Railway Age magazine

In a contract that spans from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2040, Transdev Canada will be responsible for exo’s train operations, the maintenance of locomotives and passenger cars, as well as the upkeep of yards and maintenance centers.

The contract includes a one-year mobilization period “to ensure a smooth transition from the current provider and two renewal options of two years each.” The current provider will continue to operate the network until June 30, 2027.

This contract is the result of a call for tenders launched in December 2024, conducted through a single-envelope weighted bidding system that included competitive dialogue. This approach is based on both quantitative and qualitative criteria and involves structured discussions with bidders. These exchanges, Transdev says, “allow for the adjustment of certain parameters to better target specific needs and secure the most advantageous proposals.” At the conclusion of this process, the decision to award the contract was ratified by exo’s Board of Directors on Thursday, March 12, 2026.

To ensure the “fairness, rigor, and compliance” of the process, exo engaged several external firms to establish a strict independent framework. This oversight guaranteed the integrity of the procurement stages and the quality of the analyses conducted throughout the call for tenders, the agency noted.

“This partnership represents a key milestone for exo. Transdev Canada’s recognized expertise will allow us to continue our efforts in maintaining the reliability, quality, and efficiency of our services, while ensuring long-term savings aligned with our 2026–2028 optimization plan. We are excited to work together to better meet the current and future needs of our passengers” said exo Executive Director Marc Rousseau.

“We are honored by this partnership with exo, which aligns with Transdev Canada’s long-term vision for mobility in the region. Through this mandate, we intend to contribute responsibly to the public transit ecosystem, drawing on our expertise as well as the know-how of the teams working on the ground every day,” added Arthur Nicolet, CEO of Transdev Canada.

MARTA’s new, better Breeze fare payment system goes live Saturday, March 28, 2026, and features flexible payment options, modern, touchscreen ticket vending machines, and more secure faregates for a safer transit system.

The new, better Breeze system will have tap to pay where customers can tap a bank card or mobile wallet directly at the faregate or validator to pay for their ride. This type of payment system is used worldwide at restaurants, retailers, and other transit systems.

The better Breeze system also features new Breeze cards and a new app. Beginning March 28, 2026, customers will be able to purchase a new Breeze card, download the Breeze app to manage their card, and use the tap to pay feature to pay with a bank card or mobile wallet.

From March 28 to May 2, 2026, both the old and new Breeze systems will be active to allow customers time to learn the new system and switch to the payment option that works best for them. During the customer transition, riders can still use their old Breeze cards and the Breeze Mobile 2.0 app at any existing old fare equipment, but old ticket vending machines will be turned off, and no fare may be added to old fare media.

System-wide ridership for February 2026 decreased 2% or by 11,862 unlinked trips per weekday from February 2025, SEPTA recently reported. “It’s important to remember that February 2025 experienced a bump in ridership thanks to the Eagles Super Bowl parade,” the agency noted. Ridership in February 2025 increased 8% from February 2024. On average there were 55,634 more trips per day in February 2025 compared to February 2024.

Average daily ridership was 742,075 unlinked passenger trips across all modes which is 4% higher than January 2026.

Weekday ridership dropped to 158,721 on February 23, 2026, due to Winter Storm Hernando. Ridership was also lower on February 16 due to President’s Day and February 17 due to the Lunar New Year and Philadelphia public schools being closed.

Average daily ridership was 742,075 unlinked passenger trips across all modes which is 4% higher than January 2026.

Metro ridership increased by approximately 2% or 5,556 trips relative to this time last year. This is primarily driven by a 4% increase or 8,988 average weekday trips on the B, L, and M. Trolley ridership continues to recover from the tunnel closure.

Regional Rail ridership declined by 18% or 15,697 trips per day relative to this time last year. “But again, February 2025 was high thanks to the parade and ridership in 2026 was impacted by the major winter storm and two holidays,” SEPTA added.

BART’s transformative Next Generation Fare Gates Project is being recognized by two prestigious national organizations. The American Public Works Association named the fare gates as its winner of the 2026 Public Works Project Award and the International Partnering Institute announced the gates as its 2026 Collaborative Project of the Year. In August 2025, BART completed the replacement of 715 gates in all 50 stations across a system that spans five counties. The project was completed four months ahead of schedule.

“No other transit agency in the world has fare gates quite like these,” said BART Assistant General Manager for Infrastructure Delivery and head of the fare gates project Sylvia Lamb. “This project is a true example of a BART-wide effort with every department contributing to the successful installation of new fare gates at every station.”

There are several examples of how Next Generation Fare Gates have transformed the rider experience:

• “The number of riders who tell BART they’ve witnessed fare evasion has dropped more than 50% compared with before the start of installation.
• “New gates and BART Police Department’s increased visible presence are critical parts of a comprehensive approach to rider safety that has resulted in a 41% drop in BART’s overall crime rate.
• “Hours spent on corrective maintenance inside BART stations for vandalism, graffiti, and broken items decreased 961 hours in the first six months after all stations had new gates.
• “Early indications are the gates are responsible for BART fare revenue growing by about $10 million annually through reduced fare evasion.”

The gates feature a unique door locking mechanism that makes their swing barriers very hard to push through, jump over, or maneuver under. The overall fare gate array height (gate, console, integrated barrier) forms a barrier of 72 inches minimum to deter fare evasion.

The post Transit Briefs: Transdev Canada, MARTA, SEPTA, BART appeared first on Railway Age.

UP earlier this month was part of Cook County’s groundbreaking for the $99.1 million Touhy Avenue Project (map above; downloadable fact sheet below), which it reported via social media “will include a new bridge constructed over our tracks and the planned I-490 Tollway to improve access to O’Hare and make travel safer for drivers, transit riders, bicyclists and pedestrians.”

The purpose of project is to “alleviate congestion, enhance safety and accommodate the new tollway construction,” according to the Cook County government, whose Department of Transportation and Highways is collaborating with the Illinois DOT, Illinois Tollway, Elk Grove Village, and the Cities of Chicago and Des Plaines on the project. This will be achieved, it said, by elevating Touhy Avenue over the planned Tollway and the UP tracks, realigning Old Higgins Road and Mt. Prospect Road, and improving the intersection of Touhy Avenue and Elmhurst Road. “These improvements aim to facilitate better traffic flow and connectivity in the region, ultimately contributing to a more efficient and safer transportation network,” according to the government. The stretch of Touhy Avenue between Elmhurst Road and Mount Prospect Road is said to carry more than 32,000 vehicles per day.

According to the government, Touhy Avenue serves as a major corridor for trucks, providing access to the largest industrial district in the Chicago metropolitan area, located north and west of O’Hare International Airport. It noted that the project will also improve access to airport amenities, including the new northeast air cargo facility, employee parking, remote parking, and car rental facilities, and provide access to the new I-490 Tollway.

The project is expected to wrap up at the end of 2027.

“Safety is the heart of everything we do, and this project puts it at the forefront by removing risks associated with at‑grade crossings while improving the efficiency of our rail network,” said Liisa Lawson Stark, Vice President–Public Affairs for UP. “UP would like to say, ‘thank you’ to our partners—Cook County Government, Illinois Tollway, the Illinois Department of Transportation and all the local communities involved—for making this long-desired project a reality.”

• STB OK’s UP Arizona Rail Line Project
• TD Cowen: Takeaways From the Next-Gen Freight Rail Conference
• UP-NS Release Merger-Application Refiling Date

NS on March 16 reported that applications are now open for its 2026 Thoroughbred Scholars program, which awards scholarships to children of NS employees. Since launching in 2022, the program has awarded nearly $4.5 million in scholarships across the Class I railroad’s 22-state network.

According to NS, 100 students pursuing an undergraduate degree at an accredited two- or four-year institution, including vocational-technical programs that are at least one semester in length, will receive a $2,500-per-year scholarship, renewable for up to four years.

Three students will receive special scholarships of $10,000 per year for up to four years. Supporting NS’ “strategic priorities of technology, leadership development, and inclusion,” the awards are:

1. NS HBCU Scholar: For a student planning to attend a Historically Black College or University.
2. NS STEM Scholar: For a student pursuing a degree in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.
3. NS Community Scholar: For a student with a strong record of community leadership and volunteer service.

Applications close April 20, and all applicants will be notified in June. NS reported that all existing and newly awarded scholarships will be “fully honored and not affected” by NS’s proposed merger with UP.

• BNSF, CPKC, NS: Accelerating Industrial Development
• NS, Progress Rail Collaborate to Upgrade 96 Locomotives
• Building Successful Industrial Development Spaces

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

Wabtec has announced that Sameer Gaur has been named as President of Global Freight Services. He will lead the company’s global services franchise, overseeing the reliability and performance of locomotive fleets in more than 30 countries. His multi-dimensional perspective, Wabtec says, “will be instrumental as we streamline our operations and enhance our partnerships with customers around the globe.”

Prior to his current appointment, Gaur served as Group President for Global Transit Services based in Paris. In this capacity, he led international teams serving approximately 800 transit operators across 40 countries, “driving a robust growth strategy centered on innovation and best-in-class service.” His leadership was instrumental in scaling the transit business in India and strengthening the North American transit vertical.

With 29-year career spanning three continents, Gaur offers a comprehensive perspective on the rail industry. His experience ranges from foundational roles at CN to executive P&L leadership at GE Rail Service. At GE Transportation, he was a key architect of the freight service franchise, building the modernization business and leading Product Management before transitioning to reshape Wabtec’s transit portfolio.

Gaur holds an MBA from McGill University, a master’s in economics from The Delhi School of Economics and a post-MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management

STV on March 17 announced the promotions of Scott Grogan and Paul Picciano to Vice President “strengthening the firm’s ability to deliver complex rail and transit vehicle programs nationwide.” With federal transit funding poised to reach $14.6 billion in fiscal year 2026, the appointments, the firm says, “position STV to lead the modernization of major transit systems nationwide.”

“Paul and Scott strengthen our ability to guide agencies through the most significant fleet reinvestment cycle in a generation,” said James Martin, PE, PMP, Senior Vice President and Head of the National Vehicles Practice at STV. “Their leadership and technical insight help our clients navigate complex procurements, integrate new technologies and bring safer, more reliable vehicles into service faster.” 

