Railway Age magazine

A BNSF train on Oct. 21 “was the first to operate in Canada under Positive Train Control (PTC) protection,” the Class I railroad reported via social media. “Currently no other railroad operates with PTC in Canada.” The BNSF PTC-controlled line is approximately 17 miles, from Brownsville, near Vancouver, to the U.S. border.

In addition to BNSF trains operating on the New Westminster Subdivision, Amtrak runs between Seattle and Vancouver, B.C., on this line, BNSF reported, so its trains and passengers “are now provided an extra layer of safety.”

“As of 2023, we had installed PTC on 100% of mandated territory by the federal government,” BNSF reported in a separate social media post last month. “Then, when we resumed operations on the Montana Rail Link (MRL) in 2024, we expanded our PTC footprint. This June, the technology was implemented on 36 miles of what is now our MRL Subdivision, with another 570 miles currently under way. Completion is expected in December.”

The Class I railroad also reported a seven-year injury-free “safety streak” on its Wichita Falls Division in Texas. BNSF Trainmaster Jason Plaggemeyer credits the milestone, achieved on Sept. 15, to consistent focus and open communication among team members.

“The team isn’t afraid to speak up,” Plaggemeyer said in a BNSF social media post. “If they see someone operating in a way that could cause an incident, they coach each other through it. For us, trusting each other is important but so is changing habits.”

Plaggemeyer’s “open-door policy” is both literal and figurative, according to the railroad, which noted that “[d]ay or night, he reminds his team that he’s available whenever questions or doubts arise.”

CSX on Oct. 27 reported being recognized as one of Florida’s top employers, ranking No. 29 in the Sunshine State on Forbes’ 2025 list of America’s Best-In-State Employers. This annual ranking highlights companies that excel in workplace culture, employee satisfaction, and professional development opportunities.

To create the list, Forbes partnered with market research firm Statista to survey more than 160,000 employees across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Participants, who work for companies with at least 500 employees, were asked to rate their employers on a scale of zero to 10. They evaluated factors such as wage parity, work culture, career advancement opportunities, and how employers address critical issues like sexual harassment. Survey respondents also shared insights about their previous employers and other organizations they were familiar with, providing a comprehensive view of workplace experiences. The data, collected over the past three years, was weighted to prioritize recent feedback and responses from current employees.

According to CSX, this year’s rankings include 1,417 companies across the U.S., with Florida’s list featuring more than 100 employers. CSX’s inclusion, it said, “reflects its commitment to fostering a supportive and engaging workplace where employees can thrive.”

“Each year, Norfolk Southern invests in the communities it serves, and in 2025, we have once again made a major commitment to our namesake region,” the railroad reported Oct. 27. “Through its ongoing partnership with the Hampton Roads Community Foundation, NS is donating $1 million to support 75 nonprofits throughout Hampton Roads.”

This year’s donation will fuel a diverse range of programs that strengthen Hampton Roads communities. Among the 75 nonprofits receiving support are groups focused on education, environment, accessibility, public health, and youth development:

• “Education and workforce readiness: For example, Access College Foundation supports first-generation students who are striving to attend college.
• “Environmental stewardship: The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay helps restore and protect water systems that feed into the Chesapeake Bay and sustain the community’s natural resources.
• “Accessibility and inclusion: Ability Center of Virginia ensures people with disabilities have access to programs, services, and opportunities they need to thrive.
• “Public-health and disaster readiness: The American Red Cross of Coastal Virginia offers critical services in disaster response and community health support.
• “K-12 academic and character development: An Achievable Dream Virginia Beach delivers a rigorous, supportive educational environment for students facing economic challenges.”

“Our region thrives when its nonprofits have the resources to serve,” said Deborah M. DiCroce, President and CEO of Hampton Roads Community Foundation. “Norfolk Southern’s commitment allows our community to meet needs today while preparing for tomorrow. We are pleased to be partnering with Norfolk Southern on this important work.”

“At Norfolk Southern, we know that long-term success is rooted in the strength of where our employees live, and our business operates,” added Kristin Wong, Director of NS Foundation and Community Impact. “This donation demonstrates that commitment in Hampton Roads, helping local organizations drive real, meaningful impact.”

NS said it has contributed a total of $4 million through the Hampton Roads Community Foundation since the partnership began, supporting more than 270 nonprofits in the region.

Separately, NS on Oct. 29 reported winning Best Sustainability Program from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Citizens Awards for its innovative living shoreline restoration at Lamberts Point, Norfolk, Va.

Instead of relying on traditional stone barriers, NS built what it calls “a living shoreline,” using native plants, oysters, and sustainable grading techniques to stabilize the coast. This eco-friendly design, it said, “strengthens natural habitats, improves water quality, and protects the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem while benefiting local communities and industries.”

For more than 30 years, erosion at the marine terminal threatened land, water quality, and biodiversity, according to NS, which stepped in five years ago with a voluntary project that it said restored 2,000-plus feet of shoreline; reintroduced native plants, oysters, and wildlife habitat; reduced nutrient and sediment runoff; and created “nutrient credits that generate revenue.”

Other finalists across nine categories included Allstate, Chick-fil-A, FedEx, Ford, Hilton, Pfizer, and United Airlines.

“In an era of rapid change, American businesses continue to meet extraordinary challenges with bold, innovative thinking,” said Michael Carney, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation President. “This year’s finalists embody the power of business to drive meaningful and lasting impact.”  

“This award is a testament to the power of innovation, collaboration, and environmental stewardship,” said Josh Raglin, NS Chief Sustainability Officer. “We’re proud to be recognized among the nation’s best—and even prouder of the impact we’re making for future generations through sustainable rail.”

In other news, NS said that reportable incidents are down at its Conway Yard in Pennsylvania and an injury-free milestone has been reached at Harrisburg Consolidated Terminals in Pennsylvania.

According to NS, Conway Yard has had just four reportable incidents this year, vs. 10 in 2024, and 24 in 2023. “The turnabout is a testament to an infusion of committed leadership, a dedicated team embracing Speak Up culture, and clear expectations alongside accountability at every level of the organization,” the railroad reported Oct. 28.

“We’ve been very intentional with inclusion of all departments and labor,” NS Assistant Superintendent Craig Pequignot said. “We’ve also given clear expectations on what a good shift and a good day look like. We hold each other to that standard, and when we have a bad day, we’re focused on how quickly we can rebound.”

“It’s the committed leadership model that the whole team has employed here,” added NS Superintendent Bryce Diffenderfer. “Everyone in Conway has a voice that is valued. We’re going to use all ideas to drive forward, learn from every experience, and not repeat mistakes.”

NS also noted that Conway is now processing an average of 1,900 cars per day, often exceeding 2,000 cars, up from a recent daily average of 1,600.

“There’s a lot of positive energy right now,” said Jim Stager, NS Manager Terminal Operations. “There’s communication between all departments that historically we really haven’t seen at Conway. When you roll those things together that’s clearly driving these results.”

When it comes to safety, it’s about getting ownership to the right place, Pequignot pointed out. Having labor’s involvement is an invaluable part of that, according to NS. On the service side, it’s about challenging traditional notions of what good looks like, it added.

“People are believing in themselves,” Pequignot said. “We’ve been so busy now for so long that the expectation is that this is sustainable.”

NS on Oct. 31 reported that more than 200 railroaders across three locations in Harrisburg, Enola, and Rutherford have safely operated 11 scheduled originating trains daily for a year and counting. “This accomplishment by the Harrisburg Consolidated Terminals (HCT) team is no small feat given the complexity and scale of operations on this portion of our network,” the railroad said. “Pound for pound, these terminals—separated by a bridge over the Susquehanna River—handle each railcar more often than any other location on the system. That inevitably creates added risk for injury.”

“One year injury free is no coincidence,” NS Senior AVP Transportation Jaspreet Pannu said. “Safety is not an accident. The committed leadership of this team and their ability to drive the right behavior is what good looks like. Their engagement is ensuring our people go home safely.”

“I couldn’t be prouder of the team for reaching this incredible milestone,” Bryce Diffenderfer added. “It’s a direct reflection of their commitment to safety, attention to detail, and the care shown for one another every single day.”

“We know what works,” said Andy Corbitt, NS Manager Terminal Operations. “Let’s continue driving results and sending people home the way they came.”

The post Class I Briefs: BNSF, CSX, NS appeared first on Railway Age.

MARTA announced Oct. 27 that it will replace its entire fare collection system over the next six months, with a goal of spring 2026 for implementation and customer transition. The system will retain the popular Breeze name but fare media and fare collection equipment, including Breeze cards and tickets, faregates and validators, Breeze vending machines, and the mobile app, will be updated and modernized, along with fareboxes in later project phases.

MARTA began installing new fare equipment at Lindbergh Center Station Sept. 22 and at Doraville Oct. 8. The installation of new contactless payment terminals on buses began in mid-September. The installation of new equipment will continue systemwide in phases until the customer transition period next April. Customers should pay attention to signs and announcements at rail stations denoting which faregates are closed for construction to ensure smooth travels. Note that this is a systemwide project and the phased construction approach will mean new faregates may be installed but not yet usable. Current Breeze cards and mobile app will not work on the new fare equipment.

Customers should continue using the existing Breeze mobile app, fare media and equipment. Access to all rail stations will be maintained and there will be a monthlong period in spring 2026 for customers to transition from the current Breeze system to the Better Breeze system.

“It’s great to keep fares unchanged for years, but not an entire fare collection system,” said MARTA Interim General Manager and CEO Jonathan Hunt. “MARTA is implementing some incredible projects and initiatives next year ahead of the World Cup, including new trains, a new bus network with on demand transit zones, a new bus rapid transit line, and a new On the Go app and MARTA website. We need to ensure our Breeze system is aligned with these once-in-a-generation improvements and ready for the future.”

