Prototype News

DART on Nov. 24 released its first Point B Strategic Plan Annual Report, “highlighting several initiatives and major system investments that are moving the agency closer to being first-in-mind for mobility.”

Introduced in 2024, Point B “serves as DART’s strategic guide for ensuring transit plays a more substantial role, as North Texas remains on track to become the third-largest region in the U.S. within the next decade.” The plan, DART says, “guides the agency’s decisions around delivering best-in-class customer experiences, creating fantastic spaces in the communities we serve, and ensuring that all investments and service improvements move riders closer to the places that connect them to opportunity.”

“Point B is more than a strategy; it is DART’s commitment to our riders and our region,” said DART President and CEO Nadine Lee. “We made a promise to be transparent to all our stakeholders about how we are working with our employees, for our customers, and in partnership with our communities and stakeholders to strengthen our system. This report not only delivers on that promise but also celebrates the work underway to deliver a transit system that is clean, safe, more connected, and ready for the future of North Texas.”

Point B includes six strategic goals:

• “Empowered Agency: Build a nimble organization that can act quickly and effectively by streamlining processes and empowering employees.
• “Culture of Contribution: Create a culture that aligns roles and responsibilities with the DART vision, deepens organizational trust, and encourages growth.
• “Quality Service: Deliver a quality customer experience defined by strong rider advocacy and built on professional pride and continuous improvement.
• “Seamless Mobility: Integrate mobility options to create a seamless travel experience defined by frequency and reliability that positions DART as first-in-mind.
• “Fantastic Spaces: Create fantastic spaces that add value to our communities, enhance the rider experience, and foster a sustainable thriving region.
• “Strategic Relationships: Position DART as a collaborative leader and recognized regional economic and mobility asset. 

In this first report, DART celebrates significant milestones advancing these goals, including:

• “Launched DART Transform, a 10-year $2.5 billion system modernization program.
• “Raised our Net Promoter Score – which measures customer satisfaction – by 40 points over the last three years.
• Advanced a $110 million investment in security, cleanliness, and reliability projects.
• “Earned national recognition as the American Public Transportation Association awarded the agency gold-level distinction through its Sustainability Commitment Program.
• “Celebrated the opening of the 26-mile Silver Line connecting seven cities from Plano to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.
• “Opened the Consolidated Dispatch Command Center, streamlining operations and enabling faster response to security and service issues.
• Received the first of 476 new buses that begin phasing in across the service area by the end of 2025.
• “Advanced transit-oriented development with three projects in the development stage and three projects under construction. Developed customized area plans with service area cities to strengthen local mobility and support economic development.”

Along with an average of 171,000 weekday passenger boardings and more than 56 million trips provided, the Point B Strategic Plan Annual Report (download below) highlights just a fraction of the agency’s progress to help people and communities connect and flourish across North Texas, DART noted.

For the first time, electricity powered an OC Streetcar vehicle along the Pacific Electric (PE) right-of-way, marking a major milestone toward the start of service in 2026, OCTA recently announced via an X post.

OCTA Director Vicente Sarmiento stopped by to observe this recent test, which confirmed functionality of the overhead contact system that supplies power to the vehicles. In the months ahead, OCTA says testing will continue to ensure safe, reliable service for all. When complete, the OC Streetcar will operate between Santa Ana and Garden Grove, providing connections to existing bus and rail routes.

It’s a big moment for the OC Streetcar! For the first time, electricity powered an OC Streetcar vehicle along the PE Right of Way! This marks a major milestone toward the start of service in 2026. OCTA Director Vicente Sarmiento stopped by to observe this recent test, which… pic.twitter.com/rZwWJPtC21

Denver RTD announced Nov. 24 that it has launched a comprehensive Customer Experience and Transit Utilization Action Plan “to improve how the agency delivers services, communicates, and connects with its customers.”

Developed over several months, the plan (download below) includes nearly 60 tactics shaped by feedback received from RTD’s customers, staff, Board of Directors, and annual surveys. The near-term action plan closely aligns with the agency’s Strategic Plan and Annual Scorecard and focuses efforts during a seven-month timeline.

“Having a laser-like focus on customer experience is paramount and supports the agency’s near-term and future successes,” said RTD General Manager and CEO Debra A. Johnson. “This action plan ensures the agency’s customers are at the center of every decision made, from communications to service delivery.”

The action plan, the agency says, “includes strategies to improve service reliability, personal safety and security, cleanliness, wayfinding, digital tools, communications, and the overall ease of using RTD services. The plan also emphasizes a customer-first approach to ensure individuals feel informed, supported, and valued throughout their journey. The launch reflects a renewed, agency-wide commitment to understanding customer needs, improving service quality, and creating a more seamless travel experience across RTD’s entire system.”

The plan is organized into five focus areas: (1) Service Delivery and Amenities; (2) Fares and Pass Programs; (3) Communications and Information; (4) Awareness and Education; and (5) Engagement and Outreach. Several of the tactics are currently under way, including a high-volume events plan, promotion of RTD pass programs, a new mobile application, and bus and rail ride-alongs by RTD’s leadership team.

“By listening to our customers, understanding their needs, and continuously improving services, we’re able to foster long-term loyalty,” said RTD Chief Communications and Engagement Officer Stuart Summers. “A positive experience means that our customers feel supported, informed, and confident using RTD’s services, and it directly impacts their future decisions to take RTD.”

Additional work will begin in 2026 to build upon the near-term action plan and develop a multi-year customer experience program.

The post Transit Briefs: DART, OC Streetcar, Denver RTD appeared first on Railway Age.

A mockup of one of the 60 commuter railcars joining Connecticut Department of Transportation’s (CTDOT) fleet in late 2026 is now on display at Union Station in New Haven. Alstom landed the approximately $315 million base order for the single-level cars, with options to build 313 more, in August 2023.

The new railcars will expand the state’s fleet and replace older cars currently in use, some of which date to the 1990s, according to Alstom and CTDOT. They will run primarily on the 62-mile Hartford Line, which operates daily along the I-91 corridor between New Haven and Springfield, Mass., and currently uses Mafersa cars from Brazil that were originally built for Virginia Railway Express. The Hartford Line—a partnership of CTDOT, TransitAmerica Services and Alternate Concepts, and Amtrak—connects at New Haven Union Station with MTA Metro-North Railroad’s New Haven Line for travel to southwestern Connecticut and Grand Central Terminal in New York City, and with CDOT’s Shoreline East commuter railroad (operated in partnership with Amtrak), which runs daily between New London and New Haven, with select weekday thru service to Stamford. CDOT also supports three branches off the New Haven Line that extend to New Canaan, Danbury and Waterbury.

Part of Alstom’s Adessia commuter rail portfolio, the new cars will feature two-by-two seating, laptop tables, extra-wide windows, power outlets and USB charging ports, overhead luggage racks, and areas for wheelchairs, strollers, and bikes. They are slated to start arriving for testing in late 2026 and begin service in early 2027, sporting the orange, white, and black design of CTrail, the brand designating state-run rail service in Connecticut. They will travel at speeds up to 110 mph.

We're excited to announce 60 new rail cars with big upgrades coming to the @hartfordline in 2027! These include bike racks, more outlets, and a sleek, comfortable design. Visit this model at the New Haven Union Station (non-holiday Tues and Thurs, 7-9 am, 3-5 pm, 11/25-1/6/26)! pic.twitter.com/Xlp2Z08CS5

Alstom and CTDOT on Nov. 24 reported that the wooden mockup now on display consists of the interior of one half of a car with seats, finishes and a wheelchair-accessible lavatory. They are seeking feedback from visitors, who may tour the prototype Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., until Jan. 6, 2026.

