Donald M. Itzkoff, Chief Policy Officer, Patriot Rail Company LLC and Patriot Port Holdings LLC
Jacksonville, Fla.-based Patriot has named Donald M. Itzkoff to the newly created position of Chief Policy Officer. He will lead strategic policy engagement for Patriot Rail Company LLC and Patriot Port Holdings LLC, a U.S. operator of short line and regional railroads, rail services and integrated port logistics companies.
Itzkoff, a
Railway Age Contributing Editor, most recently headed Global Government Affairs for Wabtec Corp., and earlier led U.S. Government Affairs for GE Transportation. He has also served as Deputy Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration and as Senior Counsel to the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Itzkoff is a member of the Board of Directors for the Center for Hearing and Communication in New York City.
FAA Releases Rules for Drone Operations Written by Marybeth Luczak, Executive Editor
The FAA will now require Remote ID, providing in-flight drone identification and drone control station location information, which can be used by national security, law enforcement, and public safety agencies.
The Federal Aviation Administration has issued two final rules for unmanned aircraft (drone) operations. They cover the requirement for Remote Identification (Remote ID) of drones as well as drone operations over people and at night.
Remote ID provides in-flight drone identification and drone control station location information, which can be used by national security, law enforcement, and public safety agencies.
NTSB again stresses need for increased protection of high-hazard flammable material tankers, citing two recent derailments Written by Bill Wilson, Editor-in-Chief
The aftermath of the Feb. 13, 2020, CSX freight train derailment is seen in this screen shot from a UAV video provided by the Pike County Emergency Management Agency Feb. 14, 2020. The train was carrying denatured ethanol in Draffin, Ky., when the accident happened. Photo credit: Pike county emergency Management Agency, overlay by NTSB
The National Transportation Safety Board issued a safety recommendation in December regarding placement of Department Transportation-111 rail tank cars in high-hazard flammable trains and the use of buffer cars for the protection of train crews.
The 41 railroads subject to the statutory mandate comprising all seven Class I’s, Amtrak, 28 commuter railroads, and five short lines/regionals that host intercity or commuter service plus industry associations, suppliers and other service providers, have worked for more than a decade to reach what FRA called “a landmark achievement” and what FRA Administrator Ronald L. Batory said was an “unprecedented undertaking” for the nearly 100 stakeholders.
FRA has certified that each host railroad’s PTC system complies with the technical requirements. Additionally, interoperability has been achieved between host and tenant railroads operating on PTC-governed main lines.
Most railroads had reached the finish line some months ago. As of the end of third-quarter 2020 (Sept. 30), the railroad industry reached 99.6% of fully implementing PTC. At the end of 2019, PTC was in operation across 98.5% of the required Class I route miles.