North America – Page 84
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NewsCalifornia targets high speed service to Silicon Valley by 2025
USA: Issuing its Draft Business Plan for 2016 on February 18, the California High Speed Rail Authority set a target date for launching revenue-earning services between ‘Silicon Valley and Central Valley’ by 2025. With construction work now underway along an alignment covering approximately 160 km in the state’s Central Valley, ...
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NewsAmtrak reviews Gulf Coast revival
USA: Proposals to reinstate inter-city passenger services between New Orleans and Jacksonville are moving forward, with the operation of a special inspection train by Amtrak and the Southern Rail Commission on February 18-19 to examine the infrastructure along the Gulf Coast route. The line had previously ...
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NewsCN announces C$2·9bn 2016 capital plan
CANADA: CN has announced a C$2·9bn spending plan for 2016. ‘CN is investing for the long term and we are again planning a significant capital programme in 2016 to support a safe and fluid railway network, and to raise the bar on efficiency and customer service’, said President & CEO ...
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NewsBombardier to overhaul Maryland commuter coaches
USA: Maryland Transit Administration announced a $36·8m contract for Bombardier Transportation to overhaul 63 MARC III coaches on February 4. The double-deck commuter cars have been in service for coming up to 17 years. ‘Overhauling our MARC III cars is a cost-effective way to improve the safety and reliability of ...
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NewsTier 4 industrial shunting locomotive
NORTH AMERICA: Tractive Power Corp’s US manufacturing contractor Curry Rail Services has completed a demonstrator Tier 4 compliant version of the TP56 industrial shunting locomotive, which is designed to use off-the-shelf industrial and railway components. The three-axle TP56 locomotive uses half of the frame of an SD40-2 with one ...
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NewsNorfolk Southern announces cost-cutting plan
USA: Norfolk Southern Corp announced details of a strategic plan to become a 'faster, lower cost and more profitable railroad' on January 27, saying it expects to achieve annual productivity savings of $130m in 2016 and more than $650m by 2020. The plan is the result of a six-month evaluation ...
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NewsFirst Brightline coach shell completed at Siemens plant
USA: The first stainless steel coach bodyshell for All Aboard Florida’s Brightline project has been completed at Siemens’ Sacramento plant in California. Siemens is to supply an initial five four-car trainsets with a capacity of 240 passengers, which will be top-and-tailed by Siemens Charger diesel locomotives. Siemens said it ...
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NewsUS-Chinese joint venture delivers first wagons
USA: The Vertex Railcar Corp joint venture of US and Chinese companies has delivered the first batch of wagons to be assembled at its plant in Wilmington, North Carolina. This follows Association of American Railroads certification which was announced in late December. The first 30 of 60 sand hoppers ...
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NewsFirst Metrolink F125 completed
USA: The first F125 diesel locomotive for Los Angeles commuter rail operator Metrolink is nearing completion at the Electro-Motive Diesel plant in Muncie, Indiana, the operator announced on January 20. Designed for operation at up to 200 km/h, the F125 is EMD’s first new design of passenger diesel locomotive for ...
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NewsRing of Fire railway planned to Big Daddy and Black Horse
CANADA: Mining exploration company KWG Resources Inc is negotiating a deal for China Railway First Survey & Design Institute Group Co to undertake a feasibility study for the construction and financing of a proposed 328 km multi-user railway which would link mineral deposits in the remote Ring of Fire region ...
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NewsAnsaldo STS awarded $338m MBTA PTC contract
USA: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has awarded Ansaldo STS a $338m contract to equip the Boston commuter rail network with Positive Train Control. The contract includes design, installation, systems integration, commissioning, technical support and documentation. The lines are to be equipped with an integrated PTC package interoperable with both the ...
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Metro Report InternationalAnsaldo STS awarded $338m MBTA PTC contract
USA: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has awarded Ansaldo STS a $338m contract to equip the Boston commuter rail network with Positive Train Control. The contract includes design, installation, systems integration, commissioning, technical support and documentation. The lines are to be equipped with an integrated PTC package interoperable with both the ...
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In depth$3bn Penn Station PPP to create Empire Complex by 2019
USA: Andrew Cuomo, Governor of New York State, lent renewed impetus to the redevelopment of Penn Station in New York City on January 6 by suggesting the $3bn project could be completed within three years. Overall space for passengers to circulate would be increased by 50%, creating a ‘holistic and ...
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NewsCalifornia Rail Builders consortium to build next section of high speed line
USA: California High Speed Rail Authority has selected the California Rail Builders special purpose vehicle of Ferrovial Agroman US Corp, Euroestudios and Othon for the Construction Package 4 design-build contract, which covers a 35 km section of the planned route through the Central Valley from 1·6 km north of the ...
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NewsDetroit connection to speed passenger services
USA: Amtrak’s Wolverine passenger trains between Chicago and Detroit have begun using a new curve at West Detroit Junction, which has been built in conjunction with the upgrading and double-tracking of the former NS route now owned by Michigan Department of Transportation. Completed in late December, the US$15·8m curve was ...
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NewsJR Central considers Texas Central investment
USA: Central Japan Railway confirmed on November 23 that it was considering whether to take a financial stake in Texas Central Partners, which is promoting a privately-financed 386 km high speed line between Dallas and Houston. JR Central has been working closely with the promoters, and is acting as technology ...
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NewsNomad Digital and Bombardier announce North American partnership
NORTH AMERICA: Nomad Digital and Bombardier Transportation announced a partnership to provide passenger and fleet management connectivity technology across the region on December 3. Nomad said the agreement would provide Bombardier with access its expertise in the development, implementation and management of on-board systems including passenger information, media and ...
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NewsDiesel tram-trains for Puebla
MEXICO: Vossloh Rail Vehicles has delivered what it says are the first tram-trains in the Americas, two diesel vehicles ordered last year by the government of the state of Puebla. The new vehicles have been acquired as part of an 800m pesos project to introduce a tourist service over the ...
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NewsWabtec to provide Chicago PTC kit
USA: Wabtec Corp has signed contracts worth about $45m with Chicago rail operator Metra and engineering management firm Parsons Transportation Group to provide equipment and services for Positive Train Control for the Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad. This follows the announcement of Parsons as prime contractor for the PTC installation ...
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NewsVIA Rail acquires Brockville Subdivision
CANADA: VIA Rail Canada has acquired the Brockville Subdivision from Canadian Pacific. This comprises 45 km of single track between Smiths Falls and Brockville on the Ottawa – Toronto route in Ontario. ‘This acquisition will strengthen our rail network dedicated to passenger trains in the Ottawa region, where VIA Rail ...