Prototype News

The California Transportation Commission (CTC) on Dec. 8 approved $1.1 billion in infrastructure funding, including $53 million to purchase 12 clean energy locomotives to replace older diesel engines across Southern California’s Metrolink system.

Guided by Governor Gavin Newsom’s Build More, Faster – For All infrastructure agenda, the improvements, which also include new zero-emission buses, charging stations, and related infrastructure, as well as investments to restore aging bridges, improve highway safety, and increase mobility on local streets, will make California communities “safer and more climate resilient,” according to the governor’s office.

“The significant investments made today and throughout the year support Caltrans’ ongoing response to the effects of climate conditions on key assets, increased demand on the transportation system, and our continued efforts to enhance mobility for all users,” said Caltrans Director Dina El-Tawansy.

“We are pleased to partner with Caltrans to enhance the economic competitiveness of our state and make commuting more affordable, while protecting our environment,” said CTC Chair Darnell Grisby.

Of the total allocation this month, $463 million has come via Senate Bill (SB) 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017, and $190 million from the 2021 federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

SB 1 has invested approximately $5 billion annually toward transportation projects since 2017. It provides funding split between the state and local agencies. Road projects progress through construction phases more quickly, depending on the availability of funds, including those partially funded by SB 1.

California is expected to receive nearly $42 billion in federal infrastructure funding over a span of five years. These investments will upgrade the state’s roads, bridges, rail, public transit, airports, ports, and the electric vehicle charging network.

“Today’s investments show what it looks like when California chooses to lead with both urgency and intention,” said California Transportation Secretary Toks Omishakin. “By expanding zero-emission options and strengthening infrastructure in every corner of the state, we are delivering on Governor Newsom’s vision to build a modern, sustainable transportation system for all.”

More information is available here.

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Total U.S. carload and intermodal traffic for the week ending Dec. 6, 2025, dipped 2.3% from the same point last year, marking the ninth consecutive week of fall offs, according to the Association of American Railroads’ (AAR) latest report, released Dec. 10.

For the week ending Dec. 6, 2025, total U.S. rail traffic came in at 508,999 carloads and intermodal units, comprising 228,823 carloads, up 1.7% compared with the same week in 2024, and 280,176 containers and trailers, down 5.4% compared with 2024, AAR reported.

Five of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2024. They included coal, up 3,147 carloads, to 61,026; grain, up 1,952 carloads, to 25,098; and nonmetallic minerals, up 1,161 carloads, to 29,330. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2024 included chemicals, down 1,054 carloads, to 32,548; metallic ores and metals, down 601 carloads, to 19,706; and miscellaneous carloads, down 387 carloads, to 8,897.

For the first 49 weeks of 2025, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 10,889,132 carloads, rising 1.8% from the prior-year period; and 13,277,231 intermodal units, increasing 1.8% from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 49 weeks of this year was 24,166,363 carloads and intermodal units, a 1.8% gain over 2024.

North American rail volume for the week ending Dec. 6, 2025, on nine reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads totaled 335,803 carloads, up 1.9% compared with the same week last year, and 362,093 intermodal units, down 4.0% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 697,896 carloads and intermodal units, down 1.2%. North American rail volume for the first 49 weeks of this year came in at 33,276,063 carloads and intermodal units, a 1.7% increase from 2024.

For the week ending Dec. 6, 2025, Canadian railroads reported 94,333 carloads, rising 2.5%, and 67,986 intermodal units, down 1.8% from the prior-year period. For the first 49 weeks of this year, they reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 7,943,671 carloads, containers, and trailers, up 2.3%.

Mexican railroads reported 12,647 carloads for the week ending Dec. 6, 2025, up 2.3% from the same week last year, and 13,931 intermodal units, an increase of 18.4%. Their cumulative volume for the first 49 weeks of this year was 1,166,029 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, down 5.0% from the same point in 2024.

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NS on Dec. 9 reported that direct rail service and its site development expertise made Huntsville the “top contender” for Eli Lilly’s synthetic medicine active pharmaceutical ingredient facility, which will produce small molecule synthetic and peptide medicines. The multi-building campus will span more than one million square feet, supporting manufacturing, logistics, packaging, lab, and utilities operations, and will be near the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, which is described as an “established bioscience campus that supports workforce training and research.” Construction is slated to begin next year, generating 3,000 jobs, and wrap up in 2032. Some 450 permanent jobs will be created at the facility, according to Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly, a pharmaceutical manufacturing company with operations in more than 110 countries.

We’ve announced plans to build our third new U.S. manufacturing site this year in Huntsville, Alabama. See the details of the $6 billion facility, which will bring an expected 3,450 jobs: https://t.co/bvMEvTjZJ7 #WeAreLilly pic.twitter.com/lybhI8ljDI

— Eli Lilly and Company (@EliLillyandCo) December 9, 2025

“Huntsville’s track record of science and innovation makes Alabama an ideal location for Lilly to expand domestic manufacturing capacity for next-generation medicines,” said Eli Lilly Chair and CEO David A. Ricks, who noted that the company’s investment “continues the onshoring of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) production, strengthening supply chain resilience and reliable access to medicines for patients in the U.S.”

(Artist Rendering Courtesy of NS)

“We’re honored to support Eli Lilly’s vision for next-generation medicine manufacturing in Huntsville,” NS Group Vice President of Industrial Development Craig Hudson said. “We invested in a dedicated rail spur to help deliver critical raw materials and finished products, strengthening supply chain resilience and expanding access to life-changing medicines. This project marks a milestone for rail in the biotechnology space, and we’re proud to be part of it.”

(Courtesy of LGIR)

Meanwhile, Laredo Gateway Industrial Railway, LLC (LGIR), a non-carrier subsidiary of Kraus Development, on Dec. 8 petitioned the STB for an exemption from the prior approval requirements of 49 U.S.C. §10901 to construct an approximately 2.6-mile (13,707-foot) common carrier rail line in Webb County, Tex. It would extend from UP’s main line, which runs between San Antonio and Laredo, and terminate within the new Gateway Industrial Park (see map above). LGIR told the Board that it has entered into an agreement with Iron Horse Resources, Inc. to operate the proposed line, which will be supported by sidings and will connect with customers via private industrial tracks as customers locate to the park. LGIR forecasts customer demand to result in train service once per day, with approximately 4,000-6,750 railcars per year.

Kraus Development is developing the park over 3,300 acres of its land near Laredo, where it intends to offer warehousing to serve the logistics industry, “attracting commodities via truck” and “leveraging its location near the U.S. border with Mexico,” LGIR said. The new line would allow commodities to be transloaded between truck and rail and then interchanged with UP.

“The Laredo Port-of-Entry has the largest freight volume of the U.S./Mexico ports of entry,” LGIR told the STB. “Further, Laredo is the fastest growing in terms of truck and rail traffic with more than half of the Laredo truck traffic utilizing local warehouses to transload commodities from truck to truck to then transport commodities between Mexico and the U.S. This transloading activity creates an opportunity for some commodities to be transloaded and transported via rail in place of trucks.

“LGIR sees a need for the proposed line because a large amount of freight at the Laredo Port-of-Entry is transported via truck, yet the number of rail-served industrial facilities in Laredo is in decline. At one time, the Laredo area boasted 52 rail-served facilities. At present, only 15 remain. Of these, only one dedicated rail/truck transload exists, and it is located within the Union Pacific’s Laredo yard. From LGIR’s perspective, neither UP nor CPKC [Canadian Pacific Kansas City] are primarily focused on serving local traffic because both are primarily focused on their own respective cross-border rail traffic originating or terminating on rail beyond Laredo. For all these reasons, LGIR sees a gap in the marketplace for local rail freight accessibility and local rail/truck transloading capacity that will produce manifest carloads of rail traffic.” LGIR noted that UP has recognized its project as one of 42 UP systemwide Focus Sites.

DOWNLOAD LGIR’s STB FILING BELOW: 310457Download

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The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association has inducted Richard Jay Corman, R. Lawrence McCaffrey and Michael V. Smith into the 2026 Short Line Railroad Industry Hall of Fame. Each “have left indelible marks on the short line industry,” ASLRRA said.

Richard Jay “Rick” Corman

Described by ASLRRA as “arailroader with grit, generosity and vision,” the late Rick Corman “was more than a railroad entrepreneur. He was a force of nature whose life story continues to inspire generations of railroad professionals. From the very beginning, Corman embodied the spirit of possibility, believing that with hard work, ingenuity and a little luck, anything was achievable.

“Corman’s professional journey began in 1973, just after graduating high school. With a rented backhoe, a dump truck and fierce determination, he founded R. J. Corman Construction Company. Over time, his signature red trucks and machinery grew to become a symbol of quality, ingenuity, and reliability, recognized across the country.

“The passage of the Staggers Rail Act in 1980 was a turning point. Corman saw opportunity where others saw risk and he acquired his first short line, the Bardstown Line, in 1987. This move marked the birth of R. J. Corman Railroad Company, which currently owns 19 short line operations stretching more than 1,400 miles. Corman’s business model became a prime example of the short line railroad industry’s vital role in America’s infrastructure through its commitment to high-touch service, innovative rail solutions and partnership philosophy.

“Despite battling cancer for more than a decade, Corman remained actively involved in his company, leading major projects and inspiring employees with his resilience and warmth. Corman’s relationships with policymakers, executives, and industry organizations helped shape the future of short line railroading. Corman passed away in 2013 at age 58, but his spirit lives on in every mile of track, every red locomotive or red truck and the nearly 1,400 employees across 70 locations who carry forward his legacy.”

R. Lawrence (Larry) McCaffrey

Described by ASLRRA as “the author of short line growth in the U.S. and abroad,” Larry McCaffrey “quite literally wrote the book on how to create and manage a short line railroad, publishing Starting a Short Line in 1983 with his law partner, [Anacostia Rail Holdings President and CEO] Peter Gilbertson. This was not the first of firsts for McCaffrey. In the early years of his law practice, focused on seeking restructuring financing through USDOT programs, a breakthrough came with an Interstate Commerce Commission decision for one of McCaffrey’s clients. The decision created a policy of permitting acquisition of a rail line by a party that was not a railroad under expedited procedures and without labor protection mandated by other acquisitions. This new policy opened the door to sales of rail lines by Class 1 carriers to non-carriers, which thereby became new railroads. From there the short line industry blossomed with new railroads, most small but some quite large, resulting in among other things the transformation of the American Short Line Railroad Association (ASLRA) into ASLRRA (through merger with the Regional Railroad Association).

“For much of his career, McCaffrey focused on railroad privatizations. McCaffrey was a director and shareholder of ten separate railroads controlled by different ownership groups and worked in 16 different countries. His longest stint was in Bolivia, where he served as board chair and investor in Ferrocarril Oriental for ten years. While every country and state presented unique challenges due to local economy, labor force, and financial conditions, always core to success was delivering operating efficiency and high-quality service learned from the U.S. railroad restructuring of the 1980s.”

Michael V. Smith

Described by ASLRRA as “a transformational marketer for the short line industry,”Mike Smith, President of Finger Lakes Railway, “is an expert at sharing our industry’s value story. While a student at Amherst College, Smith spent his summers working as a trackman for the Delaware & Hudson Railway and the New York Central Railroad. Though Smith majored in political science, a job as an operating management trainee with Penn Central Transportation Company after graduation set him on a career path that has lasted over half a century. After Penn Central, Smith worked as a marketing manager at the Canadian Pacific Railway in Montreal and later the Boston & Maine Railroad. At the Boston & Maine, as the vice president of marketing and sales, he was part of the team that brought the railroad out of bankruptcy. In 1990 Smith and others found an opportunity to take over a nearly defunct 118-mile railroad in the Finger Lakes region of New York.

