Indiana Rail Road Company President and Chief Executive Officer Thomas Hoback, along with state of Indiana and Greene County officials, plan to announce a major capital investment and participate in a groundbreaking ceremony at INRD’s Hiawatha Yard near Jasonville, Ind., at 11 a.m. (ET) Monday, Aug. 29.
At the California High-Speed Rail Authority Board meeting in Sacramento, Calif., August 25, the public got its first look at how an updated business plan set to be released in October will be organized and presented.
The staff presentation included a preview of the business case, funding plan, progression from construction to operations, economic and job benefits, types of funding and financing sources and more.
"High-speed rail represents a big step toward getting the California economy back on track," said Board Chairman Tom Umberg. "From construction through operations, it means hundreds of thousands of jobs and the means to move people and goods around our state in a way that’s fast, clean and safe."
The preview indicated the upcoming business plan will include an economic benefit analysis to-date. The analysis will reflect a peer-reviewed travel demand model and best practices from federal and state review agencies.
Over the past months, the Authority has conducted a variety of workshops and held meetings with leading academics, representatives of economic development agencies and other policy and planning groups to present and get feedback on the methodology it used to determine economic impact.
Another potential public benefit that will be expanded upon in the plan is the avoided costs of expanding the highway and air travel networks if the statewide high-speed rail system is not built. The presentation went on to assert that major public investments in highways and airports may be needed to deal with the severe congestion that will occur if a high-speed rail system is not built.
"We know California’s population is growing and growing quickly," said Authority CEO Roelof van Ark. "And we know they are going to have to move around the state. We can expand existing options, or we can turn to an efficient and environmentally-friendly mode of transportation that is proven and profitable."
In the aftermath of Hurricane Irene, transit service availability on the East Coast is varied, from regularly scheduled service, to reduced service and even terminated service.
WMATA
Washington Metropolitan Area Tranist Authority is currently operating rail service on a regular schedule. Other than expected delays due to weather, WMATA ran its schedule throughout the weekend. Customers needing elevator access are advised to check wmata.com before they travel for the status of their local station elevators. Elevator and escalator availability may be temporarily impacted by local power issues.
Metrorail ridership was down about 67 percent Saturday, August 27, as compared to last Saturday.
WMATA’s Operations Control Center is continuing to monitor the system for any storm-related after effects.
Customers are encouraged to check wmata.com for service updates and follow @wmata on Twitter for the latest service information.
MBTA/MBCR
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority service is operating on a regular weekday schedule, effective August 28. Having already removed more than one hundred trees or large branches from track rights-of-way August 27, MBTA and Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company personnel worked throughout Saturday night, clearing the rails and restoring power to signal systems and overhead wires.
Normal service has resumed on the Red, Orange, Blue, and Green lines. Minor delay delays on the D branch due to ongoing signal system repairs between Riverside and Newton Centre Stations. In the event that the signals remain down at the start of service personnel will be in place to institute manual operation.
All downed trees have been removed from the D Branch. However, due to ongoing tree removal activities being conducted by the Town of Newton and NStar, the Riverside Parking facility will remain closed. Customers are urged to seeking alternative parking at other facilities such as Woodland Station. Transit Police will be on scene to assist and direct customers.
On commuter rail, minor signal problems continue on the Worcester and Fitchburg Lines, but are not expected to result in significant delays.
Amtrak is conducting tree removal activities on the Providence line, with no significant delays expected.
NJ Transit
New Jersey Transit rail service is suspended until further notice as a result of residual impacts of Hurricane Irene, except for the Atlantic City Rail Line. NJ Transit will operate bus and light-rail service on a modified schedule on Monday, August 29. Crews worked around the clock August 28 to assess storm damage and make necessary repairs.
"We only cancel service when we absolutely have to and Irene has forced us to do so on most of our rail lines," said NJ Transit Executive Director James Weinstein. "Our crews will work around the clock to clear trees, restore power and repair flood damage. We will get the trains running again as soon as we can.
"The transportation system throughout the state has been severely stressed. Our goal is to resume service as quickly and safely as possible, however, customers should not expect a normal weekday Monday for transit services as crews continue to assess damage around the state, particularly on the railroad," said Weinstein.
MTA
The New York Metropolitan Transit Authority is providing limited service August 29.
