfolio of rail businesses across North America. As part of this, CC L has acquired VIP Rail from private ...
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Surface Transportation Board proposes rule changes
USA: The Surface Transportation Board has begun consultation on proposed rule changes intended to reduce the cost and complexity of its rate review procedures, particularly in small cases, and to provide a streamlined market dominance process. The proposals build on recommendations made by STB’s rate reform ...
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MBTA orders double-deck coaches
USA: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has awarded Hyundai Rotem a $278·5m sole-source contract to supply 80 double-deck coaches. These will replace single deck vehicles to increase capacity on the Boston commuter rail network by more than 14 000 seats/day. A $41m contract for engineering and programme ...
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Ceremonies mark start of Dallas Silver Line construction
Dallas Silver Line USA: Dallas Area Rapid Transit held a series of ground-breaking ceremonies along the route of the future Silver Line on September 19 to officially launch construction of the $1·1bn commuter railway in the northern suburbs of Dallas. Previously known as the ...
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Wabtec to close MotivePower plant
USA: Wabtec is to end locomotive production at the MotivePower plant in Boise, Idaho, by early 2020, with manufacturing to be consolidated at the former GE Transportation site in Erie, Pennsylvania. ‘Decisions like this are never easy but will help simplify and optimise the company’s manufacturing ...
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Mexican wagon manufacturing joint venture announced
MEXICO: US wagon manufacturer FreightCar America and heavy fabrication company Fabricaciones y Servicios de México have announced a joint venture to produce wagons in Castaños. FreightCar America is committing US$25m of assets and cash, and will consolidate and control the joint venture; profits and losses will ...
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Texas Central targets financial close by next year
USA: Dallas – Houston high speed project promoter Texas Central says it is optimistic of securing financial close by the end of next year, which would enable construction to begin. Worth an indicative $20bn, the privately funded high speed railway is intended to link Dallas with ...
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Long Island Rail Road M-9 cars enter service
MTA Long Island Rail Road has put the first of its Kawasaki M-9 EMUs into service (Photo: Joseph M Calisi) USA: New York commuter operator MTA Long Island Rail Road has put the first of its Kawasaki M-9 electric multiple-unit cars into service. The 750 V ...
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RJ Corman Railroad Co leases Childersburg Line
USA: RJ Corman Railroad Co has finalised a long-term agreement to lease a 21 km short line in Coosa Pines, Alabama, from the City of Childersburg Local Redevelopment Authority. Branded by RJ Corman as the Childersburg Line, the railway carries a diverse range of inbound and ...
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CN to acquire Massena line from CSX
NORTH AMERICA: CN has signed an agreement to acquire CSX’s 350 km Massena line which runs from Valleyfield in Québec to Woodard in New York state. The route serves cities including Beauharnois and Huntingdon in Canada and Massena, Norwood, Potsdam and Gouverneur in the USA. ...
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Metrolinx orders double-deck coaches
CANADA: Ontario transport authority Metrolinx has ordered a further 36 double-deck coaches from Bombardier Transportation to bolster GO Transit services in the Toronto area. The 31 standard and five accessible BiLevel cars will be produced Bombardier’s Thunder Bay plant. ‘Our government is committed to building the ...
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Winchester & Western Railroad sold
USA: OmniTRAX announced on September 11 that it had completed its previously-announced $105m acquisition of Winchester Western Railroad from minerals company Covia Holdings Corp. Class III railway W W has two divisions totalling 160 km, with an 85 km route in the Shenandoah Valley ...
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LB Foster boosts Rail division
LB FOSTER: Rail infrastructure, engineering and technology specialist LB Foster has announced a series of management changes in its Rail division. Greg Lippard Greg Lippard has been named Vice-President, Rail. In addition to his responsibilities for the Rail Distribution, Allegheny Rail Products and Transit ...
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Tsunami Gate wagon to make a splash at Railway Interchange
USA: A patent-pending Tsunami Gate door system that allows shippers to customise grain discharge speeds is at the heart of the latest design of covered hopper wagon to be developed by The Greenbrier Companies. The 147 m 3 capacity wagon can be emptied in 30 ...
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Icomera wins GO Transit wi-fi contract
CANADA: Transport authority Metrolinx has selected Icomera to roll-out wi-fi and an entertainment system across the GO Transit fleet of 943 rail vehicles and 532 buses in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton areas. Installation is scheduled to begin later this year, with the first wi-fi expected ...
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Gaspésie railway rehabilitation funding
CANADA: The Canadian government’s Disaster Mitigation Adaptation Fund is to provide C$45·8m for the rehabilitation of a section of the provincially-owned railway to Gaspésie in Quebéc. The section has been out of use since 2015 because of the poor condition of the ...
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Australian investment group FSI to buy Patriot Rail
USA: Australian investment group First State Investments announced an agreement to acquire 100% of the equity of short line group Patriot Rail & Ports from SteelRiver Infrastructure Partners on August 26. Terms were not disclosed. Formed in 2006 and acquired by SteelRiver in 2012, Florida-based Patriot now has ...
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OmniTRAX acquires Cleveland Commercial Railroad
USA: OmniTRAX has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the Cleveland Commercial Railroad and its wholly owned subsidiary Cleveland Harbor Belt Railroad for an undisclosed price. The transaction is expected to close by the end of August, with the CCRL to be renamed as the ...