“With the dogged determination typical of those in the small-railroad industry, Smith and the FGLK team secured Finger Lakes’ transformation into a vital property. Smith shared that part of what helps Finger Lakes continue to flourish is FGLK management’s focus on customer service and the accumulated and applied marketing acumen the team has developed since start-up. Though Smith was intent on guiding Finger Lakes’ growth, he recognized the importance and value of working with organizations like ASLRRA on policies that would be beneficial to the entire short line industry. Smith was a strong proponent of the original 45G short line infrastructure tax credit and advocated persistently for passage of the first tax credit bill.”

Created in 2020, the Short Line Railroad Industry Hall of Fame “recognizes short line railroad visionaries who through their dedication, commitment, and achievement best exemplify the qualities of innovation, entrepreneurialism, perseverance, and service that have advanced the short line railroad industry” and “honors the resilience and vision behind our industry’s great American success story,” said ASLRRA President Chuck Baker. “This year’s inductees—Rick Corman, Larry McCaffrey and Mike Smith—are recognized for their business acumen, and their role in shaping an industry that has succeeded on ingenuity and persistence.”

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Michigan-based Class II Lake State Railway Company (LSRC) is purchasing four SD70ACeT4 locomotives from Progress Rail/EMD, a Caterpillar Company. Numbered LSRC 6451 through 6454, they are former Progress Rail demonstrator units. Delivery is expected by the end of this year.

LSRC received an emissions-reduction grant to replace five older locomotives with four newer EPA Tier 4-compliant units locomotives. LSRC said it selected the SD70ACeT4 and Progress Rail “due to several factors, including delivery timing, parts commonality, and after sale support.” LSRC added it “has a dedicated team of mechanical professionals and maintains the diesel fleet in the modernized locomotive facility in Saginaw, Mich.”

Locomotives being retired are four EMD SD50-3s and an EMD SD40-2, all of which are more than 40 years old. LSRC’s 32-unit roster is all-EMD and includes MP15, GP38, GP40, SD40, SD50 and SD70 variants. “With these new locomotives, the LSRC fleet will be one of the youngest rostered by a short line or regional railroad, and the SD70 model type will represent 40% of our fleet,” LSRC added.

“I have managed several projects in my career that upgraded locomotive fleets for better emissions,” said LSRC Chief Mechanical Officer Roger Fuehring. “I feel very comfortable we will be receiving a great product. We especially value the support Progress Rail has offered after the sale, which is critical given how much more complex these locomotives are compared to the older generation locomotives.”

LSRC President and CEO Mike Stickel said the new locomotives” will be helpful in supporting future growth, as our train sizes and carload volumes continue to grow. These are the first Tier 4 land AC-traction locomotives on our railroad. We appreciate the team at Progress Rail going the extra mile to put together a deal that worked for us within the parameters of our grant. They listened to what was important to us as a regional railroad and were also able to meet critical delivery timelines.”

Lake State Railway Company, Railway Age’s 2018 Short Line of the Year and 2021 Regional of the Year, was established in 1992. LSRC operates on a route structure of approximately 375 track-miles with six connecting interchanges. The company maintains headquarters and shop facilities in Saginaw and terminals in Plymouth, Flint, Midland, Bay City, Gaylord and Alpena. Annual freight volume is approximately 60,000 carloads serving a diversified mix of end markets, among them automotive, aggregates, cement, agriculture, forest products, metals and chemicals. Since 2022, LSRC has been owned by Antin Infrastructure Partners, a private equity firm focused on infrastructure investments in Europe and North America, with offices in New York, London and Paris.

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Critical to “event success,” transit agencies are “key players in shaping the visitor experience, which leaves a lasting impact on how cities—and the nation—are perceived globally,” according to the FTA. Among such upcoming events, it said, are the 2026 FIFA World Cup (June 11- July 19, 2026) and the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games (July 14-30, 2028 and Aug. 15-27, 2028, respectively).

“While the private sector and industry associations offer agencies many resources and best practices to operationally prepare for planned major events, few focus on regulatory requirements,” FTA Administrator Marcus J. Molinaro noted in the new FTA Major Event Playbook (download below), which he said “fills that gap and includes practical information and key considerations to help public transit agencies navigate federal transit requirements related to hosting planned major events.”

FTA-Major-Event-PlaybookDownload

The 20-page ”playbook” covers such topics as spare, contingency, and loaned transit vehicles; charter service; accessibility and civil rights; safety and security; and incidental use.

FTA also offers the following technical assistance resources to support transit agencies and host cities preparing for major events: 

• Guidance videos for 2026 FIFA World Cup Host Cities
  • Transit Safety and Security 
  • Accessibility
  • Charter Bus Requirements
  • Vehicle Availability
• FTA Charter Bus Webinar to Prepare for Global Sports
• Dear Colleague Letter: Considerations for Transit Systems Providing Service During Major Events
   

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Ian Choudri left the supply industry a year ago to step into the hot seat as the CEO of the California High-Speed Rail Authority. In an exclusive interview with IRJ’s Mark Simmons, he describes his vision for the project to connect San Francisco with Los Angeles by high-speed rail.

California’s Central Valley stretches far to the horizon, a landscape marked by rich farmland and sprawling towns. Within 10 years, if the vision of California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) CEO Ian Choudri comes to fruition, it will also be home to the United States’ first true high-speed line, a transformative corridor that will connect the powerhouse economies of Los Angeles and San Francisco, while driving opportunity deep in the heart of California.

The project’s ambition is matched only by its complexity. Since its inception three decades ago in 1996, CHSRA has wrestled with political headwinds, intense regulatory scrutiny and the ever-present issue of funding. Now, with Choudri at the helm, a bold new effort is under way to overcome these daunting challenges by combining international best practice with resolute leadership.

The 3,700-foot Cedar Viaduct in Fresno. About 70 miles of the 118-mile Central Valley alignment have been completed, with track installation due to start next year. CHSRA photo.

California’s high-speed journey has been tortuous, reflecting the state’s unique challenges and opportunities. Approved by voters in 2008, the high-speed project plan promised to whisk passengers between Los Angeles and San Francisco in under three hours. But as the years went by, the obstacles facing CHSRA became ever clearer: a vast and diverse topography, a tangled web of local and state agencies producing copious amounts of red tape and a national context where the passenger train has long played second fiddle to highways and airlines.

Ian Choudri, who joined the project with a reputation forged in major rail projects in Europe and Asia, understands these challenges absolutely. “This is not just a rail project connecting business travelers between San Francisco and LA,” he says. “It’s a transformation of California’s economy. It’s a corridor of opportunities.” The scale of the task ahead has fired Choudri’s powerful blend of optimism and hard-nosed realism, and is now reflected in every aspect of CHSRA’s approach.

The most pressing problem confronting CHSRA is the instability of its funding streams. In a move that startled the state and reverberated through the rail sector, earlier this year the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) withdrew approximately $4 billion in funding, in a move widely interpreted as being political. The loss cast immediate doubt over how and when sections of the project could be delivered. Choudri describes the shock of the announcement matter-of-factly. “We were informed via various letters, so we knew there was a risk,” he recalls, “but the impact still can’t be overstated.”

Several months of negotiation have so far failed to reverse the funding cut, leaving California to hand the matter over to the state Attorney General’s office, and litigation is now ongoing. The state maintains that the funding withdrawal was illegal, but this is little comfort to the CHSRA team.

Choudri says if funding commitments are withdrawn, entire sections or key infrastructure could be delayed, reshuffled or ultimately abandoned. “It’s about revising strategies and seeing what we can achieve with the funds available,” he says.

Unique strengths

Yet here, too, California’s unique strengths have emerged. The state, under Governor Gavin Newsom, and its supportive legislature has stepped in to shore up confidence. California pledged a clear, long-term pipeline of funding anchored in its own fiscal strength, with the Cap-and-Invest emissions trading program set to generate $1 billion a year until 2046. “That’s never happened before for this project,” notes Choudri. Still, the need for predictable, longer-term funding at federal and state levels remains urgent to avoid a repeat of past instability.

The project’s size is reflected in the phased approach adopted for construction. The initial focus, as set out by statute, is the Central Valley Section (CVS) spine from Merced in the north through to Bakersfield in the south. Recently, however, Choudri and his team have suggested resequencing the project, building the northern link to Gilroy, where the high-speed line will join the Caltrain electrified line to San Francisco, ahead of the spur to Merced. Further phases will build the new line from Bakersfield southward to Palmdale, where there will initially be connections with fast Metrolink commuter services to Los Angeles and through-running onto the planned High Desert Line to Victor Valley that will connect with the planned Brightline West high-speed line to Las Vegas.

Sequencing is more than a logistical necessity. It is an adaptive strategy designed to shelter the project from uncertainty and optimize return on investment. Choudri’s approach borrows heavily from global best practice, tailored to the Californian context. “Build what you need—and only what you need—exactly when you need it,” he says. For example, rather than building large stations or laying six tracks from day one, the plan is to scale up infrastructure as demand and funding support it. This lowers upfront costs, reduces maintenance requirements and gives the project flexibility to respond to changing conditions.

By executing the project in this way, CHSRA can demonstrate early wins, starting passenger services as soon as sections are ready, building public trust and legislative support while buttressing the case for future investment.

Cutting red tape

Building public infrastructure in the U.S. means grappling with bureaucracy. Environmental review, in particular, has become something of an institution, with multiple layers of regulation often duplicating federal requirements. Choudri is forthright about this problem. “We’re at the bottom of a reverse pyramid, performing the work while seven departments hover above us, each needing to review and approve every step,” he says. California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reviews occur in parallel, consuming years and millions of dollars.

Recognizing this, CHSRA is now seeking legislative relief by requesting authority to pursue streamlined environmental approvals, based on robust federal processes. While minor exemptions have already been secured for certain facilities, the major breakthrough, a general exemption for a renewable power grid and rail infrastructure, remains to be made. “If we can focus on one process, not two or three, we can cut years from the schedule,” Choudri notes. The broader goal is to make green infrastructure easier to deliver in a state that champions action to tackle climate change.

“Build what you need—and only what you need—exactly when you need it.” – Ian Choudri, CEO of the California High-Speed Rail Authority.

Another battleground is California’s complex patchwork of private property, resulting in the need for CHSRA to acquire thousands of individual parcels of land, each with its own history, claims and sometimes, disputes. “Some parcels were easy,” Choudri says, “but the majority ran into notorious litigation, longer than anyone anticipated.” Without special powers, the authority must navigate a maze of legal processes, court hearings and complex domain cases.

At the heart of the current effort is a push for streamlining the legal process, with fast-track courts, dedicated judges and broader domain powers. “We need the tools to move quickly, fairly and transparently,” Choudri says, echoing a growing consensus among his peers working in the United States.

He also laments the fact that few outside the construction industry recognise how much time and money is consumed relocating utilities, often buried unseen along the route. For a new high-speed line, the scale of the task is enormous, with potentially thousands of utility obstacles along each section.

“This is one of the biggest issues, and lawmakers are starting to understand it,” Choudri says. He hopes for new statutes giving CHSRA more direct powers to negotiate and expedite utility relocation. Progress has already been made in selected areas, and if planned legislation is passed next year, the pace of construction could quicken significantly.

Historically, North American infrastructure procurement has leaned heavily on general contractors managing many aspects of a project, but times are changing. Choudri, informed by European practice, is modernizing procurement by having CHSRA buy major quantities of materials, including track, concrete ties and catenary, directly from the manufacturers.

“A rail is a rail, a cable is a cable,” Choudri explains. “Cutting out the middleman on common goods is smart business.” This change not only lowers costs, but also makes supply less vulnerable to external shocks, a lesson underlined by the major disruption to supply chains that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Perhaps the most striking change made by Choudri since arriving at CHRSA is embrace of public-private partnerships (P3s). In January, the authority hosted a two-day summit attended by hundreds of potential partners, from financiers to suppliers of materials. “We want to bring in industry at every stage: design, build, finance, operate,” Choudri says. The goal is to use the leverage provided by guaranteed state commitments to generate even greater private investment, multiplying the financial resources available.