“We’re thrilled to give Connecticut riders a hands-on preview of our future railcars,” CTDOT Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto said. “This prototype makes clear our commitment to rail travel that’s modern and accessible, designed around today’s riders and their need for comfort, ADA access, and thoughtful amenities.”

“We are proud to share the work of our expert engineers and designers and give Connecticut rail riders a glimpse of their future,” commented Scott Sherin, Chief U.S. Commercial Officer for Alstom. “These new passenger coaches will provide many years of fast and reliable service, reduce traffic congestion along highways, and help the state achieve its 2030 emissions targets.”

Alstom reported that its Adessia portfolio offers a wide range of single- and bilevel cars, which can be fashioned either as push-pull coaches that operate with locomotives or self-propelled vehicles equipped with electric engines.

Separately, the first five of Amtrak’s Alstom-built higher-speed trainset, the “NextGen Acela,” began operating on the Washington, D.C.-New York City-Boston Northeast Corridor this summer. In addition to supplying this equipment, Alstom has delivered new or renovated vehicles for domestic rail agencies in New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Boston, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Atlanta, and New Jersey.

The post Alstom, CTDOT Unveil Commuter Railcar Mockup appeared first on Railway Age.

According to the FTA, trespasser- and suicide-related events have been steadily increasing in the transit industry and are the leading source of transit-related fatalities, accounting for 50% of all fatalities reported to the National Transit Database (NTD) in calendar year 2024. Trespassing and suicide encompass a variety of different types of events, including but not limited to the following:

• “Transit customers intentionally jumping, walking, or lying in front of trains, for the purposes of self-harm, resulting in a collision.
• “Transit customers trespassing on the rail right-of-way (ROW) from transit station platforms, resulting in accidental collision with a rail vehicle or fatality or injury due to tripping, falling, or electric shock.
• “People trespassing on rail ROW while sheltering in tunnels, resulting in collision, slips and falls, or electric shock.”

Rail trespass and suicide major events, fatalities, and injuries steadily increased from 2016 to 2024, according to the FTA. Rail trespass and suicide major events increased 71%, fatalities increased 70%, and injuries increased 65% when comparing 2016 to 2024.

As per SA 25-1 (download below), the FTA is encouraging SSOAs to direct the RTAs under their jurisdiction to:

• “Review and analyze safety performance data related to trespassing and suicide events to identify related hazards.
• “Based on the analysis of safety performance data, conduct a safety risk assessment to assess the associated safety risk, as necessary, using the Safety Risk Management process defined in the RTA’s Agency Safety Plan.
• “Based on the safety risk assessment, identify any new safety risk mitigations and any existing safety risk mitigations to be modified as necessary to reduce the associated safety risk.
• “Monitor implemented mitigations as part of the performance monitoring and measurement component of the agency’s Safety Assurance process, including monitoring safety risk mitigations for effectiveness.”

The FTA recommends SSOAs obtain any documentation related to the recommended actions outlined above from their RTAs. FTA recommends that SSOAs that receive such documentation submit it to the State Safety Oversight Reporting (SSOR) system within 180 days from the issuance of this Safety Advisory.

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Following recent orders from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), the Shapiro Administration’s action “will ensure SEPTA can comply with federal orders, accelerate needed repairs, and maintain safe, reliable service for the nearly 800,000 Pennsylvanians who rely on SEPTA every day,” PennDOT said. The Governor made the announcement at SEPTA’s Frazer Shop & Yard in Chester County.

“The Governor’s action comes after Senate Republicans refused to support long-term, recurring funding for mass transit in the 2025–26 budget. As a result, SEPTA has lacked the capital resources necessary to make urgent safety improvements following federal directives,” according to PennDOT.

This fall, SEPTA was subject to a series of emergency federal directives following safety incidents involving Silverliner IV Regional Rail trains and the trolley network’s overhead catenary system, including from the following agencies:

• The FRA, which issued an Emergency Order requiring inspections, repairs, and electrical system upgrades for all 223 Silverliner IV railcars, following thermal incidents.
• The FTA, which issued an emergency action letter directing inspections of SEPTA’s entire trolley catenary network.

SEPTA, PennDOT says, completed all required inspections ahead of federal deadlines, returning 98 railcars to service. At the current pace, approximately 180 railcars are expected to be operational by mid-to-late December—enough to restore full weekday Regional Rail service.

While the FRA oversees Regional Rail safety, PennDOT’s State Safety Oversight Agency (SSOA) enforces safety standards for SEPTA’s metro and trolley systems. Under Governor Shapiro, SSOA’s authority was “strengthened and elevated” to report directly to PennDOT’s Deputy Secretary for Multimodal Transportation. Dedicated managers have been hired—including one specifically focused on SEPTA, and three additional safety and inspection positions are in the process of being hired, with two more safety experts dedicated exclusively to SEPTA.

PennDOT inspectors worked closely with SEPTA to address trolley catenary issues this fall and are now actively monitoring and approving repairs, which the additional capital funding will allow SEPTA to accelerate.

“PennDOT is using every tool available to support transit systems across the Commonwealth,” said Secretary Carroll. “These resources will help SEPTA complete essential repairs, modernize aging infrastructure, and keep riders safe. But this is a temporary fix—we need sustained, predictable mass transit funding.”

The $219.9 million in additional PennDOT capital funding will allow SEPTA to “accelerate critical safety upgrades, comply with FRA and FTA orders, and maintain reliable service for riders throughout the region.” Key investments include:

Upgrades to the Regional Rail Fleet—$95 million

• Enhancements to Silverliner IV safety and electrical systems.
• Upgrades to Silverliner V propulsion, electrical systems, and reliability

Railcar Leasing & Procurement—$17 million

• Lease 10 railcars from MARC (Washington–Baltimore region)
• Pursue purchase of 20 railcars from Montréal’s Exo system

Metro Fleet Upgrades—$8 million

• Overhauls of metro fleet traction motors.
• Door operator upgrades to ensure safe, reliable service

Utility Fleet & Power Infrastructure Upgrades—$48.4 million

• Replacement of aging overhead catenary wires across SEPTA’s trolley and rail networks.
• Purchase of new equipment to allow for more efficient inspections and maintenance of trolley infrastructure

Other Safety-Critical Infrastructure Investments—$51.5 million

• Upgrade of 13 escalators at SEPTA stations.
• Purchase advanced inspection technology.
• Implement safety improvements at SEPTA’s Control Center to ensure continuity of operations

These investments, PennDOT says, “will allow SEPTA to comply fully with federal safety orders, accelerate Silverliner IV and trolley repairs, and maintain reliable service for residents and visitors.”

“Thank you to Governor Shapiro for his strong support of SEPTA, our riders, and the communities we serve,” said SEPTA General Manager Scott Sauer. “These funds are going to make a significant difference in our efforts to overcome this current crisis—and to prevent problems moving forward. With these new capital dollars, we can advance initiatives that will improve service across the system. This money will be directed to projects that can begin quickly and will enhance safety and reliability for our riders. Thanks to the dedication of our employees, who have been working around the clock, we’re already returning up to five railcars to service each day. We expect to be close to full strength by mid-December, and these new funds will help keep us on the right trajectory as we bolster our preventative maintenance and vehicle overhaul efforts.”

Further Reading:

• Transit Briefs: SEPTA, Santa Clara VTA, TriMet, Metra, NJ Transit, BART
• Report: SEPTA Working to Boost Regional Rail Capacity
• NTSB Recommends Sidelining SEPTA Silverliner IVs
• SEPTA: Drastic Service Cuts Begin, Deeper Cuts Planned for 2026

The post PennDOT: $219.9MM to Support SEPTA Safety Upgrades, Infrastructure Improvements appeared first on Railway Age.