New York City Subway- With very limited exceptions, service has resumed across the subway system on all lines, including service to and from Far Rockaway. However, service will be less frequent than normal and customers should expect longer waits and more crowded trains. Frequency of service will improve over the course of the day.
Staten Island Railway- Staten Island Railway service resumed regular service early August 29 between St. George and Tottenville.
Long Island Rail Road- The Long Island Rail Road is operating near-normal service this morning on six of its branches, but customers are advised to expect some cancellations and some trains operating with fewer than normal complement of cars. The morning rush service is being restored to and from:
• Babylon
• Hicksville (on the Huntington/Port Jefferson Branch)
• Ronkonkoma
• Port Washington (half-hourly service west of Great Neck; no service east of Great Neck)
• Hempstead
• West Hempstead
Service remains suspended to and from:
• Oyster Bay
• Port Jefferson
• Long Beach
• Far Rockaway
• Montauk (east of Babylon)
• Greenport (east of Ronkonkoma)
Metro-North Railroad- Metro-North Railroad cannot operate regular service on any of its three lines. There is still significant damage to many portions of the Metro-North system. Local streams and the Bronx River continue to overflow their banks and crews are working to clean up three mudslides.
HRT
Hampton Roads Transit in Virginia re-introduced limited transit services on Sunday, August 28 after a check of local conditions found no significant damage to HRT systems caused by Hurricane Irene.
Light-rail service began at noon Sunday. Ferry service across the Elizabeth River also began at noon.
Sunday HRT enforced a fare-free period for light rail, but starting Monday, August 29, HRT will begin collecting fares on The Tide.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority Metro-North Railraod reopened the Sixth Avenue Bridge in Mount Vernon, N.Y., on schedule at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, August 24.
The 117-year-old bridge that carries Sixth Avenue/Wilson Place over the New Haven Line railroad tracks was closed on July 18th for emergency repairs to the steel floor beam that supports the bridge’s wooden stringers and deck.
"It was an aggressive schedule and we are pleased that these important repairs have been made," said Metro-North President Howard Permut. "Metro-North will continue to work with the city to develop an overall approach to address access needs over the railroad. At the same time, we seek the support of our state and federal partners to meet the funding needs of our capital program."
"My administration has been working in tandem with Metro-North and other partners in government as part of an overall infrastructure improvement strategy for our city," noted Mount Vernon Mayor Clinton Young. "The bridges in the city are primarily owned by Metro-North and are in dire need of attention. I commend Metro-North for stepping up to the plate to address these issues."
The mayor also thanked the railroad for the 18-month replacement of the Park Avenue Bridge, which was completed in April.
"We will continue our efforts in partnering with Metro-North to rehabilitate the other bridges in the city," stated Mayor Young.
The start of construction for the new Allandale Waterfront GO Station in Barrie, Ontario, Canada. has begun. The new stop will allow GO Transit to extend train service further into downtown Barrie, improving access to GO rail service and downtown Barrie and increasing ridership on the Barrie line.
"Our government’s investment in Allandale Station will increase public transit use, reduce gridlock and improve air quality," said Member of Parliament Patrick Brown. "This new station will create jobs, increase economic growth and improve service for commuters in Barrie."
The new GO stop, just south of Barrie’s waterfront area, will include a 12-car side rail platform with heated shelters and a mini-platform. There will also be an enclosed pedestrian tunnel with ramps, a six-bay bus platform with shelter and parking with a Kiss ‘n’ Ride drop-off lane. Bicycle shelters and approximately 150 parking spaces for cars and scooters will be added, along with landscaping, fencing and an electrical and communications building. The new stop will be located on the north side of the GO Barrie line on the existing north track, between Essa Road and Bayview Avenue. Construction is scheduled to be complete by the end of this year.
"Ridership growth in this region has exceeded our expectations and we are pleased to provide a second, downtown access to GO service," said GO Transit Presidnet Gary McNeil. "Over the last five years and through partnerships between our municipal, provincial and federal governments, we were able to restore and expand GO service in Barrie."
The total cost of this project is $3.5 million.
A Granite-led joint-venture team, Minnesota Transit Constructors, reached a settlement agreement with the United States Department of Justice and the Minnesota District Attorney’s Office related to a false claims investigation initiated by the DOJ in 2006. The investigation was based on allegations that MnTC had failed to comply with federal Disadvantaged Business Enterprise regulations on the Hiawatha Corridor Light Rail Project.