While the P3 model is still relatively new for major rail projects in North America, the opportunity is vast. With $20 billion in state backing, private partners could add up to 40% of further funding, accelerating construction timelines and reducing public exposure to risk. By mid-2026, CHSRA hopes to have a committed industry partner for the next phase, and the process alone has already sparked new ideas and alliances.

Revenue streams

Choudri suggests that a high-speed line is only as sustainable as its business model. He is acutely aware that fare revenue alone will never meet the project’s full cost, so his team is examining a range of ancillary revenue streams, including leasing broadband corridors along the right-of-way and commercial developments at stations.

Learning from Spain and Italy, which Chouldri cites as examples of profitable high-speed networks, CHSRA is targeting breakeven and plans to build toward a point where surpluses can be reinvested in further expansion, creating a virtuous cycle of growth.

The ultimate operator for the first services is yet to be decided, but all signs point toward a long-term P3 concession. Critically, Choudri wants competition among operators, as in Europe, preserving incentives for innovation and efficiency. “We want to keep operations competitive and flexible,” he notes, hinting at a business environment richer and more dynamic than traditional public transport.

Despite its size and complexity, California’s high-speed project is, at its heart, people-centric. Choudri is particularly passionate about the opportunities it will provide for all Californians. “It’s not about a business traveler getting from San Francisco to LA,” he says. “It’s about someone in Fresno being able to own a home and commute affordably to the Bay Area—economic opportunity flowing to places that have long been left behind.”

He draws parallels with Europe, Japan and Taiwan, where high-speed rail has breathed new life into regional economies, rebalancing growth and making prosperity accessible beyond the major cities. The environmental benefits are also of central importance: The electricity powering trains in California is becoming greener by the day.

About 460 miles of the 490 miles of high-speed line that will be built have received environmental approval. Photo: CHSRA

The impact will be felt far beyond the rail sector. Improved access to affordable housing, revitalisation of urban areas and job creation by the tens of thousands are among the expected benefits of California’s high-speed programme. The “corridor of opportunity,” as Choudri calls it, means not just a physical journey, but upward mobility as well.

Choudri and his colleagues actively study projects elsewhere and meet with their counterparts in Britain, Spain, Italy and Japan, where lessons can be learned from both success and adversity. The Italian approach, he notes, is refreshingly pragmatic: use existing lines where possible, build new high-speed infrastructure where justified. In contrast, he finds the Japanese model “ruthlessly focused on dedicated high-speed lines,” an approach shaped by geography and operating practice.

For California, adapting and innovating, rather than simply copying examples elsewhere, is paramount. The state’s immense size, economic diversity and political environment make high-speed not just another infrastructure project, but a true proving ground for next-generation public-private collaboration.

With questions still unanswered over future federal funding, the outcome of ongoing litigation awaited and the intense track-laying process and further construction still to come, the path forward for CHSRA is as daunting as ever. Yet with Choudri at the helm, there is a newfound sense of purpose.

“Build smart, build fast, build economically,” he says, encapsulating the new spirit animating CHSRA. If the authority can secure the elusive combination of regulatory clarity, innovative financing, and operational expertise, the long-anticipated vision of high-speed trains racing up and down the California corridor is within reach.

For business leaders, policy observers and passengers, California’s high-speed project is more than an engineering challenge, it is a question of the ability of the United States to develop its transport infrastructure. Choudri’s arrival and the state government’s support have certainly generated new hope. Whether he is prepared to weather the volleys of brickbats likely to be aimed at CHRSA and stay the course to see the first trains run in the early 2030s remains to be seen.

CVS funded

CHSRA says that, despite the withdrawal of $4 billion of federal funding, there is no funding gap facing the CVS. The authority says it has $28.2 billion in capital funding, including $5.5 billion from California’s Cap-and-Invest program to 2030. The proposed additional state funding of $15 billion will bring total capital funding to $U43.2 billion. The total cost of the full San Francisco-Palmdale project is currently estimated at $90.85 billion, of which $62.7 billion is expected to come through capital funding.

Choudri’s Five CHSRA Goals

1. Right-size the project and build in the correct sequence, finding cost savings in a measured, responsible manner while staying laser-focused on starting track-laying, testing,- and operations on the initial 118-mile CVS, and expanding services from there.
2. Build faster, smarter and more economically, rethinking how CHSRA plans and executes construction.
3. Cut red tape and streamline operations, removing unnecessary processes and organizational redundancy that slows progress.
4. Implement a new vision focused on connecting major population centers earlier in the project, creating the conditions necessary to attract private investment into the program.
5. Stabilize state funding and financing mechanisms, working closely with the California legislature to enact the state’s funding commitment.

Delivery timeline

According to Choudri, the first test trains are due to operate on the CVS in 2032, with initial revenue services starting in 2032-33. Services north to San Francisco via Gilroy and south to Palmdale, for connections to Los Angeles, are expected to start running in 2038-39.

To date, about 460 miles of the 490 miles of high-speed line that will be built have received environmental approval and are described by CHSRA as “construction ready.” On the 118-mile CVS, about 70 miles of the alignment have been completed. A total of 58 structures including bridges and viaducts have been completed, with 29 more under construction.

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Work is underway in Washington to cosmetically restore a Milwaukee Road U25B locomotive. The Cascade Rail Foundation is presently working with Columbia Rail in Richland, Wash., to repaint MILW 5057 for eventual display in South Cle Elum. 

Locomotive 5057 was one of 12 U25Bs purchased by MILW in 1965 for use in freight service between Chicago and Tacoma, Wash. Later, in 1971, all of MILW’s General Electric locomotives were assigned to Tacoma, working almost exclusively in the Pacific Northwest. When the MILW abandoned its Pacific Coast Extension west of Miles City, Mont., in 1980, locomotive 5057 was one of the units to pull the last trains east out of the Pacific Northwest. The engine was sold to Webster Technical College in Nebraska in 1984, and then donated to the Portola Railroad Museum (now Western Pacific Railroad Museum) in Portola, Calif., in 1991. In 2014, it was purchased by the Cascade Rail Foundation and brought “home” to Washington. 

Cascade Rail was initially working with the Pend Oreille Valley Railroad in Usk, Wash., to cosmetically restore the engine. But when it became obvious in early 2025 that the POVA’s shop crew wouldn’t have time for the restoration because of paid work, Cascade Rail decided to go in a different direction. That resulted in a move over the summer to Richland and Columbia Rail’s shop. In late 2025, the nonprofit finalized a contract with Columbia Rail to finish up the restoration. The group is presently raising $30,000 to finish the work. Donations can be made at milwelectric.org/donate-to-cascade-rail-foundation.

—Justin Franz 

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The Association of American Railroads (AAR) and its subsidiary MxV Rail on Dec. 8 announced that AAR Senior Vice President of Policy and Economics Dr. Rand Ghayad will be the keynote speaker at the upcoming 31st Annual AAR Research Review, which is scheduled to take place April 28-30, 2026, in Pueblo, Colo.

Dr. Ghayad will open the conference by sharing valuable insights about the pressing policy and economic issues shaping the rail industry. His address, MxV Rail says, is expected to be a significant highlight of the event, providing attendees with expert analysis on the broader economic landscape and its impact on railroad operations and strategy. Given the rapid pace of technological and economic change, Dr. Ghayad’s perspective will offer a crucial framework for understanding the future of rail, MxV Rail noted.

Formerly the Head of Economics and Global Labor Markets at LinkedIn, Dr. Ghayad brings a wealth of experience analyzing complex economic trends. His distinguished career also includes senior roles at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), where he advised on international economic policy, and the Brattle Group, where he consulted on financial and regulatory matters for diverse industries, including railroads. His extensive background, MxV Rail says, “uniquely positions him to address the challenges and opportunities facing our industry today.”

(MxV Rail)

The Annual AAR Research Review is the premier industry conference bringing together Class I and short line railroads, university faculty and students, early career engineers, and suppliers from around the world to address the industry’s most pressing technical challenges. The 2026 program features an Early Career Railroader Workshop, technical workshops highlighting the latest findings from the Strategic Research Initiatives (SRI) program, and a tour of the FAST loop track to showcase new experiments.

More information is available here.

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Thirteen companies received this year’s honor. They are:

(NS)

A cross-departmental team from NS reviewed applications for measurable progress throughout 2025. Winners were selected based on their program’s novelty, relevance and impact.

Rail is the most efficient and sustainable way to transport goods over land and is a vital component of a low-carbon supply chain, the Class I noted. However, NS says the railroad understands it is not alone, and the Thoroughbred Sustainability Partner Awards “seek to recognize and honor its incredible partners while working toward a shared goal of an efficient, environmentally friendly supply chain.”

Over the last four years, NS has recognized 38 different companies across the three categories. Among the companies recognized, 11 have received recognition more than once with Outokumpu Stainless USA, Schneider and Wabtec Corporation leading the way with four awards each. Outokumpu has been recognized each year since the inaugural year in 2022.

“Each of these partners is helping raise the bar for what a more sustainable supply chain can look like. Their commitment to efficiency, innovation and environmental stewardship strengthens the work we’re doing together and helps move the entire freight ecosystem forward. We’re proud to recognize their leadership, and we look forward to building on this progress as we continue driving meaningful, measurable change across the transportation industry,” said NS Chief Sustainability Officer Josh Raglin.

“Sustainability isn’t a buzzword for us; it’s the blueprint for innovation. Our partnership with Norfolk Southern is proving how advanced technology and responsible operations can directly benefit the communities we serve and make the entire rail network stronger,” said Gina Trombley, Wabtec Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing and Chief Commercial Officer – Americas.

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Nayee brings more than 30 years of experience leading major rail projects across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. He has partnered with major agencies, including the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Amtrak, NJ Transit and the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to deliver programs that “modernize infrastructure, enhance mobility and improve resiliency,” STV noted. “Known for his ability to navigate complex, active rail environments, Nayee has successfully delivered large-scale passenger rail programs through program management, design and construction oversight, project controls, value engineering and innovative delivery methods such as design-build and public-private partnerships (P3),” according to the firm.

“From conception through construction, AJ understands how to bring complex rail programs to life by aligning teams and fostering collaboration,” said Jim Takacs, PE, Vice President and Senior Construction Manager for the Transportation North operating group at STV. “His expertise will be instrumental as STV continues partnering with agencies to modernize aging infrastructure and deliver safer, more resilient transit networks.”

Nayee holds a Master of Science in Transportation and a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology, as well as a Master of Business Administration in Management from Dowling College. He also served as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy Civil Engineer Corps.

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The public was welcomed back inside Buffalo’s former Delaware, Lackawanna & Western terminal for the first time since 1962 when the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority opened its new DL&W Station on December 8. The $57 million project transforms the lower level of the historic trainshed into a modern two-track station with a center-island platform, giving passengers direct access to the revitalized Canalside and Cobblestone districts, as well as KeyBank Center, home of the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres. Buffalo’s unique light rail line runs in a subway tunnel for the first five miles from the south campus of University at Buffalo, with the final mile-and-a-half surface-running on Main Street (now shared with vehicular traffic) down to DL&W Station. While the system was originally designed with extensions to the suburbs and airport in mind, funding has been difficult to secure.

When Erie Lackawanna shut down its waterfront terminal in October 1962, only a handful trains still called there — including the Phoebe Snow, Owl, and Lake Cities — and service shifted to a minimalist joint facility shared with Nickel Plate Road in the freight yards across town. The grand 1917 terminal designed by Kenneth Murchison was soon abandoned, vandalized, and ultimately conveyed to Conrail in 1976. NFTA purchased the deteriorating property in 1977 to use the trainshed as protected storage for its new light rail fleet. Following some debate over protected historic status, the headhouse was demolished in 1979 to construct new yard leads. Although light rail service began in 1984, the station’s upper level platforms were sealed off and left unused.

