UP ShipCarsNow to relocate to Omaha

UP will relocate its
ShipCarsNow subsidiary to its headquarters building in Omaha, Neb., from Auburn
Hills, Mich., beginning in January.

 

"Relocating
ShipCarsNow to Omaha allows Union Pacific and ShipCarsNow to leverage common
systems in order to strengthen and grow our auto transport services in the U.S.
and international markets," said Julie Krehbiel, UP vice president and
general manager-automotive.

 

Established by UP in
2006, ShipCarsNow delivers used vehicles for businesses in the U.S. and around
the world through a multimodal auto transport network that includes truck,
enclosed rail transport, driveaway shuttles and ocean-going vessels.
ShipCarsNow is one of the few online auto transport companies to provide
instant, online quotes for both domestic and international auto shipping.

 

UP is North America’s
largest automotive carrier. It directly serves five vehicle assembly plants and
distributes imported vehicles from seven West Coast ports and one Gulf Coast
port. UP operates or accesses 43 vehicle distribution centers, covering most
major western U.S. cities.

 

ShipCarsNow will bring
21 jobs to Nebraska. About half are relocations while others are new positions
or transfers within the company. This is in addition to approximately 12
information technology jobs in Omaha that are already supporting its Web
technology. ShipCarsNow hopes to further expand its workforce in Omaha over the
coming years as it seeks new business opportunities.


 

Robert G. Lewis, 1916-2011

Robert G. Lewis, publisher of Railway Age from 1956 until not long before he
retired from the company in 1995, died the evening of January 5 at his home in Ormond-by-the-Sea, Fla., at
the age of 94.

A native of Philadelphia, Bob Lewis began his career with the Pennsylvania
Railroad in the operations department in 1934. He worked for the Bessemer &
Lake Erie from 1940 to 1941 before joining the U.S. Navy in December 1941.
After World War II, he returned to the Pennsylvania before joining Simmons-Boardman
Publishing Corp. as an associate editor of Railway Age in 1947. Lewis served
consecutively as associate editor, transportation editor and circulation
director of Simmons-Boardman before being named publisher of the magazine and
its associated technical monthlies in 1956. He also served as president and
vice chairman of the board of Simmons-Boardman.

In  1961, Lewis founded International Railway Journal, now based in
England, which this year celebrates its 50th anniversary as one of the world’s
leading transportation publications.

After retirement, Lewis retained a connection with Simmons-Boardman as director
of special projects.

An appreciation of Bob Lewis’s life and career will appear in the February 2011
edition of Railway Age.

Brooklyn

MTA New York City Transit is making repairs and improvements to Brooklyn’s Culver Line including the rebuilding of the viaduct structure and the renewal of its tracks, signals and switches. It will also rehabilitate the Smith-9th station and restore platforms, canopies and the historic arch at the 4th Avenue-9th Street station.

The $275.5 million engineering and construction project is necessary to rehabilitate the steel and concrete viaduct, which first opened in 1933 as part of the IND system. The project area stretches from the tunnel portal south of the Carroll Street station to the portal south of Fourth Avenue. In preparation for this work, the G line has been extended to Church Avenue since July 2009. This current phase of the project will begin this month and continue until the fall of 2012.

Patriot Corp. completes acquisition of Weyerhaeuser Company

Patriot Rail Corp., a privately-held shortline and regional freight railroad holding company, has completed the acquisition of the six shortline railroads belonging to Weyerhaeuser Company. This acquisition is the largest for Patriot to date, giving it a total of 13 shortline railroads owned.

The six Weyerhaeuser railroads operate over approximately 160 miles of track in four states, employ 88 people and handle approximately 60,000 carloads of freight annually. The railroads primarily serve Weyerhaeuser and International Paper mills and a number of third-party customers. Major commodities hauled include wood and paper products, chemicals, industrial waste, minerals and agricultural products. Each of the railroads interchange traffic with multiple Class I carriers and other shortline railroads.

The six railroads include:
• The DeQueen and Eastern Railroad
• The Texas, Oklahoma & Eastern Railroad
• The Columbia & Cowlitz Railway
• The Patriot Woods Railroad
• The Golden Triangle Railroad
• The Mississippi & Skuna Valley Railroad

In addition to the rail lines and other track assets, the acquisition also includes 28 locomotives, over 300 railcars, 2,500 leased railcars, 50 motor vehicles, right-of-way real estate, general office buildings, maintenance of way equipment, locomotive shops, rail car repair shops, a wheel shop, rail yards and office and shop equipment.