Here is what customers will enjoy with the Better Breeze system:

• “New Equipment: New, contactless fare payment equipment that takes the guesswork out of where to tap. We are replacing faregates and fareboxes, validators, and Breeze vending machines systemwide. The Better Breeze faregates are harder to tamper with or damage. They can be monitored and adjusted remotely, reducing incidents of fare evasion, resulting in a safer, more secure transit system and a better experience for everyone.
• “New Payment Feature: Open payment where you can tap your bank card, smart phone, or mobile wallet to pay for your ride. Fare remains $2.50 for a one-way trip.
• “New App: An updated app which customers will need to download and create a new account where they can purchase fare.
• “New Cards: New physical cards with a cool design (think orange!) and continued options of multi-day and monthly passes. Information on getting your new Breeze card will be shared in the spring.”

Information on ongoing fare equipment installation and instructions on how and when to transition to the new fare system will be shared in the coming months and into next spring.

Tri-Rail is ending its program at the end of the year that provides a $5 voucher for cab fare or rideshare to and from the Miami International Airport station, according to a CBS Miami report.

“We were kicking in money for that, and we are looking everywhere where we can start reeling in some of those expenses,” said Tri-Rail Executive Director Dave Dech.

The regional commuter train system, according to the report, “is looking for ways to save money and raise funding after the state severely cut its annual contribution from about $60 million to $19 million. Tri-Rail is also asking counties to contribute more.”

“There’s been no deal yet, but I can say they’re definitely moving in the right direction; we’re not at zero,” Dech said.

This, CBS Miami says, comes as Tri-Rail is seeing record ridership. In fiscal year 2025, the system carried 4.5 million riders—up 100,000 from 2024. About 15,000 people take the train each day.

“There’s a lot at stake here,” Dech said. “If we don’t come up with funding, we have to figure out how to dump 15,000 a day on I-95. If we don’t come up with funding, Tri-Rail as we know it could cease to exist.”

Dipping into its reserves, Tri-Rail, according to the report, “has enough money to operate on its own until June 2027. Officials hope to reach a funding resolution before then.”

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) on Oct. 28 announced that DC Streetcar service will end on March 31, 2026. Following this date, the DC Streetcar will no longer operate. Riders are encouraged to plan and explore alternate travel options, including WMATA’s D20 bus.

The closure, according to a WTOP news report, comes a year earlier than initially planed, for March 2027, after the D.C. Council cut funding for the line in its fiscal year 2026 budget.

As part of this transition, DDOT says it is coordinating closely with WMATA Metrobus to provide alternatives for current riders throughout the H Street Corridor. Information and travel guides outlining these options, as well as access to Capital Bikeshare and other DDOT-managed modes of transportation, are available on the DDOT website.

In a statement, DDOT officials said the decision “comes after years of low ridership,” according to the report. “They also cited the system’s operational challenges because it ran in mixed traffic, and it also racked up higher costs to maintain and extend the system.”

The D.C. Streetcar was launched in 2016 as a single line that runs 2.2 miles between Union Station and the edge of the RFK Stadium Campus.

DDOT says it “acknowledges and appreciates the contributions of riders, employees, and community members who have supported the DC Streetcar during its decade of service to the District.”

RTD’s Board of Directors acted on Oct. 28 to prohibit placing advertisements on the windows of buses and trains.

The Director-initiated action, which was approved by a 9-4 vote, follows a multi-year push from customers and transit advocates in the Denver metro area to restrict advertising that covers windows. The policy update will apply to advertising agreements entered into after Jan. 1, 2026. Buses and trains that currently have advertising wraps that cover a portion of a vehicle’s windows will remain intact until their individual agreements end. As of the Oct. 28 meeting, a total of 48 commuter rail vehicles, 128 light rail vehicles, and 493 buses have advertisements that include varying levels of window coverage, according to RTD. The agency’s advertising guidelines previously prohibited advertisements on the front of vehicles, as well as the driver and operator side windows.

Prior to the policy amendment being considered by RTD’s Board, Director Brett Paglieri, District M, spoke in support of the action as one of its three sponsors. “I am bringing this forward to take us towards a better customer experience,” he said. “I want to highlight our image as a trustworthy, customer-first brand. Prohibiting advertising on windows contributes to a better rider experience on every journey.”

For several years, RTD says it has explored making updates to its advertising policy, from increasing to decreasing allowable space for paid advertisements. In the past, RTD expanded its on-vehicle advertising program to also allow digital advertising on screens at rail stations and select bus stops. Prior to the end of the year, digital advertising will also be phased out as the agency “focuses on enhancing customer amenities and improving how travel and schedule information is presented on screens.”

Between April and September of this year, vehicle wraps that included some portion of window coverage accounted for approximately $786,000 in gross advertising revenue. That amount reflects 42% of the total gross advertising revenue collected during that six-month period. Advertising revenue received from the on-vehicle program is used to support RTD’s general operations.

An open solicitation is currently under way to select a third-party contractor to manage RTD’s on-vehicle advertising program.

MDOT on Oct. 30 announced its newest rewards program to entice commuters in the Baltimore region to try transit.

The Ride Together Rewards: Baltimore Transit Incentives Program launched Nov. 1 and aims to “help new transit users and employers take advantage of services offered by the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA)—including local bus, Metro Subway, Light Rail, Commuter Bus and MARC train.” The program, MDOT says, is the latest step in the agency’s broader effort “to ease traffic congestion and strengthen travel options across the region, particularly as the state works to expeditiously advance construction to rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge.”

Under the new program, commuters who are new transit users can receive free transit passes during promotional periods. Employers can also receive up to $3,000 over a three-month period ($1,000 per month) to purchase transit passes for employees through MTA’s FareShare employer transit benefits program.

This new initiative, the agency says, marks the latest incentive for Baltimore-area commuters. Earlier this year, MDOT introduced vanpool and carpool rewards programs designed to improve daily trips, efficiently move Marylanders to jobs, and help reduce commute costs. Both programs remain available, “continuing the Department’s commitment to offering flexible, cost-effective and sustainable transportation options for Maryland workers.”

More information is available here.

SacRT recently announced that it is “reinforcing its commitment to rider and employee safety” with a $1 million investment in its safety and security program. The funding, approved as part of the agency’s FY26 budget, “will support targeted enhancements to staffing, monitoring, and frontline presence across the transit system.”

The additional $1 million in funding will be used to expand and strengthen SacRT’s security services in three key areas:

• “Transit Ambassadors: Increasing the number of authorized positions from 40 to 50, along with a modest salary increase to improve retention and recognize the vital role ambassadors play in customer service and de-escalation.
• “Security Operations Center (SOC): Hiring two additional staff to enhance monitoring of SacRT’s 2,000+ security cameras and improve responsiveness through the crime tip hotline and mobile reporting app.
• “Security Guards: Expanding the presence of uniformed security guards across light rail stations, vehicles, and parking lots.”

Additionally, SacRT operates a 24/7 Security Operations Center in partnership with the Sacramento Police Department’s Real Time Information Center (RTIC), “ensuring seamless coordination in emergency response and system-wide monitoring.”

“This investment is not about starting from scratch—it’s about building on a strong foundation,” said SacRT General Manager/CEO Henry Li. “We’re recognizing the tremendous and important work our frontline teams do every day, and this funding allows us to do even more to support them and the communities we serve.”

To elevate awareness around safety and rider conduct, SacRT recently launched the Respect the Ride campaign, spotlighting the essential role of Transit Ambassadors and encouraging respectful interactions on board. Through this campaign, SacRT says it is reminding the public that these frontline team members are here to help—and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.

More information on SacRT’s Safety and Security program is available here.

PANYNJ on Oct. 30 announced that its PATH commuter rail notched its second-busiest month since February 2020 and also posted several new record highs for single-day ridership since the pandemic, reaching a new high of 79% of pre-pandemic ridership.

In September 2025, the PATH commuter rail recorded its second-busiest month since the pandemic. The month’s 5.5 million passengers was a 6.9% increase from September 2024. It was 79% of pre-pandemic September 2019’s passenger total, “a new high-water mark for the system.”

The average weekday ridership in September 2025 was the highest of any month since the pandemic, at 217,831 riders, according to PANYNJ. Throughout the month, the system repeatedly shattered its previous single-day post-pandemic ridership record of 237,038 passengers set on June 18, 2024, exceeding that total on four separate days: Sept. 9, 10, 16, and 17, 2025. Among those, the new single-day post-pandemic record was set on Sept. 9, when PATH welcomed 243,858 passengers.

PATH ridership grew 7.3% over the first nine months of 2025 compared to the same period of 2024. The system served approximately 41.9 million passengers from January to September 2025.

TransLink on Nov. 1 invited the public to celebrate three decades of the West Coast Express with the launch of a limited-edition new Compass Mini shaped like the iconic train. A special Saturday train also ran that day to give riders a chance to experience Western Canada’s only commuter train.

Customers were able to get their hands on the Compass Mini-West Coast Express Trains starting at 10 a.m. at the TransLink Customer Service Centre at Waterfront Station. There were 5,000 products available, including 4,000 adult and 1,000 concession Compass Minis, each available with a $6 refundable deposit.

Each Compass Mini works just like a Compass Card, allowing customers to tap in at fare gates and on buses.

