WILMINGTON, Mass. — An error by a signal contractor apparently led to a fatal accident in which a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority train struck a vehicle, killing its driver, on Friday. The Boston Globe reports that MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak said in a statement that “human error” is the focus of the investigation by […]
SEATTLE — Almost four years after the derailment that halted its use, Amtrak trains will return to the Point Defiance bypass south of Tacoma, Wash., on Thursday, Nov. 18. Initially, eight trains — the Amtrak Cascades service and the Coast Starlight — will use the 14.5-mile inland route, which parallels Interstate 5. It departs from […]
WATERBURY, Conn. — Metro-North Railroad has eliminated the last “dark territory” Manual Block System segment on its 271-mile commuter rail system, activating Centralized Traffic Control on its 27-mile branch between Devon and Waterbury. The system was activated at 6 a.m. on Nov. 7. After a weekend shutdown of the line for final testing, regular revenue passenger […]
HAMBURG, Germany — Rail equipment firm Siemens has launched two types of driverless train operations in Germany, introducing a commuter train in the northern port city of Hamburg and a fully autonomous streetcar in Potsdam, just west of Berlin. The company is working toward making both technologies commercially available within a few years, as is […]
LONDON — British rail infrastructure owner Network Rail has appointed two specialist contractors to deliver an industry-first “pathfinder” project fitting positive train control to heritage steam and diesel locomotives. The consortium of Atkins (part of the SNC-Lavalin Group) and Thales is undertaking the work as part of Network Rail’s “East Coast Digital Programm” which will […]
JOPLIN, Mont. — The vice chair of the National Transportation Safety Board says Amtrak’s Empire Builder was traveling below its posted speed limit when it derailed and partially overturned over the weekend in rural Montana, killing three people. NTSB Vice Chairman Bruce Landsberg told members of the media Monday afternoon that the eastbound Empire Builder […]
LOS ANGELES — Commuter rail operator Metrolink is joining the California Department of Transportation and U.S. Geological Survey for a pilot warning system that could slow and stop trains in the event of an earthquake. The Earthquake Early Warning System will be deployed between Perris and Riverside on Metrolink’s 91/Perris Valley Line. It will use […]
WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration has issued a safety advisory after identifying a design issue with positive train control that makes it possible for a crew member to circumvent PTC enforcement. The advisory, published earlier this month in the Federal Register, says the interface design issue allows crews to manually operate the cut-out valve […]
NEW YORK — An Ultra Wideband train control system being used in a pilot program on a New York subway line has received a milestone form of safety certification. Piper Networks’ Ultra Wideband system has received Safety Integrity Level 4 certification for the European Committee for Electronical Standardization, or CENELEC. The certification from independent assessor […]
PARIS — Global technology firm Thales is on the verge of selling its rail signal business to Hitachi for about $2 billion, Reuters reports. The French firm, which provides electronic systems for aerospace, defense, and digital security applications, plays a significant role in European railways, with its European Train Control System used in 42 countries. […]
The final Frontier Central’s Frontier Yard, formally opened on March 14, 1956, replaced eight smaller yards in the Buffalo area, slashing classification time per car from 27 hours to 9. New York Central photo […]
WASHINGTON — BNSF Railway has received a patent for a virtual track block system that has the potential to significantly boost existing mainline capacity, raise average train speeds, and improve the detection of broken rails. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office approved the patent application last month, and credits the invention to BNSF employees Mitchell […]
