Los Angeles Metro will hold a public hearing on a draft $3.75-billion budget for Fiscal Year 2010-11 on May 19 at Metro Headquarters next to Union Station in downtown Los Angeles. The public can view copies of the budget proposal at Metro.net or request a copy. Metro directors will consider adopting the budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2010, at their May 27 meeting.

--> ...

A First Hill Streetcar route on Broadway was unanimously approved May 3 by the Seattle City Council, The Seattle Times reports. The $130-million line is to open in 2013, connecting the International District/Chinatown light-rail station to the train station on Capitol Hill scheduled to open in 2016. A short loop will pass King Street Station and Pioneer Square.

--> ...

Invensys Rail has been awarded a 48-million-pound (approximately $72.6-million) contract by Network Rail for the Paisley Corridor project in Scotland, the latest in a series of recent wins for the company in the UK.

--> ...

Prover Technology, a world leader in signaling design automation, has received an order for delivering a Prover iLock solution for development and checking of interlocking systems from Canadian Pacific. The Prover iLock solution will automate code generation, formal safety verification and functional testing of interlocking system software for platforms Microlok(R) II, ElectroLogIXS and VHLC. The order includes licensing of a PiSPEC specification library for AREMA-based signaling principles, which will be used together with the Prover iLock solution for CP.

--> ...

Progress Rail Leasing Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Progress Rail, has announced its acquisition of FCM Rail located in Fenton, MI. The acquisition strengthens Progress Rail's position in the MOW industry by expanding its service offerings. Details of the transaction were not discl ...

investments in America's freight rail system would create thousands of green jobs, improve the country's infrastructure, reduce dependence on foreign oil and lower carbon emissions, according to a new report released today by the BlueGreen Alliance and the Economic Policy Institute.

--> ...

As part of the Patrick-Murray Administration's Massachusetts Recovery Plan to support economic development by strengthening public transit and rail service, Congresswoman Niki Tsongas joined MassDOT Secretary and CEO Jeffrey Mullan to announce the groundbreaking of the $17.4-million Haverhill Commuter Rail Project funded by the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. The project complements a $50-million ARRA-funded double-tracking and rail improvement project on the Fitchburg commuter rail line.

--> ...

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) invited the public to a special community meeting on May 18 to hear an update on the proposed alignments linking the potential Century City and Westwood/UCLA stations being examined as part of the Westside Subway Extension Project environmental study now under review.

--> ...

The first trains to use the Greenville, N.C, new railroad connector rolled through the city the evening of May 3, The Daily Reflector reports. The connector, constructed this year to relieve traffic problems at several city train crossings, is located at the intersection of 14th and Beatty streets near Garris Evans Lumber Company. It's the first major step in ongoing efforts to address train traffic in the city.

--> ...

MTA Long Island Rail Road service on the Main Line east of Ronkonkoma, N.Y., will be affected by two grade crossing renewal projects during two weeks in May. The Peconic Lane crossing in Peconic will be reconstructed during the week of May 10 through May 14 and the Horton Lane crossing in Southold will be reconstructed during the week of May 17-May 21.

--> ...