Grogan has more than 35 years of experience in engineering operations and has led multimillion-dollar public rail transit projects in major metropolitan areas across Texas. Based in Pearland, his expertise spans rail operations, light rail vehicle operations and maintenance, major procurement initiatives, capital project delivery and the design and oversight of critical track, signals, communication and electrification. He holds a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from Kilgore College.

Picciano brings more than 20 years of experience delivering complex rail vehicle programs across their full lifecycle. Based in STV’s Boston office, he has advanced the firm’s vehicle practice through his work with state transportation agencies, airports and multimodal transit systems. In his expanded role, Picciano will lead vehicle procurements for major modernization programs. He earned a Bachelor of Science in architectural engineering from Wentworth Institute of Technology.

The post People News: Wabtec, STV appeared first on Railway Age.

This is the fifth in a five-part series about railroad growth coming from truck conversions contemplated in Union Pacific’s Dec. 19, 2025 application sent to the Surface Transportation Board to acquire Norfolk Southern, focused on UP’s proposed solution to enhance competition for shippers who use UP-CSX and BNSF-NS Carload routes today.

In Part 1, Part 2 , Part 3  and Part 4 of this series, I established the challenges and probabilities of truck conversions from the new proposed UP-NS network and the importance of new rail-to-rail competition to improve an industry on the ropes. We’ve had three years of stagnant truck rates while rail rates increased at above-inflation levels. The North American rail industry has not grown since 2017 and has consistently lost market share to truck and other modes since 2018. Why? In Part 4, I offered there’s inadequate intra-rail competition and not enough affordable oversight by the STB. Customers have been bitten by years of irregular service, reducing their business competitiveness; faced unchecked rail pricing vs. competitive rates in other modes; and are faced with one of the most non-customer-friendly transportation business processes. Railroads have too much leverage; customers don’t have enough rail optionality.

Committed Gateway Pricing (CGP) is a disingenuous way to maintain competition for shippers using BNSF-NS or UP-CSX routes following the transaction for a limited amount of time. I offer a more appropriate name for the program: Temporary Tariff Pricing (TTP). TTP doesn’t sound as positive for the target audience of the merger marketing pitch as to why this transaction is a good thing for the industry and should be allowed to progress. That’s the double-edge sword of marketing. It literally cuts both ways to the point where we can transition to false labels.

The CGP program proposed in the UP-NS merger application represents a nationalized variant of the proportional rate concept pioneered in the UP I-5 Proportional Rate Agreement (I-5A). The I-5A was negotiated as part of the 1996 Union Pacific-Southern Pacific Merger Settlement Agreement (which the STB in June 2025 revisited)—rooted in the market dynamics created by the 1995 Burlington Northern + Santa Fe merger, which established BNSF as the single serving carrier in the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada corridor for the California markets. (It also addressed the U.S. Southwest and Mexico markets). While the CGP and I-5A mechanisms both use incumbent carrier rates to establish gateway pricing for interline partners, they differ substantially in geographic scope, rate granularity, market competitiveness and—most critically for shipper planning—durability.

The I-5A program, per UP’s STB submission material, has been a success in that UP has been able to effectively compete with and offer an alternative to BNSF in these markets for business open to UP. The southern points do have to be open to UP for UP to be a competitive option. This is important to understand. Significant amounts of business are handled by BNSF to and from its northern points and handed to and from UP at Portland, Ore. for UP to move those shipments among its origins and destinations, mostly in California. The program is complicated and not always well understood by BNSF nor UP Commercial personnel.

The program effectively creates a real time market “ceiling” for BNSF rates to points open to UP where UP can compete with and provide a service alternative to BNSF service if BNSF rates or service south of Portland are deemed unacceptable. This is by design: The intent of the I-5A wasn’t to create new competition but maintain existing. Last, in addition to the I-5A being a provision with expiration date, any new facilities located in the I-5A area are also subject to this agreement—two important differentiations from CGP.

The UP-NS proposed CGP program differs from the I-5A in several key areas that make the CGP program a substantially less competitive alternative for shippers and does not maintain current competition, per Table 1.0:

Though most people I’ve reviewed this with focus on the durability issue, I believe the rate calculus is more important. Early in this article, I labeled this program Temporary Tariff Pricing. Yes, the program is temporary, but the pricing is close to tariff levels at the 70th percentile, where little competitive traffic moves. Most rail traffic will move in the 20th to 40th rate percentile. Volume shippers get discounts. Most of the traffic moves below the arithmetic mean because price/volume distributions are skewed left of the median or 50th percentile. If the intent is to enhance competition, more favorable pricing should be given to this traffic.

Why is something like a competitive CGP program important? For shippers using BNSF-NS or UP-CSX routes, over time, UP will favor business on its lines and seek profit-neutral equivalency for impacted freight not solely on its lines. What does that mean? It’s easy: If UP is making $1,500 profit on a UP-NS move to the same geographic market, like Houston to Baltimore, for a similar UP-CSX move where UP must interchange that freight at a gateway, UP will price the move to the gateway as close to the $1,500 profit equivalency target as it can. Using real numbers, if UP makes $1,500 on a new UPNS move, and $750 on the CSX move to an interchange location, UP will increase the pricing on the CSX move above market to get to $1,500 profit.

“Rail 201” in commercial geographic market pricing: Be profit-neutral to alternatives. The CSX move to Baltimore becomes $750 more expensive, and the shipper who doesn’t have an option suffers.

Today, the North American rail network consists of three duopolies. One duopoly in the West (BNSF and UP), one duopoly in the East (CSX and NS), and one duopoly in Canada (CN and CPKC). In Part 4, I developed the analogy of a 900-pound gorilla (UP) becoming a 1,550-pound gorilla (UPNS) competing in the same cage (the East) as the 650-pound CSX gorilla, and at the same time, competing in the same cage (the West) of the 900-pound BNSF gorilla. If BNSF and CSX don’t merge, and the 1,550-pound gorilla is free to dominate both cages, profit-neutral pricing is but one of the tools the 1,550-pound gorilla will use to dominate its cage mates.

While some say that the UP application is the equivalent of a wolf in sheep’s clothing—a predator camouflaged as an innocent sheep—or that CGP is really a Trojan Horse—a camouflaged vessel proposed as a gift but with hidden danger inside—it is understandable to me why the application is drafted as is. Rule #1 in rail negotiations: Don’t negotiate against yourself. The application is from a railroad mindset of leverage and is a part of the negotiation process. Anchoring is a negotiating tactic of setting the bar beyond the minimum of what you’re willing to accept in the goal of attaining an outcome above your walkaway point. This application is a distant anchor from the STB’s 2001 stipulation to enhance competition for future consolidation to occur.

Will this transaction be approved? I have two peers whose opinions and perspectives I have valued deeply during my more-than 20 years of knowing each. One believes the transaction will be rejected, the other that it will be approved. They’re both right based on their reasoning. If the STB evaluates this transaction as submitted based upon the bar set in 2001 that any future Class I consolidation beyond CPKC must enhance rail-to-rail competition, the UP-NS application should be summarily rejected. If this decision is taken out of the hands of the STB and is left to become a political decision based on political influence from the current Administration, it will be approved in some neutered but not significantly degraded form. Unless the application is significantly altered, there isn’t likely a middle-ground outcome.

Size is a quality all its own. The new transcontinental UP, a single carrier connecting the eastern and western U.S., as submitted will have unprecedented rail market power and leverage CSX and BNSF will be unable to match separately. Yes, the new network will be able to convert about 500,000 truckloads to rail over a seven-to-ten-year time frame. Not talked about, the new UPNS behemoth should also take about 650,000 units from CSX and BNSF using its new market power while also extracting significant price from shippers without options.

Competition is crucial in business because it drives innovation, forces efficiency and keeps prices competitive while improving product quality. Rail is a precious commodity, and the benefits of rail (transportation cost savings, access to capacity, environmental benefits, better jobs) are without dispute. Generating new rail-to-rail competition is critical for this industry to alter its course. Adding competition through reciprocal switching among the Class I’s (like in Canada with interswitching) to enhance competition and a Permanent Gateway Pricing (PGP) solution addressing CGP’s deficiencies, could make this transaction a win-win for all parties. Regardless, we can’t keep going down the same path and expect a different outcome. We needed the Staggers Rail Act in 1980 because the industry was ill and needed to be cured. We seem to be approaching a similar fork in the road.

Per the merger rules established in 2001, to be approved, the UP-NS transaction must enhance competition. Most of us want what’s best for our industry and ultimately our country, as our rail system is a key factor in its economic success. Two million truck-to-rail conversions gave me a headache and required some independent math resulting in these five articles. I needed to do the work. I hope others do the work as well.

Rob Russell, Managing Partner, Russell-Kroese Partners (RKP), is a seasoned transportation executive who operates fluidly from the boardroom to the shop floor. A certified six sigma black belt and a LEAN champion, Rob is a proven business leader who has a track record of strategy development, financial planning, business development, operations and performance management to accomplish an organization’s desired goals. RKP partners with railroads, ports, shippers and land developers on growth strategy, market development, competitive positioning and operational execution. They help clients translate complex transportation dynamics into clear, execution-ready business decisions.  You can learn more about RKP at www.russellkroese.com.

The post Part 5: ‘Temporary Tariff Pricing’ vs. ‘Committed Gateway Pricing’ appeared first on Railway Age.

The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) and the Alliance for Chemical Distribution (ACD) have filed separate letters with the Surface Transportation Board (STB) that respectively request all six Class I CEOs to “prioritize fertilizer shipments across [their] networks in response to the global supply disruptions caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz,” and urge the Board “to carefully scrutinize any future surcharges imposed by rail carriers arising from the economic impacts of the Middle East conflict.”

In a letter dated March 16 (download below) and addressed to Steve Angel of CSX, Keith Creel of Canadian Pacific Kansas City, Katie Farmer of BNSF, Mark George of Norfolk Southern, Tracy Robinson of CN, and Jim Vena of Union Pacific, TFI encouraged the leaders to “work collaboratively with fertilizer shippers to:

• “Ensure that rail capacity—both equipment and crew—is available to meet fertilizer transportation needs;
• “Prioritize the movement of fertilizer shipments from production operations and import ports; and
• “Reduce any first-mile/last-mile service issues, including delayed spots and pulls.”