ABOVE: The former two-level trainshed built by Delaware, Lackawanna & Western in 1917, and tranformed into a covered storage yard for NFTA light rail trains. The headhouse was demolished in 1979. —Otto M. Vondrak photo

Over the next four decades, the surrounding industrial district was transformed into an entertainment hub. A small “Special Events” stop served arena crowds but offered little shelter or amenities. Redeveloping the former DL&W trainshed remained a long-discussed idea, but momentum finally came in 2017 when NFTA secured funding for a new station, waterfront access, redevelopment of the upper level, and a direct connection to KeyBank Center. Construction began in 2019, with Savarino Companies selected to design and develop the upper level as a multi-use public space.

Although construction delays pushed the opening back more than a year, the new metro station debuted to press and invited guests on December 8, complete with a ribbon-cutting featuring elected city officials and NFTA directors and staff. The station’s bright, spacious interior is a welcome addition to the 6.4-mile system, but the stairways and enclosed connector to KeyBank Center are not expected to be completed until summer 2026. Until then, riders must exit to South Park Avenue and walk the long way around, prompting some local outlets to advise passengers to continue using the nearby Canalside station. NFTA also cut ties with Savarino in mid-November, citing the developer’s failure to produce a viable business plan for the upper-level project.

ABOVE: The new DL&W Station will allow future access to the upper level as well as a covered entrance into KeyBank Center. —Otto M. Vondrak photo

Though the DL&W Station extends service only a few blocks, officials emphasized that it represents meaningful progress toward broader future expansion. “This station is far more than a new stop on our system,” NFTA Executive Director Kim Minkel said at the opening. “It’s an investment in the future of our region — expanding access, strengthening economic development, and creating new opportunities for residents and businesses alike. And we’re just getting started.”

—Otto M. Vondrak

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The Ontario government on Dec. 5 said the long-delayed Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit, Line 6, attained Substantial Completion status following “successful testing, with independent engineers verifying the line is ready for service.” This development occurred just prior to the Dec. 7 opening of the also-delayed Finch West LRT, Line 6.

Metrolinx

Full operational control of the line is being transferred to the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), which is expected to determine the start date of passenger service in early 2026 with the support of Metrolinx. “Service levels will continue to ramp up over the coming months, “reflecting the standard approach for bringing major LRT projects into service worldwide,” the Province noted.

“To achieve Substantial Completion, extensive testing was conducted to ensure the line is prepared for safe and reliable service,” the Province said. “This testing included running the line at full capacity in a variety of weather conditions, including 10 centimeters (approximately 4 inches) of snowfall; operating the fleet more than 11,000 kilometers (roughly 6,800 miles) per week to replicate customer service; maintaining service for 16 hours per day; and ensuring a full complement of staff to proactively manage and mitigate any problems that arise during testing. With this rigorous testing complete and final preparatory works under way, it is expected the Eglinton Crosstown LRT will open to the public in the coming weeks. To ensure a smooth launch, service levels on the line will gradually increase over the first six months.”

Opening Day Service

• Hours of operation: 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
• Peak frequency: Every 4 minutes, 45 seconds

Six-Month Service

• Hours of operation: 5:30 a.m. to 2:30 a.m.
• Peak frequency: Every 3 minutes, 30 seconds

The Eglinton Crosstown LRT is a 19-kilometer (11.8-mile) light rail line with 25 stations and stops along Eglinton Avenue. It runs between Mount Dennis (Weston Road) and Kennedy Station, with more than 10 kilometers (6 miles) of the route underground. The LRT will link to 54 bus routes, three TTC subway stations and two GO Transit regional/commuter rail lines.

The Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, currently under construction, will extend Line 5 by 9 kilometers (5.6 miles) west from Mount Dennis to Renforth Drive, with plans to connect to Toronto Pearson International Airport.

Metrolinx

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Liricon Capital Ltd. and Plenary Americas, a portfolio company of Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ), in July 2022 advanced Phase 4, design, of the C$2.6 billion Calgary Airport – Banff Rail (CABR) project, which was planned to be built within the Canadian Pacific Kansas City right-of-way but not share operations. In June 2024, following eight years of research and planning, the Town of Banff Administration and Banff Town Council approved 6-1 the Banff Railway Lands ARP (Area Redevelopment Plan) and the bylaw to officially adopt the ARP, “marking a pivotal moment for Banff.” In August 2024, Liricon/Plenary announced a restructuring of the project that would significantly change the proposed operation from a separate passenger right-of-way within the CPKC right-of-way main line to a shared-use (freight and passenger) double-track corridor “built to CPKC requirements.” Now, more than one year later, proponents have submitted a plan in the hopes of attaining Canadian federal major project status, but Alberta Province Premier Danielle Smith may have a more pressing prioritiy—an oilsands pipeline, according to a Calgary Herald report.

“Champions of [the] plan … are hoping their vision will be included among Canada’s nation-building infrastructure,” the Calgary Herald’s Bill Kaufmann reported Dec. 3. “CABR [submitted a] proposal on Dec. 2 to Ottawa’s Major Projects Office (MPO), a body meant to fast-track proposals through streamlined approvals and funding. It’s a plan that meets the criteria of the Building Canada Act that is the foundation of the MPO, said Jan Waterous, Managing Principal of Liricon Capital, which is developing the proposal along with infrastructure investor Plenary Americas. ‘We can’t help but be optimistic [it’ll be selected]—it checks off the boxes and has so many benefits not just for the communities along the route but for the country,’ said Waterous.

“So far, 11 projects have been named to the major projects list, including infrastructure for mining, nuclear energy, LNG, a container port and hydro electricity. None of those are located in Alberta, whose government nonetheless signed a memorandum of understanding with Ottawa last week to expedite a bitumen pipeline running from its oilsands to British Columbia’s north coast. Waterous said Premier Danielle Smith had made it clear she wouldn’t focus on the [CABR] project and possibly ultimately lend its approval until after the pipeline MOU had been secured. ‘That’s why we’re submitting now—we want to show the Province we’re serious and that we have the project under [federal] review, maybe to give them confidence to do their part,’ she said. “It’s got a long way to go but we think it’s a really good candidate for the MPO.’”

“[Alberta] recently completed a regional passenger rail master plan that focuses on creating and improving train service around cities while also exploring high-speed rail links. ‘We’re trying to structure this in contemplation of what that master plan will be, but we’ll obviously adapt to that as we see it,’ said Paul Martin, Senior Vice-President of Plenary Americas.”

Background

“We are pleased to announce that we have restructured our CABR project proposal,” Liricon/Plenary said in August 2024. “The updated approach supports the Province’s recently announced plans for the Province to advance development and to potentially build and operate an express passenger train service from the airport terminal to downtown and a ‘Grand Central Station’ in the Rivers District. Specifically, should the Province decide to build the 20-km (12.4-mile) track from the terminal to downtown and Grand Central Station, and provide track access for three CABR trains per hour from the airport terminal to Grand Central Station, then Liricon/Plenary will develop and build the 130-km (80.6-mile) track from Grand Central Station to Banff and operate CABR at no cost to the Province. Structured as a public-private partnership, CABR’s ‘one seat ride’ from the terminal to downtown and on to the mountains will provide reliable, high frequency, multi-class mass transit on a dedicated track in the CPKC rail corridor.”

SPECIFICS

“Incorporating this new information and to support the Province’s vision for regional rail, Liricon/Plenary, with the support of the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB), has updated the underlying approach to CABR in its Proposal,” the consortium said. “Specifically, should the Province build the 20-km track from the Airport Terminal to downtown, resolve a CPKC rail corridor downtown pinch point, and construct Grand Central Station, then Liricon/Plenary will :

• Build a 130-km track west from Grand Central Station to Banff by twinning (double-tracking) the existing track in the CPKC rail corridor to CPKC’s specifications.
• “Build platforms or otherwise accommodate stations at Beltline, Calgary West, Cochrane, Stoney Nakoda, Canmore and Banff.
• Operate three CABR trains per hour from the Calgary Airport Terminal to Grand Central Station, and then on to Banff.
• Provide multi-class service (economy and premium).

Alberta Province, Liricon/Plenary noted, “will provide CABR track access at no cost for three trains/hour from Airport Terminal to Grand Central Station and makes no contribution for CABR’s development, capital or operating costs.”

“Liricon/Plenary’s restructured Calgary Airport Banff Rail proposal allows the Province to leverage the government’s investment by integrating with a private sector solution,” commented Liricon Managing Partner Jan Waterous. “In doing so, the Province will maximize the impact of its investment since the Grand Central Station to Banff line will require no Provincial tax dollars.”

A plan that has the Province develop the 20-km route from the airport to downtown, along with a new Grand Central Station, and Liricon/Plenary developing the 130-kilometre route from Grand Central Station to Banff, creates a strong, taxpayer-friendly solution to providing passenger rail service in a critical transit corridor,” said Plenary Americas President Brian Budden.

The Province “can consider our Proposal, as well as other private and public sector proposals, as part of the Rail Master Plan Study the Province announced in May 2024,” Liricon/Plenary said. “Upon the completion of the Rail Master Plan Study, expected in April 2025, should the CABR route be of interest to the Province, it will then be able to evaluate the updated Proposal relative to other private or public sector options for the CABR route. Assuming the Province conducts that evaluation in May 2025, and a private sector option is selected, then the Province can proceed to negotiate a Project Development Agreement (PDA) with a selected proponent in June 2025. Should the Province select Liricon/Plenary’s updated Proposal at that time, then by signing a PDA with Liricon/Plenary by July 2025, the Province will secure the CIB financing required for the updated Proposal prior to the federal election, expected in October 2025. Without CIB financing, the Liricon/Plenary Proposal for CABR will be terminated.

“A PDA for the updated Proposal will be subject to the Province making a subsequent final investment decision (FID) on the Province developing the Airport Terminal to Grand Central Station at a later date. This sequence allows the Province to complete the Rail Master Plan, then evaluate both public and private sector approaches and proposals and then have the option of advancing the updated Proposal that itself will still be conditional on an FID.

“To ensure that the Province’s Terminal to Grand Central Station section and Liricon/Plenary’s Grand Central Station to Banff section provides the CABR traveler a seamless experience and addresses CPKC’s requirements for dedicated track within its corridor, both services would develop heavy-gauge, non-electrified rail, interoperable with freight, which will ensure rolling stock consistency across facilities. This will provide travelers a one seat ride from the airport terminal to downtown Calgary and Banff. The Province may opt to have same system connect the airport to Calgary Transit’s Blue Line [LRT], replacing the contemplated Airport Transit Line. The Province’s airport connection plan provides the opportunity for total airport departures of 15 trains per hour.”

The revised operating plan provides a “route split”: The Province operates two trains per hour, with departures serving downtown and potentially Airdrie and Okotoks. CABR operates three trains per hour, with departures serving downtown and on to Banff, with stops at Beltline, Calgary West, Cochrane, Stoney Nakoda and Canmore.

BACKGROUND

The Banff Railway Lands ARP was to be sent to Parks Canada for review, which will make recommendations to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change. The next steps were to include a Strategic Environmental Assessment of the entire plan and then recommendations from Parks Canada to the Government of Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change on whether to proceed.

“This is a profoundly exciting day for our family,” said Liricon Managing Partner Jan Waterous in late June 2024. “While the path to this moment has been a long and winding road, it has been immensely rewarding as we navigated the most extensive community engagement process in Banff’s history.”

Liricon had submitted a draft of the proposed Banff Railway Lands ARP (download below) prepared by Dialog, Shift Consulting, Jackson McCormick Design Group, Donald Luxton & Associates Inc., WSP Canada and Golder Associates, to the Town of Banff on Sept. 29, 2023, along with Technical Appendices and a copy of Liricon’s “What We Heard Report” on their consultation about the ARP.