"This transaction represents the acquisition of very attractive railroads with strong cash flow, a dedicated workforce, a well-maintained track infrastructure, a highly-stable customer base and appealing growth opportunities," said Gary Marino, president of Patriot Rail. "We look forward to growing the business on the rail lines through innovative and competitive service offerings to existing and new customers."

"We are pleased to complete the transaction with Patriot and look forward to working with them to continue receiving dependable rail service to our mills," said Daniel Fulton, Weyerhaeuser president.

Track work to affect Amtrak Crescent service

Improvements to the track used by the Amtrak Crescent (New York – New Orleans) service will result in a temporary schedule change from January 10 – February 17 with trains not operating between Atlanta and New Orleans Monday through Thursday of each week.

Southbound Train 19 originating in New York on Sundays through Wednesdays will terminate in Atlanta. Northbound Train 20 originating on Mondays through Thursdays will originate in Atlanta instead of its usual New Orleans. No alternate transportation will be provided between Atlanta and New Orleans.

On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only between January 10 and February 17, Trains 19 and 20 will serve all stations along the route, but may encounter delays due to speed restrictions and freight train interference.

The temporary schedule change will permit Norfolk Southern Railway, the owner of the track, to perform its annual track-work project. The extensive tie, rail and bridgework will take place at numerous locations between Atlanta and a point south of Meridian, Miss. The work will improve Amtrak ride quality and reliability, and avoid or eliminate speed restrictions.

 

CTA Train Tracker to arrive in January

A pilot version of the highly anticipated CTA Train Tracker will be launched in early January via a dedicated website. Customers using desktop computers or mobile web-enabled devices, such as iPhones, BlackBerries or smartphones, will be able to access estimated arrival times for trains on all eight rail lines.

"Following the popularity of Bus Tracker, the CTA has been developing a similar tool for riders to get estimated arrival times for trains," said Richard Rodriguez, CTA president. "We are just as eager as our customers for this pilot program to launch so that our rail customers have the information they need to better plan their trips and make their experience on the CTA even more convenient and reliable."

Estimated arrival times will be generated through a combination of scheduling information and data collected by the CTA’s QuicTrak program, which monitors signaling systems and indicates when a portion of track is occupied by a train. An average transit time is determined by measuring how long it takes a train to travel a portion of track. By averaging the travel times of the last five trains to move across a portion of track, the CTA can calculate the estimated arrival times for trains at each station.

To view estimated arrival times, customers will simply have to go to the dedicated website, select their preferred rail line and then choose a station. Arrival times of approaching trains within a 15-minute timeframe will be provided for the selected station, and results will refresh approximately every 20-30 seconds. Customers will have the option to choose the number of results displayed and how they are sorted – either by track or route if the station is served by multiple rail lines, or by time to arrival.

In the event arrival times cannot be calculated – such as with the first trains in the morning – Train Tracker will provide and indicate schedule information for the next arriving train(s).

Since April, stations equipped with electronic signs have been testing estimated arrival time displays. Because the electronic displays across the rail system are not uniform in age, size, character availability or the number of lines displayed, personnel have been working diligently to develop a consistent method of delivering accurate data for the various display types.

 

Surface Transportation Board announces new vice chairman

Transportation Board member Charles D. Nottingham has been designated as the agency’s Vice Chairman. He succeeds Francis P. Mulvey, who most recently served as vice chairman from January 5, 2010 to January 4, 2011, and who continues to serve as a board member. The board’s vice chairmanship rotates between the members on an annual basis.

Nottingham, the lone republican on the three-member board, was appointed chairman by President George W. Bush and joined the board on August 14, 2006 following his Senate confirmation. He served as STB chairman until March 12, 2009. On October 18, 2010 then-Commissioner Nottingham announced that he would not seek a second term on the board when his current term expired on December 31, 2010. The board’s governing statute permits a board member to continue serving for up to one year after the end of his or her term, until a successor is named and confirmed. Vice Chairman Nottingham has not yet announced a specific departure date.

Whitmore Group hires Bruce Wise

Bruce Wise has joined the Whitmore Group as director of railroad sales. Wise, who will oversee the global railroad operations of the 117-year-old company, was formerly vice president and general manager of Portec Rail Products, Inc.-RPM Division.

Wise has more than 20 years experience and is respected industry-wide, presently serving on the Board of Directors of REMSA and as a member of AREMA, where he worked for many years on Committee 4-Rail.