The settlement agreement expressly states that Granite and its joint-venture partners deny the allegations and the claims asserted by the Minnesota Department of Transportation and the DOJ and admit no fault or liability as part of the agreement.
"We are proud of the work we performed to construct one of the nation’s premier public transportation projects," said James Roberts, Granite’s president and chief executive officer. "The project was a success in part because of our team’s good-faith efforts and commitment to solicit and encourage DBE participation on the project.
"The claims asserted by MnDOT and the DOJ over the course of this five-year investigation are disappointing and any inferences that we made misrepresentations in connection with this project are incorrect," Roberts added.
"We disagree with the allegations; however, we felt it was in our best interest to settle the issue and avoid the expense and the distraction of litigation. While some settlements are accompanied by an admission of wrongdoing, notably, this one was not."
Granite’s portion of the settlement is approximately $1.1 million and had been reserved in prior periods. Per the terms of the agreement, there are no limitations on Granite or its joint-venture partners regarding future contracts with the federal government or the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
Transportation and logistics provider TTS, LLC, named Union Pacific its 2010 Rail Carrier of the Year. The award recognizes Union Pacific’s consistent attention to customer service and on-time delivery in the intermodal business it handles for TTS.
"To receive recognition from TTS for our work is an honor," said Brian McDonald, vice president sales Intermodal. "Our strong, innovative business relationship with TTS spans more than half a decade and we will continue to grow our mutual efforts by seeking out new ways to strengthen our intermodal services."
Union Pacific was among four carriers that received recognition from TTS in various categories. Awardees were selected based on dedication to bringing creative solutions to TTS and helping grow its customer base through exceptional service. Union Pacific transports consumer and manufactured goods, as well as dairy products, for TTS.
Watco Tranportation Services named Greg Baker assistant gen¬eral manager of the Stillwater Central Railroad. Baker will be assisting in overseeing the day-to-day operations on the SLWC. He will help coordinate efforts between all railroad departments to achieve performance goals with optimum safety, economy, efficiency and effectiveness along with overseeing Customer relationships.
Greg has been with Watco’s Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad since 2005 and has served as Engineer and Trainmaster.
Construction activity associated with a major project to replace 22 bridges along Chicago’s Metra Union Pacific North line and rebuild the Ravenswood Station will begin in the next two weeks.
The work is not expected to impact rush-hour commuters on the line and because two tracks on the line will remain operational, the current UP North schedule will not change due to construction activity. However, there could be some midday, night and weekend delays due to the project.
The 22 bridges are more than 100 years old and can no longer be economically repaired and maintained. The new bridges will offer increased safety and are expected to last for more than 100 years.
The replacement will be done in two phases of 11 bridges each. The first phase, which will take until 2015, will cover bridges over Balmoral, Foster, Winnemac, Lawrence, Leland, Wilson, Sunnyside, Montrose, Berteau, Irving Park and Grace. The work also includes retaining wall construction along the western edge of the elevated tracks. The bridge and retaining wall work will require periodic closures of streets and sidewalks in the area.
Bridges between Addison and Webster will be done in the second phase, which will finish in 2019.
Construction of the new Ravenswood Station, the only stop in the construction zone and the busiest stop on the UP North line, will also be done during the first phase, starting in Spring 2012. The new station, to be rebuilt in its current location, will offer longer, covered platforms, warming shelters, improved lighting, landscaping, a ticket office, vendor space, ramps and stairs. It will be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The Amtrak vision to bring 220 mph next generation high-speed rail to the Northeast Corridor is taking another step forward with the selection of KPMG LLP, the audit, tax and advisory firm, in association with Steer Davies Gleave to assist in developing the business and financial plan for the project, including maximizing private investment opportunities. The team also includes DWH Strategic Advisors, Sharon Greene & Associates and TranSystems.
"The selection of KPMG is the result of a highly-competitive procurement process that showed us there is real interest and enthusiasm in the financial community for advancing the Amtrak NEC high-speed rail project," said Al Engel, Amtrak vice president of high-speed rail.
Amtrak intends to build-out its NEC next generation high-speed rail plan using a stair-step approach that outlines a clear, structured and coordinated path to achieve 220 mph service on each of four operational segment openings. The initial operating segment is between Philadelphia and New York and could have passengers traveling at 220 mph as soon as 2023. The other operational segments will open in the following order: Philadelphia to Washington, New York to Hartford and Hartford to Boston.