West Coast Express Facts:

• The West Coast Express is the only commuter rail service of its kind in Western Canada.
• A one-way trip spans 69 kilometers (43 miles), taking approximately 75 minutes.
• The West Coast Express travels between Mission City Station, Port Haney Station, Maple Meadows Station, Pitt Meadows Station, Port Coquitlam Station, Coquitlam Central Station, Moody Centre Station, and Waterfront Station.
• In September 2025, the West Coast Express averaged 7,400 weekly boardings.
• The name “West Coast Express” was the winning suggestion by Shannon O’Hara during a naming contest, held in January 1995. There were 8,447 entries into the contest.
• In the early 2000s, the Vancouver Canucks’ trio of Markus Naslund, Todd Bertuzzi, and Brendan Morrison were nicknamed the “West Coast Express”, reflecting their power, speed, and efficiency on the ice. They were considered one of the best lines in hockey during that time.
• The “Brain Train” ran from 1997 to 2004, offering weekly lectures or activities from Capilano College instructors on various subjects. These classes would take part in a designated train car in the morning.
• In 2023, TransLink boosted West Coast Express service by adding a fifth train through the West Coast Express Refurbishment Project. The refurbishments will extend the lifespan of the locomotive engines by 15 years.
• In 2024, the West Coast Express fleet fully converted to renewable diesel, helping to reduce fleet emissions by 97%.

The post Transit Briefs: MARTA, Tri-Rail, DC Streetcar, Denver RTD, MDOT, SacRT, PANYNJ, TransLink appeared first on Railway Age.

Illinois lawmakers recently approved $1.5 billion in new funding for public transportation agencies “without large statewide tax increases previously proposed,” according to a Capitol News Illinois report.

According to the report, the measure would instead be “fueled by revenue sources that currently feed the state’s Road Fund and an increased sales tax targeted to the Chicago area.”

The bill, Capitol News Illinois reports, frustrated some lawmakers outside the Chicago area “because of provisions that reroute money from the broader funding source of infrastructure projects.”

The House voted 72-33 to pass Senate bill 2111 around 2:15 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 31, “with only Democrats supporting the plan,” according to the report.

“That system has been running on borrowed time,” bill sponsor Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado, D-Chicago, said. “Fragmented governance, uneven investment and post-COVID ridership losses have left transit struggling with unreliable service, delayed trains, canceled routs and a looming fiscal cliff that’s threatening to derail it all without action.”

According to the report, the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA), Chicago Transit Agency (CTA), Metra commuter rail and Pace Suburban Bus collectively face a $230 million funding shortfall in 2026 as pandemic relief money runs out. The funding deficit, Capitol News Illinois reports, is projected to grow to $834 million in 2027 and $937 million in 2028. Without action in Springfield to plug that gap, the transit agencies have said they could be forced to cut services by 40%.

Republicans, according to the report, “pleaded with the Democratic sponsors to pull the bill given the funding shortfall for the CTA wouldn’t hit until the middle of 2026. But after more than a year of negotiations, Democratic leaders were ready to put the issue to rest.”

The Senate followed with a 36-21 vote in favor of the bill around 4 a.m. on Oct. 31, concluding more than a year of negotiations.

“We are changing our public transit system for the first time in five decades to be safe, to be reliable, to be accessible, to be integrated; making sure that we got the performance and we got the funding that’s needed to make a system of the next level,” Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, said.

According to the report, the plan goes to the governor’s desk “without any of the controversial statewide taxes on package deliveries, streaming or event tickets that were part of previous bills. The House two days earlier had introduced a measure that taxed entertainment and billionaires’ investments—ideas Gov. JB Pritzker quickly shot down.”

The bill, Capitol News Illinois reports, got back on track on Thursday following a day of negotiations between stakeholders, lawmakers and the governor’s office.

According to the report, the bulk of the funding, $860 million, would come through “redirecting sales tax revenue charged on motor fuel purchases to public transportation operations.” Another estimated $200 million would come from “interest growing in the Road Fund—a state fund that is typically used for road construction projects but can also be used for transportation-related purposes under the state constitution.”

The plan, Capitol News Illinois reports, calls for raising the existing RTA sales tax by 0.25 percentage points, to 1% in Lake, McHenry, Kane, DuPage and Will counties and 1.25% in Cook County. That tax hike will generate $478 million.

Drivers of passenger vehicles on northern Illinois’ toll roads will also have to pay 45 cents more per toll as part of a plan to create a new capital program for tollway projects, according to the report. It will also increase by inflation each year. That will raise up to $1 billion annually, Marc Poulos, Executive Director of Local 150, told the House Executive Committee Thursday evening.

A coalition of labor unions that had generally opposed using Road Fund money for public transportation supported the latest bill, according to the report.

“It is, you know, just vitally important that we keep 15,000 people in transit working,” Illinois AFL-CIO President Tim Drea, who led the labor coalition, told Capitol News Illinois. “Overall, it was a good bill that that we needed.”

The bill, Capitol News Illinois reports, also calls for 25% of the systems’ revenue to come from fares. Historically, half of the funding was generated by the riders, but that requirement became unsustainable after the pandemic.

“The 50% fair box recovery ratio is way out of whack if you compare to other agencies, similarly, situated agencies across the country,” Delgado said.

The bill and its associated tax and toll increases would not take effect until June 1, according to the report.

Funding for downstate public transportation agencies, “which face their own funding challenges as a sales tax-based formula becomes less lucrative,” are set to receive $129 million annually—below the $200 million they had hoped for, according to the Capitol News Illinois report.

“The move to direct most of the funding to the Chicago area left Republicans frustrated.”

“I’m actually not thrilled that we are continuing on this transit bill, although I am happy that my constituents aren’t going to be stuck with ridiculous taxes,” Rep. Regan Deering, R-Decatur, said. “But I just can’t continue to vote for a piece of legislation that’s screws them anyway.”

Downstate lawmakers, according to the report, “also worried the bill tapping into Road Fund money removed a critical funding source for road construction projects.”

“This transit funding bill creates a perverse incentive … to not diminish the balance of the Road Fund, not get projects out of the door … but continue to build up big balances in the Road Fund,” Rep. Ryan Spain, R-Peoria, said.

Sen. Don DeWitte, R-St. Charles, the Senate Republican’s transit leader, “spoke in support of using interest from the road fund to pay for public transportation,” according to the report.

The reforms in the proposal, Capitol News Illinois reports, are similar to what the Senate passed in May.

“The bill would create the Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA), which would be a stronger version of the RTA and would have the ability to establish a universal fare system and coordinate scheduling between the three service agencies.

“The board would be comprised of 20 members: five appointed by the mayor of Chicago, five by the Cook County Board president, five by the governor and five collectively by Lake, McHenry, DuPage, Kane and Will counties. That makeup has drawn criticism from some suburban leaders who fear it will limit their ability to affect public transportation decisions.

“It would also create a law enforcement task force that will target hot spots for public safety issues on the transit systems. Other roles will be tasked with deescalating conflicts or seeking to address homelessness and mental illness—issues that can sometimes escalate into public safety issues.

“The bill also blocks transit agencies from transferring operating dollars to capital expenses—a controversial move Metra recently proposed in its 2026 budget that raised red flags for several state lawmakers and RTA leaders.”

“Early this morning, the Illinois State Legislature passed a bill that provides a transformational level of funding for the CTA,” CTA Acting President Nora Leerhsen said in a statement. “As a result of this bill, CTA will be fully funded. This funding means that there will be no layoffs or service cuts. With these funds, we will expand our bus and rail service, invest in new technologies, and implement new strategies to support our riders and employees. Today, CTA’s workforce levels and service delivery rates are higher than they have been in years—and we stand ready to take on this historic investment and take CTA to even greater heights.

“As CTA’s acting president, leading the 11,400 employees who provide our riders with one million rides per day, I am incredibly thankful to our state legislative leaders, the Chicago Transit Board, the leadership of Amalgamated Transit Union Locals 241 and 308, transit advocates and others for their dedication to advocating for funding in Springfield over the last several years. I’ve had the privilege of working with many of these dedicated individuals during this process and have seen first-hand their commitment to securing a better, stronger financial future for our agency. 

“CTA is excited for the bright future that lays ahead, and we extend our deepest appreciation to everyone who’s worked so hard to support public transit in the Chicago region.”

“The passage of SB2111 is a landmark moment for public transit in Illinois,” RTA said in a statement. “This bill provides the stable funding and governance reforms needed to protect transit service for the millions who ride CTA, Metra, and Pace—and the thousands of frontline workers who keep our region moving.

“Riders want transit that is safe, reliable, and frequent. This transformational investment of more than $1 billion in new operating funding lays the groundwork to improve service, shorten travel times, and enhance rider experience across the region. The bill also changes the region’s transit governance, transitioning the RTA to the NITA and creating new requirements to coordinate service, plan strategically, and better support riders.

“We are grateful to leaders including Governor JB Pritzker, Representative Eva-Dina Delgado, Representative Kam Buckner, and Senator Ram Villivalam for their commitment to this issue over the past several years. We also want to thank the tireless members of the advocate community, our labor partners, and especially riders, whose voices have ensured that transit will not only survive but thrive.

“We are continuing to review the bill and will share more in the days ahead, including how this impacts the 2026 budget process. But today marks a turning point: A commitment to the stronger, more seamless transit system the Chicago region deserves.”

“Illinoisans deserve a world-class transportation system that connects communities across regions, drives economic growth, and helps every resident—no matter where they live—access transit to live, work, and enjoy the state,” said Gov. Pritzker in a statement. “I am grateful for the work by leaders in both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly in taking steps to make this vision a reality.