The Toronto Transit Commission’s (TTC) long-awaited, C$2.6 billion Line 6 Finch West will launch Dec. 7. Serving 18 light rail stops along 6.8 miles (11 kilometers) of Finch Avenue West between Finch West Station on Line 1 Yonge-University and Humber Polytechnic’s North Campus, it will operate under “soft opening” conditions with trains running from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. until spring 2026, according to the transit agency.

In addition to connecting with TTC Line 1, Line 6 Finch West will link with TTC bus routes and regional transit services, including GO Transit, MiWay, York Region Transit, and Brampton Züm.

Fifteen Alstom Citadis Spirit trains will operate during weekday morning and afternoon rush hours, with service every six and a half minutes; at all other times, including weekends, trains will arrive approximately every 10 to 12 minutes, according to TTC’s Nov. 24 announcement. This soft opening follows “the recommendations of the Ottawa LRT public inquiry,” the transit agency said, and “will provide the line’s maintainers, Mosaic Transit Group, with an extended maintenance window, allowing staff to become more familiar with the line and monitor it for any issues while in full revenue service.”

Between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m., service will be provided by buses operating every 10 minutes, serving on-street LRT stops along the Finch West corridor. The TTC’s Blue Night bus service will operate after 1 a.m. until the start of train service at 6 a.m. Monday to Saturday, and 8 a.m. on Sundays.

TTC reported that the opening of Line 6 also means the names of two existing TTC stations will officially change: Eglinton West Station will become Cedarvale Station, and Dundas Station will become TMU Station.

Under agreements with line owner Metrolinx and the City of Toronto, TTC is responsible for operating trains, providing security and revenue control, and staffing stations for Line 6 Finch West. Mosaic Transit Group is responsible for maintaining the infrastructure and vehicles. Mosaic—a consortium of ACS Infrastructure Canada Inc., Aecon Concessions (a division of Aecon Construction Group Inc.), and CRH Canada Group Inc.—was awarded a DBFM (design, build, finance and maintain) contract in May 2018 by Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario.

Line 6 Finch West construction began in 2019. While it was originally expected to launch in 2021, the date was “pushed back for various reasons, including vehicle delivery delays, the pandemic and a lawsuit,” according to the Toronto Star. The line “has leapfrogged the Eglinton Crosstown LRT, despite starting construction eight years after it,” the newspaper reported Nov. 24. “The new Line 6 is just over 10-km long, with 18 stops and all but [two] station[s] above ground. Eglinton, by comparison, is 19-km long, with 25 stops and has both underground and street-level sections.” Metrolinx and TTC, it said, “have yet to provide an opening date for the Eglinton Crosstown LRT.”

“We are thrilled to welcome customers on board the new Line 6 Finch West,” TTC CEO Mandeep S. Lali said. “Since January, the TTC has worked tirelessly, 24/7, with Metrolinx to operate tens of thousands of test train-hours to ensure a safe and reliable experience. Now, with independent certification confirming the line’s readiness, we are excited and fully prepared to begin this new chapter in Toronto transit. I want to thank our staff, our partners, and the community for their dedication and patience throughout the testing period. We are committed to delivering a safe, reliable, and outstanding customer experience on Line 6 from day one.”

“We look forward to welcoming customers on board Line 6 Finch West from December 7,” TTC Chair Jamaal Myers said. “This is the most significant expansion of Toronto’s transit network since the Spadina subway extension [opened in 2017], and it will bring faster, more reliable service to thousands of riders every day. Line 6 will help connect communities, support local jobs, and play a real role in reducing congestion across our city by giving people a faster, more dependable alternative to driving. I want to thank our partners at Metrolinx and the Province of Ontario for their collaboration in bringing this project over the finish line.”

“The opening of Line 6 Finch West is a transformative moment for Toronto,” Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said. “Line 6 Finch West will connect northwest Toronto communities, support local businesses, and make it easier for people to get to work, school, and home. I want to thank everyone who worked so hard to deliver this project. Together, we are fighting congestion and building a more connected, accessible, and sustainable city.”

• Otis Gives Canadian LRT a Lift
• Ontario LRT Update
• Thales SelTrac selected for Finch West LRT
• Mosaic wins Toronto Finch West LRT project
• Finch West, Hurontario LRTs advance
• Ontario’s Finch West LRT gets the go-ahead

The post Coming Dec. 7: Finch West LRT appeared first on Railway Age.

Railroading Heritage of Midwest America, the non-profit restoring two Union Pacific steam locomotives at the former Rock Island shop in Silvis, Ill., has broken ground on a new roundhouse and turntable. The six-stall roundhouse is on the footprint of the Rock Island’s original facility and will feature a former Chicago, Burlington & Quincy turntable that was donated to the group by BNSF Railway. 

Steve Sandberg, president and chief operating officer of RRHMA, said the 135-foot turntable, which was once used at the Q’s Clyde Yard (now Cicero), is large enough to spin UP 4-6-6-4 3985, currently being restored. The turntable will be the largest operating one in the United States once installed. 

“This project takes our organization to a whole new level,” said Steve Sandberg, President and Chief Operating Officer of RRHMA. “We are thrilled to break ground on the turntable and roundhouse … Our vision is to make Silvis a national hub of living railroad history – a place where we can preserve and operate vintage trains and share that

experience with the public for generations to come.”

The roundhouse will serve as a museum and storage space for RRHMA, clearing up room in the restoration shop for heavier work. The non-profit is presently raising $2.5 million for the project. Donations can be made online at rrhma.com/roundhouse-project/.

—Justin Franz 

The post RRHMA Breaks Ground on New Roundhouse appeared first on Railfan & Railroad Magazine.

RTD on Nov. 21 issued financial results for the third quarter of Fiscal Year 2025, ending Sept. 30, 2025. While total revenue rose to $321 million, up $41 million or 15%, from the same period last year, it fell short of budget projections by $21 million or 6%, according to the transit agency.

RTD reported a net position decrease of $77 million, which was $47 million lower than the prior year but $58 million or 43% better than budget.

Excluding the impact of East Colfax Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) passthrough to the City and County of Denver, RTD said third-quarter revenue came in at $298 million, up $18 million or 7% year-over-year. The net position decline, excluding the impact of East Colfax BRT, was $79 million, down $50 million from third-quarter 2024, according to the agency.

Sales and use tax revenue remained flat at $223 million, missing budget by $11 million (5%), RTD said. “Fare revenue was $16 million, down $1 million (6%) from the prior year, despite a 4% increase in ridership to 17.0 million,” it reported. “Notably, 38% of the 622,000 additional riders were attributed to a revised counting method on the A Line.”

“Demonstrating good stewardship of taxpayer dollars is paramount for any public servant,” RTD General Manager and CEO Debra A. Johnson said. “In the third quarter of 2025, RTD navigated rising costs and tax revenue that was lower than expected while also recognizing several notable gains that contribute to a welcoming transit environment.”

In related developments, RTD earlier this fall proposed a $1.3 billion budget for FY 2026 and released a draft of its comprehensive 2025 Finishing FasTracks Report, outlining the $1.6 billion capital and operating costs needed to complete the 2004 voter-approved transit expansion program, as well as revenue and ridership projections for the four unfinished corridors.

The last Type 6 MAX LRV (light rail vehicle) arrived Nov. 20 at TriMet’s Ruby Junction Rail Operations Facility, completing the transit agency’s order for 30 vehicles from Siemens Mobility.

Before it begins service next year on the MAX Blue, Green, Orange, Red and Yellow lines, the new Type 6 S700 low-floor LRV will undergo weeks of testing, including logging at least 3,000 miles out of service, according to TriMet, which provides MAX light rail, WES commuter rail, bus, and LIFT paratransit services across 533 square miles of Oregon’s three most populous counties (Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas). The agency rolled out the first Type 6 in January 2025. All Type 6s are now on site; 22 are in service, accounting for approximately 15% of the total MAX fleet.

