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Upcoming
Industry Events
December 8th-10th
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A message from REMSA regarding COVID-19:
The safety and well-being of the REMSA staff and our members is of the upmost importance to our association, and we want to urge all REMSA members, staff, and their families to take the proper precautions necessary to maintain their health, safety and well-being during this uncertain and unprecedented time. Railroads continue to operate and are critical in transporting essential supplies throughout the country to those in need. Thank you to our railroad operators, the crews maintaining the rails, and all of our member company employees who are taking the measures they need to ensure the well-being of the country and world during this crisis.
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 Washington Update
Biden Becomes President-Elect, Congress Enters Lame-Duck Session
After a highly anticipated election that saw historic turnout nationwide, former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Kamala Harris became the apparent winners of the 2020 election. Though the Government Services Administration hasn't authorized funds for the transition yet while states are still certifying their votes, the Biden transition team is in full swing. They have announced that LA Metro CEO Phil Washington will lead the Agency Review Team for the Department of Transportation.
Now in its lame duck session, Congress will need to address government funding as well as extension of surface transportation funding by December 11th. The FAST Act, which funded surface transportation from 2015-2020, is still expected to receive a one-year extension, while an appropriations deal funding the government is still being worked out.
Another item to keep an eye on during the lame-duck session is COVID relief legislation. Talks in the capitol have been stalled since July, but Senate leadership has expressed a desire to pass another bill by the end of the year.
On the regulatory side, the FRA published a final rule setting minimum standards for Amtrak's intercity passenger rail service. The rule defines the minimum on-time performance standard as 80% of passengers arriving within 15 minutes of the published schedule time. The STB can initiate an investigation if that standard is not met for two consecutive quarters.
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If you are interested in learning more about REMSA's government affairs efforts, please reach out to Cooper Ehrendreich at ehrendreich@remsa.org.
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Renew Your REMSA Membership Today & Save 10%
Opt-in for the 2-year membership dues renewal and save 10% each year!
Membership Dues are normally $675 per calendar year. This offer saves $135 and your company dues will be valid through December 2022.
If you chose not to take advantage of this discount, no problem. Your company's member dues for 2021 will be automatically invoiced for one year only at the $675 price - a rate which REMSA has not increased since 1999.
Contact Madeleine Stern at stern@remsa.org with any questions or to take advantage of this offer. |
REMSA Webinar Series
REMSA's webinar series continued with The Value of Veterans in the Workplace on November 10th. Our full library of webinars is available to REMSA Members here.
Is there a topic you would like covered in future webinars? Contact stern@remsa.org to share your ideas.
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REMSA Member of the Month
David Howell
Railroad Division Manager, Midwest Mole
How did you get started in the rail industry?
When I came to work for Midwest Mole one of our largest clients was a Class 1 railroad and so my first exposure to the railroad was working to help redo the drainage of a large rail yard in the Chicago region. After that project, the gentleman who had handled our rail work was retiring and we needed someone to step up and handle that account. So, I was tasked with taking over the account and serving the clients trenchless needs as it related to drainage work. At the same time, this Class 1 was changing how they handled the installation of new drainage culverts. The Class 1 put together a team that included our firm along with an engineering firm and we all worked on a program to handle the culvert needs of the Class 1. This I believe has led to this Class 1 being light years ahead of others when it comes to maintaining their drainage infrastructure. I also then got involved with AREMA and joined Committee 1 Subcommittee 5 Utilities and have been actively involved with that group for about 13 years.
What do you love most about your job/the rail industry?
I love how the rail industry works together to be able to keep the flow of goods moving throughout the country. With the importance that the rail industry has as it relates to that and the fact that you can't just detour around a bad spot like you can with a highway it is critical that whatever work needs done impacts train traffic as little as possible. I also have always been a history buff, so the rail infrastructure and its age has been fascinating to me. Those who came before us and built these rails really performed an amazing feat and many of the structures, they first put in over a 100 years ago are still working today.
What do you find yourself doing most in your downtime? Hobbies outside of work?
In my downtime I like to spend it with my wife and my daughter. We enjoy going to Disney which they love, and I find enjoyable but honestly for me it is relaxing because I just get to walk around with them and see them enjoy the experience. With all the hours and time, we all put into work in this industry we are doing it for our families. Let us be honest the rail industry is a tough and demanding industry that requires a lot from our families due to the amount of time it requires from us. So, when we can enjoy some downtime, we should be sure and do things for our families to thank them for allowing us to be able to serve our country by keeping the trains rolling.
How do you define the "future" of rail? Where do you think the industry is headed? The future of rail in my mind is looking back to where it has been. This may seem backwards but if you go back 75 to 150 years ago and see what our predecessors did to build this infrastructure, we are using today I believe we can learn a lot. We do not need to learn by making the same mistakes that those who came before us learned and solved. We are taking their lessons and improving upon them. If what we do today can last as long as those who first built it, we are insuring that the infrastructure will hold up for years to come and can decrease the life cycle cost.
What do you enjoy most about being part of the association (REMSA)?
I believe that being an active member in trade organizations is crucial not only to personal development but also the development of the industry. We all can learn so much from each other that allows us to improve the industry. Those improvements range from new ideas to a better understanding of what works and why. It also allows us to help each other out by making contacts that help us to be able to know who reach out to when we have a problem and have many tools at our disposal to solve problems.
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Interested in being highlighted in the REMSA spotlight? Apply to become Member-of-Month.
Contact Madeleine Stern, Membership & Marketing Manager to apply today at: stern@remsa.org or (202) 715-2919.
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Save the Date: Railway Interchange 2021
REMSA is now taking booth reservations for Railway Interchange 2021 exhibit space.