Draft-Banff-Railway-Lands-ARP_FINAL_September-2023Download

CPKC, which pre-merger as Canadian Pacific signed a non-binding MOU (memorandum of understanding) with Liricon/Plenary, had told Railway Age that it was willing to support the project and was prepared to offer design and engineering assistance, with the requirement that the passenger service have no impact on CPKC’s main line freight operations. As of late June, The MOU still stood, according to Liricon Chairman Adam Waterous.

The coming year will be critical, Adam Waterous told Railway Age on June 29. A formal agreement needs to be in place with Alberta Province by early 2025. Canadian federal elections will occur in the fall of 2025. If the Conservative Party (“Tories”) assumes the majority, replacing Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, it is expected to abolish the Canada Infrastructure Bank—and the funding the agency has provided to transportation and other P3 (public-private partnership) projects nationally, among which would be a 50% match (C$1.3 billion) of CABR. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, United Conservative Party, is a CABR supporter, as the project is within the scope of a master Passenger Rail Plan she has launched. Smith discussed the plan and her general views on passenger and freight rail in a June 3, 2024 Rail Group On Air podcast.

CABR BACKGROUND

Liricon/Plenary submitted an Enhanced Unsolicited Proposal in November 2021 to the Government of Alberta Ministry of Transportation, Invest Alberta Corp. and Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) to advance the CABR project from Phase 3, development, to Phase 4. The consortium said in early July 2022 that it had reached 11 milestones:

• Obtaining an improved economic impact analysis.
• Developing a solution for region-wide transportation through a Calgary Airport rail hub.
• Initiating an operations integration strategy with the potential Edmonton-Calgary high speed rail project.
• Furthering a wildlife impact mitigations approach.
• Investigating hydrogen fuel-powered rolling stock and supply alternatives.
• Securing support from affected municipalities/governments.
• Solidifying tourism industry support.
• Receiving business stakeholder support.
• Initiating engagement with Stoney Nakoda First Nations people.
• Advancing construction strategy.
• Improving ridership forecasts.

“These achievements will decrease the time to complete Phase 4, reduce development risk and enhance the proposal’s attractiveness,” Liricon/Plenary said. “This progress supports CABR’s ability to improve the environment, including being North America’s first hydrogen-powered passenger train system; expand the tourism economy by providing passengers seamless travel experiences with airlines, hotel companies and hospitality operations; increase labor mobility through integration with local transit systems, and being the foundation upon which to advance complementary new rail systems including Edmonton-Calgary HSR (Prairie Link Partnership consisting of EllisDon & AECOM); and reduce the impact of vehicles in Banff National Park and support the BANFF NATIONAL PARK NET ZERO 2035 initiative. New analysis indicates that, should Parks Canada adopt policies that encourage Banff National Park visitors to use mass transit options like CABR rather than personal vehicles, there would be an opportunity to reduce or eliminate the proposed Provincial financial contribution.”

CABR needed the Government of Alberta to match funding of up to C$10 million that is being contributed by Liricon/Plenary and CIB to complete the second stage of Phase 4 and achieve a final investment decision. Liricon/Plenary would then fund the third and fourth stages of Phase 4, permitting and financial close, budgeted then at C$75 million. 

“The Government of Alberta can then decide whether to continue to the next stage, based on the more detailed information then available to it, and will ultimately make a final investment decision whether to proceed into permitting and the project’s fifth and final phase, construction and Implementation,” the consortium noted. “This process provides the Government of Alberta with multiple opportunities to decide whether to continue to advance the project, and thereby limits the Government of Alberta’s development risk. The project is uniquely low-risk to Alberta taxpayers since the structure proposed for CABR is a P3 (public-private partnership) designed to share commercial risks across multiple partners, including risks relating to capital costs, ridership and revenue.”

Liricon/Plenary said CABR’s P3 structure “is different from the conventional government approach of using solely taxpayer money to develop, procure and build public transit projects. In 2016, CIB was established to structure and fund P3 projects that take the commercial risk government usually is forced to assume under traditional delivery models. The Government of Alberta had the vision to create an Unsolicited Proposal framework to accommodate this new, innovative P3 structure.”

CP main line, Calgary to Banff. OpenRailwayMap.org

The CABR system will operate on a new, dedicated passenger line built within the existing CPKC freight corridor and “will provide high frequency, reliable service” among seven destinations: Calgary Airport, Calgary Downtown, Calgary Keith, Cochrane, Morley (Stoney Nakoda First Nations), Canmore and Banff. Three service classes are envisioned. Economy class tickets are estimated to be about C$10 from the Airport to Downtown Calgary and C$20 from Downtown Calgary to Banff, taking into account discounts for entry to Banff National Park. The projected start-up date is late 2029. Construction is projected to begin in 2027.

CIB has agreed to provide 50% of the project’s C$2.6 billion capital cost, with the remainder sourced from a combination of debt from private lenders and Liricon/Plenary. A portion of the capital costs and interest would be paid back over 50 years, once service is operational, by Alberta Province, after which Alberta would assume full ownership. A yet-to-be -named private company would build and operate the system. Adam Waterous told Railway Age in 2022 that the province’s then-$30 million in annual payments “may not be needed if Banff National Park supports transit use by raising its entry fee for private passenger cars, or expanding bus and shuttle service between park attractions.” 

Liricon/Plenary engaged Mott MacDonald to undertake an economic impact assessment of CABR. “For perspective, according to a Tourism Economic Impact Study by Grant Thornton in 2016, the overall province-wide gross output economic impact from Banff and Canmore was approximately C$3.145 billion in 2015,” Liricon/Plenary noted. “Banff and Canmore generate C$8.6 million in economic activity each day for Alberta. Provincial and federal taxes generated from Banff and Canmore were roughly C$199 million and C$377 million respectively in 2015. CABR will support and grow these figures.

“The Mott MacDonald report indicates that the project will deliver an economic rate of return on the proposed investment by the Government of Alberta of more than 6.9 times. The study conservatively forecasts the project’s cost benefit ratio to be 2.8 times, and the project is expected to contribute more than 9,880 job-years of employment during construction and an additional 22,500 jobs and C$6.4 billion of gross value added to the Alberta economy once completed. These conservatively estimated economic benefits almost triple when using Liricon/Plenary’s upside ridership projections underpinning the broad and diverse benefits to the Province.” 

Liricon/Plenary describes CABR as “a distinct stand-alone project but also a key part of an overall transportation vision for Alberta that extends beyond the unique benefits to the Calgary region. CABR, as a brownfield project, is capable of being rapidly advanced by Liricon/Plenary to serve as a foundation upon which to develop a rail hub at the Calgary Airport for future greenfield rail projects, including proposed high-speed rail between Edmonton and Calgary and future expansions of Calgary Transit’s light rail network.”

Liricon/Plenary added it has “conducted significant research on the potential for CABR to use hydrogen-powered rolling stock. This research has entailed multiple meetings and site visits with the major hydrogen rolling stock providers including Alstom, Siemens and Sumitomo. While Liricon/Plenary has not yet selected a rolling stock provider, this alternatives study has increased Liricon/Plenary’s confidence that hydrogen-powered systems are feasible for CABR. In subsequent stages of CABR’s Design Phase, the specific rolling stock provider will be selected.”

Alstom Coradia iLint HFC (hydrogen fuel cell) multiple-unit

Alstom’s Coradia iLint HFC (hydrogen fuel cell) multiple-unit, in revenue service in Europe, is featured on CABR promotional materials. Alstom President and CEO Americas Michael Keroullé has been quoted in CABR promotional materials as saying that “hydrogen rolling stock is ideally suited for application on the Calgary-Banff rail corridor in terms of length of alignment, alignment characteristics and capacity. We firmly believe Alberta possess all the characteristics to become the flag-bearer of hydrogen trains on this side of the Atlantic, and we are very keen to help the province realize what will be recognized as an iconic project throughout the world. Alstom is pleased to offer the benefit of our experience and know-how to bring this project to reality for the benefit of Albertans and indeed to the many global visitors to the province. Alstom is the global pioneer of this technology: Alstom’s Coradia iLint train was unveiled in 2016 and has been in passenger service since 2018 in Lower Saxony, Germany. More than 124,000 miles (200,000 km) [worth of operations] have been completed since the iLint’s entry into service.”

Liricon/Plenary has also “studied potential hydrogen supply alternatives in the Calgary Airport vicinity, in particular, with TC Energy and Suncor. Based on this research, CABR is confident that there will be readily available hydrogen supply for CABR’s hydrogen powered systems for a refueling depot, most likely on Calgary Airport lands.” 

In an interview with Railway Age, Adam Waterous said the service will be modeled on Switzerland’s Glacier Express, a popular tourist train in the Alps that connects St. Moritz and Davos with Zermatt. As such, CABR, he said, “will be the only regular passenger rail service in North America to a world-class destination.”

Adam Waterous

Waterous praised CPKC and its willingness to assist, citing President and CEO Keith Creel and Senior Vice President Strategic Planning and Technology Transformation James Clements as highly supportive. “At the outset, we established a ‘CP[KC] First’ mindset,” he said. “We will ensure that freight service is not disrupted. Working with Mott MacDonald, we are developing a construction strategy that relies on using the existing [CPKC] corridor to deliver construction personnel and material and minimize the requirement for new construction access roads. Track construction within Banff National Park will be conducted entirely within the [CPKC] corridor and will not require the disturbance of Park lands.” 

The Calgary to Banff line is 93 miles (150 km) long. James Clements told Railway Age in 2022 that the CABR line will be built to minimum Transport Canada safety standards, with 20-foot track centers and physical barriers separating CPLC’s single-track main and the CABR main, also single-track. CPKC has a non-binding MOU with the project’s developers. Engineering is not expected to be problematic, as the right-of way has ample width to accommodate a dedicated passenger track. “This allows us to protect our freight capacity, both current and future,” he said.

Keith Creel added that “freight capacity and the nation’s commerce is[CPKC‘s] holy grail to protect.”

Calgary’s rail network. CP lines shown in orange. OpenRailwayMap.org

CABR’s “pinch point” will be the 9.3-mile (15 km) line from Calgary Airport to Downtown Calgary, in particular, Calgary Depot, which currently sees only CPLC freight trains. The right-of-way is narrow. Waterous said in addition to Mott MacDonald, Liricon/Plenary has engaged Stantec as an engineering consultant to design a CABR station in Downtown Calgary that will work within the constraints of CPKC’s freight operations.

Prasad Panda

Then-Alberta Transport Minister Prasad Panda, in an interview the Toronto Globe & Mail, said that he admired the intent behind CABR because it could reduce the number of people driving to Banff National Park and help diversify the province’s economy by boosting tourism. But he cautioned that the current plan “underestimates the capital costs and what will be required from the province in terms of an annual financial contribution,” as it “overestimates the potential ridership.” He added that the “construction schedule, which envisions the service running in the mid-2020s, is unrealistic. At this moment, as it’s presented, it’s passing on all the risk to Alberta taxpayers.” 

Panda appeared to be echoing the opinion of his boss, then-Premier Jason Kenney, a Progressive Conservative who the Globe & Mail said will leave provincial politics in October of this year. “We want a realistic proposal, a feasible proposal,” Panda told the Globe & Mail. “If they can assume those risks, and if they can raise private capital, without penalizing Alberta taxpayers, we’ll reconsider it. There’s still an outstanding question of what the federal contribution to the project will be. So far, it’s only Canada Infrastructure Bank that has said it’s prepared to provide a loan for half the C$1.5 billion (now C$2.6 billion) capital cost. Proponents want the Alberta government to backstop early project development costs and assume financial risks for the project that will be outside of the province’s control. The province’s annual costs, based on my department’s analysis, would be much more than C$30 million, as would the upfront capital cost estimate of C$1.5 billion.”

Jan Waterous

“Not surprisingly, the Alberta government wants to reduce the cost to the taxpayer, and our ridership study shows that this is possible,” Jan Waterous told the Globe & Mail, adding she doesn’t believe the province has responded to all of the proponents’ updated plans. “This is just part of the process of a complex project where ongoing dialogue with the government is paramount.”