“The legislation makes important changes to how Illinois operates and manages our transportation network, including investing in new capital projects that will make our public transit and tollways more modern, efficient, and reliable for riders. I am pleased the legislation also avoids new broad-based state taxes on Illinois working families. Instead, it directs existing state revenue streams to flow towards public transit systems while enabling independent bodies like the Regional Transportation Authority and Tollway Board to decide how to best meet their users’ needs.

“I want to thank Senator Villivalam and Representatives Delgado and Buckner for their leadership working on this legislation. I look forward to signing it into law and ensuring fiscal responsibility, fairness across the state’s transportation networks, and world-class transit that keeps Illinoisans moving forward.”

The post Report: Ill. Lawmakers Approve $1.5B Mass Transit Bill appeared first on Railway Age.

The long-delayed project is slated to renovate and modernize the station; increase concourse capacity and access; enable safer and more efficient operations; accommodate passenger service growth; and deliver what USDOT said will be a “world-class experience” for users. In Fiscal Year 2024, PSNY welcomed more than 12 million people—nearly 18% of total Amtrak ridership and nearly 45% of Northeast Corridor ridership. It supports more than 1,000 daily train movements between Amtrak, New Jersey Transit, and MTA Long Island Rail Road across 21 tracks.

In partnership with Amtrak, USDOT reported releasing the solicitation for the project’s master developer, inviting interested parties to submit their Letters of Interest through Amtrak’s Procurement Portal; selecting Public-Private Partnership (P3) advisors Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP (legal) and KPMG (financial) and environmental consultant AKRF to help structure the project approach and agreements; and initiating the project’s Service Optimization Study to explore ways to accommodate passenger service growth at PSNY and the surrounding region.

“The advisors will help transform the busiest train station in the Western Hemisphere into a world-class transit hub, elevating the experience for Americans and visitors alike,” USDOT said. “They will also support in shaping a P3 strategy to attract private investment, streamline approvals, and evaluate innovative solutions. By identifying funding opportunities, maximizing revenue potential, and proactively managing risks, the advisors will help ensure this critical infrastructure project stays on schedule [and] under budget.”

“This will be one of the biggest and most significant construction projects in U.S. history, and we want the most skilled and knowledgeable partners to help make it a success,” said Special Advisor to the Amtrak Board Andy Byford, who discussed the project at the recently concluded Next-Gen Rail Systems conference, the communications, signaling and advanced technology conference presented by Railway Age in Jersey City, N.J. “By working with the private sector, we will be working with advisors who focus on the project’s goals while minimizing costs for taxpayers.”

In April, USDOT announced that it, along with Amtrak, would take control of the Penn Station overhaul from the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), which had estimated the project cost at $7 billion; as part of that announcement, USDOT withdrew $72 million in grant funding. In August, USDOT and Amtrak announced the project’s schedule and a $43 million federal grant to jumpstart the work, supporting project development and the solicitation of a master developer, as well as permitting and preliminary engineering work.

Meanwhile, the $2.9 billion Penn Station Access Project launch will be delayed until 2030 at the earliest, according to media reports.

The project is slated to extend MTA Metro-North Railroad‘s New Haven Line to Penn Station, creating four new accessible stations in the Bronx, improving existing tracks and bridges, and cutting travel times from the Bronx to Manhattan by as much as 50 minutes.

“The MTA commissioned an independent review that put the blame for the delay squarely on Amtrak,” Spectrum News NY1 reported Oct. 27. “‘It started with being unable to take tracks out of service, outages,’ said Jamie Torres-Springer, president of MTA Construction and Development [in a presentation to the MTA Capital Plan Committee]. ‘We weren’t getting those. Then they were able to start giving us… those some of those outages. But their support staff, who need to oversee the work happening, didn’t show up. And so the outages were wasted.’ According to the contract, Amtrak was to provide a minimum of 30 service outages a year. The MTA says there were only seven in the first two years. And while Amtrak is improving, it’s too late.”

Amtrak in a Oct. 28 statement said: “Amtrak has invested over $140 million and significant staff resources on the Penn Station Access (PSA) project. We remain committed to this critical project, and being good stewards of taxpayer investment for Amtrak, MTA customers, New York residents, and travelers. Specific to minimizing delays and expediting the project’s completion, Amtrak is collaborating with the MTA on numerous mitigation strategies, including:
“• Providing more 55-hr outages as well as three long-term track outages, covering both weekdays and weekends, to give the MTA’s contractor additional time to be more efficient to perform work without having to clear the track for train operations;
“• Expanding the Amtrak workforce to provide 190% of the committed amount to provide protection where needed;
“• Changing Amtrak rules for worker protection to allow more work to be done for the MTA and its contractor;
“• Modifying and lengthening schedules of, and in some cases temporarily suspending Amtrak trains to allow more work to be done safely; and
“• Taking over a portion of the work that was originally to have been performed by the MTA’s contractor.

“In addition, MTA did not make Amtrak aware of the ‘Independent Review Consultant’ nor involve us in their analysis.”

• Byford Pushes PSNY as Duffy Trashes Congestion Toll
• ‘Train Daddy’ Returns to New York
• Eighth of a Series: Penn Station and Grand Central, Perfect Together?
• Seventh of a Series: No New Manhattan Destination. Changes at Penn Station?

The post PSNY Project Meets ‘Key’ Milestones appeared first on Railway Age.

MTA on Oct. 31 said that the $1.507 billion contract will be funded by its $68 billion 2025-2029 Capital Plan.

Kawasaki will start delivering the R268s in fall 2028 and wrap up by 2030. MTA said this will allow it to retire the last R68 and R68A cars, which entered service in the mid-1980s and currently serve the B, N, D, Q, W, and S(f) lines, and to transition the “B” division to “an all modern-technology fleet, with all cars capable of delivering CBTC [communications-based train control] service.” The new cars will feature pre-installed security cameras in every car, more accessible seating, brighter lights and clearer signage, the agency said.

“This purchase allows us to replace cars at the end of their useful life before they start breaking down,” MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said. “And by building on the successful procurement of R211 railcars, we were able to save money on nearly 400 modern subway cars.” 

The first trainset of Kawasaki-built R211A/S (traditional closed-end) cars to operate on the B Line entered service in July. They are now operating in all five boroughs. The R211s feature 58-inch-wide door openings that are eight inches wider than standard door openings on existing cars, which MTA has said will help speed boarding and reduce the amount of time trains sit in stations. These models include security cameras, additional accessible seating, digital displays that will provide more detailed station-specific information, and brighter lighting and signage, among other features that are said to improve the rider experience.  Open-gangway cars (R211T) began operating on the G line in March and the C line in February 2024.

In January 2018, the MTA awarded a contract to Kawasaki to design, build, and deliver 535 rapid transit cars, comprising 440 R211As and 20 R211Ts for NYCT, and 75 R211S cars for Staten Island Railway that are in operation. The contract included two options: Option 1 for 640 cars, and Option 2, for 333-437 cars. In October 2022, the agency exercised Option 1 for 640 R211s for $1.78 billion. MTA in December 2024 exercised Option 2 for 435 additional R211s—355 R211A/S cars and 80 R211T cars. The option, valued at $1.27 billion, brought the total number of R211s ordered to 1,610. MTA began phasing into service the first two R211T trainsets in 2024.

“The R268 contract will not only secure employment for hundreds of workers in our Yonkers facility, but also delivers state-of-the-art, high-quality subway cars to NYC riders, “ Kawasaki Rail Car, Inc. President Yusuke Hirose said. “With this milestone, we will surpass over 4,000 cars produced for New York City Transit—and we’re excited to continue building for the city’s future.”

Separately, MTA on June 23 announced that its Finance Committee approved the purchase of 316 Alstom Transportation-built M-9As. This included 160 cars for Long Island Rail Road and 156 for Metro-North Railroad.

The post Kawasaki to Supply 378 More ‘B’ Division Cars to NYCT appeared first on Railway Age.

Keolis Commuter Services (Keolis), the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s (MBTA) operations and maintenance partner for the Commuter Rail, announced Oct. 31 that it has reached a tentative agreement with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) union representing electricians.

The agreement, pending ratification by union members, will be retroactive to July 1, 2023, when the contract first became amendable. Keolis has now reached updated agreements with all 14 Commuter Rail unions, representing more than 2,000 members of the Commuter Rail workforce.

Among other provisions, the five-year agreement includes paid sick leave, annual wage increases, unmatched health benefits, enhancements to the bereavement and vacation policy, and one additional paid holiday.

“The Commuter rail is a great place to build a career, with competitive wages, and some of best benefits you can find,” said Keolis CEO and General Manager John Killeen. “I want to thank our partners at all 14 unions for their hard work. We are proud of these agreements and the quality of life that they continue to guarantee for our workforce.”

The post Keolis, IBEW Reach Tentative Agreement appeared first on Railway Age.

With deep expertise in derailment investigations, rail operations, failure analysis, and rail technology across both freight and passenger systems, Dick brings practical experience and technical leadership that enhances ESi’s expanding rail capabilities. 

Over his 25-year career of diverse rail industry experience, Dick has performed derailment, collision, and fatality incident investigations, and has worked with the Federal Railroad Association (FRA), National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB). Additionally, he served as an onsite subject matter expert during the 2008 Chatsworth Collision NTSB investigation, the largest U.S. railway accident in the last 30 years which triggered the implementation of Positive Train Control (PTC).

Dick recently served as Vice President of Strategy and Business Development at ENSCO Inc. His contributions to technology driven railway safety includes leading the delivery of North America’s first Autonomous Track Geometry Measurement System (ATGMS) and deployment of the V/TI Clusters Artificial Intelligence algorithm, which both have significantly reduced track-caused derailments. 