Due to the current situation, REMSA will not be assigning exact floor space, but will be taking space reservation requests. More information on booth pricing, floor plans, Indiana Convention Center information, and much more will be available in the coming weeks.
Only REMSA member companies in good standing will have the opportunity to make space reservation requests during Round 1. Once a floor plan is finalized (complying with CDC and local guidelines at the time of the event*), those first round exhibitors will have the opportunity to select their exhibit space first.
Railway Interchange exhibitors receive a 10% discount to advertise on the REMSA website. Click here for more information.
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Penn State Altoona now offers a 4-year Bachelor's of Science degree in Rail Transportation Engineering (RTE). This program, currently the first of its kinds in the US, provides hands-on railroad engineering education and training with special emphasis on railroad civil infrastructure. Other topics covered in the major include train operations, railroad mechanical systems, railroad signaling, and safety. At Penn State, RTE students gain the scientific and theoretical background required for professional engineering but also gain experience in on-track safety, job safety briefings, leadership and exposure to railroad-specific structures, systems and technology.
Penn State RTE students are currently seeking internships (summer 2021) and full-time employment with railroads, suppliers and rail consulting companies. If your company is interested in hiring students from Penn State Altoona for internships or full-time employment, please contact Prof. Bryan Schlake (bws14@psu.edu) and/or Program Coordinator, Prof. Stephen Dillen (sld130@psu.edu). More information about the Penn State RTE program can be found at: http://www.altoona.psu.edu/rte/.
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REMSA Grassroots Program: Bring a Member of Congress to Your Company
The 117th Congress will have more than 50 new members in the House of Representatives and 7 new Senators, making 2021 a terrific opportunity to host a REMSA grassroots event at your company.
REMSA has hosted nearly 50 grassroots events with member companies since the program was launched in 2015. Press releases detailing past events can be found here.
REMSA's Grassroots Program connects our association's membership with members of Congress to host tours and site visits of company facilities and ongoing projects. It's a terrific way to showcase the positive impact that your company has in the local community, while also building strong personal relationships with your elected representatives. We will also take the initiative to engage with local and regional media outlets to highlight your company and maximize the visibility of the great work that you are doing.
Are you interested in growing your network and highlighting your products and services to the rail industry?
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International Opportunities: Jerusalem Light Rail "Blue Line" Tender
The Government of Israel has issued a pre-qualification process for the finance, design, construction, operation, maintenance and transfer of the "Blue Line" of the Jerusalem Light Rail Transit Network. The Blue Line is a major PPP project, estimated at $3 billion, that will include approximately 31 km of new tracks, of which about 2.5 km will form part of an underground section with 3 stations. This is an opportunity for experienced U.S. Railroad track construction companies; Rolling stock manufacturers for light rail; Manufacturers of rail systems (electrification, communication, signaling, etc.); Operation & Maintenance (O&M) firms; and Financial investors - to bid as part of a consortium.
Deadline for pre-qualification submissions: by January 14, 2021.
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Industry News
President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris have named Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro) Chief Executive Officer Phil Washington as the transportation transition team leader for the Biden-Harris administration. The team will be responsible for evaluating the U.S. Department of Transportation's operations so that the administration is prepared when Biden and Harris take office on Jan. 20, 2021. (Progressive Railroading)
App aims to improve grade crossing safetyTransportation technology firm TRAINFO has introduced an app that provides drivers with predictive highway-rail grade crossing blockage information so they can avoid traffic delays and safely approach crossings. (RT&S)
U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) last week introduced the Railroad Employee Equality and Fairness Act, which would end the sequester on the Railroad Retirement Board's (RRB) Unemployment Insurance Account. (Progressive Railroading)
In an election like no other, voters in a number of metropolitan areas decided whether their transit districts would raise taxes to spend more money on local transit. According to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), 16 measures on various ballots gave voters the chance to make decisions concerning $38 billion in potential transit funding; some did not concern rail transit. (Railway Age)
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Member News
While most aspects of railroading have not been immune from the effects of COVID-19-namely, a drop in business-many railroads have been "working smart" and thinking ahead, taking advantage of lower traffic levels to get a jump on maintenance-of-way projects, before work windows re-tighten when operations return to pre-pandemic levels. State-of-good-repair and other projects are continuing, and railroads are using a variety of high-production, high-tech-driven track machines to perform the work. Ballast programs are among the most important of these. (Railway Age)
The U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration (PHMSA) announced it will continue a program to evaluate public safety awareness technologies. As part of the program, Ensco Inc. and a research team from the University of South Florida's Center for Urban Transportation Research and TrueSafety Evaluation LLC will identify emerging technologies that may mitigate inherent risks to pedestrians and trespassers in railroad, transit and highway transportation systems. (Progressive Railroading)
Gradall Industries, Inc., has introduced two new railway maintenance of way machine models, featuring faster maximum travel speeds on tracks to complement their highway speed travel advantages. Both equipped with Gradall's new Rapid Drive advantage, the new models can be driven on rails from the upperstructure operator cab at speeds up to 40 mph in either direction. (Progressive Railroading)
Employment research company Vault Inc. ranked Hanson Professional Services Inc.'s internship program as the third best engineering internship in the United States. Hanson also ranked within the top 50 of Vault's list of 100 best internships for a second year, and placed on lists for best internship compensation and benefits, quality of assignments and real-life experience.
Global rail engineering company, Pandrol, has launched its new AUTOseal mould to eliminate the need for manual sealing, creating significant time and weight efficiencies in the application process. Pandrol's AUTOseal mould eliminates the need for manual sealing with the mould delivered through an innovative built-in insulation joint, which expands during pre-heating to create a tight seal. (RT&S)
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