"The Amtrak high-speed project is critical for the future of the Northeast megaregion and we are interested in identifying innovative business approaches for attracting private capital and combining it with public financing sources to help us build it," Engel added.
The business and financial plan is to be developed with Amtrak and will address a variety of project financing issues such as risk, credit, debt and investment phasing. It also will identify the opportunities to maximize private investment, determine how much of the total project cost could be paid for with private and public financing and lay out the strategy for forays into the private investment and capital markets. The plan is to be completed by mid-year 2012.
Importantly, the business and financial plan will build on the updated analysis of ridership, revenue, operations and maintenance costs and capital investment being produced for the refinement of the Amtrak vision for NEC next generation high-speed rail originally issued in September 2010. The U.S. high-speed rail landscape has changed significantly during the past year and the updated Amtrak high-speed rail report will incorporate those changes with the new analysis and more. It is expected to be issued early this fall.
BNSF has faced many weather challenges since late last year. From record snowfall in the northern part of its network last winter to record runoff from the Missouri and Souris rivers causing extraordinary flooding, BNSF has experienced natural disasters that have affected its facilities, track, equipment and people. In the most significant incident, one of its busiest corridors along the Missouri River, the St. Joseph Subdivision, was completely severed by the widespread flooding.
Current service issues follow:
• The St. Joseph subdivision is out of service east of Rulo, Neb.
• The Napier subdivision is out of service between Napier, Mo., and Pacific Jct., Iowa.
• The Omaha subdivision is out of service from milepost 13 in Omaha south to milepost 7 as a result of flood levees erected over the track to protect the City of Omaha. The subdivision is still open from Lincoln to Omaha via Ashland, Nebraska.
• The Atchison Branch is out of service south of St. Joseph, Mo.
Proactive Measures:
St. Joseph subdivision – BNSF is raising the track east of Rulo, Neb., and is restoring and strengthening several bridges in an effort to re-open the route between Lincoln and Kansas City.
Devils Lake subdivision – BNSF has rebuilt and repaired the track east of Minot near Towner, N.D. to restore service on this route.
Glasgow subdivision – BNSF raised the track a total of 5 feet in order to remain in service. Over 300 cars of ballast and rip rap were used to raise and fortify the track.
Creston subdivision – BNSF raised two mainline tracks up to 8 feet in order to remain in service. Levees have been built to six feet above top of rail along both sides of the track and portions of the roadbed have been armored with rip rap. BNSF has filled 160,000 sandbags to be used on the levees if needed.
Transportation Commissioner and NJ Transit Board Chairman James Simpson joined NJ Transit Executive Director James Weinstein and Somerville Mayor Brian Gallagher on August 24, to mark the completion of major improvements to Somerville Station, including high-level platforms that provide accessibility to customers with disabilities and amenities that make the station more convenient for all customers.
"Rebuilding Somerville Station demonstrates Governor Chris Christie’s commitment to improving access to public transportation for all New Jersey residents and creates an asset that the Borough can use to promote long-term economic development," said Commissioner Simpson. "With Somerville designated as our 22nd Transit Village last year, the newly rebuilt station is a fitting complement to the Borough’s transit-oriented development efforts."
In March 2009, the NJ TRANSIT Board of Directors authorized a $15.3 million contract with Terminal Construction Co. of Wood-Ridge, N.J., to rebuild the train station, including construction of two new 710-foot-long high-level platforms with canopies and heated shelters, a climate-controlled inbound waiting room with a ticket agent office and restrooms, two new elevator cabs, ramps, stairs and a head house for the pedestrian tunnel entrance.
In addition, the existing elevator shafts, pedestrian tunnel, tunnel stairs and exterior stairs to South Bridge Street were rebuilt. Closed-circuit television cameras, new ticket vending machines and electronic customer information signs were also installed.
"The new Somerville Station ensures accessibility for customers with disabilities and enhances comfort and convenience for everyone who uses it," said Executive Director Weinstein. "The completion of this work also brings NJ TRANSIT one step closer to completing our initiative to make ADA upgrades at 35 key commuter rail stations."
Located on the Raritan Valley Line, Somerville Station provides about 1,300 customer trips on a typical weekday.