HISTORY

Canadian Pacific, which reached Banff a few months after it reached Calgary in 1883, was once the only form of transportation to Banff National Park, established in 1885 as Rocky Mountains Park. CP was instrumental in Banff’s early years, building the Banff Springs Hotel and Chateau Lake Louise, and attracting tourists through extensive advertising. In the early 20th century, roads were built in Banff, at times by war internees from World War I, and through Great Depression-era public works projects. Since the 1960s, park accommodations have been open all year, with annual tourism visits to Banff increasing to more than 5 million by the 1990s. Millions more pass through the park on the Trans-Canada Highway. Except for the Rocky Mountaineer luxury tourist train, one route of which operates on the CPKC from Banff/Lake Louise to Vancouver, there hasn’t been any passenger rail through Banff since Via Rail Canada took over the CP’s famous Canadian in 1978, rerouting it onto the CN (replacing CN’s Super Continental flagship long-distance train).

About Liricon/Plenary

Liricon is the family holding company of Banff locals Jan and Adam Waterous, who have been facilitating the planning and stakeholder support for the CABR Project for more than seven years. Liricon entered into a long-term lease of the historic Banff Train Station (built by CP in 1910). Liricon, which also owns the Norquay Ski and Sightseeing Resort, is working with the Town of Banff and Parks Canada to transform the train station into a multi-modal eco-transit hub. Plenary is one of the largest dedicated P3 developers in North America,. Since its founding in Canada in 2005, Plenary has developed and now manages 55 PPP projects in North America, including the Stoney CNG Bus Storage and Transit Facility in Calgary. Plenary is owned by CDPQ (Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec), a global investment group managing net assets of more than C$390 billion on behalf of more than 40 public pension and insurance plans.

The post CABR Presses On (Updated December 8, 2025) appeared first on Railway Age.

TTX (Courtesy of TTX)

TTX, the Class I-owned railcar pooling company founded as Trailer Train in 1955 by the Pennsylvania Railroad and a major provider of railcars and related freight car management services to the North American rail industry, has promoted Marty Thomas to President. He assumes day-to-day leadership of the company and continues to report directly to CEO Tom Wells.

Thomas joined TTX in November 2024 as Executive Vice President, overseeing Supply Chain, Information Technology, Finance and Fleet Management. In his expanded role, he will now also oversee Equipment, Law and Human Resources, according to TTX.

Thomas previously spent 29 years with GE Transportation/Westinghouse Air Brake Corporation (Wabtec) where he held leadership roles of increasing responsibility, including Shift Supervisor, Field Service Engineer, Locomotive Shop Plant Manager, Global Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt, BNSF and UPRR Account Executive, Enterprise Quality Executive, and Senior Executive Global Operations.

“Marty has made a meaningful impact at TTX in a very short time,” said Tom Wells, who previously served as CEO and President. “He’s helped TTX steer through a complex tariff environment, sharpen our fleet strategy and strengthen the commercial efforts driving strong utilization and revenue this year. His commitment to TTX, deep understanding of our owners’ needs and strong leadership make him the right person to help guide the company forward.”

Separately, earlier this year, TTX joined the RailPulse coalition. Also, in June, former TTX President and CEO Raymond C. Burton, Jr., died at the age of 86.

VRE (Courtesy of VRE)

Katie Choe on Jan. 20, 2026, will become CEO of VRE, the nation’s 13th largest commuter rail service, which connects Northern and Central Virginia to Washington, D.C.’s urban core. The appointment was made by the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) and the Potomac Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC), VRE’s joint governing bodies, at the commissions’ respective board meetings on Dec. 4.

Choe succeeds Rich Dalton, who retired at the beginning of October. With 25 years of program management and safety oversight leadership in the transportation sector, Choe served most recently as the Chief of Staff to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. She has also served as Chief Engineer for the City of Boston Public Works, and as Program Manager at Massport, the Massachusetts Port Authority. In these roles, Choe delivered numerous major infrastructure projects with an emphasis on safety and quality, according to VRE. In 2022, she was named WTS Boston’s Woman of the Year. 

Choe’s appointment comes after a nationwide search and selection process conducted over the course of several months, led by the VRE Chief Executive Officer Search Committee. 

Choe is said to take the VRE throttle at a pivotal time. “For over 33 years, VRE has served Northern and Central Virginia as a commuter-focused rail service, with operations aligned around peak hours for weekday commutes,” the railroad noted. “Now, following the adoption earlier this year of VRE’s 2050 Service Plan and Vision, and a multi-billion dollar investment in the region’s rail infrastructure through the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Transforming Rail in Virginia initiative, VRE prepares to increase service to expand beyond commuter-focused rail and position itself as a regional rail network, with first-ever weekend and late-night service, and increased bi-directional service. These planned system improvements respond to shifting passenger needs while bolstering economic growth for Northern Virginia and surrounding jurisdictions. Several infrastructure projects scheduled for construction over the next five years will make this service vision of increased reliability, efficiency, and safety possible for VRE, including the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority’s (VPRA) Long Bridge improvement project; VPRA’s third and fourth track projects at Franconia, Alexandria, and L’Enfant; and VRE station improvements within the corridor. “

“I am honored to join VRE at such a significant moment for regional mobility,” Choe said. “VRE plays a critical role in connecting communities and supporting economic growth across Northern and Central Virginia and the greater Washington region. I look forward to working alongside our talented staff and partners to enhance the rider experience, deliver transformative capital projects, and build VRE into the first choice for regional transportation in Northern and Central Virginia.”

Separately, VRE earlier this year appointed MinhChau Corr as General Counsel, succeeding Steve MacIsaac, who will retired in September.

The post People News: TTX, VRE appeared first on Railway Age.

Sound Transit

Parsons on Dec. 5 reported being selected for a position on Sound Transit’s 2025 $1 billion-ceiling MATOC for design services. This five-year contract, with two potential one-year extensions, will support the transit agency’s $60 billion capital program. Under this MATOC, Parsons said it will provide architecture, engineering, and related services for light rail extension, system resiliency and sustainability improvement, and state-of-good-repair projects.

The consultancy has teamed with Sound Transit in the past, serving as lead designer of the Federal Way Link Extension, a 7.8-mile design-build light rail transit project that opened Dec. 6; as major design partner for the 16-mile Everett Link Extension, currently in the preliminary engineering phase; and as provider of track and rail systems preliminary engineering for the Downtown Redmond Link Extension, which opened in May 2025.

“This award reflects our deep understanding of Sound Transit’s system and our proven ability to deliver innovative, cost-effective solutions for complex transit programs,” said Mark Fialkowski, President, Infrastructure North America at Parsons. “We’re proud to continue supporting the Puget Sound region’s ambitious mobility goals and to help shape the future of sustainable urban transportation.”

WMATA (Courtesy of WMATA)

In the coming days, WMATA customers can “catch a sweet ride” on special holiday-wrapped Metrorail, Metrobus, and MetroAccess vehicles, the transit authority reported Dec. 5. The outside of the fleet will feature “a candy-filled wonderland” on a bright red backdrop, it said, noting that the train will also be “decked out with holiday spirit” on the inside.

Three wrapped buses, one train, and one MetroAccess vehicle will run throughout the Washington, D.C.; Maryland; and Virginia region during the season. Riders can track both the wrapped buses and train by visiting wmata.com/live and clicking on “special edition.”

Similarly for Veterans Day, WMATA wrapped train, bus and MetroAccess vehicles to celebrate the men and women who have served the United States. With a network of six rail lines, 98 stations, 125 bus routes, and paratransit service, WMATA is the second busiest transit system in the country, and nearly 25% of its workforce has served in the military.

In related news, WMATA in August announced that the public selected Option 3 for the exterior design of its 256 8000-series rapid transit cars from Hitachi Rail, which will start arriving in 2027. The public was able to vote for one of three design options. Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority in 2021 also asked the public to weigh in on an exterior graphic design; it was for its 254 new Stadler railcars. The winner was revealed in 2022.

MTA (MTA Photograph)

MTA New York City Transit (NYCT) on Dec. 5 reported surpassing 4.6 million subway riders, setting a post-pandemic ridership record, while also achieving an on-time performance (OTP) record for November of 84.4%—“the best November since the pandemic.” On Wednesday, Dec. 3, 4.61 million customers rode the subway, and on Thursday, Dec. 4, 4.63 million customers rode the subway.

According to MTA, both days eclipsed the previous record set on Oct. 29, 2025, of 4.6 million subway customers, and were up 6% from the same dates in 2024. “These milestones come as 94% of subway and bus trips are now paid with the MTA’s new contactless tap and ride system,” the transit agency reported.

Additionally, the November OTP record “extends the trend of historically strong” subway performance in 2025, MTA reported. Subway OTP reached 85% in September (“the best September in modern history”), maintaining August’s 85.1%, which was said to be the best August in a decade; and building on May’s “record-setting” 85.2%, “the highest non-pandemic OTP on record.” MTA said these gains coincide with service increases on the A and L lines, reducing wait times for more than 100,000 weekday riders. Beginning Monday, Dec. 8, rush hour service will also increase on the M line.

(Marc A. Hermann / MTA)

Commented MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber: “No secret: transit is the best way to get around New York. When our subways are safe, frequent, and reliable, people will use them more and more. That’s what’s happened and the records are going to keep coming.”

“Hitting 4.6 million subway riders as we achieve another OTP milestone shows once again that when you deliver safe and reliable service riders will take it,” NYCT President Demetrius Crichlow noted. “We’re determined to carry this momentum into 2026, as we continue to tout all the opportunities available to riders to seamlessly switch to tap and ride.”

“New Yorkers have embraced tap and ride and we’re proud to see that as more and more people return to the city, they are choosing mass transit,” MTA Chief Customer Officer Shanifah Rieara added. “As the end of MetroCard sales nears, we are focusing on reaching the remaining 6% to make the switch and unlock the benefits and convenience of tap and ride technology.”

MTA noted that the last day to purchase or reload a MetroCard will be Dec. 31, 2025, with the acceptance of MetroCards ending in mid-2026. As announced in March, by eliminating the sale of MetroCard and fully transitioning to one fare collection method, MTA expects to save at least $20 million annually in costs related to MetroCard production and distribution; vending machine repairs; and cash collection and handling. Moving to a contactless payment, it said, also “unlocks potential for new customer-friendly promotions and fare discounts.”

(MTA Photograph)

Meanwhile, MTA also announced that new Ticket Vending Machines (VTM) are now in service at both Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad stations. All machines sell both commuter railroads’ tickets; riders have the option to scan the barcode of a previously purchased ticket to pull up a similar ticket purchase again; change is now offered in bills ($5, $10), instead of all coins; and the machines offer services in nine languages plus English instead of the previous three languages.

“For nearly 25 years, our legacy TVMs have been the backbone of fare payment, maintaining 97% availability and generating about 30% of all ticket sales,” MTA reported Dec. 5. “However, by 2024 the OMNY project for Metro-North and LIRR was significantly delayed and our TVMs and TOMs [Ticket Office Machines] urgently needed replacement. Teams at both railroads pivoted to launch a new contract with Scheidt and Bachmann, the vendor for the current legacy system, and kicked off a new project in June 2024. Moving from concept to implementation in just over a year is an extraordinary achievement.”

(MTA Photograph)

Full installation began in mid-October with a scheduled completion of mid-2026 to bring new TVMs to all LIRR and Metro-North stations. MTA said this project also includes new TOMs, which are scheduled for deployment in 2026. The work was driven by collaboration across Metro-North, LIRR, MTA IT, MTA Finance, MTA Construction and Development, Jacobs Engineering, and MTA Headquarters, with support from employees and long-time vendor Scheidt and Bachmann.  

According to MTA, there will be additional upgrades being rolled out in 2026 to the payment options.