The association, which has more than 250 members, including some of the Class I’s, explained that the United States “relies on a mix of domestic production and imported product to supply U.S. growers,” and that “a multimodal logistics network moves fertilizer from domestic production site or import port to the farm gate.” Each year, it said, 90 million tons of fertilizer are transported throughout the U.S., with nearly two-thirds of all domestic fertilizer ton-miles moved by railroads. “This makes the fertilizer industry one of the most significant freight rail users, and for this reason TFI member companies value strong, day-to-day operational partnerships with your companies,” the association told the six CEOs in its letter, which also copied Brooke Rollins, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture; Sean Duffy, U.S. Secretary of Transportation; Patrick Fuchs, STB Chair; Michelle Schultz, STB Vice Chair; Karen Hedlund, STB Member; Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.), Chair, U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation; Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington, senior Democrat, U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation; Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.), Chair, U.S. House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure; Rep. Rick Larsen of Washington, senior Democrat, U.S. House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure; and Ian Jeffries, President and CEO, Association of American Railroads. “The closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to on-going military operations is having an especially significant impact on global fertilizer trade and the global fertilizer market. Persian Gulf countries are significant producers and exporters of key fertilizers and fertilizer inputs—natural gas, ammonia, urea, phosphate fertilizers and sulfur. Nearly 50% of global exports of sulfur, an important fertilizer as well as a critical input to phosphate fertilizer production, move through this area. The area is also key to producing nitrogen fertilizers, with nearly 30% of globally traded ammonia and as much as half of globally traded urea now unable to reach its intended destinations, impacting farmers around the world including those in the U.S.”

TFI pointed out that “[a]lthough domestic fertilizer supply will be tested due to challenges such as the difficulty of accessing the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. farmer demand will not decrease.” Farmers today, it reported, “are completing their preparations for Spring application and planting season, a time when access to fertilizer supplies is critical to successful crop production. Without reliable and timely fertilizer deliveries, farmers risk missing narrow application windows, jeopardizing crop yields, economic stability in rural communities, and the broader food supply chain.”

The association noted that the Class I railroads “play an important role in ensuring U.S. farmers have access to essential crop nutrients to grow food, feed, fiber, and fuel crops for American families,” and that it appreciates their “attention to the matter.”

In a separate letter, dated March 13 (download below), ACD raised concerns to the three STB members (Fuchs, Schultz and Hedlund) about “potential surcharges that freight rail carriers may impose on shippers in response to the military conflict in the Middle East and resulting economic disruptions.” It said it is particularly concerned “given the history of freight rail carriers leveraging external crises to impose unwarranted charges.” ACD noted that its members, some 400 primarily small chemical distribution industry companies, “have experienced this during both the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2024 labor disruptions.”

The United States “relies on rail movement to deliver chemicals, such as chlorine, which is essential to public safety, infrastructure, agriculture, and transportation,” ACD wrote. ”It is the rail carrier’s responsibility to ensure any fuel surcharges are directly tied to fuel costs and that rate increases are posted 20 days in advance,” it pointed out. “The STB must hold them accountable in meeting these standards. ACD is particularly concerned about surcharges on intermodal shipments, as there is a lack of clear regulatory oversight over rail charges assessed on intermodal traffic, which is exempt from STB regulation. This makes it particularly difficult for shippers to dispute charges that may not meet STB regulatory requirements. Moreover, these surcharges are typically in addition to surcharges already imposed by ocean carriers on the same intermodal movement, forcing shippers to pay a second layer of surcharges on the same shipment. It is critical that the Board clarify the regulatory oversight of freight rail charges for intermodal shipments.”

The association noted that the STB “has consistently been an important ally to shippers in the freight rail industry, ensuring freight rail carriers are held accountable and shippers have access to the resources needed to pursue regulatory assistance when appropriate.” It encouraged the Board “to continue using its authority to protect American shippers amid ongoing economic uncertainty.”

Both letters were submitted to the STB as part of non-docketed proceedings.

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We closed 2025 with the best employee safety record in our history, improving 24% from 2024. That progress reflects years of practical, field-driven change across the railroad. The evolution of the brake stick is one example of how front-line railroaders working together can make everyday tasks safer.

Like most of our best ideas, this one started with a challenge. Too many people were climbing up on equipment to hand-spin brakes—and too many were getting hurt doing it. We needed a better way. Climbing on and off railcars to set handbrakes may seem routine, but doing it in rain, snow and heat—often dozens of times a day—carries potential risk that can lead to sprains, slips and even falls.

So, we asked ourselves a simple question: how do we take climbing out of the equation altogether?

We partnered with an industry vendor, and the first design came back quickly. It was an aluminum brake stick, extendable like a household light bulb pole, that enabled employees to set and release hand brakes safely from the ground.

It was a good first attempt, but it was heavy, the locking mechanism created potential pinch points and it didn’t hold up to real railroading.

So, we regrouped and took a different approach that leaned into those closest to the work—we designed it side by side with railroaders who use the tool every day. They told us exactly what worked and what didn’t, and we listened.

Crews asked for something lighter, with no pinch points and a way to keep it nearby between tasks. One of our conductors said, “If you can put magnets on it, I can stick it on the car and grab it when I need it.” That was the moment: Simple, brilliant and straight from the field.

The result is a fiberglass brake stick that’s light, magnetic and easy to use, designed by railroaders and refined through dozens of iterations. It’s not expensive, it’s easy to use and it’s virtually eliminating injuries from climbing on and off cars. That’s a home run.

Since 2023, we’ve purchased more than 11,000 fiberglass brake sticks that are now in use across our network. Using the tool is voluntary, but most realize staying on the ground is easier and safer. Good ideas sell themselves.

To me, the brake stick is proof of what happens when employees and leaders solve problems together. This is what safety in action looks like. When we listen to the people doing the work and improve the tools they count on, we create real solutions that solve real challenges—and continue to build on our industry-leading safety performance so we all go home safe.

The post UP: Practical Teamwork, Real Impact appeared first on Railway Age.

The Surface Transportation Board on March 13, 2026, responding to separate letters filed Sept. 30, 2025 by Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific about “specific concerns with respect to service commitments made by CPKC (Canadian Pacific Kansas City) regarding the 320-mile Meridian Speedway in the CP/KCS merger proceeding, decided “there is no need for it to intervene at this time.”

In STB Docket No. FD 36500 (Sub-No. 6), CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY LIMITED; CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY COMPANY; SOO LINE RAILROAD COMPANY; CENTRAL MAINE & QUEBEC RAILWAY US INC.; DAKOTA, MINNESOTA & EASTERN RAILROAD CORPORATION; AND DELAWARE & HUDSON RAILWAY COMPANY, INC. —CONTROL— KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN; THE KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN RAILWAY COMPANY; GATEWAY EASTERN RAILWAY COMPANY; AND THE TEXAS MEXICAN RAILWAY COMPANY (GENERAL OVERSIGHT) (download below), the Board denied requests from Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific “related to alleged service issues on the Meridian Speedway between Meridian, Miss., and Shreveport, La.”

“In its Sept.30, 2025 letter, NS requests that the Board direct CPKC to provide a Service Action Plan to detail its plan for restoring Meridian Speedway haulage service to acceptable levels,” STB summarized. “According to NS, since CP’s acquisition of KCS, there has been a substantial deterioration in intermodal train service provided by CPKC over the Meridian Speedway and at the Shreveport gateway, which has affected multiple intermodal customers, some of whom have diverted their traffic from rail service to trucks. NS contends that the service degradation is inconsistent with representations that CP and KCS made to the Board in the merger proceeding, and that it is within the Board’s authority to direct CPKC to take immediate action to restore service to acceptable levels and to provide a Service Action Plan. NS states that CP and KCS specifically represented in the merger docket that ‘[n]either NS nor the Board has any reason to be concerned that CPKC will be a good steward of service on this route’ and that CPKC would take steps ‘to increase train frequency and improve service, to the benefit of both NS and intermodal shippers’ over the Meridian Speedway, and that service in general would be ‘as good as or better’ than service pre-merger. NS argues that CPKC’s performance has not matched the promises it made in the CP/KCS merger approval proceeding. According to NS, over the [past]six months, transit times on Meridian Speedway haulage trains to and from Shreveport have ballooned and the Meridian Speedway has seen a marked decrease in traffic, which is attributable in large part to CPKC’s poor service.”

“In its letter, UP requests that the Board investigate the deterioration in CPKC’s service over the Meridian Speedway and hold CPKC to what UP argues are CPKC’s commitments it made in the CP/KCS merger proceeding,” STB said. “UP states that before the CP/KCS merger, it delivered intermodal trains of up to 11,000 feet in length to KCS at Shreveport, for movement to NS at Meridian via the Meridian Speedway. According to UP, shortly after the Board approved the merger, CPKC imposed an 8,500-foot length limit on trains it would accept at Shreveport for movement over the Meridian Speedway. UP states that it agreed to abide by the restriction with the understanding that CPKC would provide additional resources to move the larger number of trains required as a result of the length restriction. UP argues, however, that CPKC has failed to provide those additional resources, and, as a result, UP and its customers are experiencing unacceptable delays, and the delays are increasing.”

CPKC, STB said, submitted a letter on Nov. 13, 2025 “arguing that the issues raised by NS and UP are not matters that fall within the ambit of the Board’s oversight, and, in any event, lack merit as a matter of fact. CPKC contends that the gateway condition imposed in the CP/KCS approval decision does not apply because the traffic at issue is not ‘affected traffic.’ CPKC states that the NS haulage traffic at issue was not affected by the merger, as it is intermodal traffic which CP does not serve today and did not serve pre-merger.”

“CPKC also defends the 8,500-foot train length restriction, noting that this limit was chosen because only three sidings out of the 20 in the 300 miles between Shreveport and Meridian can accommodate trains longer than 8,500 feet,” STB noted. “Furthermore, CPKC argues that since instituting the train length restriction, transit times for all trains on the Meridian Speedway improved markedly as soon as over-length NS haulage trains were shortened to fit within available sidings. According to CPKC, the increased dwell time in UP’s Hollywood Yard at Shreveport is a consequence of UP’s decision to continue to push overlength trains toward the Speedway despite knowing that those trains will have to be shortened at Hollywood Yard before moving onto the Speedway.”

Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific, when contacted by Railway Age, declined to comment.

This case was part of STB’s efforts to clear a large backlog.

“This was a case of Union Pacific insisting that CPKC allow 11,000-foot trains on the Speedway in spite of what the long-standing agreement made between Kansas City Southern and UP in 2006 established,” an industry observer told Railway Age. “It angered UP that CPKC decided to eliminate over-siding trains to run an 8,500-foot maximum for all trains on the corridor. In the STB filing, UP misrepresented the delays and tried to paint CPKC as violating CPKC’s merger commitments on gateways and service. UP CEO Jim Vena more than once publicly criticized CPKC, stating CPKC would not allow them to run 11,000-foot trains ‘the way the railroad was supposed to be run.’ He also made attempts to use the dispute as evidence that partnerships don’t work. As a lead up to the STB dispute in Fall 2023 , in response to CPKC’s 8,500-foot restriction, UP retaliated and imposed an arbitrary 8,000-foot-train restriction on CPKC on the trackage rights it uses to get to Mexico south of Houston, Tex., despite that years before, KCS invested heavily to extend numerous sidings across a roughly 70-mile line segment to accommodate 10,000-foot trains—the details of which are in two CPKC STB filings. This can be inferred as anti-competitive behavior and gives the very strong impression that UP will not hesitate to waste the STB’s time creating a dispute when it doesn’t get its way—the type of behavior that will become a customer problem if UP does not live up to any of the conditions imposed to have its merger with NS approved.”

The post STB Dismisses NS-UP Meridian Speedway Petitions appeared first on Railway Age.

Wabtec on March 13 reporting landing multiple contracts to supply more than 680 pantographs for six major commuter rail and metro projects across India, including Chennai Metro Phase II; Mumbai Metro Lines 4, 5, and 6; Indian Railways’ MEMU (Mainline Electric Multiple Unit) and Vande Bharat Sleeper programs. The pantograph systems, it said, “will improve overall fleet availability for the projects providing more reliable, efficient, and sustainable rail operations.”

Wabtec will manufacture the systems at its Transit facility in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, with deliveries scheduled to begin in late 2026.

“India continues to make substantial investments in modernizing and expanding its commuter rail infrastructure,” said Ajay Mani, Managing Director for Wabtec Transit India. “These orders underscore the trust our customers place in Wabtec and our longstanding commitment to the country’s rail ecosystem. Our proven pantograph technology is designed for modern mobility needs and capable of operating in even the most demanding service conditions.”

Wabtec’s pantograph technology is said to feature “lightweight, high stiffness frames and optimized linkages that ensure stable current collection across varying speeds and overhead equipment conditions.” According to the company, “precision controlled contact force, aerodynamic collector heads, and low-wear carbon strips help reduce arcing and wire wear, improving power collection efficiency.” The pantographs are equipped with “advanced damping for consistent performance,” and meet EN and IEC international rail standards, it noted.

“While the invention of the ‘diamond shaped’ pantograph traces back to John Q. Smith and commuter train travel in the San Francisco Bay of 1903, the perfection of the panto is widely attributed to Wabtec forebear Louis Faiveley,” according to Wabtec. “Not only did he improve upon the diamond style panto with his own enhanced design in the early 1920s, he eventually broke the mold entirely with the invention of the single-arm panto. Faiveley’s step-change design went on to set the world speed record (331 kmh/206 mph) for an electric powered train that same year, 1955, and is the industry standard to this day.”

Wabtec in 2016 acquired a majority stake in Faiveley Transport of France, a manufacturer and supplier of pantographs, as well as products ranging from braking systems and couplers, passenger access systems and platform screen doors, air conditioning, and passenger information systems. It acquired the remaining shares in 2017.

• Wabtec: ‘Strong’ 4Q25, Full-Year Results
• For CSX, $670MM Power Upgrade Order
• Wabtec Lands $1.2B UP Locomotive Overhaul Order
•  CPKC, NS Advance Locomotive Modernizations
• Wabtec Acquires Frauscher
• Wabtec Expanding Brazilian Footprint
• Wabtec Lands $4.2B Kazakhstan Locomotive Contract
• Driving the Future of Rail: A Conversation With Wabtec’s Eric Gebhardt

Four Alstom Innovia R APM vehicles began serving riders at Tampa International Airport (TPA) on March 13 as part of a modernization project, according to the manufacturer.

TPA has ordered a total of 16 cars to replace 30-year-old cars, which have logged more than 1 million miles each and were produced by Bombardier Transportation, which Alstom acquired in 2021. The third-generation model is “quieter, easier to maintain, and more energy efficient,” according to Alstom, which noted that interiors feature improved lighting, updated video information screens, and doors with obstacle-detection systems. In addition, Alstom is installing its Urbalis Flo automatic train control system, which it said “allows trains to run more frequently, increasing the system’s capacity and reducing passenger wait times.”

The first four Innovia R vehicles are serving as the Blue shuttles to and from the A and C concourses (known as “airsides”). By the end of the year, the APM connections to three of the airport’s four airsides will be equipped with new vehicles and the new signaling system, according to Alstom. Alstom said it is also building the guideways, signaling system, and vehicles for the future Airside D, which is expected to open in 2028.

All the APM vehicles are being manufactured at Alstom’s plant in West Mifflin, Pa., near the site where the first APMs were developed and tested in the 1960s.

TPA opened in April 1971 with a Bombardier Transportation-made APM system to connect riders from its central terminal to four airsides. Bombardier, and now Alstom, has also maintained the APM system at Tampa since its launch.

“Since 1971 Alstom has worked with the Tampa airport to keep passengers moving swiftly and reliably; some of the cars we’ve provided have logged over 1 million miles,” Alstom America President Michael Keroullé said. “Today we’re proud to celebrate a new milestone in this decades-long partnership, introducing our latest and most advanced APM vehicles into service, designed and manufactured in the United State. This is an important part of our broader commitment to support the improvement of the airport’s shuttle system.”

“TPA’s signature shuttles go back to our opening in 1971, and were the first of their kind at any airport in the world when they debuted,” TIA CEO Michael Stephens said. “Now we are proud to offer another first, with TPA being the first airport in the world to offer these brand-new shuttles coupled with the new technology and operating system that will be guiding them.”

Separately, last May Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport took delivery of the first of 29 Innovia APM 300R vehicles from Alstom.

• Toronto Orders New Subway Train Fleet
• IAM Alstom Members Ratify First Contract
• Mexico Awards $1B Passenger Fleet Contract
• From Expo 86 to Everyday Essential: SkyTrain Marks 40 Years
• Finch West LRT Opens
• Alstom, CTDOT Unveil Commuter Railcar Mockup
• Montreal REM Segment 2 Launches
• NJT Slates $917MM Multilevel I, II Overhaul

FRA Administrator David Fink and key staffers on March 10 visited the Jacksonville headquarters of Duos, which is described as a developer of “intelligent vision-based solutions using Machine Vision and AI to analyze fast-moving freight, passenger, transit trains, and trucks.”  

During the visit, Duos executives demonstrated the company’s Railcar Inspection Portal (RIP®), Mobile Railcar Inspection Portal (m-RIP), centraco® and other patented technologies that the company said are “designed to enhance rail safety, operational efficiency, and real-time monitoring across the U.S. rail network.”

Administrator Fink and FRA representatives toured the facility and reviewed how Duos’ inspection technologies help railroads detect mechanical defects, identify safety risks, and improve monitoring across freight and passenger rail operations, according to the company.

“Hosting Administrator Fink provided an opportunity for us to demonstrate how our RIP can identify potential mechanical issues, significantly enhancing rail safety,” said Adrian Goldfarb, President of Duos Technologies rail subsidiary. “Our technology can inspect every railcar passing through the system at speeds up to 125 mph, and within 60 seconds, alert the operator to potential safety issues, including a potential derailment.”

According to Duos, the visit also “highlighted the importance of collaboration between industry innovators and federal regulators in modernizing rail inspection technologies.” By combining AI-powered inspection and “actionable” intelligent data with real-time analytics, Duos said it supports “the broader mission of the Federal Railroad Administration to improve rail safety, strengthen infrastructure oversight, and promote innovation across the U.S. rail system.”

• Duos Appoints Doug Recker as Corporate Officer, President (part of People News)
• Next-Level Safety and Efficiency
• Duos Secures 11th Railcar Tech Patent
• Duos, CN Ink Five-Year Strategic Agreement

The post Supply Side: Wabtec, Alstom, Duos appeared first on Railway Age.

CSX on March 16 reported that 21 rail-served properties across 10 states have received its “Select Site” program designation, bringing the total to 80.

“CSX worked with more than 30 communities to gather information and identify top candidates for the CSX Select Site program, which connects expanding companies with highly desirable rail-served properties,” the Class I said. “Of the more than 1,110 sites served by CSX, only 6% are designated as a CSX Select Site.”

Each of the 21 new properties, it noted, earned a gold, silver, or bronze rating based on an evaluation of a range of characteristics—from rail access and zoning to utilities and more.

The newly added CSX Select Sites are:

Gold Level

• I-80 Logistics Park – Minooka, Ill.

Silver Level

• Fort Meade Rail Ready Industrial – Fort Meade, Fla.
• First Florida Tradeport – Wildwood, Fla.
• Wiley Connell Site One – Crawfordsville, Ind.
• Enterprise Industrial Park – Defiance, Ohio
• Franklin Logistics & Development – Letterkenny 29 – Chambersburg, Pa.
• Hwy 321 Greenfield Rail Site – Gaston, S.C.
• Southbound Road Greenfield Rail Site – Gaston, S.C.
• Stonecrest Farm Rail Site – Greenwood, S.C.
• Gibbs Rail Site – Sumter, S.C.
• Enterprise Center at VA Port Logistics Park – Suffolk, Va.

Bronze Level

• Pioneer Park – Dade City, Fla.
• Georgia Breakbulk Logistics Park – Brunswick, Ga.
• Kingsbury Industrial Complex – La Porte, Ind.
• Washington CSX Industrial Rail Site – Washington, Ind.
• Massachusetts Life Sciences Logistic Park and Transloading Facility – Bellingham, Mass.
• CSX-Owned East Brookfield MA Site – East Brookfield, Mass.
• Mshiké Industrial Complex – Holland, Mich.
• Kileville Site – Dublin, Ohio
• Dan Rogers Site – Dillon, S.C.
• Willoughby Site – Marion, S.C.

