Railpace Hot News
Keep up to date on the latest railroad news from the northeastern United States and Canada, edited by Carl Perelman.
October 31, 2023
Federal Transit Administration Seeks Input on New Training Requirements to Improve Rail Safety Oversight
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced a proposed update to the Public Transportation Safety Certification Training Program regulation that would build upon existing training requirements for safety professionals in rail transit agencies and ensure that the training curriculum is more responsive to evolving industry needs.
October 31, 2023
MBTA Successfully Completes Expedited Critical Track Work on Red Line Ashmont Branch and Mattapan Line
Today, the MBTA announced the successful completion of critical track work on the Red Line’s Ashmont Branch between JFK/UMass and Ashmont Stations and the Mattapan Line.
October 30, 2023
SEPTA Announces Tentative Contract Agreement with TWU Local 234
SEPTA announced that a tentative agreement has been reached with TWU Local 234 on a new contract for employees in the City, Suburban, and Frontier Transit Divisions. This tentative contract will allow for service to continue without disruption, including on city subways, buses, and trolleys.
October 30, 2023
Grand Central Terminal Holiday Fair
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today announced that the Grand Central Holiday Fair will return on Monday, Nov. 13, and will include new festivities and offerings. Presented by AmericanGreetings.com, the Grand Central Holiday Fair brings together small businesses and artisan merchants in Grand Central’s Vanderbilt Hall, a landmarked space steps away from more than 75 shopping and dining options from casual to fine dining.
October 27, 2023
Commencement of Construction Work on Metro-North Park Avenue Viaduct Replacement Project
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that reconstruction work on the 130-year-old Park Avenue Viaduct in East Harlem has begun as areas underneath have been cleared for the viaduct’s new foundations and columns that will support the new structure.
October 26, 2023
Norfolk Southern Launches AI Train Inspection Technology
Norfolk Southern Corporation is deploying Digital Train Inspection Portals to enhance rail safety across the company’s 22-state network. The portals feature cutting-edge Machine Vision Inspection technology developed in partnership with the Georgia Tech Research Institution (GTRI), who engineered the hardware, and Norfolk Southern’s Data Science/Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Mechanical teams, who built the brains behind the program.
October 26, 2023
Weekly Rail Traffic for the Week Ending October 21, 2023
The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending October 21, 2023. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 505,985 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.8 percent compared with the same week last year.
October 25, 2023
Norfolk Southern Reports Third Quarter 2023 Results
Norfolk Southern Corporation announced Wednesday its third quarter 2023 financial results. For the quarter, income from railway operations was $756 million and diluted earnings per share were $2.10. These results include a $163 million charge associated with the incident in Eastern Ohio which includes an initial insurance recovery of $25 million
October 25, 2023
SEPTA Announces Service Interruption Guide: Possible Strike by TWU Local 234 as Soon as Nov. 1
The current contract between SEPTA and the Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 234 expires at midnight on Tuesday, October 31. There has been progress in the contract negotiations, and there is an urgency to reach a new agreement that will avoid a disruption to City Transit Division bus, trolley, Market-Frankford Line, and Broad Street Line services.
October 24, 2023
TSA Renews Cybersecurity Requirements for Passenger and Freight Railroads
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced updates to three security directives (SD) regulating passenger and freight railroad carriers in the continued effort to enhance the cybersecurity of surface transportation systems and associated infrastructure. These revised directives, which were set to expire on Oct. 24, have been renewed for one year, and include updates that seek to strengthen the industry’s defenses against cyberattacks.
