Strike Looming at LIRR, Unions and MTA in Negotiations
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is in contract talks with a five‑union coalition representing about 3,500 Long Island Rail Road employees. The unions have warned they will strike at 12:01 a.m. on May 16 if a deal is not reached, threatening service for roughly 300,000 daily riders. Their primary demand is wage increases that keep pace with Long Island’s rising cost of living. The MTA has urged commuters to prepare alternative transportation while negotiations continue.
People News From Virginia Port Authority, HDR and Koppers
Virginia Port Authority’s board unanimously appointed Sarah McCoy as its new CEO after she served as general counsel, chief administrative officer, and interim CEO. McCoy led the $1.4 billion Gateway Investment Program and renegotiated the Virginia International Gateway lease, positioning the port...
Metra Lays Out 2026 Maintenance-of-Way Program
Metra unveiled its 2026 maintenance‑of‑way (MOW) plan, allocating $156.6 million across signal, track, station, bridge and grade‑crossing projects. Compared with 2025, spending on signals rises to $59.1 million while track work drops to $37.7 million, reflecting a shift toward system reliability. The program...
Progress Rail Provides Locomotives to Short Line, Enters Tie Deal with Triton Group
Progress Rail delivered four EMD SD70ACe‑Tier 4 locomotives to Michigan‑based Lake State Railway Co., replacing five 40‑year‑old units and supporting the short line’s sustainability agenda. The new fleet incorporates the Uptime IQ analytics platform for data‑driven maintenance, helping extend asset life and...
Senate Bill Would Require Human and Automated Track Inspections
Senators Tammy Baldwin and Josh Hawley introduced the Secure Tracks Act, requiring railroads to combine automated track inspection (ATI) with twice‑weekly human visual inspections on all main‑line tracks rated Class 3 or higher. The bill also bars the Federal Railroad Administration...
Senators Reintroduce Railway Safety Act
A bipartisan group of U.S. senators has re‑introduced the Railway Safety Act of 2026, targeting the safety gaps exposed by the 2023 East Palestine, Ohio freight‑train derailment. The bill requires railroads to install defect‑detecting technology, expands hazardous‑material train restrictions, and...