“Each CSX Select Site highlights the power of preparation and partnership,” CSX Senior Director of Industrial Development Kellen Riley said. “These sites give manufacturers confidence to move forward while helping communities translate readiness into real economic growth and job creation.”

Commented Jake Weir, Senior Director of Industrial Development at R.J. Corman, whose 219-acre Willoughby Site earned bronze status: “A site of this caliber doesn’t just show up on the market overnight. It requires significant time, often years, and commitment from key stakeholders to get it to a position where it can be effectively marketed to potential rail users. This Bronze Select Site designation from CSX is an acknowledgment of all the work that has been put into this property by the entire team, and the value that short line partners, such as R.J. Corman, bring to the table for Class I railroads like CSX. We sincerely appreciate everyone who has played a role in this process and CSX’s willingness to include this property in their Select Site Program this year. We’re excited to see what the future holds for this incredible property as we continue our site preparation initiatives.”

According to CSX, since the last round of candidate site designations in April 2025, Owens Corning announced a “major investment” at South Industrial Park, a Silver CSX Select Site in Prattville, Ala. The project, it said, will create 100 “skilled manufacturing jobs and strengthen Prattville’s local economy while further expanding CSX’s industrial footprint across the region.”

Separately, earlier this month BNSF broke ground on its sixth Logistics Center, and Canadian Pacific Kansas City and Norfolk Southern announced the certification of more industrial development sites along their lines.

• Building Successful Industrial Development Spaces
• CSX Adds Eight Rail-Served Properties to ‘Select Site’ Program

The post CSX Adds 21 Properties to ‘Select Site’ Program appeared first on Railway Age.

NJ Transit and Amtrak on March 16 placed the first track on the new Portal North Bridge into service.

A ceremonial first train over the new bridge, a fixed span, operated March 13, marking a “major milestone for service reliability on the Northeast Corridor,” said NJ Transit, as it begins transferring service. The ceremonial train consisted of MultiLevel coaches and an NJT ALP45-DP locomotive wrapped in graphics celebrating America’s 250th (YouTube video below). The second and final track will be placed into service on the new bridge in the fall. The original Portal Bridge, a moveable span more than 100 years old, will be demolished.

In October 2021, a $1.6 billion construction contract was awarded to Skanska/Traylor Bros PNB Joint Venture (STJV), making it the “single largest construction award in NJ Transit’s history.” Skanska said its work includes the bridge superstructure, approaches, and supporting rail infrastructure.

Recently, RT&S reported on the progress and construction photos. The project spans 2.44 miles of the NEC. NJ Transit and Amtrak shared the estimated quantities of materials used. These include 45 million pounds of steel, 219,000 cubic yards of concrete, 185,000 linear feet of pipe piles, 20,000 linear feet of drilled shafts, 4,850 linear feet of retaining walls, and 3,289 linear feet of construction access platforms. Crews have worked to construct retaining walls, concrete piers, structural steel bridge spans, foundations, and are scheduled to demolish the existing bridge in 2027. The project is part of the Gateway Program, which seeks to double rail capacity between Newark and New York.

“The segment of the Northeast Corridor between Newark and New York is the busiest stretch of rail in the country, carrying more than 400 trains and 200,000 NJ Transit and Amtrak riders every weekday,” said NJT President and CEO Kris Kolluri. “The first train over the new Portal North Bridge marked a major milestone toward completing one of the most consequential infrastructure projects in the nation and delivering the reliability our customers expect and deserve.”

“The Portal North Bridge represents the first major bridge project cutover completed on the Northeast Corridor, and we’re proud to celebrate this tremendous milestone with our partners at NJ Transit, [New Jersey] Governor [Mikie] Sherrill, and the US DOT,” said Amtrak President Roger Harris

“Completion of the Portal North Bridge is a landmark achievement for the Northeast Corridor, replacing a century-old structure with a modern, fixed network tied arch bridge that enhances reliability, reduces delay, and reinforces the resilience of one of the nation’s busiest rail corridors,” said Brian Reilly, Portal North Bridge Project Director, Skanska USA Civil. “Delivered with our joint venture partner Traylor Bros., this project provides safer, more efficient travel for the millions of passengers who rely on it each year and represents a significant step forward in building stronger, future-ready rail infrastructure for generations to come.”

Editor’s Commentary: “The old Portal Bridge was completed just a few months after Mother Theresa was born. Infrastructure that old creates delays. Delays ruin birthday parties, preclude family dinners and create stress for someone just trying to get home after a long day at work. The growth of New Jersey relies on finishing projects like the Portal Bridge and the Gateway Tunnel. Because New Jersey will only keep growing if we keep moving,” said Congresswoman Nellie Pou (D-N.J., pictured). Pardon me, but Mother Theresa? Seriously? How many people know who Mother Theresa was, and why is she relevant to Portal North Bridge? Just sayin’. – William C. Vantuono

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Multiple organizations including the National Industrial Transportation League (NITL), BNSF Railway Company, the Freight Rail Customer Alliance (FRCA) and National Coal Transportation Association (NCTA), the Transportation Division of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART-TD), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the American Chemistry Council (ACC), have provided comments on the Surface Transportation Board’s (STB) Jan. 7, 2026, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to repeal its regulations on 49 C.F.R. Part 144, “Intramodal Rail Competition,” and to restore reciprocal switching.

On July 8, the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals vacated an STB Final Rule allowing for reciprocal switching, which was opposed by railroads and drew criticism from shippers.

In a letter (download below), dated March 10, 2026, to the STB, the NITL commended the Board on its proposal to repeal Part 1144, which will “modernize its regulatory framework by removing burdensome and ineffective regulations,” according to the League.

“Part 1144 imposes unreasonable burdens on shippers whose facilities are captive to a single railroad and who seek to use the reciprocal switching statute to access a second railroad to obtain competitive, efficient, and reliable freight rail transportation. Removing Part 1144 will create new opportunities for competition in the rail industry to be a key mechanism to improve rail service and solve freight rail challenges for the benefit of U.S. manufacturers, farmers, distributors of raw materials, and the American economy,” NITL wrote in the letter.

In a letter (download below), dated March 10, 2026, to the STB, BNSF explained that it “does not oppose the repeal of competitive access rules (CARs).”

“The statutory scheme that will guide future cases is consistent with BNSF’s long-held belief that Board intervention should be limited to instances of market failure, while also ensuring that in those instances where Board regulation is warranted, the remedies must be accessible, well-tailored, and effective for all stakeholders,” the Class I wrote. “Moreover, this statutory focus on market dynamics makes it imperative that the Board consider all relevant competitive forces when considering future requests for competitive access. BNSF further notes that this proposal comes at a pivotal moment for competition in the railroad industry, as Union Pacific Railroad Company (UP) and Norfolk Southern Railway Company (NS) seek to consolidate an unprecedented amount of market power through their proposed merger. For reasons that BNSF will address in the merger proceeding, the long- 2 term competitive harms of that transaction pose a significant threat to the U.S. economy and the American consumer. Nothing in the NPRM alters the Board’s responsibility to prevent those harms in addressing the proposed merger.”

The FRCA and NCTA in a March 10, 2026, letter to the STB, commended the Board for issuing its proposal.

“The requirement in the regulations to demonstrate anticompetitive conduct before being able to obtain reciprocal switching and through route prescription to attain the benefits of competition has proved insurmountable in practice, so much so as to have a profound chilling effect on efforts to pursue what could prove to be a very valuable form of competition. Enhanced competition is needed for the benefit of not only for shippers, who have on average faced real rate increases (as measured against the GPD-IPD) for over two decades, but also for the railroads, whose excessive exploitation of their market power has led to stagnating and falling volumes over the past two decades,” the organizations wrote in the letter (download below).

Notwithstanding these concerns, FRCA and NCTA said that they welcome the proposal as a “much needed and long-awaited correction to the harm inflicted by the Midtec approach.” While there may be challenges, the proposal, the organizations wrote, “adheres to the statutory language and has the potential to result in meaningful competition, lower rates, and improved service, none of which can be said of the status quo.”

SMART-TD, in its March 10, 2026, letter to the STB (download below), provided comments in strong support of the Board’s NPRM to repeal 49 C.F.R. Part 1144 and to restore reciprocal switching determinations to a “case-by-case analysis consistent with the Staggers Rail Act.”

“Competition strengthens industries. It strengthens service. And it strengthens the workforce that keeps the nation’s freight and passenger rail systems operating safely and efficiently. The existing regulatory framework has shielded rail monopolies for the past 4 decades. It is time to remove that shield.

“SMART-TD urges the Board to finalize this rule and restore reciprocal switching to its proper statutory footing,” wrote the union, which represents approximately 100,000 transportation employees, including active rail members working in all railroad operating crafts such as engineers, conductors, trainmen, switchmen, hostlers, and yardmasters.

“Repealing Part 1144 is the right first step in making statutory relief available and finding solutions that better serve the public interest, or that correct for inadequate competition,” the organization wrote in a March 10, 2026, letter to the STB (download below). “Without any replacement regulation, petitions would be evaluated case by case. Such an approach may work well, provided the Board makes all relevant information public and places any necessary evidentiary burdens on the party most able to meet the burden. However, USDA encourages the Board to continue judicious monitoring of shippers’ use of reciprocal switching. If, for example, shippers continue to cite high rates or poor service—and still do not bring cases before the Board—STB may need to provide additional regulatory clarity as to eligibility, such as the guidelines it proposed in 2016.”

The Anticompetitive Conduct standard adopted in Part 1144, the ACC wrote in its March 10, 2026, letter to the STB (download below), “stands as an outdated and unwarranted barrier to competition in the freight rail industry. The conditions that led to the adoption of the standard no longer exist; its repeal is not only permissible, but necessary. ACC strongly supports the Proposed Rule to fully repeal Part 1144 and allow the Board to consider requests for reciprocal switching, through routes, and through rates on a case-by-case basis under its statutory authority.”

The post Organizations Provide Comments on STB’s NPRM to Repeal ‘Intramodal Rail Competition’ Regulations appeared first on Railway Age.