“The first thing every rider does before boarding an LIRR train is buy a ticket, and the LIRR offers several ways to do that including our groundbreaking TrainTime app and for riders who prefer a paper ticket, the new Ticket Vending Machines make that experience smoother and more convenient,” LIRR President Rob Free said. “We’ve been rolling out the new machines through the system over the last few months, and we’re excited to connect Long Islanders with all the great destinations in Metro-North territory and the new features they offer.”

“The MTA is a true regional rail system and these new TVM’s make it easier for riders to purchase tickets to any Metro-North or Long Island destination,” Metro-North Railroad President Justin Vonashek said. “All of the railroads’ new fare options will be available in these machines after the new year, making MTA riders’ trips even faster and smoother than ever.”

Further Reading:

• NYMTA Releases Climate Resilience Roadmap Update
• Watch: NYMTA Launches Railcar Acceptance, Testing Facility
• NY MTA Eyes $68.4B Capital Plan for 2025-29

The post Transit Briefs: Sound Transit, WMATA, NYMTA appeared first on Railway Age.

BNSF (Courtesy of BNSF)

“Momentum across the network is improving as we move through the first week of December,” BNSF told customers in a Dec. 5 online notification. “The Thanksgiving holiday temporarily impacted key performance metrics, but service levels have returned to pre-holiday levels as we head into the weekend [see chart above]. Freight volumes, which eased over the holiday, have also rebounded to stronger levels over the past few days.”

According to the Class I railroad, portions of the Southern Transcon and the Northern Corridor experienced pockets of cold weather, following the late-November Arctic cold snap and continued cold temperatures on Dec. 5, which it said prompted train length restrictions in the north. “As we move through the weekend and into early next week, colder temperatures and increased chances for snow and icy conditions are expected across the northern Plains and Upper Midwest,” the railroad noted. “Train length restrictions will remain in place in affected areas through the weekend, and BNSF operating teams continue to closely monitor these systems to support safe and consistent rail operations.” (BNSF noted that additional information regarding winter preparedness and response efforts is on its website.)

“Seasonal conditions are expected across the rest of the network,” BNSF reported, “and no significant disruptions are anticipated at this time.”

(Courtesy of BNSF)

Meanwhile, November was the 11th “record-breaking” month in a row for BNSF terminal dwell, the railroad reported via social media.

“Congratulations and thank you to our teams for relentlessly tapping away at dwell,” BNSF noted in its post. “You’re doing great things for our customers!”

Separately, the BNSF-served NEW Cooperative recently expanded its Osceola, Iowa, location, and BNSF, Hillwood, and the City of Fort Worth, Tex., late last month announced the creation of the Alliance Logistics District.

CSX

CSX ranked #1 in Transportation & Logistics on the @Newsweek Most Responsible Companies List for the 2nd year in a row, reflecting our commitment to sustainability, ethical business practices & community engagement. Learn about our initiatives at https://t.co/GSs085WebM.… pic.twitter.com/F4MF8yBJZ2

— CSX (@CSX) December 4, 2025

For the second consecutive year, Newsweek has recognized CSX as the top Transportation and Logistics (T&L) company on its America’s Most Responsible Companies List, the Class I railroad reported Dec. 4.

Among the other 21 companies selected for the T&L category are: Union Pacific (No. 2), Wabtec Corporation (No. 3), The Greenbrier Companies (No. 4), J.B. Hunt (No. 8), United Parcel Service (No. 9), C.H. Robinson (No. 11), and FedEx (No. 12).

T&L was one of 14 categories represented on the Newsweek list, which comprises 600 U.S. companies evaluated on more than 30 key performance indicators across environmental, social, and governance (ESG) dimensions. Other categories were Technology; Retail and Consumer Goods; Professional Services; Materials and Chemicals; Health Care, Life Sciences, and Pharmaceuticals; Financial; Capital Goods; and Automotive and Components.

CSX said that it improved its ranking on the overall list, moving to No. 169 from No. 171. UP ranked No. 173 overall in 2026, up from No. 251 in 2025.

Newsweek and Statista compile the annual list, selecting companies based on CSR/ESG reports, financial disclosures, reputation surveys, and “strict eligibility criteria, including transparency and a clean record on environmental issues,” CSX noted.

“For some consumers, what’s important isn’t just what a company offers but how they manufacture or provide those products or services,” Newsweek Editor-in-Chief Jennifer H. Cunningham said. “When consumers and investors know that a company is socially conscious, they are more likely to align themselves with it.”

“We are honored to be recognized as an industry leader in corporate responsibility,” commented Brian Tucker, Vice President of Stakeholder Engagement and Sustainability at CSX. “This achievement reflects our commitment to sustainable operations, supporting our communities, and maintaining the highest standards of governance.”

In other CSX news, the railroad recently celebrated its Rocky Mount terminal in North Carolina and will next year open its TRANSFLO Petersburg Terminal in Virginia.

CN

“For nearly a decade, CN has been working with First Nations, local governments, emergency responders, and regulators to deliver annual emergency preparedness and spill response exercises across B.C.,” the railroad reported on its website Dec. 5. “These hands-on trainings strengthen relationships and create space for shared learning rooted in transparency and trust.”

CN in 2025 partnered with Tsʼil Kaz Koh First Nation (Burns Lake Band), a Wet’suwet’en community, and the nearby Lake Babine First Nation in northern British Columbia, where the Bulkley and Nechako river basins meet. The region, it noted, “forms part of some of Canada’s largest and most important watersheds, including the Fraser and Skeena systems.” These waterways are said to sustain local ecosystems, support families and communities, and connect the traditional territories of many Indigenous nations.

According to CN, the 2025 exercise brought together its environmental and emergency response teams, Tsʼil Kaz Koh leadership and Lake Babine guardians, local firefighters and first responders, and provincial and federal regulatory partners. Together, they practiced coordinated response strategies, tested specialized equipment, and reviewed real-world scenarios designed to protect the community’s drinking-water wells, lakes, and surrounding river systems.

The exercise created space for connection, according to the railroad. “These conversations help ensure that, should an incident ever occur, everyone is ready: trained, equipped, and united by a shared goal to protect the land, the water, and the people who depend on them,” CN said.

(Courtesy of CN)

“My level of confidence is definitely higher than it was before, because of the awareness and the education that our responders received during the process,” noted Henry Wiebe, Mayor of Burns Lake.

“The partnerships between all response agencies and the regulatory bodies that were present here worked flawlessly,” CN Director, Environment-Network Operations Aaron Stadnyk said. “All organizations were able to collectively come together and implement one strategic plan to address the scenario.”

Earlier this month, CN earned an Environment Award from the Railway Association of Canada for its B.C. Spill Drill and Exercise Program: Strengthening Communities.

In other developments, the Canadian Class I railroad recently reignited CargoCool Intelligen Powerpack service out of the Port of Prince Rupert in B.C., and published its 2024 Delivering Responsibly Sustainability Report.

CPKC (Courtesy of Larry Lloyd)

CPKC earlier this month shared a social media post by AVP of U.S. Government Affairs Larry Lloyd, who traveled to Washington, D.C., with President and CEO Keith Creel, Railway Age’s 2021 Railroader of the Year and 2022 Railroader of the Year, an award he received in partnership with the late Kansas City Southern CEO Patrick J. Ottensmeyer.

According to Lloyd, among the highlights of his trip with “the best chief executive in the business”: “Providing Senate Commerce Committee Chair Ted Cruz [(R-Texas)] an overview of how we are using technology to remain the safest railroad in North America [see picture, top]. Sharing how our new service offerings are enhancing competition across the rail industry. Describing our massive investments in both #Texas manufacturing through the purchase of 100 new Wabtec Corporation Tier 4 locomotives and in American rail capacity with a second international bridge span at #Laredo, TX.”

(Courtesy of Larry Lloyd)

Creel wrapped up his visit “with a focus on his home state of #Alabama—and a little #Auburn football—during a stop visit to the office of Alabama’s senior senator, Coach Tommy Tuberville,” Lloyd said (see picture above). “CPKC’s expansion into Alabama [creating a new direct Class I interchange with the acquisition of 50 miles of the former Meridian & Bigbee Railroad] and our interline collaboration with CSX has sparked new rail competition by creating new options for shippers linking markets in the Southeast, Texas and #Mexico via our Southeast Mexico Express service.”

In response the social media post, retired Canadian Pacific Senior Vice President Doug McFarlane noted: “Let me first admit my professional and personal bias, having worked at CP for several decades including with and for Keith Creel. That said, whenever you see pics or videos of Creel in any company situation with investors, politicians, customers, industry colleagues or CPKC internal, he always looks and sounds professional, confident, well prepared, comfortable, but serious about his role. It is very easy to conclude that ‘he belongs’ in any / all of those situations, and that is because he does! I agree with your assessment that he is the best in the business in his role. CPKC, shareholders, employees, customers and other stakeholders are in good hands with him at the helm!”

Redrawing the U.S. Class I network, Surface Transportation Board perspectives, freight rail business development strategies and technological breakthroughs will be among the topics discussed at Railway Age’s Next-Gen Freight Rail Conference, to be held March 10, 2026, at the Union League Club of Chicago. Also at this important event, Norfolk Southern Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer John Orr will receive Railway Age’s 2026 Railroader of the Year award.

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

Since the emergency infusion of federal funds for transit enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic started to run out, Railway Age has been reporting on how major transit providers have been faring. Some, like New York’s MTA and NJ Transit, were among the first to get new state-level funding to keep those systems running for the next few years without severe service cuts. Pennsylvania recently gave its transit, including in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, a two-year reprieve, although that required taking money from the capital side and moving it to the operating side. Now transit in Chicagoland has gotten a reprieve, too, thanks to new legislation.

Along with more money to fill the anticipated deficit, the State is changing the structure of transit governance in and around Chicago. A new regional board will replace the existing one, and it will have increased powers over the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), Metra (which runs trains between Chicago and the suburban “collar” counties), and Pace, which operates buses in the suburbs, including lines that originate in outlying areas of Chicago itself.

As in many cities around the nation, the financial picture looked bleak for Chicagoland’s transit and next year’s service was in trouble, as John Greenfield reported for Streetsblog Chicago on June 1 The headline of his story about the previous night’s activity at the legislature was Chicagoland’s transit funding hits roadblock after House non-vote. RTA says 2026 budgets must reflect $771MM deficit. Transit managers and rider-advocates had warned that as much as 40% of existing service could be eliminated unless new sources of funding could be found. Greenfield predicted: “The legislators had a deadline of roughly midnight, after which hopes of properly funding buses and trains would turn into a pumpkin. In that case, the problem wouldn’t be addressed again until the veto session in October or November. But that would probably be too late for the transit agencies to avoid scheduling likely irreversible service cuts and layoffs for next year. The CTA got some temporary relief in August, when the RTA (Regional Transportation Authority) Board took $74 million from Metra and Pace and gave it to the CTA, as ABC7 reported on Aug. 21. The report said: “The CTA is the transit agency that is facing the most pressing fiscal challenges, so the RTA shifted the money over, but it’s only a Band-Aid on a very serious problem that is going to require major funding help from Springfield” but quoted RTA Chair Kirk Dillard as saying: “It’s more than a Band-Aid. It’s making sure that we provide as good service as we can with the dollar amounts that are available, and it gives the legislature a little more time to figure out how they’re going to solve the fiscal cliff.”