Eco-Energy Holdings, Inc., is developing an ethanol unit train and storage facility in conjunction with its partner J.T. Russell & Sons, Inc., at its current ethanol distribution facility located in Denton, N.C.
Eco-Energy has been distributing ethanol through Denton, N.C. since blending commenced in 2008 and has partnered with J.T. Russell and Sons, Inc., for the development, construction and day-to-day operations of the unit train facility. The facility will be equipped to receive up to 96 rail car unit trains via both the CSXT and NS railroads and will have over 95,000 barrels of ethanol tank storage.
Unit train operations at the site are expected to commence in the first quarter of 2012. Once operational, the ethanol unit train terminal will be capable of distributing over 380,000 barrels per month through the use of its automated loading system and will offer 24/7 product access to its terminal customers. Eco-Energy will be responsible for marketing and thru-put arrangements for the site.
"We believe the location of this state-of-the-art ethanol unit train terminal and storage facility, coupled with the fact that it is accessible by both the CSX Railroad and NS Railroads, will be a great asset to all counterparties desiring the low-cost solution to both the Charlotte and Greensboro, N.C. markets," said Chadwick Conn, Eco-Energy’s vice president of operations.
"We are pleased to be associated with Eco-Energy in the development of a facility that will significantly improve the logistical challenges associated with ethanol blending in North Carolina. We are confident that this endeavor will greatly benefit the ethanol industry as a whole and we are excited to be working with Eco-Energy," said Nathan Russell of J.T. Russell & Sons, Inc.
Construction will begin on the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency Program grade-separation project, on Chicago’s South Side. The total $146 million project located at 130th Street, Torrence Avenue and the Norfolk Southern, is a cornerstone of the CREATE program. The construction phase is estimated to create more than 1,200 jobs and will improve safety at a critical crossing.
CREATE is intended to improve the efficiency of freight rail moving through Chicago, keeping the city competitive as a commercial center and generating and retaining thousands of jobs.
"This major project will create thousands of jobs by improving the flow of goods and services through one of Chicago’s major manufacturing areas," Illinois Governor Pat Quinn said. "My administration is committed to investing in infrastructure and jobs in every region of our state."
The project involves lowering 130th Street and Torrence Avenue to fit under two new bridges carrying NS tracks. The two streets and the tracks currently intersect, resulting in more than 200 hours in delay for the 32,000 vehicles that drive through the crossing daily. Trucks leaving the Ford Motor Company assembly plant nearby can wait as long as 20 minutes because of passing trains.
Other components of the project include lowering Brainard Avenue to connect directly to 130th Street and Torrence Avenue, realigning the South Shore commuter line over Torrence Avenue and the NS tracks and adding pedestrian bridges and paths. Construction will be complete in 2015.
Funding for the project includes $64.8 million from Governor Quinn’s "Illinois Jobs Now!" capital program. The remaining project funds come from the federal government, the city, NS, the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District and the Ford Motor Company.
Chicago’s Regional Transportation Authority filed a suit Aug. 23 in the Circuit Court of Cook County to recoup more than $100 million of revenue lost to tax avoidance scams operating in the municipalities of Kankakee and Channahon. The lawsuit arises from the utilization of tax sharing agreements, which have induced companies operating within the six-county RTA region and across the State to claim that their sales are sourced through sham offices set up in Kankakee and Channahon.
Under these agreements, the two municipalities kick back almost the entire amount of their local share of the statewide sales tax to participating companies. According to RTA, These companies do not create jobs, promote economic development or have any operations in Kankakee or Channahon. The suit further alleges that the municipalities have disregarded the Freedom of Information Act by denying the RTA’s request for the release of the agreements. Kankakee and Channahon also refuse to disclose the names of the participating companies to whom they paid more than $30 million of public funds in 2010.
"The RTA system relies on sales tax revenue for almost 50 percent of our funding," said RTA Executive Director Joe Costello. "It is this funding that keeps our trains and buses running and in good repair. We know that these illegal tax avoidance scams are costing our riders tens of millions in lost revenues every year."
At the heart of the suit is the issue of where a sale is "sourced." Unlike most states, Illinois imposes its sales tax at the location where the seller operates its business, not the location where the buyer is. The distinction doesn’t matter when a sale is made over-the-counter, because the sale is simply sourced at the store. If the buyer and seller are at different locations when a sale happens, however, the sourcing rules matter a lot. They determine not just the rate of sales tax that applies but also which local government gets a portion of the tax collected.