Dick has served in various industry leadership roles including as Chair of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Rail Transportation Division and served as Chair of AREMA Committee 2 – Track Measurement and Assessment Systems. In 2024, he was honored as one of Railway Age Readers’ Influential Leaders as an honorable mention awardee.

Dick holds 11 patents for automated railway inspection technologies and has been prolific sharing knowledge through technical publications, conference presentations, and industry magazine articles.

Will Pinkston, president of ESi, said “We’re incredibly excited to welcome Matt [Dick] to ESi as head of rail strategy and development. Matt brings a rare combination of technical depth, industry leadership and strategic vision. His arrival marks a pivotal moment in our growth, and I look forward to partnering with him as we expand our capabilities and deepen our impact in the rail sector.”

Matt Dick said, “I’ve long admired ESi’s commitment to its customers’ needs utilizing the world’s best experts. I’m honored to join this incredible team and excited to build on its strong foundation in the rail industry to accelerate growth, deepen impact and deliver value to our customers.”

The post Matthew Dick, PE, Appointed to Head of Rail Strategy and Development at ESi as Company Expands Market Presence appeared first on Railway Age.

WATCHING WASHINGTON, NOVEMBER 2025 ISSUE: Perhaps the gutsiest-ever regulatory agency decision was the Surface Transportation Board’s (STB) 2001 imposition of a railroad merger moratorium. Its architect was then-STB Chairperson Linda J. Morgan. 

Widely anticipated to fail judicial review, a federal appellate court ruled the STB—with sole statutory authority to approve rail mergers—also had power to post a 15-month stop sign “to realize broader statutory objectives.” Morgan’s disquiet? All had not gone well after the agency acted with vigor in approving numerous Class I unifications during the 1990s. 

High-profile service failures followed the 1995 Burlington Northern-Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe merger to form BNSF; the 1997 Union Pacific (UP)-Southern Pacific marriage; and the 1998 CSX-Norfolk Southern (NS) acquisition of Conrail. 

“I cannot in good conscience allow further [mergers] to occur that I believe would run the risk of creating more disruption and instability,” Morgan said in defending the moratorium to develop new merger rules. 

Those “new” rules remain untested 24 years later, as the sole Class I unification since—Kansas City Southern (KCS) and Canadian Pacific (CP) to form Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) in 2023—was evaluated under different rules owing to KCS’s relatively small size. CPKC also suffered post-merger service hiccups. 

Time and circumstances may justify a second merger timeout to reevaluate the long-dormant rules ahead of accepting a UP-NS merger application to create the nation’s first transcontinental railroad, which might beget yet a second (BNSF-CSX). As the UP-NS merger agreement is effective until Jan. 28, 2028—and allows further time for slippage—a timeout for merger rules reevaluation is doable. POTUS Executive Orders, which otherwise freeze new rulemakings, allow them if the issue is competition. 

The rail industry today is materially different than in 2001—valid cause for long-dormant merger rules to be reevaluated and rewritten without ambiguity. Such betterment will assist applicants in making their case more effectively; permit stakeholders to tailor their concerns more narrowly; and create for regulators a more transparent checklist by which to evaluate mergers.

To be more clearly defined are “pro-competitive”; “downstream effects”; “common carrier obligation”; “public interest”; and how competitive “balance” is preserved absent a second transcontinental marriage. Remarkably, NS told the STB in 2000 that requiring competitive enhancements is “apparent antagonism toward mergers.” 

Merger applicants should be required to demonstrate, with specificity, the merger’s likely harm, as well as benefits, to small railroads, communities and modal competition; how they intend to attract on their lines new factories and warehouses as domestic manufacturing is revived; and how they will poach market share from non-union truckers, given rail volumes were stagnant following the 1990s merger wave. The STB might also consider regulatory incentives to counter Class I asset, headcount and service cuts that improve short-term profits at the expense of rail market share. 

To assure confidence in the merger review process, there must be clear understanding of regulatory tools available to repair post-merger service failures, preserve major gateways (points allowing traffic interchange with other railroads), and to police rate increases by revenue adequate railroads. Shippers should know how their rate reasonableness challenges will be handled post-merger, and if reciprocal switching can be made an effective pro-competitive remedy, especially absent a third rail competitor. 

Regrettably, STB’s diamond reputation for decisional independence is at risk courtesy of UP CEO Jim Vena’s Sept. 9 White House visit. Following POTUS 47’s earlier firing of STB merger skeptic Robert E. Primus (in court over its legality), and his post-Vena-meeting merger-support shoutout, UP made a bad-optics contribution to POTUS 47’s $300 million White House ballroom. Erecting a temporary merger stop sign to revise, strengthen, clarify and make more transparent 24-year-old merger rules ahead of considering a UP-NS merger application may also be the STB’s best image-preserving mop-up option to this unfortunate doo-doo dump.

Railway Age Capitol Hill Contributing Editor Frank N. Wilner was assistant vice president, policy, at the Association of American Railroads and a White House appointed chief of staff to Republican STB member Gus Owen, who voted in favor of the 1997 UP-SP merger. He is author of “Railroads & Economic Regulation,” available from Simmons-Boardman Books, www.railwayeducationalbureau.com/product/railroads-economic-regulation-an-insiders-account/, 800-228-9670.

The post Why Not a Merger Timeout? appeared first on Railway Age.

Francis Patrick (Frank) Mulvey, a Democrat who served on the Surface Transportation Board (STB) from May 2004 to December 2013, died Oct. 18 at 81.

Among just six Ph.D. economists (of 117 members) to serve on the 138-year-old STB and its Interstate Commerce Commission predecessor, Mulvey was a career-long student of freight and passenger railroads. His half-century impact on rail transportation policy was substantial.

Nominated and renominated by Republican President George W. Bush to his twice Senate-confirmed STB post, Mulvey previously distinguished himself in high-level transportation-focused positions at the General Accountability Office, Department of Transportation and House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Mulvey prepared for his transportation career with degrees from New York University and the University of California at Berkeley. He earned his Ph.D. in transportation economics in 1974 from Washington State University where his doctoral dissertation was entitled, “The Economic Future of Amtrak.” Post-doctoral research papers included, “The Northeast Corridor High Speed Rail System,” “Amtrak: An Experiment in Rail Service,” “Amtrak: A Cost-Effective Approach,” “Amtrak Versus Intercity Bus,” and “Amtrak: The First Decade.”

Mulvey’s interest in Amtrak never waned. When House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee Chairperson James Oberstar (D-MN) suggested during a 2000 informal discussion that a larger civilian version of the military’s 24-passenger vertical take-off-and-landing aircraft (the V-22 Osprey) might compete effectively with Amtrak on short-haul routes, Mulvey, then an Oberstar aide, feigned surprise but didn’t deny agreement. In 2010, Mulvey sparred with Amtrak President Joseph H. Boardman, saying he preferred riding a “more customer-friendly” bus between Washington, D.C., and his native New York City.

Following completion of his doctoral studies in 1974, Mulvey taught undergraduate economics courses at Bowling Green State University, Wheaton (Mass.) College, Northeastern University and the University of Maryland.

Helping to pay his college tuition, supplement his educational scholarships and increase stingy college instructor wages, Mulvey drove taxi cabs in San Francisco and Boston and worked as a claims adjuster for two insurance companies. Unpretentious to the end, he was simply a regular guy with a blue-collar lunch-pail work ethic, no matter the task. He was born May 5, 1944, in working-class Astoria (borough of Queens) New York.

Mulvey’s interest in, and aptitude for, public policy formulation, review and repair took a propitious turn in 1978 with congressional creation of the National Transportation Policy Study Commission (NTPSC), which recommended liberalizing freight-rail economic regulation and imposing full-recovery user charges on rail modal competitors. Mulvey served as economics consultant to the NTPSC, whose members included relatively new lawmakers Oberstar and Bud Shuster (R-PA), both of whom rose to chair the T&I Committee. (NTPSC general counsel was future Association of American Railroads President Edward R Hamberger.)

From 1985 to 1999, Mulvey served as assistant director of the non-partisan congressional watchdog U.S. General Accountability Office. Among his accomplishments was lead writer of a 10-year assessment of partial railroad economic regulation (the 1980 Staggers Rail Act), concluding that “the law’s freedoms enabled railroads to become more competitive and more responsive to the marketplace.”

In 1999, Mulvey was appointed Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Rail and Transit at the Department of Transportation. T&I Chairperson Oberstar hired Mulvey in 2000 as the Rail Subcommittee’s Democratic staff director. He departed in 2004 for the STB.

A year into his STB post—the 25th anniversary of the Staggers Rail Act—Mulvey disagreed with then-STB Chairperson Roger Nober, who proposed the agency itself critique how it determines railroad revenue adequacy. Mulvey preferred the task go instead to the National Academies of Sciences Transportation Research Board (TRB). “Having the STB perform the analysis is like having the guy who builds your house come in and do the inspection on completion,” Mulvey said.

The TRB subsequently concluded the STB’s annual revenue adequacy determination “serves no constructive purpose,” and “its persistence prolongs the misguided view that a single yes/no indicator of railroad profitability should be used to regulate rates.” In 2015, TRB suggested, as an alternative to annual revenue adequacy determinations, a periodic assessment of industrywide economic and competitive conditions—a suggestion the STB has not adopted.

Mulvey’s peak achievement was in defense of the STB’s decisional independence. When Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) requested a private meeting to discuss a pending STB matter in 2008—interpreted as political pressure—Mulvey declined.

