FRA – Page 17 – Railfanning.org

FRA Grant to Support Rail Upgrades at Washington State Intermodal Center

August 29, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHIGNTON — The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is awarding $882,000 to the Washington Department of Transportation for rail improvements at the Big Pasco Industrial Center. This intermodal facility is owned by the Port of Pasco and located along the Columbia River in southeastern Washington. The grant funds will be used to construct a new track junction with the BNSF Railway, a new highway-rail grade crossing at Sacajawea Park Road, and 1 ½ miles of new track within the industrial center to be used for rail car switching operations. These upgrades are part of a larger project at the facility intended

Buffalo & Pittsburgh Railroad Receives FRA Grant to Replace Cross Ties

August 29, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is awarding a $100,000 grant to the Buffalo & Pittsburgh Railroad that will be used to replace approximately 1,625 cross ties along a 25-mile segment of track between Cloe and Creekside, Penn. These funds will supplement a larger ongoing rehabilitation project to upgrade this line with safety improvements that will permit trains that deliver coal to the Edison Mission Homer City Power Plant to operate at higher speeds. In addition, the railroad is providing $25,000 in matching funds.

FRA Provides First-Ever Bridge Inspection Handbook to All Railroads

August 22, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA), and the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance of Way Association (AREMA) have collaborated to distribute AREMA’s first-ever Bridge Inspection Handbook. It contains vital information for use by bridge inspectors, maintenance of way managers, and all other persons who are involved in decisions related to railroad bridge safety and management. It provides sound direction and advice based on recognized engineering practices to assist railroads in meeting its bridge inspection duties. FRA purchased and distributed one copy of this important reference guide to each of the

UIC Receives FRA Grant to Develop Software to Study Track Performance

August 22, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration has awarded a $549,132 grant to the University of Illinois at Chicago to develop a computer software simulation tool to evaluate track performance and vehicle dynamics under high speed operation. Once complete, the software will enable to users to assess the behavior of complex light weight rail vehicles over rail lines. Through modeling and three-dimensional simulation, the application will demonstrate the interaction between train wheels and track under diverse conditions. It will also permit the study of derailment scenarios and how various types of rail vehicles are able to safely navigate track with different

FRA Research Grant Awarded to UCSD to Study Rail Buckling

August 22, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

The Federal Railroad Administration has awarded a $225,932 research grant to the University of California at San Diego to continue studying thermal-induced stress in Continuous Welded Rail (CWR) that can lead to rail buckling in hot weather. Being able to better understand and detect when rail buckling is likely to occur will improve safety and the operation of freight and passenger trains. The work to be performed under the grant involves development of a model that can reliably measure and predict the response of CWR as stress is applied to it. Future work will involve laboratory testing of the model,

FRA Calls on Railroads to Join in a New Safety Program Designed to Reduce Risks that Can Lead to Train Accidents and Employee Injuries

August 12, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON- Improving upon the historic levels of safety achieved in recent years by the nation’s railroads will require the use of a new risk-based approach to identify and correct safety issues before they result in train accidents and employee injuries, Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph H. Boardman told industry leaders at a Rail Safety Summit. “Fixing something after it breaks or writing rule violation notices is increasingly unlikely to result in significant additional gains in rail safety,” Boardman said, who announced the Risk Reduction Program (RRP) which is aimed at supplementing current federal regulations, inspection requirements, and other compliance and enforcement

Ambitious State Proposals to Improve Intercity Passenger Rail Service Compete for Federal Funding Under New DOT Grant Program

August 6, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — Twenty-five forward-thinking proposals from 22 states to improve intercity passenger rail service and help relieve traffic congestion in many regions of the Nation will compete for $30 million in federal funding under a new Bush Administration grant program, announced U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary E. Peters. “Our goal is to achieve long-term improvements in intercity passenger rail service by supporting state investments that get real results,” Peters said. She said the Department is currently reviewing the proposals and will determine final grant awards in September. Peters explained that the state proposals received are generally designed to improve the

Alaska Railroad Receives FRA Grant for Rail/Highway Bridge to Military Training Area

August 2, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is awarding $44.2 million to the Alaska Railroad for a dual use railroad/highway bridge over the Tanana River to the U.S. military’s Joint Tanana Training Complex. The bridge, which is part of the Northern Rail Extension project, is part of the new 80-mile rail line from North Pole to Delta Junction. The grant funds are to be used to advance existing designs to contract-ready engineering documents; complete filings for all necessary permits; obtain required rights-of-way; build construction staging areas; and begin construction of the bridge and connecting roadways. However, no funds may be

U.S. Transportation Peters Unveils Bush Administration’s New Approach for America’s Transportation Future

July 30, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

ATLANTA – A clean and historic break with the past is needed to encourage the future vitality of our country’s transportation network, said U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters, who unveiled the Bush Administration’s new plan to refocus, reform and renew the national approach to highway and transit systems in America. “Without a doubt, our federal approach to transportation is broken. And no amount of tweaking, adjusting or adding new layers on top will make things better,” Peters said. “It is time for a new, a different and a better approach.” Peters said the plan sets a course for reforming

Seven States Share $5.6 million in Grant Funding for Grade Crossing Safety in High-Speed Rail Corridors

July 26, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — Five federally-designated high-speed rail corridors in California, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Carolina, Texas, and Wisconsin will share $5,640,174 in federal grant funding to make safety improvements at approximately 25 highway-rail grade crossings. The funds will support the installation of grade crossing warning lights and gates, the closure of crossings, and other engineering solutions to help prevent motor vehicle-train collisions along rail lines where high-speed passenger trains are intended to operate in the future. The grants are jointly managed by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and complement the significant investments and ongoing efforts