Kansas City Southern
While COVID-19 has shut down a number of industries, North American freight railroads such as Kansas City Southern keep on keeping on. Railroads are carrying a significant portion of the goods being moved in response to the pandemic. But freight traffic, which already had been lagging, isn't likely to pick up any time soon; the economic impact of COVID-19 is just beginning to be felt. How has KCS adjusted its operations in the near-term? How are the railroad's strategists preparing for the longer haul? For answers, Managing Editor Jeff Stagl checks in with KCS senior officials.
Passenger Rail:
New York/New Jersey Transit Agencies Confront COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has done a number on North American passenger rail ridership numbers. In New York, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's New York City Transit, Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad in March logged ridership declines of 87 percent, 76 percent and 94 percent, respectively, compared with the same time last year.
How are New York/New Jersey passenger railroads adjusting in the short term? How are they preparing for the months ahead? How might the $2.2 trillion Coronavirus Relief and Economic Security Act — which includes $25 billion in grants for public transit agencies — help them get there? Senior Associate Editor Julie Sneider reaches out to officials at transit agencies serving New York and New Jersey.
C&S:
PTC Update — Passenger Railroads
As of year-end 2019, 97 percent of the nation's commuter railroads were positive train control (PTC) certified, in revenue service demonstration or in field testing, with 3 percent preparing for field testing, according to the American Public Transportation Association. What work is left to do by the Dec. 31 deadline? What have passenger railroad planners learned along the way? Associate Editor Vesna Brajkovic checks in with leaders at several commuter railroads to gauge their progress with clearing those hurdles while furthering implementation.
MOW:
Ballast Management
Ballast maintenance programs and practices can affect system velocity and reliability — and that makes shoulder ballast cleaning, undercutting and tamping crucial components of every railroad's maintenance program. A cross-section of suppliers share information on their latest ballast delivery, installation, maintenance and service offerings.
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