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BNSF has laid off part of its technology services staff as it restructures that department, the company confirmed in a prepared statement provided to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. BNSF would not provide information on the number of employees who were laid off, but cuts are believed to have impacted between 140 and 175 workers . “Following the announcement of a strategic initiative to transform the future of our rail operations through innovation, BNSF is changing its technology workforce for a newly created division called bnsf | tech,” the company said in the prepared statement. “This new organization will be infused with new investment and an expanded team of software engineers focused on building a safer, smarter railroad. As part of this transition, some Technology Services positions are being repurposed or eliminated, as bnsf | tech will have a reduced reliance on contractors and third-party vendors over time.” “As in the past, BNSF remains committed to supportin...

UK rail operator TransPennine Express (TPE) is set to upgrade its Class 185 train fleet with the integration of digital signalling technology European Train Control System (ETCS). This upgrade is seen as a “key” aspect of the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) project, a multi-billion-pound investment to enhance rail connections between cities such as Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds, and York. In March this year, the government announced a new allocation of £415m ($553.4m) in funding for the TRU project, aimed at advancing the programme further. This investment will additionally facilitate the future installation of ETCS. The upgrade work will be conducted at Siemens Mobility's Ardwick depot in partnership with Eversholt, which has the ownership of TPE’s Class 185 trains. Siemens Mobility UK&I Rolling Stock and Customer Services joint CEO and managing director Sambit Banerjee said: “We are pleased to be working with TransPennine Express and Eversholt...