The government of Ontario in Canada on March 13 announced the acquisition of 127 miles (205 kilometers) of CN rail line between North Bay and Washago.

The C$138 million investment is a milestone in bringing back Northlander passenger rail service between Timmins and Toronto, with a rail connection to Cochrane. The acquisition was completed back in February and secures a dedicated rail corridor, according to the Ontario government, thereby creating jobs and improving on-time performance and reliability. It represents more than 25% of the corridor where the Northlander will operate.

Passenger service on the rail corridor will be prioritized; however it also supports freight traffic with “freight revenues directed back to the provincial Crown corporation Ontario Northland,” the government said. Additionally, freight operations will be streamlined in North Bay, where freight trains were previously disassembled, transferred onto CN track and reassembled before continuing south. Along the corridor from North Bay to Washago, nearby communities will be connected with this investment in infrastructure.

Previously, the Ontario government marked other milestones in its support of the return of Northlander service. In September 2025, it competed constructing 1,074 yards (982 meters) of new track for the passenger service. In January 2026, the first of three Siemens Venture trainsets arrived for the service. Later that same month, the government announced it was investing more than C$100 million in infrastructure upgrades.

“[W]e’re taking a pivotal step towards bringing back the Northlander and better connecting Northeastern Ontario families and workers to the opportunities and services they rely on,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation. “This investment will prioritize passenger service by supporting fast, reliable service along the line.”

Ontario Northland CEO Chad Evans said of the acquisition: “Today [March 13] marks a significant step forward as we prepare to usher in the new era of the Northlander service. The acquisition of the Newmarket Subdivision between North Bay and Washago will support on-time performance and a more dependable travel experience for passengers. Ontario Northland is proud to work with the province to deliver a transportation network that better serves people, businesses and communities across the region.”

“CN was pleased to work with the Government of Ontario and Ontario Northland on this agreement to transfer ownership of this section of the Newmarket Rail Subdivision,” CN Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Ghislain Houle said. “By securing its own corridor for passenger operations, the province is taking an important step toward restoring the Northlander and strengthening transportation connections across Northern Ontario. CN remains committed to working collaboratively with partners to support reliable passenger service while continuing to deliver safe, efficient freight transportation for our customers.”

• Ontario’s Northlander Service Revival Advances
• Northlander Service Revival Advances With Contract Award, Train Design Unveiling
• North Bay Rail Bypass Construction is Completed

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Henry, who will transition into the role from his current position as Director of Rail Operations at VRE, will be the first COO for the commuter rail service since 2019, when the role was vacated upon Rich Dalton’s appointment as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), a position subsequently held by Dalton until October 2025.

As COO, Henry will serve as a key strategic partner to VRE CEO Katie Choe, with a primary charge of “ensuring operational readiness to increase service in accordance with the recently adopted System Plan 2050.” Working collaboratively with other senior leadership, Henry will be responsible for the delivery of safe and reliable commuter service for all passengers and stakeholders, day-today rail operations, mechanical operations, and promoting and ensuring a positive customer experience. He will also provide oversight and guidance to the departments of Rail Operations and Mechanical Operations.

Henry first joined VRE as Director of Operations in 2010. In this previous role, he was responsible for “ensuring reliable daily operations of rail service, the management of operating contracts, incident response coordination, and partnering with mechanical leadership to align mechanical priorities with operating needs.” Henry also led the customer service teams and operational communications to passengers. In total, Henry brings more than 40 years of experience in providing multi-site operations management and customer support. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Florida in Orlando and an MBA from Rollins College.

VRE says it is “poised for a dramatic transformation” over the next several years, with capital projects under way throughout the system that will “improve reliability, enhance the passenger experience, and allow for significant increases in the level of service provided.” The projects are coordinated in conjunction with the Commonwealth of Virginia’s multi-billion-dollar investment into rail infrastructure through the “Transforming Rail in Virginia” initiative. Henry will provide “critical support to liaise across departments and agencies to plan and activate service adjustments throughout the life of these projects, and implement service increases as enabling projects are completed.”

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The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) has officially launched a public input survey, now open through March 27, to help guide the development of the 2026 Virginia Statewide Rail Plan. The agency is seeking feedback to ensure the updated plan “reflects the needs and priorities of passengers, freight partners, and communities across the Commonwealth.”

The Statewide Rail Plan, DRPT says, “establishes a vision for the future of rail in Virginia, outlining both short-term (six-year) and long-term (20-year) investment horizons.” To help shape this vision, the survey gathers public input on potential improvements to passenger rail service as well as freight rail considerations, including impacts at highway rail crossings. Respondents are also invited to share their perspectives on key strategies identified by DRPT to enhance passenger and freight rail service statewide.

Residents, business owners, farmers, and commuters are encouraged to participate in the survey, which takes approximately five to 10 minutes to complete.

In the coming months, DRPT will partner with the University of Virginia’s Institute for Engagement and Negotiation to host a series of public meetings. These meetings, the agency says, “will provide an opportunity to review survey findings and gather additional feedback on how Virginians would like to see the rail system evolve.”

The post Virginia DRPT Launches 2026 Statewide Rail Plan Survey appeared first on Railway Age.

UP in June 2022 filed a petition for exemption to allow the rail line’s launch in connection with the Pecos Industrial Rail Access and Train Extension Project or the PIRATE project. The line would connect the Pecos Advanced Manufacturing Zone (PAMZ) to the UP main line west of the project area and provide rail service for Commercial Metals Company (CMC)—said to be largest manufacturer of steel rebar in North America and Central Europe, as well as a leading producer in the steel long products market—as well as an alternative mode of freight transportation to future shippers (see maps below). According to UP, the line will allow CMC to receive raw materials and ship products to customers by rail more efficiently from two facilities in Mesa, eliminating an estimated 35,000 trucks per year.

“Construction and operation of the Line will introduce a new freight transportation option in the PAMZ for both current and potential future shippers,” the STB said in its decision (download below).

“It will also facilitate the diversion of traffic from truck to rail, thereby increasing overall energy efficiency,” the STB continued. “With OEA’s [the STB’s Office of Environmental Analysis] final recommended mitigation, there will be no potential for significant environmental impacts from construction and operation of the Line.” After considering the transportation merits and environmental issues, the Board, considering the entire record, said it approved Alternative 1 in the Draft and Final Environmental Assessments (EAs), subject to compliance with the environmental and historic mitigation measures set forth in its decision Appendix (see Alternative 1 details below). “This action, as conditioned,” it noted, “will not significantly impact the quality of the human environment or the conservation of energy resources.”

OEA in August 2023 delayed issuance of a Final EA after discovering that “there had been significant ground disturbance and damage to National Register of Historic Places-eligible archaeological resources within the proposed right-of-way,” according to the STB. “Following briefing on the issue, the Board was unable to reach a majority decision on whether a violation of NHPA had occurred, and the historic review process under NHPA resumed.” OEA on Feb. 27, 2026, issued a Final EA updating the environmental analysis and responding to the comments received on the Draft EA. “In the Final EA, based on that analysis, OEA determined that the conclusions in the Draft EA remain valid,” STB reported. “The Final EA also recommended conditions to the Board to avoid, minimize, or mitigate the project’s potential impacts on the environment and historic properties.”

While this project “satisfies the criteria for exemption,” the STB noted, “UP’s failure to adequately protect the identified National Register-eligible archaeological sites in the APE from disturbance during the pendency of the proceeding was deeply troubling. UP represents that it has instituted several new practices to ensure that, going forward, cultural resources are not disturbed or damaged during the pendency of the NHPA Section 106 process for a construction project … UP acknowledges that failures in communications and lack of awareness of the historic review process by various UP personnel are ‘unacceptable’ and ‘in need of correction’ … Should a future lapse in awareness or communications by UP personnel (or agents acting on UP’s behalf in connection with a construction project) result in impermissible disturbance or damage to cultural property, the Board will closely scrutinize UP’s conduct and consider whether significant consequences are appropriate. The Board expects UP to take all necessary steps to ensure that cultural resources are not disturbed or damaged during the Section 106 process in future construction cases.”

According to the STB, petitions for reconsideration must be filed by April 2, 2026.

• STB Issues Final EA for UP’s Proposed Arizona Line
• STB Directs UP to Correct ‘Deficiencies’ in Arizona Rail Line Project Proceeding

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On March 6, CSX joined HDHPT, along with state and local leaders, to celebrate the expansion of their manufacturing operations in Montgomery, Ala. The groundbreaking marks a significant milestone in HDHPT’s $200 million project and “highlights CSX’s role in supporting the efficient movement of large, complex transformer components critical to the nation’s power grid,” the Class I said.

“CSX has been a longstanding partner to HD Hyundai Power Transformers and the Montgomery community,” said Christina Bottomley, Vice President of Business Development and Real Estate. “As this project moves forward, our team is working closely with CSX’s Clearance Bureau, which specializes in the logistics of complex, dimensional moves, to help HDHPT further strengthen its supply chain, support regional growth, and advance the reliability of the nation’s power grid.”

Rashard Howard, Director of Business Development, represented CSX at the event and emphasized the importance of collaboration in advancing large-scale infrastructure projects.

“State and local partnerships are essential to moving transformational projects from vision to reality,” said Howard. “By working alongside our customer, community leaders, and economic development partners, we’re delivering solutions that drive investment, create jobs, and support long-term growth for our railroad.”

The expanded facility will enable HDHPT to manufacture even larger transformer units in the United States, “reinforcing domestic manufacturing capabilities and enhancing national energy security.”

In related news, CSX subsidiary Quality Carriers, Inc., has been named Unilever’s Bulk Carrier of the Year for 2025, recognizing the company’s excellence in service, safety and partnership.

“Congratulations to the Quality Carriers team for this well-deserved honor and for continuing to set the standard in the bulk liquid chemical transportation industry,” CSX wrote in a LinkedIn post.

Triple Crown Services, a NS subsidiary was named Top Intermodal Rail Carrier by Averitt as part of its 2026 Averitt Integrated Carrier Awards. The recognition highlights Triple Crown’s strong performance across the past year, including tracking and visibility, proactive communication, service quality, on-time performance, and total volume supported.