Serving his second term, Mulvey was ripe to be named permanent STB chairperson following the January 2009 inauguration of Democratic President Barack Obama (by tradition, in place of President George W. Bush’s Republican choice of Charles D. Nottingham, who would remain on the Board). Instead, Obama waited until August to name as permanent chairperson newly confirmed STB member and Democrat Daniel R. Elliott III. Mulvey’s defending the STB’s independence by snubbing Durbin may have cost him the permanent chair, as Durbin was understood to exert considerable influence over fellow Illinoisan Obama’s picks below Cabinet level.

Following retirement from the STB, Mulvey provided consulting services to Norfolk Southern. In 2020, he co-authored, with rail shipper attorney Michal F. McBride, “Railroads’ Common Carrier Obligation”—an analysis, with recommendations, published in the Journal of Transportation Law, Logistics and Policy.

In a Nov. 2 Washington Post published obituary, family members recalled Mulvey as “a fast talker with a quick wit and an endless appetite for learning.”

Former STB Chairperson and Republican Ann D. Begeman, who served with Democrat Mulvey on the STB, told Railway Age:

“I had the pleasure of knowing Frank since he served in a key transportation policy position at the GAO and I was a Senate Commerce Committee staff member. Frank volunteered to swear me in [at the STB], which I will never forget, in part because he read the entire script without pause, leaving me frantically trying to recall and repeat each word he had just read.

“Frank was a proud intellect and anyone who met him quickly came to appreciate his expertise and strong will in sharing his convictions. You might come to regret trying to discuss with him whether interchange commitments were paper barriers.

“What I appreciated most during my service with Frank was his ability to recognize gifted staffers and help mentor them. Today, one of those staffers is STB’s general counsel, and another moved to a top career position at the Federal Railroad Administration.

“His love for his wife Petra was shown each and every time he talked of her, as was his love for his family. He helped to remind people that it is possible to work hard and fulfill your role while also caring about the people around you. And it’s the latter that will matter the most upon reflection,” Begeman said.  

John J. Brennan, who was Republican staff director of the House Rail Subcommittee for a time while Mulvey was the Democratic staff director, described Mulvey as “a learned adversary, but never an enemy. We engaged in many spirited discussions but never had an acrimonious word. His sharp mind helped make legislation stronger, and more likely to pass. He understood that arguments are best won though intellectual persuasion. He was a throwback to a less polarized, more civil time,” Brennan told Railway Age.

Elliott said of his fellow Democratic board member, “Frank was an absolute pleasure to work with at the Board. His broad knowledge about economics were a great help and his insights during Rail-Shipper Transportation Advisory Council meetings were invaluable.” 

William H. Huneke, who served as STB chief economist during the years that fellow-Ph.D. Mulvey was at the agency, recalled admiringly, “Frank insisted that the STB hire more economists. It was always a pleasure to work with him.”

Mulvey is survived by his wife of 51 years, Petra; son, Conor; daughter-in-law, Tanya; and granddaughter, Daria.

A memorial gathering honoring Mulvey will be held Dec. 13 at 11 a.m. at Joseph Gawler and Sons, 5130 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.

The post Former STB Member Frank Mulvey, 81 appeared first on Railway Age.

RAILWAY AGE, OCTOBER 2025 ISSUE: Michigan State University’s Center for Railway Research and Education, housed at the Broad College of Business, marked a major milestone in 2025 as it convened its 20th iteration of the Railway Management Certificate Program (RMCP). Established in 2007, RMCP has become the gold standard for rail leadership development, thanks to the support from industry visionary Ed A. Burkhardt. This year’s cohort is the largest ever, featuring 41 mid- and senior-level professionals from 27 freight and passenger rail organizations spanning 19 U.S. states and Mexico.

The program’s steady growth reflects the rail industry’s appetite for specialized education that marries academic rigor with real-world immersion. During the past two decades, more than 300 alumni have graduated from RMCP, advancing into executive and technical leadership roles across the industry. Participants praise RMCP for its deep dive into the complex ecosystem of rail, its unmatched networking opportunities, and its ability to catalyze career breakthroughs.

RMCP is structured into four intensive week-long modules, each delivered in multiple locations to give participants hands-on exposure to the spectrum of rail operations, regulation, technology, and strategy. Every year, MSU refines the content to reflect emerging trends and partner with new industry leaders.

Module 1, “Railway Business Administration, Strategy, and Leadership,” lays the foundation with an immersive experience on MSU’s East Lansing campus. Participants engage with top faculty from MSU’s nationally ranked Supply Chain Management department, exploring marketing, strategic decision-making, strategy, negotiation and organizational leadership. In-class case studies put students in the driver’s seat of board-level challenges, evaluating pricing strategies, and operational trade-offs that define today’s rail networks.

Module 2, “Railway Regulation, Safety, and the Rail Industry,” moves to the nation’s capital and the New Jersey/New York harbor region. In Washington, D.C., senior leaders from federal agencies, Senate Commerce Committee staff, advocacy organizations and a Class I railroad participate in classroom discussions on rulemaking, compliance, accident investigations, and the evolving regulatory landscape. An overview by the national passenger rail corporation, along with a site visit to a major commuter rail headquarters, provides insight into coordinating passenger services across complex national and metropolitan corridors. In Newark, participants tour port facilities and an intermodal terminal to explore how rail integrates with maritime and trucking networks to move international freight efficiently.

Module 3, “Railway Technology, Research, and Development,” transports the cohort to Fort Worth, Tex., and Pueblo, Colo.—two hubs of rail operations, advanced manufacturing and innovation. In Fort Worth, the participants have a chance to see next-generation initiatives in network optimization, predictive maintenance, and digital signaling. Pueblo opens doors for deep dives into material science, full-scale testing of equipment and track components, and breakthroughs in alternative fuels and automated operations. A visit to a leading steel making facility underscores the rail maintenance side of innovation.

Module 4, “Railway Operations,” commences in Indianapolis and continues in Chicago—areas central to North America’s rail network. Indianapolis hosts tours of a major locomotive manufacturer and a passenger-equipment maintenance facility, illustrating the lifecycle of rolling stock from assembly to overhaul. In Chicago, the world’s busiest rail hub, experts in dispatching, terminal operations, traffic management and commuter rail guide participants through real-time decision support systems and data-driven scheduling practices that keep thousands of cars and locomotives moving smoothly across the network.

With the silver anniversary of RMCP, CRRE is already laying groundwork for next year’s cohort. The core four-module framework remains, but participants can expect deeper integration of strategic business tools, sustainability practices, and cross-modal insights. Highlights of the 2026 program:

• Module 1: Railway Business Administration, Strategy, and Leadership. April 27-May 1, MSU Campus, East Lansing, Mich.
• Module 2: Railway Regulation, Safety, and the Rail Industry. June 15-19, Washington, D.C., and Newark, N.J.
• Module 3:Railway Technology, Research, and Development. Sept. 28-Oct. 2, Fort Worth and Pueblo, Colo.
• Module 4: Railway Operations. Nov. 2-6, Indianapolis and Chicago.

Registration for RMCP 2026 is now open. Early-bird tuition and detailed curriculum information are available at raileducation.com. Prospective applicants are encouraged to secure their spot early, as demand continues to exceed available seats.

As the rail industry responds to economic shifts, technological innovation, and sustainability imperatives, the demand for knowledgeable, agile leadership has never been greater. MSU’s RMCP offers a distinctive blend of academic rigor, peer engagement, and immersive site-based learning, equipping professionals to lead with vision and operational excellence. Whether your focus is strategic planning, regulatory compliance, customer service and operations, or technology deployment, RMCP provides the insights, capabilities, and connections to advance your career and shape the future of rail.

For more information on RMCP 2025 outcomes or to inquire about RMCP 2026 enrollment, contact the CRRE team at kucheren@msu.edu or call (517) 353-5667. Visit raileducation.com to download the full program brochure and discover how MSU is redefining rail leadership education in its 20th anniversary and beyond. 

The post MSU RMCP Marks 20 Years appeared first on Railway Age.

Railroads are built on tradition, but they run on innovation. As infrastructure demands grow and timber supplies tighten, the industry is looking for smarter ways to maintain track integrity without overhauling entire systems. Enter the Keyway Tie, a concrete crosstie designed to behave like wood, reshaping how railroads think about track upgrades.

Developed by voestalpine Railway Systems Nortrak, the Keyway Tie blends the structural advantages of concrete with the flexibility and interchangeability of timber. It is not just a new tie; it is a new way of thinking about track evolution.

Concrete ties have long been recognized for their durability and gauge-holding strength. Yet more than 90% of North American track is still built with wood ties, largely due to their ease of installation and compatibility with existing maintenance equipment. However, timber ties have become increasingly expensive, with inconsistent quality and a growing vulnerability to decay, especially in high-tonnage corridors where gauge failure can lead to derailments.

The Keyway Tie offers a middle path. Engineered to match the track stiffness of timber while delivering the longevity of concrete, it can be interspersed with wood ties using standard maintenance-of-way equipment. This approach allows railroads to upgrade incrementally, minimizing disruption and avoiding the high costs of full-scale conversion.

What sets the Keyway Tie apart is its recessed keyway rail seat and interlocking resilient tie plate design, which allows the Keyway Tie to absorb and distribute loads with less impact on the ballast and subgrade materials. The geometry of the tie with its scalloped design enhances interlock with the ballast and improves lateral and longitudinal resistance, helping the track maintain alignment under heavy traffic. Its fastening system also allows for gauge adjustability up to ±0.4 inches, meaning it can be placed directly into existing track without requiring gauge correction.