Jeff Peterson, president of The Whitmore Group, said, "Bruce is the perfect fit to lead our organization’s rail efforts. The timing was right and the chemistry was outstanding with our employees, distributors and our customers and when he became available, we could not pass up the opportunity to bring him on board. We believe he will help our customers accelerate their endless pursuit of reducing their annual maintenance and capital equipment costs through Whitmore’s lubrication products and services. While we are very excited about this development, our customers will be the ultimate beneficiaries."

METRORail North and Southeast Corridor Light Rail Project receives $50 million

The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas., received a $50 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation for the METRORail North and Southeast Corridor Light Rail Project. This award is the culmination of multiple meetings, conference calls and conversations organized and led by Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, Houston METRO, the FTA and the DOT.

"METRORail continues to expand in the Houston area as more riders use it for their day-to-day activities, and the funding awarded by the Department of Transportation allows us to continue to grow this important mass transit system that helps the lives of people, communities and businesses in the 18th District of Texas," commented Congresswoman Jackson Lee. "I will continue to advocate for this critical funding that creates jobs in Houston and helps rebuild our local economy."

The North Corridor Light Rail Project is a 5.28-mile, dual-track, electric light rail line, with eight stations and an operating day fleet of 14 light rail vehicles. The Southeast Corridor Light Rail Project is a 6.56-mile, dual-track, electric light rail line, with 10 stations and an opening day fleet of 15 light rail vehicles. The funding covers continuing and future expenses for engineering/design and related management services for METRO’s design builders.

Jalene Forbis joins Balfour Beatty

Jalene Forbis joined Balfour Beatty Rail, Inc., as director of business development for the company’s Rail Services Division in the West Coast and Texas regions.

A fifth-generation railroader, this former Railway Industry Woman of the Year has been very active in the railway industry and her work has generated a great deal of attention over the years. She has served as Pacific Region vice president of the American Short Line Railraod Association and as executive director of the California Short Line Railraod Association. She has been involved with railroad-releated issues at both the state and national levels and sits on a number of ASLRRA committees, also having chaired the group’s annual convention.

Based in Sacramento and Houston, Forbis will be responsible for the strategic growth and development of the company’s construction and maintenance-of-way services for the Class 1, regional, shortline, industrial and port markets.

"Jalene is very well known and well-connected among railroaders," said Mark Snailham, vice president of Rail Services for Balfour Beatty Rail. "She’s worn many hats and knows what it takes to advance a business and our industry. We look forward to having her apply her extensive knowledge and expertise on behalf of both Balfour Beatty Rail and our clients."

Tom Kotnour dies at 85

Tom Kotnour, 85, of Wahpeton, N.D., died December 26, 2010 at his winter home in Mesa, Ariz.

Tom was born January 29, 1925, in St. Paul, Minn. He was raised there and graduated from high school in 1943. He entered the U.S. Army in June of 1943 and left in 1946 when he started working for the Great Northern Railroad. He was assigned to the following locations: St. Paul (three times), Minot, N.D., Havre, Mont., Seattle, Wash., Chicago, Ill.

Tom served as a consultant in the formation of the Washington Central Railroad in 1986, which was merged with BN in 1996.

Tom assisted in the start up of the Red River Valley & Western. In 2002 he formed a corporation and purchased the Minnesota Northern Railroad, retiring in June 2006 with 60 years of railroading.

UTU-represented shortline has new owner

UTU-represented train and engine employees of Columbia & Cowlitz Railroad have a new employer in Patriot Rail Corp. after Patriot completed purchase of the shortline from paper manufacturer and forest products supplier Weyerhaeuser.

Also included in the sale is Weyerhaeuser Woods Railroad (a non-UTU property) that connects with Columbia & Cowlitz Railway. The two are slated to be consolidated into one shortline by Patriot, a shortline holding company whose properties include UTU-represented Louisiana & North West Railroad.

UTU Assistant President Arty Martin has met four times in recent months with the UTU train and engine employees on Columbia & Cowlitz, and has assigned International Vice President Paul Tibbit to work in conjunction with General Chairperson Sean Kibee to monitor the transfer of ownership, which includes protection of seniority and work assignments.

"As the nation’s largest rail union, the UTU has a long history of successful experience in processing grievances governed by the Railway Labor Act, and the UTU will work diligently on behalf of our Columbia & Cowlitz members to ensure a smooth and properly protected transition," Martin said.

Metro seeks new fare system

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority is seeking a business partner to help develop the next generation of electronic fare payment to create more options for customers, make using the transit system easier and encourage new ridership.

The Request for Proposals issued is the first step in a process to identify a vendor to assist Metro in developing a fare system designed to process payments directly at the gate using technology like contactless, chip-enabled debit and credit cards, which banks are already distributing to customers; federal identification cards; or smart phones equipped with near-field communication capability; as well as existing SmarTrip® cards.