TriMet’s original 26 Type 1s have been in continuous operation since MAX service began in 1986, and some have logged more than 2 million miles, according to the agency.  

TriMet will continue to operate the Type 1s until all the Type 6s have entered service. While most of the Type 1s are being recycled, one—No. 101—has already been donated to the Oregon Electric Railway Museum in Brooks, Ore.

“The new trains join TriMet’s existing fleet at a pivotal time, with the full completion in August 2024 of the multi-year Better Red MAX Red Line Extension and Improvements project, along with several other MAX system improvements,” the transit agency reported. “Many of these have taken place along older sections of the system, including the installation of an improved wire-tensioning system at several locations. They also include the full renovation of the NE 82nd Ave MAX Station platform, which we expect to reopen by the end of the year.”

TriMet in 1997 was the first North American transit agency to deploy low-floor LRVs with the Type 2 SD660 from Siemens. Since then, Siemens has supplied every MAX LRV: The Type 3 (also SD660) in 2003, Type 4 SD70 in 2009, Type 5 S700 in 2015, and now the Type 6 S700.

Separately, TriMet recently announced that it is completing a round of organizational changes as part of its ongoing effort to “address a significant structural budget gap and bring staffing levels in line with revenue.” The agency in June adopted a $1.96 billion overall budget for FY2026; the agency said it was taking steps to address a $50.2 million deficit projected for next fiscal year, “tightening spending ahead of a fiscal cliff projected in 2031.”

VIA Rail on Nov. 21 marked a milestone at Vancouver’s Pacific Central Station (1150 Station St., Vancouver): the 70th anniversary of The Canadian, which connects riders from Toronto to Vancouver.

VIA Rail held a free event for the public on Nov. 22, featuring family activities, historical exhibits, and opportunities to meet the VIA Rail team that runs The Canadian.  It also posted online an article of employee stories from the train’s service history.

“For 70 years, The Canadian has given Canadians a chance to slow down and experience the beauty of this country in a way that no other journey can offer,” said VIA Rail President and CEO Mario Péloquin, who was a featured speaker at Railway Age’s Next-Gen Rail Systems conference, which was held last month in Jersey City, N.J. “It has sparked countless memories: children seeing the mountains for the first time, families crossing the country to be together, strangers becoming friends over coffee in the Skyline car. Its legacy is carried not only by the steel of the rails, but by the people and the stories it connects.”

This anniversary celebration comes as VIA Rail embarks on what it calls “the most significant modernization in its history, supported by the Government of Canada’s 2024 commitment to fund a new Pan-Canadian fleet.” In 2024, VIA Rail launched a competitive procurement process to identify suppliers for the new locomotives and intercity passenger cars that will replace its Long-Distance, Regional and Remote (LDRR) fleet. VIA Rail said it expects to announce the selected partners in early 2026. “This transformative initiative will deliver a modern, comfortable, accessible, and sustainable travel experience, ensuring that the legacy of The Canadian continues and that, within the next decade, all VIA Rail trains will be renewed across the country,” the Crown Corporation said.

Separately, VIA Rail in July celebrated the completion of its Halifax Station renovation project, part of a C$80 million investment to upgrade four “heritage” stations, and more than a century of continuous service by The Ocean, the country’s oldest named passenger train, which runs in Atlantic Canada from Halifax to Montreal.

The post Transit Briefs: Denver RTD, TriMet, VIA Rail appeared first on Railway Age.

“The BNSF network remains in solid condition as we head into the Thanksgiving holiday week and peak intermodal shipping season with positive momentum,” the Class I railroad told customers in a Nov. 21 online message. “Overall car velocity increased from the prior week and saw a 6% increase compared to October. Average terminal dwell was lower than the previous week, reaching the lowest level year-to-date and reflecting a 4% reduction from last month. Our local service compliance measure remains steady at 92%.”

The number of trains operating on BNSF track is typically lower over the holiday due to reduced freight volume, the Class I noted. BNSF’s Intermodal holiday operating plan will adjust operations to account for this potential reduction in traffic. As a result, shipments from Tuesday, Nov. 25, through noon on Wednesday, Dec. 3, may experience delays of approximately 48 hours. Connecting carriers who have reduced operations for the holiday may cause delays on interline traffic.

Heavy rains and storms continue to impact multiple states along the Southern Transcon, including Southern California, Arizona, much of Texas, and parts of the Central Plains, BNSF said. These conditions are expected to bring elevated flash-flooding risks over the next 24-48 hours. “BNSF operating teams are monitoring conditions and are prepared to quickly respond. For Thanksgiving week, we expect overall seasonable operating conditions across much of our network.”

CSX’s TRANSFLO Petersburg Terminal is coming to Virginia in early 2026, the Class I announced via an X post.

The facility, which TRANSFLO says, “will help companies boost supply chain efficiency, expand market reach, and embrace sustainable transportation,” includes:

• 40 car spots.
• LPG capability.
• Conveyor capacity.
• Convenient access to major highways I-95, I-85, and US-460.
• Up to 75% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions with rail transportation.

“The facility reflects our commitment to delivering the benefits of rail transport with efficient transloading and maximized throughput,” TRANSFLO said.

UP recently announced that it has updated its procedure for the transfer of trains between a rail yard in Mexico and the nearest rail yard in Eagle Pass, Texas.

This change, which kicked off Nov. 20, “enhances safety, strengthens border security and aligns with competitor practices at the northern and southern border,” UP said. “It reduces by 50% the time it takes to move trains across the international bridge compared to the previous method of changing crews on the rail bridge.”

Mexican partner crews from Ferromex will travel seven miles from the border to the nearby Eagle Pass yard, where the change to a U.S. crew will occur. The Mexican crews have been trained and qualified by UP, including certification under Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) rules for the territory. UP employees will continue to handle all U.S.-based operations, including taking control of inbound trains, switching cars, building outbound trains and serving local customers.

Before this updated process, crew changes at Eagle Pass would occur on the single-track international bridge, requiring trains to stop while crews disembark and walk back across the structure. This process can take 30-40 minutes and increases the amount of time a train sits idle on the bridge, heightening exposure for crews and increasing the risk of blocked crossings, vandalism, theft or other security concerns, BNSF noted. “Moving the interchange to a controlled rail yard reduces these risks and allows trains to transition more safely and efficiently. Additionally, seamless transfers at the border enhance the rail industry’s ability to compete and remove trucks from the road.”

“This change enhances safety for crews, strengthens border security and creates a more fluid process at this key rail gateway,” said UP Executive Vice President-Operations Eric Gehringer. “Interchanging trains inside a secure rail yard is a proven approach used at other border crossings, and it allows us to manage train movements more safely and efficiently.”

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

The U.S. transportation system is being pushed beyond the limits of what it was built to handle. Freight volumes continue climbing, supply chains are more time-sensitive, and our roads — long the backbone of domestic commerce—are increasingly defined by congestion and delay.

Anyone who driving the New Jersey Turnpike, the D.C. Beltway, I-40 across Tennessee, or California’s I-405 has experienced it: Occupying every lane are heavy 18-wheelers and delivery trucks, slow-motion rolling blockades as two tractor-trailers crawl side-by-side for miles. It’s a daily reminder that the highway network is saturated, and clever policies such as limiting truck traffic during peak hours, while helpful on the margins, cannot resolve a structural capacity problem.