"This case is about fairness. Businesses that utilize our transit system because their company and their employees are located in our service area should pay their proper share of taxes and not try to shift that burden on to others," stated Costello. "These tax consultants and businesses that are misdirecting tax dollars in secret deals should be ashamed and we are intent on stopping this practice."
Legislation gives the RTA and other local governments the right to sue to force repayment of the lost revenues, plus interest, fees and penalties. The FOIA portion of the suit would make the secret agreements public and require Kankakee and Channahon to identify the companies involved in the scheme and the amount of money being diverted from taxpayers to private business.
"This suit is not an attempt to bankrupt Kankakee and Channahon," said RTA Chairman John Gates. "It is an attempt by the RTA Board to fulfill its fiduciary responsibility to our riders by collecting every penny that is owed to the transit system. We would prefer not to go to court, but these municipalities, and others engaged in this practice, have made it clear that they will not stop unless we make them."
The RTA will also be working diligently this year to pass legislation that clarifies the tax code and permanently ends these tax schemes in a manner that preserves the right of municipalities to engage in legitimate economic development activities.
The Broward County Board of County Commissioners in Florida unanimously approved a Memorandum of Understanding with the Florida East Coast Railway to construct and operate an Intermodal Container Transfer Facility on 42.5 acres of land at Port Everglades.
The ICTF in the Southport area of Port Everglades will facilitate the transfer of containerized cargo through the Port onto the FEC rail line via a connecting rail spur. The proposed ICTF is unique compared to similar facilities in other ports in that both domestic and international cargo would be handled on the site. These cargos are currently being handled on a 14-acre site on Andrews Avenue owned by the FEC. Positive environmental benefits are envisioned by the reduction of truck traffic on local roadways. By relocating from the smaller facility on Andrews Avenue, Route 84 highway congestion will also be reduced.
In addition, the project is anticipated to create 760 construction jobs and the cargo activity passing through the ICTF is expected to support 2,100 local/regional jobs in the long term.
The MOU calls for a 30-year agreement between the FEC and Broward County with two 10-year renewal options. Broward County will contribute the land for the project and participate in joint marketing efforts. The total cost of the project including land value is $72.8 million, of which $18 million would be funded by the Florida Department of Transportation grants. Now that the MOU has been approved, FEC will move forward to secure an additional $30 million State of Florida Infrastructure Bank loan. The balance of the funding is from FEC equity.
San Francisco’s North Bay Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit Board of Directors unanimously agreed to make interim Executive Director Farhad Mansourian the new SMART general manager.
"After an extensive search of the most qualified applicants in the country, the SMART Board of Directors believes the best candidate for the job is already on the jobm" said SMART Chairwoman, Sonoma County Supervisor Valerie Brown. "We believe that SMART’s next steps, especially in the near term, require not only deep transportation and public project experience, which Farhad has, but that the taxpayers will be best served and project success will be maximized with someone at the helm who is already familiar with our local, regional and state agency and regulatory environments. The board was also deeply impressed by the work that the staff has delivered under Farhad’s leadership, which has given us viable options for moving forward to deliver the most in the least amount of time."
Mansourian said, "I am honored and humbled by the confidence and trust the Board has extended to me. While I am emotional in leaving my Marin County position, I am excited that in this new capacity I can serve the residents of both Marin and Sonoma Counties by bringing SMART to our region."
There were 8.5 million trips taken on Portland, Oregon’s TriMet buses, MAX light-rail and WES Commuter Rail in July, with overall weekly ridership up two percent compared to July 2010. Weekday trips on the MAX Green Line increased 15.5 percent and increased 16.5 percent on WES. Rush hour trips were up 2.5 percent on all modes. All figures below are compared with July 2010.