The current SmarTrip® system will remain in operation until a new system is developed and Metro will solicit significant customer input into the design of the new system to ensure all customers are served, whether they are frequent or occasional riders.

"We want to make it even easier for our customers to use Metro," said Metro Board Chairman Peter Benjamin. "While customers will still be able to use SmarTrip®, they will have additional payment choices such as debit, credit or federal ID cards. Just as SmarTrip® revolutionized how customers paid their fares a decade ago, we look for this new system to be equally dramatic in the eyes of our customers."

The RFP contemplates new and rehabilitated gate hardware, and new fare payment targets onboard the bus fleet. Web-enabled services, SMS texting and mobile applications will be enhanced to provide additional information and convenience for customers traveling throughout the region in both peak and off-peak periods.

WMATA receives $150 million

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood provided a $150 million grant to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority to replace Washington Metro’s "1000-Series" rail cars. These cars were cited by the National Transportation Safety Board as a contributing factor to the severity of passenger injuries and the number of fatalities in the June 2009 Red Line crash near Fort Totten Station. Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia will also provide $150 million in matching local funds to help pay for the improvements.

"This money will let WMATA make important safety improvements to Washington’s Metrorail system," said LaHood. "But to establish a standard level of safety across all transit systems, we urge Congress to pass the rail transit safety legislation proposed by the Obama Administration last year."

In addition to $79.3 million to purchase as many as 300 new 7000-Series rail cars and $44.4 million for track rehabilitation, the remainder of the $300 million will be used to address other much-needed infrastructure projects within the system, such as Metrorail station improvements, the rehabilitation of track maintenance equipment, the replacement of track switching equipment, and elevator and escalator repairs. The grant also allocates $10.3 million for the transit agency to address safety recommendations made by the NTSB.

"Safety is our number one priority at FTA and this investment in WMATA is an investment in the welfare of the people who live and work around the nation’s capital," said FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff. "Whether they’re going to work, to school, to the doctor, or to a ballgame, DC-area residents deserve a transit system that is efficient, reliable, and most importantly, safe."

 

 

Infrastructure improvements accomplished by CTA in 2010

As a result of cost-conscious management, the CTA enters 2011 with a balanced budget that maintains current fares and service levels for riders-one of the many goals the agency accomplished this year.

Faced with an aging infrastructure in need of repair, but lacking the capital funds to invest in all desired improvements, CTA found other ways to finance the critical capital needs. By leveraging previously secured federal funding, outside resources and shifting of existing resources, the CTA was able to upgrade and refurbish existing infrastructure.

CTA submitted multiple grant applications in 2010 and, to date, CTA has been awarded more than $55 million in grants for various projects.

Earlier this year, CTA used $12.5 million in federal stimulus funds to construct a new entrance on Archer Avenue to the Red Line Cermak-Chinatown station. The entrance serves as the primary access point for customers while the main entrance to the station is rebuilt and made accessible.

Through a continued partnership with the Chicago Department of Transportation, rehabilitation of the Grand Red Line subway station and the construction of the CTA’s first new station in nearly a decade – the Morgan Green Line station in the West Loop – are currently under way.

In addition, CTA and Apple, Inc. reached an agreement in which Apple supplied funding to refurbish the Red Line’s North/Clybourn station. The station renovations were completed in October.

In-service testing of the new 5000-series prototype rail cars also began earlier in 2010. The 10 prototype rail cars are currently being tested to determine how they perform when operating in the conditions that CTA’s rail fleet is subjected to throughout the year. The prototypes must successfully complete testing on all eight rail lines.

Using grant funding from the Department of Homeland Security, CTA continues to make progress in enhancing security and expanding its surveillance network. Each of the 144 CTA rail stations has at least one high-definition camera installed, with expansion continuing in 2011.

As part of the CTA’s renewed commitment to further develop and implement meaningful and proactive accessibility initiatives consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act, an Infrastructure Accessibility Task Force was formed on the 20th anniversary of the landmark piece of legislation.

The task force is charged with developing a financially-informed plan for accessibility initiatives and to help guide future initiatives that can enhance the accessibility at CTA rail stations. Currently, 63 percent of CTA rail stations are accessible via elevators or ramps. Four more stations will soon be accessible following the completion of renovation work at the Cermak-Chinatown and Grand Red Line stations and the construction of two new rail stations – the Oakton Yellow Line and Morgan Green/Pink Line stations.