The economic consequences are real. According to the 2025 Urban Mobility Report from the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, Americans lost an average of 63 hours to traffic delays in 2024, with a national cost exceeding $269 billion. Those delays flow directly into freight transportation costs, which ultimately show up in household budgets. Whether it appears in the prices of groceries, medicine, building materials or manufactured goods, congestion is a hidden tax on consumers.

The core funding mechanism for our highways has also eroded. The Congressional Research Service reports that federal gasoline and diesel taxes have lost roughly 73% of their purchasing power since 1993. That loss has compounded deferred maintenance and contributed to growing pressure on the Highway Trust Fund. Public dollars are stretched thin at the same moment that system demands are rising.

I have seen these pressures from multiple vantage points: as a federal regulator, as someone who has run a motor carrier, and as an adviser on infrastructure strategy. Fragmented freight networks, unpredictable travel times and siloed infrastructure investment all translate into higher costs and reduced national competitiveness. Meeting today’s challenges requires more than simply widening roads. It demands smarter traffic management, targeted new capacity, expanded P3 delivery models, improved freight logistic, and more efficient ways to move long-haul freight.

One option now before regulators could help address part of this equation: the proposed combination of Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern. If approved, the deal would create the nation’s first single-system, truly coast-to-coast freight railroad, spanning more than 50,000 route-miles across 43 states and reaching roughly 100 ports, according to independent reporting from Reuters.

Today, long-distance rail shipments must often pass across multiple carriers, adding interchange delays, extra handling and fragmented visibility. A unified network could eliminate many of those friction points, cutting days off cross-country runs, improving reliability and offering shippers a seamless experience more comparable to trucking—without drawing on taxpayer funds. Shifting even a portion of the heaviest freight back to rail would also reduce highway wear, ease the driver-shortage burden and lower emissions and crash exposure per ton-mile.

Nevertheless, this is not an argument for rail at the expense of trucking. Trucks remain indispensable for first- and last-mile delivery and for much of America’s freight. A healthier, more balanced system benefits both modes. And I understand the concerns of those who lived through past mergers that produced service slowdowns, job losse, or consolidation of local rail facilities. Those concerns are not hypothetical.

Critics also raise real competitive issues: the risk of reduced choice for captive shippers, potential rate pressure and the possibility that a single mega-network could amplify service disruptions. Short line railroads worry about fair access. Communities worry about job impacts. Labor wants assurance that service improvements are not achieved through workforce cuts that compromise safety.

These issues deserve a direct response. The Surface Transportation Board should condition any approval on enforceable service quality metrics, strong gateway protections, guaranteed short line interchange access, transparent pricing and clear penalties for service failures. These guardrails are essential, not optional, to ensure competition is preserved and shippers benefit from the efficiencies promised.

If those protections are in place, the merger represents a rare opportunity: a substantial infusion of private capital into the backbone of the U.S. freight system at a moment when public resources cannot fully keep pace. Railroads have privately owned infrastructure, and strategic private investment relieves pressure on taxpayer-funded roads while strengthening national supply chain resilience.

Ultimately, the goal is not to pick winners. It is to let the market move freight on the mode best suited to the job, freeing highways for the trips that truly require them, improving safety and ensuring U.S. goods can move at the speed demanded by a competitive global economy. A unified rail network, if properly regulated and responsibly executed, can help get us there.

Brigham A. McCown serves on the U.S. Department of Transportation Infrastructure and Transportation Advisory Board. He has previously advised cabinet secretaries from both parties across four Presidential Administrations on policy, legal and regulatory matters. He is currently a Senior Fellow at Hudson Institute in Washington, D.C. and a Clinical Professor at Miami University. McCown served as chief executive from 2020 to 2022 of the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company which designed, built, operates and maintains the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System. From 1988 to 1998, he served on active duty as a U.S. naval officer and as a naval aviator and participated in worldwide deployments including Operation Desert Storm and Operation Uphold Democracy. From 1998 until his retirement in 2013, McCown served as a member of the active Ready Reserve with assignments in Europe, Africa, and Asia including Operation Unified Assistance. See his complete biography here.

The post Why a Unified Rail Network Makes Sense appeared first on Railway Age.

To those of us having experience as both a Class I pricing officer and a railroad shipper, it’s axiomatic that the primary advantage of shipping by rail is price.

Now that the Class I’s have largely abandoned supplying cars, and PSR has degraded railroad service further—except for captive traffic/commodities where the Class I’s continue to escalate rates as fast as they can—to be competitive with the trucks, price is the only lever they have. Hence, the discussion here focuses on intermodal lanes that to those of us who have played the game is “proof in the pudding” of the merger’s intent to gain power and control, locking (pricing) out other railroad routes.

Fancy wording and expensive lawyer briefs dangled in front of the STB are window dressing. Ask any short line CEO or former rail shipper about “benefits” from any prior rail merger.

Class I’s have enormous political and financial power. Once any merger is approved and terms violated/ignored, the burden/cost placed on those affected to seek and gain equity/enforcement is simply too much of a hurdle for most. The discovery process alone can take years and cost millions. Meanwhile, “Rome burns.” I know; we experienced it at Maryland Midland over four years and lost. Litigation in federal courts is no timely and reasonable alternative.

Putting teeth in any merger approval is the only answer. Class I’s don’t like it because it cuts into their power and control game. But so what? The citizens, shippers, consumers, labor, short lines and regionals in the U.S. must not be sold down the river to benefit a handful of BMBYS (Big Money Boys). And the devil is in the details. Eliminating paper barriers as just one example is essential. “Macro/glorified schemes/talk/proposals” will do nothing.

My comments filed in STB Ex Parte 711 (Sub-No. 2) address this. Reciprocal switching is the detail required to make things work, up front, in practice. If the STB does not include such detail, any inclusion in any approved merger is meaningless.

Born in Baltimore and raised in Towson, Md., Paul D. Denton graduated from Duke University in 1962. In 1963, he joined the Baltimore & Ohio and through 1986 served in various marketing/finance positions with B&O, Chessie and CSX. In 1986, Denton joined Maryland Midland Railway (MMID) as Vice President Marketing & Sales. In 1987 he was elected MMID President, and in 1994 was elected CEO and President and joined the MMID Board of Directors. He retired from MMID June 2006 but served on the Board through 2007, helping to arrange MMID’s sale to Genesee & Wyoming. Denton served two terms on the Board of the American Short Line & Regional Railroad Association from 1998 to2006.

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Shortly after nine Republican state attorneys general wrote to the Surface Transportation Board expressing serious concerns about the proposed Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger, three counterparts, also Republicans—Mike Hilgers, Nebraska; J.B. McCuskey, West Virginia; Chris Carr, Georgia—wrote to the STB in support of the transaction.

“The merger of Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern will only further strengthen the efficiency, reliability and effectiveness of our freight rail system,” the attorneys general wrote. “This merger will create the first [U.S.] unified transcontinental railroad, bringing more than 50,000 miles of track under one umbrella, directly connecting 100 North American ports, and expanding operational access to 43 States. By eliminating car touches and interchange delays, even more freight will be moved faster than ever and at a lower cost. The resulting synergies and efficiency gains will also allow for the opening of new routes and an expansion of intermodal services. These improvements are likely to lower supply chain costs for shippers, which ultimately means lower prices for consumers. And it is projected that all this will increase freight rail demand and thus increase the number of jobs at the newly-formed company, which is one reason why the nation’s largest railroad union has announced its support for the merger. Finally, as demand for freight rail increases, more trucks can be taken off our highways and other roadways, reducing congestion and further lowering emissions.”

The post Nebraska, West Virgina, Georgia GOP AGs Support UP+NS appeared first on Railway Age.

As the first stop for all new rapid transit (subway) cars before they are put into service, the facility is said to help MTA more efficiently process those cars, as well as work locomotives and other rolling stock (scroll down for news conference and facility tour videos). It will also help the transit agency complete onsite testing so the cars can enter service more quickly.