Bus, MAX & WES
* Weekly trips were up two percent to 1,991,300
* Weekday trips were up 2.3 percent to 323,420
* Weekend trips were up 0.6 percent to 374,200
* Rush hour trips were up 2.5 percent to 98,220
MAX
* Weekly trips were up 4.8 percent to 879,700
* Weekday trips were up 5.7 percent to 137,900
* Weekend trips were up 1.4 percent to 190,200
* Rush hour trips were up 5.6 percent to 39,300
MAX Green Line
* Weekday trips were up 15.5 percent to 23,900
* Weekend trips were up 4.2 percent to 27,600
WES
* Weekday/rush hour trips were up 16.5 percent to 1,620
* Weekly trips were up 16.5 percent to 8,100
U.S. Department of Transportation has proposed changes to the Federal Railroad Administration’s regulations governing the installation of Positive Train Control (PTC) systems. The amendments will provide greater flexibility to railroads and FRA in assessing the need for PTC without adversely affecting the safety of America’s rail lines.
"Ensuring the safety of our railroads is a top priority," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "Thanks to President Obama’s leadership in reducing regulatory barriers, these proposed amendments will provide regulatory relief while maintaining our commitment to safety."
PTC is currently required on routes carrying poison inhalation hazard (PIH) materials and on routes that provide intercity and commuter passenger service. If a railroad opts to reroute the shipment of PIH hazardous materials off such a rail line and chooses to not install PTC there, the company must currently request FRA approval and conduct a complex set of analyses. The amendments proposed would eliminate the need to perform those analyses but do not impact the existing requirements to install PTC on lines used to provide passenger rail service.
"We believe that the proposal provides a balance of safety regulation and cost to the industry," said FRA Administrator Joseph Szabo. "We look forward to working together with the railroads as they concentrate on areas where positive train control is much-needed."
Affected railroads are expected to have an estimated cost savings of $340 million in the first several years, with total savings of up to $1 billion over 20 years, by not installing PTC systems on as much as 14,000 miles of track. The lines impacted by this proposal have significantly less accident exposure because they do not carry passenger trains or PIH hazardous materials.
The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) will be published in the Federal Register on Wednesday, August 24. The FRA invites comments on all aspects of the proposal. Interested parties are invited to submit comments by October 24. Comments received after that date will be considered to the extent possible without incurring additional expenses or delays.
U.S. Department of Transportation will give nearly $745 million for construction along the Northeast Corridor to upgrade some of the most heavily-used sections. The NEC will receive $449.94 million to upgrade electrical systems and tracks between Trenton, N.J. and New York City, resulting in improved on-time performance and reliability and an initial increase in top operating speeds up to 160 mph and future maximum speeds of 186 mph. Another $294.78 million will alleviate major delays for trains coming in and out of Manhattan with new routes that allow Amtrak trains to bypass the busiest passenger rail junction in the nation.
"These grants are a win for our economy and a win for commuters all along the Northeast Corridor," said U.S Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "We are creating new construction jobs, ordering American-made supplies and improving transportation opportunities across a region where 50 million Americans live and work."
The announcement is part of the Obama Administration’s capital investment in the Northeast Corridor and the improvements will allow for the fastest passenger train speeds attained in North America to date. Thanks to these investments, Acela Express trains will soon reach up to 160 mph (up from 135 mph today) along a 24-mile segment of the corridor between Trenton and New Brunswick, N.J., with the replacement of electrical catenary, supplemented power supply and modernized signals and tracks. In the future, as Amtrak purchases new, next generation high-speed train sets, passengers will travel at world-class speeds of 186 mph along the improved track.
Improvements to the Harold Interlocking rail junction in Queens will eliminate congestion between intercity and commuter trains and allow for the future growth of high-speed service along the corridor. A new flyover will separate Amtrak trains traveling between New York and Boston from Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North commuter trains, and N.J. Transit trains accessing Sunnyside Maintenance Yard in Queens.
"With gas prices on the rise and congestion clogging our roads, more and more Americans are choosing to travel by train," said Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Szabo. "With our population expected to grow by 100 million more people between now and 2050, we are investing in a high-speed rail system that connects to other modes of transportation, reduces congestion and improves the efficiency and reliability of travel in America. Increasing speeds and improving service on the Northeast Corridor, which is the most heavily-traveled passenger rail corridor in the nation, is a crucial part of our effort."
Both projects are expected to generate 12,000 jobs. Pre-construction work between Trenton and New York City will begin in late 2011, with initial construction commencing in 2012. The project is expected to create 400 jobs per year over the period of construction. Through the Obama Administration’s strict implementation of the "Buy America" requirement, the opportunity for U.S. manufacturers and suppliers continues as more than 100 miles of wire, hundreds of catenary poles and a large volume of electrical equipment such as transformers will be used as part of the upgrades.