WASHINGTON — Allan Rutter, Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration, says he is leaving his current post in mid-June for a position with a Texas transportation organization.
“It was a difficult decision, but ultimately it is what is best for my family,” Rutter said in a statement. “The opportunity to serve President Bush as FRA Administrator […]

WASHINGTON – As the nation is coming out of its job slump, freight railroads are expected to hire more than 80,000 new workers over the next six years, the American Association of Railroads predicts.
"The railroad provides good career opportunities," said 37-year-old Donavan "Chris" White, an assistant general foreman for mechanical operations at CSX Transportation. "I’ve […]

LOS ANGELES – U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta on April 29 accepted $573 million as payment with interest for a $400 million federal loan that helped launch the Alameda Corridor transportation project but wasn’t due until 2032.
The loan is being repaid 28 years ahead of schedule with low-interest bonds, saving the Alameda Corridor Transportation […]

WASHINGTON – CSX Transportation, Inc. (CSXT) and Norfolk Southern Railway Company (NSR) on April 23 said they have taken a key step in establishing direct ownership and control of the two Consolidated Rail Corporation (Conrail) subsidiaries that contain the Conrail assets they currently separately operate.
CSXT and NSR each have filed a Registration Statement on Form […]

WASHINGTON – Amtrak President and Chief Executive Officer David L. Gunn has sent the railroad’s FY ’05 federal grant request of $1.798 billion to Congress.
Continuing Amtrak’s comprehensive effort to return the railroad to a state-of-good-repair, the request would fund $791 million in capital projects, provide $570 million for operations and repay a $100 million federal […]

NEW ORLEANS – For the first time in 40 years, the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority will resume revenue service of the Canal Streetcar line.
"The new Streetcar will be a bright, functional and most-welcomed addition to our city," said Sandra Shilstone, president and CEO of the New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation. "Generations of New Orleanians […]

NEWARK, N.J. — For the second straight year, Governor James E. McGreevey’s budget calls for N.J. Transit fares remain at their current level.
"Public transportation must remain affordable for the hundreds of thousands of hard-working New Jerseyans who commute to work every day," McGreevey said. "This is an important addition to their quality of life – […]

WASHINGTON — In testimony before the full Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, on the safety and security of passenger rail and public transportation systems, the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) highlighted an identified $6 billion in critical security needs to keep America’s public transportation systems safe.
“In the United States, more than 9 1⁄2 billion […]

CHICAGO — Responding to recent deaths of three local youths, Metra is launching its most aggressive public safety effort in its nearly 20-year history, aimed specifically at keeping children safe around railroad property.
"These recent events have deeply saddened all of us here at Metra," Metra Chairman Jeffrey Ladd said. "We are reaching out to everyone […]

WASHINGTON – As part of a campaign to bring transparency and accountability to corporate political contributions, the Center for Political Accountability (CPA) is urging Union Pacific Corporation shareholders to support a resolution that asks the company to disclose and explain the business purpose of its political donations.
Union Pacific, the nation’s largest railroad company, currently does […]