The facility’s launch comes as the transit agency said it prepares to receive “the biggest infusion of new railcars since systematic capital planning was first introduced more than a generation ago.” Earlier this month, the MTA Board approved the purchase of 378 new Kawasaki Rail Car, Inc.-built R268s for MTA New York City Transit, which will run on the “B” (lettered) division, be designed with specs like the those for the R211 cars, and begin arriving in fall 2028. The $1.507 billion contract will be funded under the agency’s $68 billion 2025-2029 Capital Plan, which MTA said includes the purchase of 1,500 new subway cars—“the largest new investment in rolling stock since the 1980s.”

Located near the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal in Sunset Park, the facility can accept rolling stock delivered by truck, rail, or boat, according to MTA. Once accepted, individual cars will be coupled for testing and commissioning on the in-house tracks. The newly created trains will then be sent via the facility’s direct connection to the subway network to complete further testing and will be entered into revenue service once they pass final inspection. MTA reported that this is “the first brand-new, full-scale subway car facility located on a new property that the Authority has added since the Pitkin Yard opened in Brooklyn in 1948.”

“The Railcar Acceptance and Testing Facility was completed within its three-year timeline and $5.5 million under budget by utilizing design-build delivery that streamlines project design and management,” MTA said. “The MTA realized significant savings through the use of prefabricated building components and precast concrete for the track pit construction, speeding the project’s completion and minimizing cost.”

The American Council of Engineering Companies of New York recently awarded the Raicar Acceptance and Testing Facility the silver medal in the Transportation category at the 2026 Engineering Excellence Awards Competition. This award recognized the yard’s “state-of-the-art design, innovation, complexity and the benefits it will bring to the subway riding public and community as a whole,” according to MTA.

The facility’s opening comes as the MTA is buying hundreds of R211s and R268s that will eventually replace all R46s and R68s, which have been in service for decades. “New R211 cars are being delivered at a rapid pace, with 750 already delivered and another 860 still to arrive,” MTA reported. “First placed into service in March 2023, the R211 features pre-installed security cameras in each car, as well as 58-inch-wide door openings that are eight inches wider than standard door openings on the existing car fleet. These are designed to speed up boarding and reduce the amount of time trains sit in stations. In addition to wider doors, these cars provide additional accessible seating, digital displays that will provide more detailed station-specific information, and brighter lighting and signage, among other features that improve the customer experience.”

The R211 is currently in service on the Staten Island Railway, as well as the A, B, C and G lines. There are plans to add the R211 on the D and the Rockaway Park S within the next two years, MTA said. The 2025-2029 Capital Plan will also include the purchase of new cars for the “A” (numbered) division, replacing the existing R62s serving the 1, 3 and 6 lines.  

These modern cars also assist the MTA in its efforts to upgrade subway lines to Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC). All R211s and R268s come equipped with technology that MTA said “seamlessly integrates with CBTC signals, leading to a better overall commute for millions of daily riders—including more reliable service, fewer delays, more frequent trains and less waiting.” Crews, it noted, are working to complete CBTC upgrades on the A, C, E, F, and G lines. Planned work on the Fulton St and Liberty Av lines of the A and C trains in Brooklyn and Queens and the 6th Av Line of the B, D, F and M trains in Manhattan are being paid for “by funds generated from congestion relief,” according to MTA, which said that upcoming CBTC modernization efforts on the A Rockaway Park S, J and Z  trains from the Williamsburg Bridge to Broad St, as well as on the N, Q, R and W trains in Manhattan and Astoria will be financed through the 2025-2029 Capital Plan.   

“Our historic $11 billion investment in rolling stock calls for a top-of-the-line new testing facility,” MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said. “Now we’re ready to start processing the 1,500-plus railcars included in the Capital Plan, no matter how they’re delivered—by land or by water.”    

“This facility consolidates work that was once spread among different yards and unites it all under one roof,” MTA Construction and Development President Jamie Torres-Springer added. “It’s another example of the MTA delivering a critical project on time and under budget to improve subway reliability for decades to come.”  

New York City Transit President Demetrius Crichlow commented: “As we continue to upgrade our rolling stock with modern cars, the railcar acceptance and testing facility provides a state-of-the-art space for NYC Transit employees to ensure new cars are safe, reliable, and ready to enter service. With streamlined inspections and a direct connection to transit tracks, NYC Transit has never been more prepared to keep up with the historic 2025-29 Capital Plan and the unprecedented investment it provides in rolling stock.” 

The post Watch: NYMTA Launches Railcar Acceptance, Testing Facility appeared first on Railway Age.

The Environmental Excellence Award is presented annually to a railroader whose work in environmental, sustainability, or safety functions “has significantly improved environmental performance,” the AAR noted. “This year’s awardee and nominees include employees whose work strengthens environmental performance and demonstrates the industry’s continued commitment to responsible operations.”

Environmental Excellence Award Winner – Mike Makerov (UP)

Mike Makerov, Senior Manager of Environmental Remediation at UP, brings more than 25 years of environmental experience, including roles as an agency case manager, consultant, and remediation leader for two Class I railroads. He oversees more than 100 remediation projects across California and is widely recognized for navigating some of the nation’s most complex regulatory landscapes.

Makerov’s leadership was central to a major Northern California cleanup that required extensive agency coordination, public engagement, and the use of a Unified Command structure—an uncommon but highly effective approach for long-term remediation. The project involved excavating 170,000 tons of contaminated soil, removing concrete retaining walls, installing in-river barriers in a high-flow trout stream, and operating an on-site wastewater treatment plant. His work accelerated cleanup timelines, strengthened stakeholder collaboration, and avoided more than $10 million in unnecessary costs.

Beyond this project, Makerov has also championed nature-based treatment systems to address groundwater contamination near drinking water sources.

Environmental Excellence Award Nominee – Kari Harris (CN)

Kari Harris brings more than 30 years of environmental experience, managing more than 50 projects across the U.S. and Canada and contributing to CN’s Biodiversity Program.

Environmental Excellence Award Nominee – Brian Booth (CSX)

Brian Booth oversees environmental compliance across four states, including major treatment facilities, and has helped CSX earn more than 10 consecutive JEA Environmental Stewardship Awards.

Environmental Excellence Award Nominee – Terri Allen (NS)

Terri Allen leads NS’s water and EPCRA compliance programs, modernizing stormwater and wastewater systems and supporting broader sustainability initiatives.

The railroad industry, the AAR says, “remains committed to improving environmental performance, reflected in the achievements of this year’s honorees and nominees and their ongoing efforts to support sustainable operations across the communities’ freight rail serves. Railroads continue to deploy new technologies, refine operations, and work across the supply chain to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.” According to the AAR, all North American Class I railroads now have approved Science Based Targets initiative goals, underscoring strong climate commitments. “Collectively, these actions ensure railroads continue to drive meaningful environmental progress in the communities they serve.”

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Pere Marquette 2-8-4 1225 has returned to service just in time to lead the 2025 edition of the Steam Railroading Institute’s North Pole Express excursions. 

In 2024, just as the North Pole Express season was getting underway, the N-1 Class Berkshire had to be taken out of service because an issue was discovered with the locomotive’s superheaters. The superheaters — which pipe pressurized steam back through the hot gases of the fire a second time to add more heat and thus more power — are located deep in the boiler, making a quick repair impossible. The North Pole Express ran as planned, but behind diesels. 

Throughout 2025, SRI crews worked tirelessly to get the engine back running, and on November 20, it made a brief test run near its home base in Owosso, Mich. 

PM 1225 was built by Lima in October 1941. The locomotive is perhaps best known as the inspiration for the engine in the 2004 film “Polar Express.”