Legislation, Finally

Greenfield’s concern might have been well-founded, but it appears that help came in time, although it happened in the fall. The hoped-for legislation finally passed on Halloween morning and had nothing to do with the city’s famous “Chicagoween” parade and celebration. The legislature came through in the nick of time, according to RTA, which reported: “The Illinois House and Senate passed landmark transit legislation early in the morning on Oct. 31, just before the close of the fall legislative session. SB2111, which will be sent to the governor’s desk and is expected to be signed into law, includes and estimated amount of more than $1 billion in new operating funding for the reginal transit system. This sustainable funding will allow the system to not just avoid cuts in 2026 and beyond but improve service for millions of riders in the coming years.” The same day, Ben Szalinski of Capitol News Illinois reported a story with the headline Lawmakers approve $1.5B transit funding package without statewide tax increase: “The Regional Transportation Authority, Chicago Transit Agency, 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 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%” and “Republicans pleaded with the Democratic sponsors to pull the bill given the funding shortfall for the Chicago Transit Authority 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 new statute is not only about transit. It also includes a toll increase on the Illinois Tollway, as Hannah Hundell reported in the Peoria (in central Illinois) Journal-Star: “The new measure would raise tolls for passenger vehicles by 45 cents, ‘with proportionate reductions for reduced fare programs,’ according to the bill. Tolls for commercial vehicles would meanwhile be increased by 30%.’” The Journal-Star report had more to say about the transit provisions but, meanwhile in Chicago, the RTA issued a statement that said “The bill reorganizes the system under the Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA), with new responsibilities and a board that expands to 20 members with 5 members appointed by the governor. NITA builds on the current responsibilities of the RTA with the authority for setting fares and conducting service and capital planning, allowing the Service Boards to focus on delivering high-quality service. Starting in 2027, operating funding is distributed to CTA, Metra, and Pace using a new formula that includes key metrics from the National Transit Database (NTD) and transitioning in a few years to soon-to-be-developed service standards that will help guide appropriate levels of service for different communities.” In short, NITA, which will replace RTA, will have broad powers to set fares and coordinate regional projects. In effect, much of the decision-making regarding the CTA, Metra and Pace will now occur on a regional basis, rather than by each of the services individually. There had been a proposal to eliminate the separate service boards, but their authority was reduced instead. The RTA gave this example in a post on its web site from November 10: “The legislation requires no fare increases for 2026. In the future, instead of each Service Board offering different reduced fares, NITA will have sole authority over all special fare programs for the entire regional transit system. And in 2028, NITA will implement several new fare programs, including fare capping, income-based reduced fare programs, and free and reduced fare programs for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.”

The Nov. 6 RTA post also included a lengthy and extensive summary of the legislation, which covers many details of the changes that are coming during the next few years. The new 20-member NITA Board will have five appointees from the governor, the City of Chicago, Cook County (which also includes other municipalities), and one each from the “collar counties” where Metra trains run.

The legislation also included several funding measures to keep transit going in the region, also without raising any state taxes. An estimated $860 million from motor-fuel tax revenue will be dedicated to transit operations, split 85% ($731MM) to the RTA (soon to be NITA) region and 15% ($129MM) for transit downstate. Beginning on July 1, 2026, 5% of the 6.25% state sales tax on gasoline will go from the Road Fund to transit operations. The sales tax in the transit region will be increased by 0.25%, which will also be spent on transit. The RTA expects the increase to bring in $478 million for the region. There will also be new capital revenue from interest on the Road Fund balance, estimated at $200 million and split 90% for the RTA region and 10% for downstate transit.

Szalinski reported on Nov. 6: “Chicago-area public transportation agencies won’t need to raise fares, cut routes or lay off workers next year after state lawmakers approved a bill overhauling public transit, the head of the Regional Transportation Authority said Thursday. The agencies collectively faced a $230 million deficit in 2026 that would increase to $834 million in 2027. The RTA now expects the agencies to receive $565 million in additional funding next year and $1.3 billion more in 2027 and 2028.”

Szalinski also reported on another change expected to bring some relief to the transit agencies: “Less money will also come from fares. Before the pandemic, Chicago’s transit agencies were required by state law to receive half of their revenue from fares. That requirement is being lowered to 25% starting next year before declining to 20% in 2030.” However, he also said that some of the changes will not be coming soon: “Several key changes for riders are also likely still several years away. The bill calls for implementing a new universal fare collection system by early 2030. It also establishes a series of dates by which NITA must complete a series of studies. But it doesn’t require the agencies to follow a coordinated regional service plan until 2029.”

Chicagoans Speak

Two weeks before the legislation was passed, Prof. Justin Marlowe of the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy was interviewed for an article published by the University. He blamed the fiscal cliff on rising costs and declining ridership in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, as have many managers and advocates around the country, but also said: “Chicago has one of the best transit systems in the country in terms of options but it hasn’t made the forward-looking investments that could save money down the road, like retrofitting for more fuel-efficient vehicles. On the revenue side, the system has long relied heavily on fares. State law has traditionally required that more than half of operating revenues come from riders, which can trigger the so-called ‘death spiral’ of raising fares, losing riders and then having to raise fares again. Add to that a heavy dependence on the sales tax, which was designed for a 19th-century goods economy, not today’s service-driven one. In Illinois, we traditionally tax goods rather than services. Over time, that tax base has eroded, even as expenses keep rising.” He also blamed a governance problem: “The RTA was set up as a coordinating body, but in practice the CTA, Metra and Pace behave like three separate agencies. They serve different constituencies, have different governance structures and have limited authority to do the kind of centralized, well-coordinated capital planning and service delivery that we see in other regional transit systems” and looked forward to reform: “One proposal would create a ‘super agency’ with real power to borrow, plan and coordinate system wide. That could make a meaningful difference over time, though it won’t solve the immediate budget hole.”

The Environmental Law & Policy Center (ELPC) advocates for rail as part of its advocacy for a cleaner environment. On Nove. 6, the organization posted a statement headlined Two Climate Wins for Illinois: Public Transit and Clean Energy: “These two bills—the transit bill and the energy bill—put the state on a strong and sustainable path forward. By passing the Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA) Act, lawmakers not only saved the system, but reinvested in its future. For the first time, the transit system has both the operating resources and oversight needed to provide seamless, safe, and reliable transit across the Chicagoland region and across the state.”

F.K. Plous, a longtime journalist, advocate and Railway Age contributor, told me: “I expect that, before they have full, stable funding, there will be a series of emergency funding measures. That’s what happens when you don’t have serious long-range planning.” He added: “It’s probably a good idea to have a strong and powerful superagency.” He also had more to say, including an ambitious vision for rail service in the region, which we present as an “additional commentary” following this story.

New Funding-Plus

If all the new statute did was keep the funding going for transit in Chicagoland, that alone would constitute a major step in the right direction. Other states, including New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, have done that lately. Illinois went a step further by reforming transit governance to give it a region-wide perspective. Of course, that means the local service boards will lose some authority, because core issues like fares and major service decisions will be made at the regional, rather than individual agency level. Still, the separate boards for the component agencies will still exist as a place for some local decision making and interaction with riders as a major group of stakeholders, or at least that remains a hope. In short, the Illinois legislature might have come up with a practical compromise and a model that could make sense for other places in the country where transit runs beyond a city or county line, and especially where the transit mix includes a railroad like Metra.

One difference between Chicago’s reprieve and those in other states is that it goes beyond the single act of keeping transit funding going for a few years. It changed the governance structure in a way that legislators, along with many managers and advocates, hope will improve both funding and service delivery for the long term. We don’t know how well it will do, but it seems like a worthy experiment.

F. K. Plous Commentary

F.K. Plous began his journalism career at the Sun-Times on the City Hall beat in the 1960s. He has also been observing the rail scene since that time and is an occasional contributor to Railway Age and the Chicago Tribune. He suggests an ambitious agenda for the new NITA Board, which he believes goes well with the new emphasis on regional rail service. This is the commentary that he submitted to me:

“The creation of a super-board to oversee and to some extent manage the three service boards is a long-overdue development. We have a surplus of personnel and a deficit of output at all three service agencies, most particularly the CTA, and some strong top-down management will be needed to restrain spending, reduce employment and raise output and performance standards everywhere in the system. But efficiency alone will not make Chicago transit decisively more effective or efficient. What we need desperately and urgently is growth in the rail infrastructure at both CTA and Metra so that rail can perform more and different logistical tasks now dominated by automobiles. Both CTA and Metra still seem focused on extending their lines into ever more distant and sparsely populated territories when the real task is to enrich the rail route structure in the densely populated but transit-lorn neighborhoods of the city and the existing, older suburbs.

“For the CTA this means re-igniting planning for the inner-city ‘Super Loop’ that was proposed more than 20 years ago and then dropped. The new Super Loop needs to branch off the Orange Line at Chinatown and dive into a new subway under the ‘78,’ the proposed Near South Side neighborhood between Roosevelt Road and 16th Street on empty land that formerly held the tracks and yards leading into the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad’s long-demolished Grand Central Station. A stop at Roosevelt Road would serve the new Chicago Fire soccer stadium now being planned. The line would then head northwest under the Chicago River to Canal Street and stop at long superstation which for the first time would bring CTA rapid-transit service to both Union Station and the Ogilvie Transportation Center. The line would follow the river north to the site of the proposed Lincoln Yards development (now called Foundry Park), then loop back south under Ashland Avenue and return to the existing Orange Line infrastructure at the Damen Avenue station and head east to repeat its itinerary at Chinatown.

“For Metra, the task is to build new transverse routes that cross the existing mainline spokes centered on downtown Chicago. More than 60 years ago, Illinois built an arc-shaped tollway system allowing suburbanites to travel from suburb to suburb via a gently arcing superhighway system without going downtown to change routes. The suburban rail system needs to offer the same flexibility by building passenger infrastructure along the existing alignments of the Belt Railway of Chicago, the Indiana Harbor Belt Line and the former Elgin, Joliet & eastern Railway that is now part of CN. Two of these routes—the IHB and the CN—would be particularly useful in bringing suburban air travelers into O’Hare Airport, eliminating a huge burden from the regional expressway and tollway systems. And all the routes would enable suburban travelers to make suburbs-to-suburb trips without going downtown to change trains. Further flexibility would be provided at transfer stations wherever one of the new circumferential routes crossed an existing Metra main line centered on downtown Chicago.

“A third major efficiency could be achieved if the new agency were to plan and fund the Regional Rail scheme proposed by the High Speed Rail Alliance. HSRA has proposed a bi-state, 125-mph electrified railroad following the existing South Shore Line alignment from South Bend to Chicago, bypassing the existing downtown terminal at Randolph and Michigan in favor of a Near South Side bypass that would take the trains, via existing but newly electrified tracks, into Union Station. After a brief stop the trains would continue out the north end of Union Station onto the existing Milwaukee North Line tracks, which would be electrified, to a new station under the O’Hare Airport terminal. Leaving O’Hare on existing alignments with electrification, the trains would terminate at Rockford, 90 miles northwest of Chicago.

“The campaign for these new lines will be a long one and construction will have a long and expensive timeline as well, but their construction would result in a huge enrichment of the Chicago regional economy that can be achieved in no other way. I certainly hope that the new transportation authority understands that its remit amounts to much more than a more efficient operation of the existing system. It needs to build—outward and inward—if rail is to make its full contribution to the regional economy and the regional way of life.”

The post Chicagoland Transit Gets Reprieve appeared first on Railway Age.

The Battle River Railway, a farmer-owned railroad in central Alberta, has begun moving wheat in partnership with Canadian National. 

Battle River Railway has been operating a former CN branch line between Camrose and Alliance since 2010. The railroad regularly moves grain, stores cars, and offers occasional excursions. Earlier this year, the railroad partnered with Westlock Terminals, Ltd., the Port of Westlock, and CN to do a test run of five cars of wheat. Wheat was previously moved by truck 140 miles from an elevator in Rosalind to the terminal in Westlock. But with the purchase of a wheat unloader, it can now go via rail. The inaugural five-car move over Battle River took 11 truckloads off local highways. 

The railroad anticipates moving about five cars of wheat per month. General Manager Matthew Enright told Progressive Railroading that the new traffic is a win for the railroad, its shippers, and the community. 

“When local organizations work together with shared values and community-driven goals, they create lasting opportunities that benefit farmers, rural economies and the future of agriculture in Alberta,” he said. 

—Justin Franz

The post Alberta Short Line Scores New Wheat Move appeared first on Railfan & Railroad Magazine.