The 2014 NRC Scholarship Program will be made available again this year to children and grandchildren of NRC members in memoriam of Vinnie Vaccarello (NRC Board Member, Co-President of All Railroad Services Corp.) and Patsy Crisafi (NRC Safety Committee Member, Executive Vice President of Roadway Worker Training, Inc.) 

The application and criteria will be released on July 1, 2014 via NRC bulletin. The NRC is asking for donations from our members and friends of Vinnie and Patsy to continue to fund this Program. Contributions made to the fund is matched dollar-for-dollar by the NRC. 

To make a donation to the NRC Scholarship Program, please make checks payable to "NRC Scholarship Fund" and send to: NRC 500 New Jersey Ave, NW Suite 400, Washington, DC 20001 

The NRC would like to acknowledge and thank those companies and individuals that have contributed funds to initiate and support this valuable program: Roadway Worker Training Land Clearing Specialists, Inc. Van R. Sorrells Richard & Nancy Zemencik Thomas & Lyria Lee William & Karen Tarvin 

For questions regarding the NRC Scholarship Program, contact Ashley Bosch at abosch@nrcma.org / 202-715-1247 For more information on the NRC Scholarship Program, visit: www.nrcma.org/go/scholarship

Two NRC names made the list of 20 individuals selected by Progressive Railroading's editorial staff as "Rising Stars" of North America's railroad industry for 2014. NRC Board Member Daniel Stout, of STX Corp, and NRC Executive Director Chuck Baker were selected as a part of this year's class.

The magazine defines a "Rising Star" as someone under the age of 40 who has made, or is making, a positive impact on his or her company, organization, department or team, and is viewed by others - peers, colleagues, supervisors, clients or associates - as an up-and-coming leader in the rail industry.

The Rising Stars for 2014 and the organizations they work for are:

• Chuck Baker, National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (Chambers, Conlon & Hartwell L.L.C.)
• Joshua Bendyk, VHB
• Jennifer Bergener, Orange County Transportation Authority
• Jesse Chalich, Northern Plains Railroad
• Roquita Coleman, CN
• Elisa Davies, Union Pacific Railroad
• Kevin Day, CN
• Kari Gonzales, Transportation Technology Center Inc.
• Jessica Hawkins Allen, Amtrak
• Jesse Heimowitz, MTA Long Island Rail Road
• Christine Howard, Union Pacific Railroad
• Mark Kelehan, Wolfe Research Securities
• Jessica Kramer Havens, Diesel Supply Co.
• John Manutes, Federal Railroad Administration
• Michael Nicoletti, Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad Co.
• Adam Nordstrom, Chambers, Conlon & Hartwell
• Rachael Peterson, Watco Cos. L.L.C.
• Kristine Storm, Genesee & Wyoming Inc.
• Daniel Stout, STX Corp.
• Petra Todorovich Messick, Amtrak 

Source: Progressive Railroading

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Charlotte Council Authorizes Contracts for LYNX Blue Line Projects

On March 7, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) awarded a $2.6b, eight-year contract to Keolis North America to manage and maintain the agency's commuter rail service. The contract represents the largest public transportation contract in the United States. The agreement includes an option for two additional two year extensions. If granted, the contract's total value would rise to $4.2b over 12 years. Keolis will operate and manage MBTA under Keolis Commuter Services.

The Charlotte City Council authorized $249.8m for construction related to the Charlotte Area Transit System's (CATS) LYNX Blue Line Extension (BLE) and Blue Line Capacity project. This will extend the LYNX light-rail line 9.3 miles from Uptown Charlotte to the UNC Charlotte campus, and include 11 stations and four parking facilities.

The council approved a $119m contract with Lane Construction Corp. for civil construction services for the BLE from Old Concord Road to the University of North Carolina Charlotte. Work includes building bridges, arterial roadways and retaining walls; creation of erosion control; sewer and water main installation and drainage; and traffic signals and traffic control. Operations are scheduled to begin on the line in spring 2017.

Additionally, a $130.8m contract, which covers the track and system construction of the BLE at $114m, was awarded to Balfour Beatty Infrastructure Inc. The company will be responsible for the installation of light-rail track, train control and signal systems, communications systems, and overhead catenary and traction-power systems.

The remaining $16.4m of the contract will go toward expansion of platforms and systems on the current LYNX Blue Line. Platforms will be expanded to accommodate three-car trains at the Interstate 485/South Boulevard, Stonewall and Seventh Street stations. Upgrades also will be made to the communications, power, train control and signal systems to run the longer train.

CATS and the City of Charlotte received an $18 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery III (TIGER III) grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to assist with the capacity enhancements along the LYNX Blue Line.

Sources: Progressive Railroading, CATS