—Justin Franz 

The post Pere Marquette 1225 Returns to Service appeared first on Railfan & Railroad Magazine.

A Cook County, Ill., jury has ordered Union Pacific to pay Metra $19.3 million after the freight railroad, which has previously operated commuter trains under contract, refused to have conductors walk trains and collect fares during the early part of the Covid-19 pandemic. The verdict was announced on November 12, according to the Daily Herald. The legal battle is just one of the ongoing conflicts between the Chicagoland commuter operator and the Class I. 

Beginning in March 2020, as pandemic restrictions started to take effect, Metra and its freight contractors, UP and BNSF Railway, stopped having conductors collect fares to minimize face-to-face contact. A few months later, as restrictions eased and more was understood about the virus, Metra and BNSF resumed having conductors walk through the trains. However, UP waited until May 2021 to have conductors walk the trains and collect fares again. Metra reported that during this period, passengers complained about the difficulty of finding a conductor when issues came up onboard. They also mentioned that UP conductors shut off some cars, making it harder to socially distance from other passengers. Union Pacific plans to appeal the decision. 

Meanwhile, UP and Metra are still negotiating over how much the commuter agency will pay to use UP tracks. In spring 2025, after years of debate about UP no longer wanting to provide passenger service, Metra took over all services on the former Chicago & North Western lines. As part of that, hundreds of UP employees moved to Metra. But the payment issue remains unresolved. As this story went to press, both sides were still seeking a solution.

—Justin Franz

The post Metra Wins $19.3 Million From UP Over Covid Restrictions appeared first on Railfan & Railroad Magazine.

CSX partnered with Saint Paul Commodities (SPC) & Bailey Feed Mill to bring SPC’s Selma Blending Plant to life! This facility will enhance SPC’s blending capacity & streamline #logistics across the region—and drive #growth & #efficiency for customers. Learn more:… pic.twitter.com/8rlyorPV26

CSX customer Saint Paul Commodities’ (SPC) on Nov. 7 opened its $2.33 million blending plant in Selma, N.C. Developed with the Class I and Bailey Feed Mill, the plant features 940,000 gallons of storage capacity, dual rail sidings accommodating up to 20 railcars, eight loading/unloading positions for railcars, and the ability to load and offload up to nine trucks per hour, CSX reported Nov. 19.

“This blending plant represents what’s possible when great partners come together with a shared vision,” said SPC CEO B. Shane Grutsch, who took part in the ribbon-cutting ceremony with company Vice President of Operations Anthony Pellegrino and Director of Operations Spencer Schreiner, Bailey Feed Mill owners Douglas and Albert Daniel, and CSX’s Director of Sales Nick Hall and Senior Sales Manager Lauryn King.

“CSX is proud to partner with SPC and Bailey Feed Mill on this transformative project,” said Maryclare Kenney, Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at CSX, whose leaders from sales, marketing, finance, site design, and train operations contributed to the project. “The Selma Blending Plant is a strong example of how rail can enable growth, efficiency, and sustainability for our customers. Together, we’re building the infrastructure that keeps America’s supply chains moving.”

Last summer, CSX released a special video (above) on how it contributed to the 400% growth over 2.5 years at SPC, which specializes in the purchasing and selling of renewable feedstocks, such as used cooking oil, yellow grease, and animal fats (poultry fat, choice white grease, tallow, etc.). SPC in 2024 recognized the railroad with an Excellence in Partnership Award.

In a related development, CSX in early November awarded Platinum Select Site status to a Dothan, Ala., industrial development property.

• BNSF, CSX Offering More, ‘Faster’ Coast-to-Coast Service
• CSX’s Steve Angel to Co-Chair B&O Railroad Museum’s Capital Campaign

Industry and innovation met in Osceola, Arkansas, on Nov. 12. That’s when BNSF customer Hybar opened its new rebar mill, which has direct connection to our line, the Mississippi River and the highway system, providing access to major markets throughout the U.S.
 
Hybar produces… pic.twitter.com/hcnP7vrtaI

BNSF customer Hybar on Nov. 12 held the grand opening of its rebar mill in Osceola, Ark., with more than 500 customers, suppliers, construction contractors, lenders, government officials and investors in attendance. BNSF reported working with Hybar—from site selection to rail design—to complete the project in 21 months.

“Hybar produces rebar using 100% renewable energy with connection to a solar installation,” the railroad wrote in a Nov. 19 social media post. “It’s the first steel producer in North America to be able to do this. Hybar’s scrap metal recycling steel production mill will produce more than 700,000 tons of rebar each year, accounting for approximately 7% of annual U.S. rebar demand.”

According to the Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC), Hybar has now completed the mill, a “behind-the-meter solar and battery storage electrical energy facility,” and a Mississippi River port operation for a total investment of nearly $1 billion. The port is said to allows the company to “economically source its raw material and scrap metal and deliver its rebar steel along the Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee and Illinois river systems.” Combined with its central location, on-site BNSF rail connection, and proximity to Arkansas’s highway networks, Hybar can transport scrap metal from nearly any geographic area of the U.S., according to AEDC.

During the grand opening ceremony, BNSF Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Tom Williams presented Hybar with a 2025 Sustainability Award (pictured above); the company was one of 32 recipients.

Prior to completing commissioning of its rolling mill and solar and battery storage facility, Hybar in June produced the first rebar at its steel mini mill.

NS in November teamed with Habitat for Humanity as part of Homelessness Awareness Month. It said 77 railroad volunteers helped to build, paint, and landscape homes for families in need across the cities of Cleveland, Ohio; Chicago, Ill.; Atlanta, Ga.; Elkhart, Ind.; Birmingham, Ala.; and Pittsburgh, Pa. They worked on nine homes “to strengthen the communities we serve,” according to NS, which noted that in 2025 it has donated $1.73 million to organizations focused on housing insecurity.

“Home is the foundation on which we build our lives,” said Charlita Stephens-Walker, Vice President of Corporate Partnerships and Cause Marketing for Habitat for Humanity International. “When companies like Norfolk Southern dedicate their time and talent, we’re able to further our efforts of building stronger communities and better futures across the U.S.”

“Every build is a reminder that when we come together, we can create real, lasting change,” said Kristin Wong, Director of Norfolk Southern Foundation & Community Impact. “It’s inspiring to see how our employees show up for their neighbors and support the need for safe housing in our communities.”

Meanwhile, NS President and CEO Mark George (pictured above, right) has presented a $450,000 donation to Children’s of Alabama in support of an expansion project and health care education programs.

The donation “will help double the size of the hospital’s critical care space, equipping it with state-of-the-art technology and resources to serve more children in need,” NS reported Nov. 17. It also covers the cost of two simulation manikins, which “will strengthen the Community Healthcare Education Simulation Program, enabling staff to train parents and rural health care professionals in caring for critically ill or injured children,” according to the railroad.

NS’s support “is inspired by the families and care teams whose stories remind us that behind every hospital bed in this system is a child with dreams, a family with hope, and a team fighting for their future,” Mark George said.

“We are grateful to Norfolk Southern for their generous support, which will have a lasting impact on the care we provide to our patients,” said Tom Shufflebarger, President and CEO of Children’s of Alabama. “This generous donation underscores Norfolk Southern’s commitment to improving the health and well-being of children and families in Alabama and across the Southeast. By ensuring that medical teams and families are better equipped to deliver world-class care through training and simulation, this gift will help improve patient outcomes and reinforces the hospital’s dedication to providing exceptional care for children for years to come.”

• NS: Turning Customer Insights Into Better Customer Service
• NS Partners to Support Passenger Rail

UP’s Roseville Terminal in California “delivered exceptional results in 2024, driven by a strong safety culture and collaborative, cross-craft teamwork,” the Class I railroad reported on Nov. 20.