“Our carrier partners are essential to the success of our Integrated Services operations. These awards recognize the carriers that consistently demonstrate reliability, strong communication, and a commitment to service that supports our customers across a wide range of transportation needs,” said Averitt Vice President of Integrated Services Steve McDonald.

“This recognition from Averitt shows that when we deliver reliable service and strong partnership, customers notice. Thank you to everyone across the Triple Crown Services team and our broader intermodal organization who played a role in delivering this result,” NS said.

“We’re proud to see the Triple Crown team recognized for the strong service they deliver to customers every day. This award reflects the impact, efficiency and collaboration that define our partnership with Averitt and our team’s commitment to adding value to our customers’ supply chains,” said NS EVP and Chief Commercial Officer Ed Elkins.

On Feb. 5, 2001, CN’s Halifix Intermodal team made a commitment to one another to put safety first. A quarter-century later and that commitment is stronger than ever.

This year, the team proudly celebrates 25 years injury-free, CN announced via LinkedIn. “Even as faces have changed over the years, the standard has not. Safe choices are simply how work gets done, and nothing less is accepted,” the Class I said.

“Halifax Intermodal shows that when safety becomes a legacy, everyone goes back home to their loved ones the same way they came into work.”

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TTC riders of Line 5, Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit, between Don Valley and Kennedy stations, and across Line 6, Finch West LRT, will start to see improved trip times with the rollout of “enhanced transit signal priority” at intersections on the street-level portions of each line, the agency reported March 11.

The City of Toronto has made changes to traffic signals that allow LRT trains to move through these intersections before left-turning vehicles, according to TTC. “Additional enhancements to the signals to make them more dynamic and responsive in real time are in the works on both lines and will be rolled out in the coming months,” it said. “Enhanced transit signal priority is implemented at all intersections on Line 6, and at the following Line 5 intersections: Victoria Park Avenue, Eglinton Square/O’Connor Drive, Pharmacy Avenue, Hakimi Avenue/Lebovic Avenue, Warden Avenue, Sinnott Road/Thermos Road, Rosemount Drive, Ionview Avenue, andSloane Avenue/Bermondsey Road. Improvements at Leslie Street will be implemented after further testing and coordination with other planned traffic operations changes.”

TTC is the operator for Line 5 Eglinton and Line 6 Finch West. Under agreements with Metrolinx and the City of Toronto, it is responsible for operating trains, providing security and revenue control, and staffing stations. The agency began an introductory service period on Line 5 on Feb. 8; and launched Line 6 service on Dec. 7.

Line 5’s infrastructure and vehicles are maintained by Crosslinx Transit Solutions (CTS) under contract to Metrolinx; for Line 6 they are maintained by Mosaic Transit Group (MTG) under contract to Metrolinx.

“We are taking action to save customers on Line 5 and Line 6 more time on their trips,” Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow. said “Rapid deployment of new enhanced transit signal priority measures is part of our plan to speed up transit across our city and give people more time with their families and less time commuting.”

“I have been clear that rapid transit must be rapid,” TTC Chair Jamaal Myers said. “I want to thank the City, TTC and Metrolinx teams for moving quickly on these signal priority improvements. This is a practical step that will help keep LRT vehicles moving and improve travel times for riders, especially along the Line 5 corridor in Scarborough.”

“As the operator of Lines 5 and 6, we are listening to our customers when they tell us they want to see their trip times sped up as part of broader improvements,” added TTC CEO Mandeep S. Lali. “This first, new phase of Transit Signal Priority is going to bring real, measurable, incremental improvements upon which we can continue to build, bringing with it an enhanced experience for the City, the region and our customers.”

Meanwhile, TTC on March 15 will extend LRT service on Line 6 to 1 a.m. Trains will arrive every six and a half minutes during weekday morning and afternoon rush hours, and every 10 minutes at all other times, the agency reported March 10.

With this change, late-evening replacement buses will no longer operate after 10 p.m. along the Finch West corridor. TTC’s Blue Night bus service will operate from 1 a.m. until the start of train service at 6 a.m. Monday to Saturday, and 7:30 a.m. on Sundays. TTC noted that in the event of an unexpected service disruption, shuttle buses will continue to be available if needed.

Line 6 opened in December under temporary “soft opening” conditions, with early nightly closures providing the line’s maintainers, MTG, with an extended maintenance window, allowing staff to become more familiar with the line and monitor it for any issues while in full revenue service, according to TTC.

TriMet has released an updated package of service proposals to its Board of Directors for consideration as it continues efforts to balance the budget for FY 2027, according to the transit agency, which provides MAX light rail, WES commuter rail, bus, and LIFT paratransit services in Oregon’s three most populous counties (Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas).

“With steep cost increases, less revenue coming in from fares and projections showing all of our funding streams lower than expected, service cuts are a difficult but necessary step toward our long-term financial stability,” TriMet reported March 11. “By taking action now, we will preserve vital transit service to jobs, schools, services and other important destinations across our 533-square-mile service district for decades to come.”

TriMet released service proposals in January outlining a number of changes and cuts to service. “Following extensive community engagement, including 13 open house events and a survey that drew more than 8,100 responses, our final package makes changes to 34 lines,” it said. “That includes updated proposals affecting 12 lines.”

Among the largest changes made to the proposals, the agency said it now plans to:

• Continue Line 19 service along NE Glisan Street to serve Providence Portland Medical Center.
• Adjust proposed Line 10 route to run on SE Duke Street and adjust hours to maintain transit service for students at Portland Public Schools’ Community Transition Program.
• Maintain Line 97 serving Tualatin-Sherwood Road and extending north to Barbur Transit Center.

Updated proposals adjust the plans for the following lines: 10, 16, 19, 29, 34, 38, 58, 63, 97, and 156. The agency said it has dropped proposed changes to lines 22 and 23. All but one of the proposed changes will take effect Aug. 23, 2026, if approved, according to TriMet, which noted that the changes “remain centered on network efficiency, combining lines or reducing where lines run near others, eliminating some bus lines and moving routes.” The goal, it said, “is maintaining as much service as possible while focusing our service investment where it is needed and used most.”

The TriMet Board is now considering these proposed changes as part of the FY 2027 service plan. The Board will vote on an ordinance approving the plan on April 22, 2026, the agency said.

TriMet also released its proposed budget for the coming fiscal year—July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027 (above). “It continues to rely on reserve funds to preserve the core transit service essential to our riders, employees and the regional economy while we work to balance our expenses with our resources,” the agency said. “While the proposed budget absorbs the initial measures TriMet has taken to cut spending, including reducing internal expenses and staff, it does not reflect all upcoming cost-cutting efforts.” That includes the service changes proposed to take effect in August since the TriMet Board has yet to approve them. Also, TriMet said its leadership is currently finalizing another round of internal spending cuts as well as a staffing reduction that will include another round of layoffs. Those service and internal spending cuts will be included in the budget when it goes to the TriMet Board for adoption in May. Because of that, the FY2027 adopted budget is expected to come in less than the current proposed budget, according to TriMet.

Public comment on the proposed budget is open through noon, March 24 or at the TriMet Board’s March 25 business meeting.

CTA has submitted its Revised Security Enhancement Plan to the FTA, which includes “a 75% increase in monthly system policing hours, aggressive crime reduction targets, and expanded social service support—bolstered by early data showing that crime reduction strategies implemented over the past three months are working* ,” the transit agency reported March 10. The plan is CTA’s formal response to an FTA Special Directive issued in December and details how the agency will “significantly expand the law enforcement surge it launched in December.”

CTA said the plan was created in collaboration with the Chicago Police Department (CPD)—CTA’s primary law enforcement partner—and the Cook County Sheriff’s Office. CTA is also in communication with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office about security initiatives.

The plan’s increased policing includes 34% more hours from CPD’s Public Transit Section; double the off-duty officers patrolling CTA on their days off as part of CPD’s Voluntary Special Employment Program (VSEP); and Cook County Sheriff’s Police officers working on CTA’s rail lines (4,400 hours monthly).

The plan also features other aspects of what CTA called its “comprehensive approach to keeping its employees and riders safe”:

“Social Services & Crisis Intervention

• “Partnership with Chicago Department of Family and Support Services: CTA funds outreach teams on the Blue and Red lines (24-hour service) to connect unhoused riders with shelter, housing, and social services. Since 2023, more than 300 people have been placed in shelters and 200 moved to stable or permanent housing. In 2026, CTA is funding 30 dedicated shelter beds—a five-fold increase—with $1.65 million in allocated funding.
• “Partnership with Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH): CDPH funds overnight outreach by The Night Ministry two nights weekly at Blue and Red Line terminals to connect people with social services and housing. CTA also added a police kiosk at Forest Park Blue Line station for local police to staff and have a presence on the platform.
• “Safe Ride Specialists pilot: This year, CTA is launching Crisis Intervention Specialists and Violence Interrupters—trained staff to de-escalate mental health and behavioral crises and refer and connect riders to social services.”

“Fare Evasion Mitigation

• “High-barrier fare gates pilot: CTA will expand the installation of non-ADA, high-barrier fare gates at rail stations that are typically staffed but continue to have high rates of fare evasion.
• “Farecard inspection missions: In 2026, CTA is launching farecard inspection missions to uncover the use of free, reduced, or other entitlement fare media by someone other than the authorized holder and revoke the entitlement if the eligible user is allowing the inappropriate use of the fare media.
• “Enhanced ridership data: The CTA is using new data tools to track fare evasion more precisely. On buses, it’s analyzing passenger counts by route and time of day. On trains, video audits are measuring evasion at individual branch lines. The more detailed picture will help CTA deploy enforcement resources more strategically and measure whether they’re working.”

“Technology, Infrastructure and Public Messaging

• “AI-powered gun detection technology: CTA is continuing to expand the use of AI-powered gun detection technology to more than 1,500 cameras across its Chicago rail stations.
• “Enhanced fare messaging: New bus signage and ‘fare required’ audio announcements are being added to CTA buses to clarify fare payment requirements.”

“Partnerships

• “Increased transit crime prosecution in collaboration with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office: CTA and CPD are working closely with the CCSAO as it continues to enhance its operations and protocols to proactively and vigorously prosecute transit-oriented crime.
• “Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN): CTA has entered into a partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois to address violent crime on transit—the first PSN deployment on a mass transit system. PSN is a federally funded, nationwide initiative and brings together federal, state, and local law enforcement and other stakeholders.”

