News Digest: Federal Railroad Administration Declares an Emergency Weather Event

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has determined that a severe winter snow storm affecting western states and extending into the Plains and Upper Midwest now constitutes an “emergency event” as related to railroad operations. Therefore, the FRA has activated an Emergency...

News Digest: FRA Adjustment of Risk Threshold for Establishing Quiet Zones May Aid Communities and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Announces Rule to Help Passengers and Crewmembers in the Event of Emergency

FRA Adjustment of Risk Threshold for Establishing Quiet Zones May Aid Communities.  The Federal Railroad Administration’s annual adjustment of the Nationwide Significant Risk Threshold (NSRT) may provide some relief for communities struggling to establish or maintain quiet zones while...

Federal Railroad Administration Celebrates Opening of New Railroad Bridge: Recovery Act Rail Project Completed Early and Under Budget

OSAGE CITY, Mo. – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph C. Szabo today participated in the ribbon cutting ceremony for a new railroad bridge that will eliminate the last chokepoint along the line between Jefferson City and St. Louis. The $28...

U.S. Department of Transportation Announces $1.4 Million TIGER 2013 Grant for New Hampshire Northcoast Rail Corridor Improvement Project

Rail Upgrades Will Repair and Refurbish 42 Miles of Track in New Hampshire

ROCHESTER, N.H. – The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) today announced a $1.4 million grant to upgrade 42 miles of track along the Northcoast Rail Corridor. The project is one of 52...

U.S. Department of Transportation Announces $8.9 Million TIGER 2013 Grant to Vermont for Western Corridor Rail Rehabilitation

Project Supports President Obama’s Call to ‘Fix it First’

BURLINGTON, Vt. – The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) today announced the Vermont Agency of Transportation has been awarded an $8.9 million grant. The project is one of 52...

Railroad Safety Advisory Committee Holds Emergency Meeting: Group Considers Additional Rail Safety Measures for Hazardous Materials Transport

WASHINGTON – The Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) Railroad Safety Advisory Committee (RSAC) met today in an emergency session to begin consideration of additional regulatory or other safety measures following the derailment in Lac-Megantic, Quebec, Canada earlier this summer...

Federal Railroad Administration Announces Multistate Request for Proposals for Next-Generation Passenger Rail Locomotives

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) today announced that U.S. manufacturers are being invited to submit bids to produce high-performance, next-generation diesel-electric locomotives.

“When we make smart investments...

U.S. Transportation Secretary Foxx Announces Important Milestone on Grant for Rochester, N.Y., Train Station

New Station Improves Access to Amtrak Service, Passenger Amenities

WASHINGTON – U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx today announced the obligation of a $15 million grant to design and construct a new train station in Rochester, N.Y. The project is one of 47...

Federal Railroad Administration Issues Emergency Order to Prevent Unintended Hazardous Materials Train Movement

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) today issued an Emergency Order and Safety Advisory to help prevent trains operating on mainline tracks or sidings from moving unintentionally. The FRA’s announcement was made in response...

U.S. Transportation Secretary Foxx Awards $10 Million for the Port of Northern Montana Multimodal Hub

WASHINGTON – U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx today finalized a $10 million TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) 2011 grant for the Port of Northern Montana Multimodal Hub Center in Shelby, Mont.  The inland port will expand the export capacity of...