“Through daily engagement, hands-on coaching, and a commitment to ‘Stop the Line,’” the team there maintained more than 580 injury-free days, “while keeping one of the busiest terminals on the West Coast running safely and efficiently,” according to UP.

In recognition of these efforts, the team earned UP’s Building America Award (watch video, top).

• UP’s Jalali: No Hiccups With NS IT Integration
• UP, NS Shareholders Greenlight Merger
• UP Honors 2025 Sustainability Partners

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

Fortress Investment Group-backed Brightline West (a.k.a., DesertXpress Enterprises, LLC) on Nov. 20 reported entering into a “transaction support agreement that is expected to culminate in a private exchange by holders of a significant majority of the $2.5 billion of Series 2025A Bonds issued by California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank and the Director of the State of Nevada Department of Business and Industry.”

According to Brightline West, it has “begun construction and is finalizing remaining construction contracts” as part of its 218-mile high-speed rail project that is slated to link Las Vegas, Nev., and Southern California. The company reported the “private exchange and the follow-on public exchange … are intended to facilitate the continued construction.” These transactions, it said, “are designed to allow Brightline West adequate time to obtain the additional equity funding, debt financing, and federal loans for the project while enabling construction to progress.”

“The contemplated private exchange has already received broad support from a supermajority of holders of the Series 2025A Bonds, who constitute most of the largest holders of the Series 2025A Bonds,” reported Brightline West, which noted that it “hopes that 100% of the Series 2025A Bonds will participate in either the private exchange or the follow-on public exchange and is enhancing the terms of the new Series 2025B Bonds that will be received by investors in the exchange.”

Brightline West said it “intends to launch the follow-on exchange, on a public basis, promptly after settlement of the private exchange to allow additional holders of the Series 2025A Bonds to participate on the same economic terms.” All holders that participate in the exchanges, it said, “will receive the same compensation in the form of, among other things:

• “A pro rata portion of up to $1.8 billion (depending on participation levels) of new senior secured bonds in Brightline West (on a par-for-par basis for exchanged Series 2025A Bonds not being repurchased as described below). The new Series 2025B Bonds will be senior in right of payment to Brightline West’s subordinated debt (including any Series 2025A Bonds that do not participate in the exchange).”
• “A pro rata repurchase of participating Series 2025A Bonds of approximately $700 million, at a 1% premium, reducing Brightline West’s outstanding bond debt (excluding escrow bonds anticipated to be issued substantially concurrently with the closing) to approximately $1.8 billion.”
• “Accrued and unpaid interest on such holder’s Series 2025A Bonds validly tendered for repurchase and exchange to, but not including, the closing date (expected to be on or around November 26, 2025.”
• “A pro rata number of warrants for up to 7.5% of the common units of BL Trains Holding West LLC and, in exchange for additional liquidity that may be retained by Brightline West, a pro rata number of warrants for an additional 7.5% of the common units of BL Trains Holding West LLC.”

Brightline West said it has also “committed to raise at least $400 million in equity by March 31, 2026 (and expects to receive $50 million of such equity on each of January 1, February 1 and March 1 of 2026), $250 million of which will be used to redeem the Series 2025B Bonds and the remainder would be used to continue to advance the project.”

Brightline West in April 2024 held a groundbreaking ceremony for the project, for which Siemens Mobility has been designated as the preferred bidder to supply 10 seven-car “American Pioneer 220” electric trainsets capable of speeds up to 220 mph.

Bloomberg this fall said the project will cost $21.5 billion, Railway Age reported, and “[a]ccording to the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) website, which lists Brightline West as a ‘loan applicant,’ and as reported by Bloomberg, the price tag … has swelled by nearly 35%. The higher cost has led the … company to seek $6 billion from the POTUS 47 Administration.”

According to Railway Age’s report, Brightline CEO Mike Reininger acknowledged that costs are rising, and is working on raising the needed funds; Bloomberg reported that “the federal loan ‘will take the place of a $6 billion bank facility on Brightline West’s original financing plan.’ The company, Reininger said, ‘plans to raise equity to cover most of the $5.5 billion increase in construction costs. It initially targeted an equity raise of $1 billion.’”

• Brightline Financial Woes Continue
• Report: Brightline West Costs Balloon to $21.5B
• Brightline Loses Nearly $550MM in 2024, but Keeps on Going

The post Brightline West Entering ‘Transaction Support Agreement’ appeared first on Railway Age.

TriMet recently announced that it is in the process of completing a round of organizational changes as part of the agency’s ongoing effort to address a significant structural budget gap and bring staffing levels in line with revenue.

In total, the agency eliminated 68 positions—more than half of which were vacant. Twenty-six employees were laid off. No union employees were laid off this round, but some were transferred to other jobs under the Working and Wage Agreement, as their positions were among those being eliminated.

These staff reductions, TriMet says, “come after months of difficult decisions and careful planning as part of a thorough workforce analysis. They were based on operational streamlining and are not a reflection of the contributions of individuals who held the positions. Where possible, reductions were made through attrition to reduce the need for involuntary separations.” For those employees who were laid off, TriMet is offering severance and reemployment assistance to support them. The staffing reductions follow earlier cost-cutting measures such as a hiring freeze, discretionary spending cuts and extensive efforts to identify internal efficiencies—work that continues today, the agency noted.

TriMet faces a $300 million shortfall between projected revenues and expenditures over the next several years, a challenge that, the agency says, “cannot be solved through short-term measures alone.” The internal budget cuts so far have decreased spending by $17.7 million. Those cuts include the reduction of staff, as well as internal reorganization of some work groups and reducing discretionary spending.

“These administrative cuts are part of a broader recovery plan to stabilize TriMet’s finances and ensure long-term sustainability so we can continue providing the public transit service our region needs for decades to come,” TriMet General Manager Sam Desue Jr. said.

That plan, TriMet says, includes pursuing new funding sources, as well as exploring a fare increase and new revenue opportunities. The goal is to balance the agency’s budget by July 1, 2028.

“Layoffs are always a last resort,” Desue said. “We’ve worked hard to limit them as much as possible, but the financial realities we face made some layoffs unavoidable.”

Service changes being planned for Nov. 30, 2025, and March 2026 will mean fewer buses on some bus lines during times when ridership is lower, TriMet noted. “More extensive service cuts later in 2026 and 2027 will help bring service levels in line with our funding. As we scale back our transit service, staffing needs will naturally shrink. Again, any necessary employee reductions will first be made through attrition to limit the need for involuntary separations.”

“With rising costs and challenges around sustainable funding, our expenses have outpaced our revenue, despite our efforts to increase ridership and make riding easier and safer,” Desue added. “We remain committed to taking the action needed to protect the core transit services our community depends on.”

For service reductions, the agency says it has recently wrapped up an initial round of community engagement during which people shared feedback on the priorities they would like TriMet to consider in its service decisions. In January, TriMet will be releasing proposals for the broader service cuts to be implemented in the latter part of 2026 and will open up another round of community engagement to gather rider and public sentiment.

More information is available here.

All 28 of Maryland’s Purple Line Light Rail Vehicles (LRVs) have arrived in New Carrollton, marking a major milestone for the project, which, officials say, “will knit communities, ease commutes, promote public transit, and link riders to 21 stations—from New Carrollton to Bethesda—and key destinations across the corridor.”

28 of 28! All 28 Light Rail Vehicles have arrived in Maryland; a major milestone for the Purple Line. This vital connection will knit communities, ease commutes, promote public transit and link riders to 21 stations and key destinations across the corridor. #PurpleLineprogress pic.twitter.com/fPPt88PsYd

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