North America
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In depthUSA: Living with extreme weather
Building on many years of experience, US railroads large and small have developed cost-effective approaches to dealing with the impact of extreme weather incidents and other natural disasters, but continue to evolve their response strategies. Dave Lustig investigates.
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News
Norfolk Southern drops plans for rail terminal on convict labour site
USA: Norfolk Southern has dropped plans to build a rail-served ethanol terminal on the site of a former brickworks near Atlanta which had made extensive use of a system of leasing convicted prisoners as forced labour.
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News
Metra to test electric shunting locomotive
USA: The board of Chicago commuter operator Metra has approved a plan to procure seven low-emission shunting locomotives, including its first zero-emission electric loco. The six diesel locos would be required to meet the Environmental Protection Agency’s Tier IV emissions standards, the highest currently in ...
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Metro Report International
Getting Ready2Ride in Pittsburgh
USA: Pittsburgh transport agency Port Authority of Allegheny County and ticketing technology companies Masabi and Transit have launched the three-month pilot phase of the Ready2Ride mobile ticketing system, ahead of the full launch later this year. More than 600 Masabi Justride validation devices have been ...
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News
Modaxo acquires driver advisory system company TTG
INTERNATIONAL: Toronto-based technology collective Modaxo Inc has acquired driver advisory systems developer TTG Transportation Technology to expand its presence in the rail market. Based in Sydney, Australia, and Stirling in the UK, TTG has developed and supplied stand-alone and connected DAS since 2007. It now ...
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News
Single-track corridor to launch Californian high speed service by 2030
USA: California High Speed Rail Authority’s Revised Draft Business Plan envisages the completion of a 270 km ‘interim service line’ which would initially be mostly single track, and sets out revised cost and ridership estimates for the project.
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Metro Report International
Filters deployed and UV on test, but robot struggles to disinfect metro trains
USA: San Francisco’s BART is ‘actively evaluating many different technologies’ that could potentially be used to combat the coronavirus, according to Chief Safety Officer Jeff Lau. Following a six-month pilot, BART has approved the installation of denser filters in the heating and air conditioning unit underneath ...
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News
Greenbrier and Longwood announce wagon leasing joint venture
USA: Wagon manufacturer The Greenbrier Companies and transport asset advisory and management firm Longwood Group have announced plans to form a wagon leasing joint venture in the first quarter of this year. GBX Leasing’s initial portfolio will be based on leased wagons on Greenbrier’s balance ...
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Metro Report International
Lyft highlights public transport options
USA: Information about San Diego MTS liught rail and bus services is now available alongside e-scooter and rideshare options in the Lyft app. MTS said this ‘puts mobility options front and centre, making it easier for riders to make informed decisions about how to get ...
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News
Buttigieg confirmed as Secretary of Transportation
USA: Former Democratic presidential contender and mayor of South Bend, Indiana, Pete Buttigieg, was confirmed as federal Secretary of Transportation by an 86:13 vote in the Senate on February 2.
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News
Lineage Logistics acquires refrigerated wagon owner
USA: Temperature-controlled transport and warehousing company Lineage Logistics has acquired refrigerated wagon owned Cryo-Trans, saying the deal would a create a ‘uniquely comprehensive and seamlessly integrated supply chain solution for food and beverage customers’. Cryo-Trans owns more than 2 200 refrigerated and insulated wagons, the largest ...
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News
Chicago commuter operator approves ‘transformational’ order for Alstom coaches
USA: The Metra board has approved the award of a ‘transformational’ $1·8bn framework agreement for Alstom to supply up to 500 double-deck coaches, which the Chicago commuter operator said would be ‘more comfortable, accessible, reliable and safe than the outdated gallery cars they will replace.’ ...
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News
Indiana double tracking project awarded funding
USA: The Federal Transit Administration has announced a $173m grant for Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District’s $491m project to double-track 43 km of the South Shore commuter line between Gary and Michigan City. ‘FTA is proud to join our partners in northern Indiana to improve mobility, ...
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Metro Report International
Phoenix South Central light rail grant awarded
USA: The Federal Transit Administration has approved a $529·8m funding package from the Capital Investment Grants programme for Phoenix’s Valley Metro’s $1·35bn South Central Light Rail Extension/Downtown Hub project. The 8·9 km, eight-stop light rail extension to South Mountain Village ‘will better connect Phoenix residents to ...
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News
Caltrain operating contract extended to support electrification programme
USA: The Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board has awarded Herzog subsidiary TransitAmerica Services a five-year extension to its current contract to operate Caltrain commuter services, which link San Francisco with San Jose. The contract extension will allow the operator to support ongoing 25 kV 60 Hz ...
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News
Cathcart Rail ‘in growth mode’ with two US acquisitions announced
USA: Freight industry group Cathcart Rail has announced the purchase of two wagon repair businesses, and says it is ‘currently in growth mode’ and actively seeking further acquisitions as well as partnerships with short lines. Founded in 2015 by Thomas Cathcart and ...
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News
Grant for grommets
GROMMET EDGING: US company Device Technologies Inc has been awarded a State Trade Expansion Programme grant to help market its Spring-Fast SL-FST grommet edging to the European rolling stock market. This will build on DTi’s long term programme to grow international sales through its Hamburg-based European ...
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News
CPCS Transcom and First Class Partnerships to merge
INTERNATIONAL: Specialist transport and infrastructure management consultancies CPCS Transcom and First Class Partnerships are to merge, the two companies announced on January 6.
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News
BNSF and Wabtec test battery-electric locomotive in California
USA: BNSF and Wabtec have begun testing a battery-electric locomotive in revenue service on the 585 km route between Barstow and Stockton in California. The tests aim to assess the future potential of the technology, which as well as the battery features energy-management and system optimisation ...
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Metro Report International
Toronto Finch West light rail maintenance contract awarded
CANADA: The Mosaic Transit joint venture which holds the PPP concession to design, build, finance and maintain Toronto’s Finch West Light Rail Transit line has subcontracted Bombardier Transportation to provide 30 years of infrastructure and rolling stock maintenance services. The 11 km light rail line from ...