According to “Digging into Cause Codes for Track-Related Derailments” published in the August 2025 issue of Railway Track & Structures (RT&S), wide gauge accounts for approximately 25% of track-related derailments in North America. Fortunately, this trend has been declining thanks to infrastructure upgrades that include concrete ties, larger tie plates, and elastic fasteners, all of which are integrated into the Keyway Tie. By combining these elements into a single, adaptable solution, the Keyway Tie directly addresses one of the most persistent causes of derailments, reinforcing its value not just in durability, but in safety performance as well.

Beyond safety, the Keyway Tie also delivers engineering advantages in some of the most challenging areas of track design: transition zones. Recent research and field trials have demonstrated the Keyway Tie’s effectiveness in bridging track stiffness transition zones, where differences between fixed structures or concrete tie and timber tie track stiffness often lead to high impacts and accelerated degradation. By tuning the resilient components of the Keyway Tie, engineers have created a tie with intermediate stiffness that reduces overload on adjacent components and mitigates ballast degradation. Field installations on Class-1 heavy haul corridors have shown positive results, including reduced plate cutting, improved ballast stability, and elimination of mud holes validating the Keyway Tie as a practical solution for challenging transition areas.

In addition to these findings, trials on Class-1 railroad segments have compared full concrete replacement with interspersed Keyway installations. Early results suggest that the latter approach offers comparable performance with significantly reduced installation time and cost. This presents an attractive option for railroads balancing capital constraints with operational demands.

While the upfront cost of the Keyway Tie may exceed that of traditional timber ties, its value becomes clearer over time. With reduced maintenance cycles, improved gauge retention, and longer service life, the Keyway Tie offers a compelling case for lower total cost of ownership. Notably, its robust design and load-sharing characteristics can also extend the life of adjacent wood ties when interspersed, further amplifying its cost-effectiveness. By matching wood tie track modulus and reducing ballast pressure compared to standard concrete tie track, the Keyway Tie is engineered for both flexibility and durability, making it a strategic investment that prioritizes long-term reliability over short-term savings.

The Keyway Tie has already proven its versatility across heavy haul, commuter rail, and light rail applications. Guard rail and transition tie options are also available, making it adaptable to a wide range of track configurations. Its compatibility with timber tie infrastructure makes it especially valuable for networks seeking to extend the life of existing assets while improving safety and reliability.

voestalpine Railway Systems Nortrak offers comprehensive, in-house design and manufacturing of 100% Buy America compliant railway systems solutions. The product portfolio includes special trackwork, switch machines, monitoring systems, premium rail, concrete ties, direct fixation fasteners, resilient clips, pads and insulators. The Keyway Concrete Tie exemplifies our commitment to providing innovative solutions that meet the highest standards of reliability and performance, supporting railroads across North America in achieving a more durable and efficient infrastructure.

This November, voestalpine Railway Systems Nortrak will present the paper “Track stiffness transition optimization using specialty concrete sleepers and fastener systems” at the International Heavy Haul Association (IHHA) Conference. The presentation will explore the engineering principles behind the Keyway Tie, its performance in transition zones, and its role in advancing track infrastructure strategies.

If you are attending IHHA, we invite you to join the conversation. Learn how small design shifts, like a concrete tie that thinks like wood, can lead to big changes in how we build and maintain the railways of tomorrow.

The post Concrete That Thinks Like Wood: The Innovation Behind the Keyway Tie appeared first on Railway Age.

For years, maintenance crews across the railroad industry have trusted WVCO Railroad Solutions SpikeFast® tie remediation products to extend the life of wooden, composite and concrete ties while improving track performance and reliability. Built on years of field success, our regular cartridges (450 ml) have been the go-to solution for precise, high-strength repair applications for smaller applications. Now that same trusted formula is available in XL cartridges (1,500 ml) for larger projects, to keep crews working longer with fewer interruptions—delivering more productivity, less waste and the same industry-leading performance.

Every minute on track matters. With the XL cartridge, crews can repair more than three times as many holes per cartridge on larger stretches of track repairs compared to the regular cartridges. Fewer changeouts mean smoother workflow, faster completion times, and less downtime spent swapping cartridges or handling packaging. The result: more holes repaired per shift and greater efficiency across the board.

Beyond increased productivity, the larger cartridge supports sustainability and cost savings. Using fewer cartridges per project translates into:

• Reduced packaging waste and disposal costs
• Simplified logistics and storage
• Less time managing empty containers

It’s a cleaner, more efficient approach that helps railroads and contractors meet environmental and operational goals simultaneously.

As rail maintenance operations look for ways to do more with fewer resources, innovations like the SpikeFast® XL cartridges make a measurable difference. It’s the same trusted product—just re-engineered to maximize uptime, minimize waste, and keep crews focused on what matters most: getting the job done.

Discover how the new XL cartridge can help your maintenance program increase productivity and reduce waste—without changing your proven process.

Learn more at WVCO Railroad Solutions 

WVCO Railroad Solutions — Your partner for the long haul.

The post Bigger Cartridges. Better Efficiency. Same Proven Results: Introducing XL cartridges for SpikeFast® ES-50 and SpikeFast® CTR-100 appeared first on Railway Age.

An Oct. 30 letter to the Surface Transportation Board co-authored by Senators John Hoeven (R-N.D.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) asks the STB to “closely scrutinize” the proposed Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger, stressing “the potential disruptions to U.S. rail service resulting from a merger of this scale” and “the need for the STB to fully analyze the potential impact on long-term competition, including for agriculture producers, many of whom already face limited options for accessing rail service.”

Sixteen Senators—eight Republicans and eight Democrats—cosigned the letter (download below): Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.).

Addressed to STB Chairman Patrick Fuchs, Vice Chair Michelle Schultz and Member Karen Hedlund, the letter notes that “the STB’s post-2001 ‘Major Rail Consolidation Procedures’ were adopted specifically to place heightened emphasis on whether Class I railroad mergers enhance, rather than merely preserve, competition… The proposed UP+NS merger will be the first to come before the Board under these rules, and it is essential that you establish a strong precedent and apply these heightened standards in the way they were intended. If approved, a combined UP+NS would handle more than 40%of all U.S. freight rail traffic (a point made by Canadian Pacific Kansas City, which recently established a website stating its case against the UP+NS transaction)… a transcontinental system spanning 50,000 route-miles across 43 states. Service interruptions of this magnitude could have severe consequences, especially for agricultural producers. Time-sensitive shipments during harvest could be delayed or spoiled, export windows could be missed, and access to global markets could be sharply reduced… “We look forward to working with you to ensure the STB continues to promote an efficient, competitive, and economically viable freight rail network that serves the public interest.” 

The Senators added their viewpoint “has been endorsed by the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA), Agriculture Transportation Coalition (AgTC), Alliance for Chemical Distribution (ACD), American Chemistry Council (ACC), American Crystal Sugar, American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), Freight Rail Customer Alliance (FRCA), Greater North Dakota Chamber of Commerce, Minn-Dak Farmers’ Cooperative, Montana Agricultural Business Association, National Industrial Transportation League (NITL), National Farmers Union (NFU), North Carolina Agribusiness Council, North Dakota Agricultural Association, North Dakota Farmers Union, North Dakota Petroleum Council, North Dakota Grain Growers Association, North Dakota Grain Dealers Association, North Dakota Trade Office and the Southern Rail Commission.”

Join Railway Age on March 10, 2026 for our “Next-Gen Freight Rail Conference” at the Union League Club of Chicago. Confirmed participants include Jim Vena (UP), Mark George (NS), Keith Creel (CPKC), Tracy Robinson (CN), and Patrick Fuchs and Michelle Schultz (STB).

The post Hoeven, Klobuchar to STB: ‘Closely Scrutinize’ UP+NS appeared first on Railway Age.

To express its concerns about the proposed Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) has established a page on its website stating it case against the possible combination and argues that the Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern transaction that created North American transnational CPKC was a “necessary merger.”

The CPKC web page expressing opposition to the merger states, in part:

“Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern propose to merge the largest Class I railroad in [the U.S.] with the fourth-largest. The two merging railroads already have extensive access to vast markets. The two railroads propose to combine to form the Union Pacific Transcontinental Railroad, or UP Transcon. The UP-NS mega-merger is unnecessary and will dominate rail transportation markets, reducing rail customer optionality in ways that cannot be undone. A UP Transcon will radically and permanently change the nation’s rail network.

“On its own, the combination of UP and NS at this time would pose unprecedented and far-reaching risks to customers, rail employees and the broader supply chain. A UP Transcon would control approximately 40% of the U.S. freight rail traffic and have unrivaled leverage that would reduce the bargaining power of rail customers. “These risks would be magnified by the inevitable follow-on rail industry consolidation. 

“It doesn’t have to be this way. Collaboration among the railroads without mergers in high-density east-west transcontinental traffic lanes can achieve the kinds of benefits UP and NS say they are pursuing by merging.

“Today’s existing six Class I railroads provide the necessary capacity and operational fluidity to safely drive years of service improvement, volume growth, truck conversion and value creation for rail shippers supporting the national economy, and the capability to serve the economy’s transportation needs and the nation’s shippers well for years to come.

“The STB’s approval of the CPKC merger is not justification for the UP-NS proposal. The combination of CP and KCS was necessary to unlock investments, create new routes and offer new optionality to shippers. There, the two smallest Class 1 railroads combined to better compete with larger competitors that already had single-line routes. Even though CPKC remains the smallest Class I, it is investing heavily in its previously underutilized U.S. rail corridor to create more competition and capacity for the U.S. freight network.”

Join Railway Age on March 10, 2026 for our “Next-Gen Freight Rail Conference” at the Union League Club of Chicago. Confirmed participants include Jim Vena (UP), Mark George (NS), Keith Creel (CPKC), Tracy Robinson (CN), and Patrick Fuchs and Michelle Schultz (STB).