“This plan represents my commitment to our employees and riders,” CTA Acting President Nora Leerhsen said. “As part of its holistic approach to security, CTA is significantly increasing policing hours through the Chicago Police Department’s Public Transit Section and off-duty policing program, and the Cook County Sheriff’s Police Department has been engaged to bring their officers onto CTA. CTA is also expanding social service support, from introducing mental health teams to funding shelter beds for the unhoused and investing in technology that supports the officers that patrol the system. The January and February results* from CTA and CPD’s joint security surge have been promising, and we’ve built on that momentum by creating a sustainable security model that puts people first.”

“CPD, in close partnership with CTA, is committed to enhancing safety on the public transit system for all ridership and employees,” added CPD Superintendent Larry Snelling. “In this updated security plan, CPD will have more officers patrolling the rail system to both deter crime and respond to incidents more quickly. This builds on the progress we have made throughout the past year to hold criminal offenders accountable through an increased police presence on the rail system, the launch of a new Public Transit Strategic Decision Support Center and strengthened, specialized transit crime investigations.”

“The CTA is one of the largest public transit systems in America and our office looks forward to working closely with them as they expand and invest in their security environment,” Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart noted. “Along with providing Sheriff’s Police officers that will soon be patrolling the CTA, my office will be leading a public safety task force for the new Northern Illinois Transit Authority starting in June. NITA is a recently created government body that will oversee CTA, Metra and Pace.”

According to CTA, it has worked with CPD to implement new police missions across its system, including:

• “Transit Rider Interaction Program (TRIP) missions: Teams of six-eight officers board trains and inspect cars at high-incident stations. More than 300 TRIP missions have been conducted since they were launched in January; crime at targeted stations dropped 15%.
• “Bus Ride-Along missions: Officers patrol CTA bus routes with the most reported crimes and highest rates of fare evasion.
• “Bus Safe Corridor missions: Police are stationed at bus stops in high-crime areas during peak hours.”

* CTA reported that the improved security numbers since the December 2025 introduction of the CTA and CPD’s joint security surge “are compelling”:

• “Total transit worker assaults fell 25% in January and 29% in February when compared to the six-month average leading up to the start of the security surge in December 2025.
• “[W]hen comparing the period since the start of the surge (Dec. 19, 2025) through the end of February 2026, with the same period in the previous year: Violent crime on buses plummeted 19%; systemwide crimedropped 9%; and incidents of crime on CTA’s rail system fell 9%.”

Starting the week of March 8, WMATA reported that new non-slip decals will be on the floor of 20% of its Kawasaki Rail Car, Inc.-built 7000-series rapid transit cars for approximately three months, “reminding customers sitting in priority seats to offer them to those in need.“

Priority seating, it noted, is intended for “people with disabilities, people who use mobility devices, older adults, pregnant people, and others with not-always-visible disabilities.” These seats are next to the center doors of each railcar and are marked with signs above the seat, but the signs “can be difficult to see in crowded trains or when customers are seated,” according to WMATA, which serves a population of approximately four million people across Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia within a 2,054-square-mile jurisdiction. The transit agency has a network of six rail lines, 98 stations, 126 bus routes, and a door-to-door paratransit service (see map below).

The floor decals “will remind customers to look up and proactively offer the seat to fellow passengers who may need it more,” according to WMATA.

“Accessible transit is as much about infrastructure as it is about culture,” WMATA Chief Customer Officer Sarah Meyer said. “In a world where many of us are distracted by our phones and plugged into noise-cancelling headphones, we sometimes forget about our surroundings. These decals are a simple but powerful reminder that we all share responsibility in making [WMATA] welcoming and accessible to everyone.”

WMATA said it will use feedback from riders, its Office of ADA Policy & Planning, and the Accessibility Advisory Committee to evaluate the pilot’s effectiveness before deciding the next steps. It noted that its upcoming fleet of Hitachi-built 8000-series cars will also include more accessibility features, including a dedicated spot for people using wheelchairs.

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CSS is continuing its multi-year locomotive modernization initiative, which includes major rebuilds that extend the life and utilization of its mainline fleet. By the end of 2026, 12 of 13 road locomotives will have undergone comprehensive mechanical overhauls, including upgraded electrical systems, traction components, and improved cab ergonomics, according to Anacostia.

“These rebuilds have already reduced shop time and improved fleet availability,” said Chief Mechanical Officer Justin Moon. “With rebuilt components below the deck, our locomotives perform more consistently and require fewer surprise repairs. The return on investment has been very strong.”

NYA’s mechanical team has expanded its capabilities and now completes locomotive rebuilds internally, “reducing downtime from a year or more to just six months,” according to the company. The current focus is GP38-2 #261, which is receiving rebuilt engines, upgraded generators, a new compressor, improved LED lighting, enhanced cab ergonomics, and an upgraded electrical cabinet.

“Having this work done in-house gives us greater control over timing, costs, and quality,” said NYA President Marlon Taylor.

The mechanical shop now consists of 10 employees, including a Quality Assurance Manager, Gene Beaubien, whose role “ensures compliance with industry standards and supports continuous improvement.”

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Intramotev, developer of the TugVolt autonomous battery-electric railcar, has appointed Ray Betler, former Wabtec President and CEO, as an Independent Director for its Board.

“Ray began his career as a Propulsion Systems Design Engineer at Westinghouse, where he rose to become the youngest Head of Engineering and later President and CEO in the company’s 120-year history,” Intramotev reported March 12. He joined Wabtec in 2008, becoming COO, then President and CEO. During his tenure, Betler led Wabtec’s global operations, directed the strategic acquisition of Faiveley Transport, and led the company through its merger with GE Transportation, which was completed in early 2019. This doubled Wabtec’s size to more than $8 billion in revenue and 27,000 employees worldwide and secured the company’s place in the Fortune 500, noted Intramotev, which describes itself as “the first company in the world to commercially deploy autonomous freight railcars.” Betler retired from Wabtec in summer 2019; he was succeeded by Rafael Santana, who had been President and CEO of GE Transportation prior to the merger.

“Betler’s appointment comes as Intramotev continues to demonstrate real-world impact for customers,” the St. Louis-based manufacturer said. “In 2025, the company moved over 350,000 tons of material for customer Carmeuse Americas. In February of 2026, Intramotev began a commercial deployment with Watco, one of the largest short line railroad holding companies in North America.”

“Ray has spent his career at the forefront of rail innovation,” Intramotive CEO Tim Luchini commented. “He’s led global organizations through times of transformation, and having his experience at Intramotev will be invaluable as we continue to grow.”

“Intramotev’s technology is already delivering measurable results for customers, and it’s clear the company has only scratched the surface of what’s possible,” Ray Betler noted. “I look forward to supporting the team as they expand adoption of a technology our industry truly needs.”

Separately, rail industry veteran Harry Zander joined Intramotev last spring as Chief Commercial Officer.

• Intramotev: $14.4MM to Retrofit Rail Industry Growth
• Eagle Drayage Deploying Intramotev TugVolt

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Investment firm Ridgewood Infrastructure on March 10 reported acquiring a controlling interest in California-based Sierra Railroad Company (Sierra), which provides short line, switching, storage, and transloading services. At the same time, it said, Sierra is acquiring Central Valley Ag Transport (CVAT), an agricultural products transload facility owner and operator serving customers along Sierra’s rail network.

Sierra’s operating subsidiaries include Sierra Northern Railway (SERA), Railway Age’s 2026 Short Line of the Year Honorable Mention, which owns and operates the freight rail business and provides switching, storage, and transloading services across approximately 130 miles of track in California. SERA interchanges with BNSF and Union Pacific, and its network is located near dairy and agricultural regions, West Coast ports, and industrial centers.

According to Ridgewood Infrastructure, its transaction also includes SERA’s subsidiary Railpower, Inc. Last fall, their jointly developed HFC (hydrogen fuel cell)-powered, ZE (zero-emission) four-axle switcher entered service. The unit—the first of four—is described as “the first [of its type] in the United States built specifically for freight rail.”

“The acquisition of CVAT strengthens SERA’s platform by vertically integrating agricultural transload capabilities that are essential to California’s dairy and broader agricultural industry,” Ridgewood Infrastructure said. “CVAT provides specialized transloading services along SERA’s network, enabling efficient movement of feed and agricultural products while deepening customer relationships and increasing rail utilization.”

“SERA is a high-quality short line rail platform with strong fundamentals, a diversified customer base, and a strategic footprint in some of California’s most important industrial and agricultural corridors,” said Ridgewood Infrastructure Partner Ryan Stewart, who is a former Managing Director for Fortress Investment Group’s infrastructure business. “Our team brings deep experience owning and operating short line and other railroad businesses across the United States, and we see meaningful opportunities to build on SERA’s strong foundation by driving additional freight volumes for both existing customers and new customers, expanding transload capabilities, and supporting innovation across the platform.”

“This partnership with Ridgewood marks an important next step for SERA,” noted Kennan H. Beard III, CEO of SERA. “Ridgewood’s experience operating rail and infrastructure businesses, combined with their investment approach, gives us the resources and support to accelerate execution across the platform. We are focused on growing volumes, expanding transload capacity, and continuing to serve our customers with the reliability and responsiveness they expect.”

“In selecting a partner for Sierra, it was critical to find an investor with the sector expertise, aligned strategic perspective, and financial capacity to support the company’s next phase of growth,” commented Mike Hart, Founder of Sierra, who has led the company since its acquisition in 1995. “Sierra had reached a point where meaningful near-term investment was required to pursue identified opportunities. Ridgewood stood apart as a differentiated, value-added partner with a deep understanding of the rail industry and a proven track record of building lower middle-market infrastructure businesses. Their experience and approach made them the right long-term owner for Sierra, and I am pleased to remain a significant investor alongside Ridgewood.”

Ridgewood was advised by King & Spalding and Truist Securities. Sierra was advised by Northborne Partners, and Honigman LLP served as its legal counsel. Debt financing for the transaction was provided by Brookfield Infrastructure Credit.

• SERA Celebrates USA’s 250th Anniversary With Specially Painted Locomotive
• SERA Debuts HFC ZE Switcher
• SERA Orders More Ballard Fuel Cell Modules
• SERA Acquires RailPower LLC Assets

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