The post CPKC: UP+NS Merger ‘Not in the Public Interest’ appeared first on Railway Age.

The plan (download below), ITD says, “evaluates the current condition and performance of Idaho’s rail network, identifies system-wide challenges and opportunities, and outlines strategies to strengthen rail infrastructure.” The plan will also explore key topics such as rail safety, grade crossings, and access for rail-served industries that help drive Idaho’s economy.

Unlike other statewide transportation plans, this plan does not allocate funding for specific projects, ITD noted. “Instead, it provides a strategic foundation that supports future grant applications and coordination with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and other partners.”

“We want to hear from Idaho communities about how rail infrastructure is working today and what improvements would make the biggest difference in the future,” said ITD Freight Program Manager Caleb Forrey. “Your feedback will help us better understand statewide priorities and shape a plan that reflects Idaho’s needs.”

Railways in Idaho are operated by the private sector, with ITD having shared responsibility for safety at highway-rail crossings. As is the case with public transportation in Idaho, there are no dedicated state funding sources for freight or passenger rail beyond match funds for federally funded improvements to rail crossings.

The online survey is open through Nov.12 and takes about five minutes to complete. Feedback collected will be summarized in the final plan, which is expected to be released in spring 2026, and used to guide discussions with communities, railroads, and state and federal partners.

The post ITD Seeks Public Feedback on Idaho Statewide Rail Plan appeared first on Railway Age.

Among CN’s third-quarter 2025 highlights:

• Revenue ton miles (RTMs) rose 1% to 57.188 billion from third-quarter 2024’s 56.48 billion.
• Revenues of C$4.165 billion were up C$55 million, or 1%.

• Operating income of C$1.606 billion was up C$91 million, or 6%.
• Operating ratio, defined as operating expenses as a percentage of revenues, came in at 61.4%, an improvement of 170 basis points.
• Diluted earnings per share (EPS) of C$1.83 was up 6%.

CN says it “continues to deliver adjusted EPS growth in the mid to high single-digit range and continues to invest approximately C$3.35 billion in its capital program, net of amounts reimbursed by customers.”

“We are taking decisive actions to navigate a challenging macro environment including doubling down on productivity efforts, setting our 2026 capital spend at C$2.8 billion, down nearly C$600 million from this year’s levels, driving increased free cash flow on a go-forward basis. We are positioning this business to benefit from higher future volumes and ensuring everything we do enhances our customers and shareholders long term value,” said Robinson.

DOWNLOAD CN’s 3Q25 FINANCIAL REPORTS, INVESTOR PRESENTATION BELOW:

The post CN Delivers ‘Strong’ 3Q25 appeared first on Railway Age.

International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers – Transportation Division (SMART-TD) members on BNSF, Norfolk Southern (NS), CN, and several Class II and Class III railroads have voted to ratify a new, five-year collective bargaining agreement that the union says, “delivers substantial economic gains and key improvements—without any concessions.”

Under the terms of the agreement, which was approved by nearly 70%, members will receive compounded wage increases of 18.77% over a five-year period. The first wage increase of 4.0% will be applied retroactively to July 1, 2025, with full back pay. The agreement also strengthens medical, dental, and vision benefits, and includes improved vacation benefits to improve quality of life for members and their families.

Negotiations between SMART-TD and the participating railroads took place over approximately nine months, culminating in a tentative agreement that was reached in early October. The high level of voter turnout and the results, the union says, “underscore the membership’s confidence in SMART-TD’s bargaining team and satisfaction with what was achieved at the table.”

“This contract represents a solid victory for our members,” said SMART-TD President Jeremy Ferguson. “We secured real wage growth, protected our work rules and crew consist agreements, enhanced our benefits, and achieved these gains without giving up a single concession or protection. Our members stood together and recognized the value and importance of this agreement, and it paid off.”

The new contract went into effect immediately on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, at midnight when votes were tabulated, and its moratorium will remain in place until Jan. 1, 2030.

The post BNSF, NS and CN SMART-TD Members Ratify New Five-Year Agreement appeared first on Railway Age.

The update (download below) details the progress the MTA has made since the report was released last April, including more than $1.5 billion in funding to protect the subway system from flooding and Metro-North’s Hudson line from storm surge and sea level rise that were secured as part of the 2025-2029 Capital Plan.

The Climate Resilience Roadmap Update, the MTA says, outlines the need for increased partnership with the City of New York, including identifying 10 priority locations throughout the city where urgent action is needed by the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) and New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYCDEP) to control stormwater flood impacts on neighboring communities and transit infrastructure including:

• 4 Av between Union St & 36 St, Brooklyn
• Canal/Lafayette/Centre Streets, Manhattan
• Castleton Depot, Staten Island
• Central Flatbush, Brooklyn
• Central Harlem, Manhattan
• Chelsea/Midtown South, Manhattan
• Cross Island Parkway, Queens
• Grand Av-Newtown, Queens
• Longwood Av, Bronx
• Mott Haven Yard, Bronx

The report also identifies nine interagency climate resilience actions between the City of New York and the MTA, including:

Heavy rain:  

• “Accelerate the pace of capital investments to increase stormwater management capacity, particularly in vulnerable communities adjacent to transit infrastructure. 
• “Maintain sidewalk curbs of sufficient size and catch basins of sufficient capacity to manage intense rain.  
• “Optimize storm sewer networks to send excess stormwater away from overloaded locations adjacent to MTA infrastructure to areas with spare capacity.”  

Coastal flooding:  

• “Sustain leadership and future-forward strategy towards coastal resilience in the New York City region.  
• “Manage the coordinated design and deployment of the city’s flood mitigation measures and deepen coordination with the MTA on emergency operations planning. 
• “Continue to advance City-led climate data collection and monitoring.”  

Extreme heat:  

• “Facilitate the development of thermal energy networks between public and private properties that can utilize waste heat from sources like the subway. 
• “Encourage new heat recovery and geothermal technologies that pull heat from vulnerable sites like subway stations.   
• “Provide consistent shade for transit customers by increasing tree canopy.” 

In the 18 months since the MTA’s inaugural Climate Resilience Roadmap was released, the agency says “significant progress” has been made in initiating and completing numerous actions under the Roadmap’s 10 goals and related strategies, such as shielding subway stations and tunnels from stormwater. Some of the highlighted strategies for protecting subways included boosting collaboration with City agencies, protecting subway tunnel walls from leaks, and installing sidewalk-level protection. 

The MTA has worked with NYCDEP to clean priority catch basins before heavy rainfall events and cooperated on drainage planning, inspected tunnels and sewers, and identified 2025-2029 Capital Program for sidewalk-level protections at priority stations.

For more information on progress made on the Climate Resilience Roadmap, visit the MTA Climate Resilience Roadmap: Progress Update on page 32.

“Transit is the antidote to climate change, but the system can’t work well if it’s constantly getting pounded by severe storms and torrential rain,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. “Working with Governor Hochul and the City, we must continue to harden our infrastructure to withstand the effects of increasingly extreme weather events.”

“We are taking action to protect our infrastructure and the New Yorkers that rely on it from the impacts of climate change,” said MTA Construction & Development President Jamie Torres-Springer. “This roadmap update highlights the progress we’ve made even in the last eighteen months and lays out the path forward in partnership with the City of New York and other stakeholders.”

The Climate Resilience Roadmap Update follows the release of the Climate Resilience Roadmap in April 2024 and the 20-Year Needs Assessment in October 2023, “the most rigorous and transparent assessment of the MTA system to date, outlining the MTA’s region’s needs for the next generation,” the agency noted. “It provides a blueprint to strengthen and expand the system, while improving reliability and resilience to withstand extreme weather challenges in the future.”

The post NYMTA Releases Climate Resilience Roadmap Update appeared first on Railway Age.

If approved by the membership, the tentative agreement, BLET says, would run through 2030 and would provide for a guaranteed 40-hour work week, a signing bonus, and general wage increases each year through the life of the agreement. The tentative agreement also includes improvements to holiday pay, paid time off, and other provisions.

Members governed by this tentative agreement belong to BLET Division 16, the union’s short line division. The negotiating team consisted of Grievance Chairman Frank Graves and National Vice President James Logan. BLET first organized the WNYP property, which extends across southwestern New York and northwestern Pennsylvania from Hornell, N.Y., to Meadville, Pa., and Oil City, Pa., and north and south of Olean, N.Y., in 2008.

Ballots are due back to BLET’s National Division by Nov. 11.

The post BLET, WNYP Reach Tentative Agreement appeared first on Railway Age.

Trainyard Tech, LLC, announced Oct. 29 that it has signed a contract with Ferrocarril y Terminal del Valle de México, S.A. de C.V., to deploy its flagship ClassMaster Process Control System at the Valle de México Yard in Mexico City.

This, Trainyard Tech says, marks ClassMaster’s first installation in Mexico, “extending its proven reach beyond the U.S. and Canada.” The system provides fully automated train classification, routing, and yard management, enabling rail operators to “increase throughput; reduce dwell times; and improve safety through advanced control logic, real-time monitoring, and data analytics.”

Already operational in major classification yards across North America, ClassMaster, the company says, is backed by “proven technology, comprehensive support, and a track record of delivering measurable efficiency gains.”

“The deployment of the ClassMaster system in Mexico underscores our commitment to advancing rail efficiency and safety across North America,” said Trainyard Tech President John Aliberti.

The post Trainyard Tech to Deploy ClassMaster™ at Valle de México Yard appeared first on Railway Age.