The CTA is currently in the process of seeking out proposals for corporate sponsorships/naming rights – intended to generate new revenues for improving facilities and services – and a new open fare payment system, which could introduce the use of contactless credit cards, debit cards and prepaid cards to ride the system.

Also scheduled for 2011, CTA plans to test a system that allows customers to receive estimated arrival times for CTA trains following the popular Bus Tracker system.

L.B. Foster completes merger of Foster Thomas Company into Portec Rail

The merger of Foster Thomas Company with and into Portec Rail Products, Inc. has been effected as of December 27, 2010. Portec Rail is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of L.B. Foster.

As of the close of trading on December 29, 2010, Portec’s common stock will no longer be traded on the NASDAQ Stock Exchange.

$105 million for the Crescent Corridor intermodal freight facilities

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said that work could begin on construction of two intermodal freight facilities in Memphis and Birmingham thanks to a signed grant agreement with the Alabama and Tennessee Departments of Transportation for $105 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds. The facilities are a key part of a larger effort to increase rail capacity and relieve traffic congestion along the 2,500-mile Crescent Corridor from the Gulf Coast to the Mid-Atlantic.

"President Obama’s efforts to create jobs and improve our nation’s transportation infrastructure depend on investments like these," said Secretary LaHood. "The new facilities in Birmingham and Memphis will create jobs, help increase rail capacity, reduce highway traffic congestion and improve air quality for area residents."

Of the $105 million, Alabama will use half – $52.5 million – to build the 261-acre Birmingham Regional Intermodal Facility near McCalla, about 20 miles southwest of Birmingham. The remainder of this $97.5-million project’s funding will come from Norfolk Southern and other sources.

Tennessee will use its half – $52.5 million – to build the 380-acre Memphis Regional Intermodal Facility immediately west of Rossville, about 27 miles east of downtown Memphis. The remainder of this $105.1-million project’s funding is expected to come from Norfolk Southern and other sources.

The existing Crescent Corridor passes through 13 states, from Louisiana to New Jersey. The planned upgrades to facilities and rail capacity will allow freight to move faster and more reliably. By diverting 1.3 million commercial trucks from interstates, the Crescent Corridor will greatly improve air quality along the route, reduce traffic congestion and generate significant fuel savings.

The grant is part of the TIGER program included in the Recovery Act to promote innovative, multi-modal and multi-jurisdictional transportation projects that provide significant economic and environmental benefits to an entire metropolitan area, region or the nation.

Rail gates fail in Plainfield, Ill. on Christmas Day

A broken wire and weather conditions led to Christmas Day railroad crossing blockages in Plainfield, Ill., a Canadian National Railway spokesman said, the Herald News reports. The gates were stuck down at four CN crossings on public roads Saturday afternoon.

CN spokesman Patrick Waldron said he did not have times for how long the crossings were out of service. But a Plainfield police official said the problem lasted about four hours. Waldron said CN personnel were at the crossings within 40 minutes of the malfunctions to begin routing traffic around the gates. Traffic still was backed up for a long distance on Lockport Street as Christmas Day travelers waited to get across the tracks.

The gates also stopped operating at crossings at 143rd Street, Naperville Road and Main Street. One private road crossing also malfunctioned, but that did not affect the public, Waldron said.

"We think it was caused by ice, snow and salt build-up at the grade crossings," Waldron said. "Also, there was a broken wire."

Waldron said the breakdown times varied at each crossing.
Plainfield police Cmdr. John Konopek, also director of the village’s Emergency Management Agency, said the crossings "were out of service for about four hours." Konopek said emergency management personnel were brought out to the crossings to manage traffic.

Washington State buys polluted parcel

Taxpayers are footing the bill to clean contamination at the former site of a metal scrapping yard in west Vancouver, Wash., the Columbian reports. The property will be used for auxiliary tracks as part of a $150-million rail improvement project. Excavation will resume in the spring. The total cost, including earthwork and remediation, could come to $1 million.

The 2½-acre property along Fourth Plain Boulevard had been the site of a metal scrap yard originally established in 1946. Metal scrapping ended after a raid by environmental regulators in late 2006. Later, the property owner hired an environmental remediation company to clean out oil-soaked trenches and dry wells. But residual contamination – metals, petroleum and polychlorinated biphenyls – remained embedded in the soil.

The railroad, with the Washington Department of Transportation, identified the property as a parcel that could be useful in a major railroad improvement project. The $150-million project – funded by state and federal transportation dollars – is designed to alleviate chronic rail congestion in Vancouver. The property would accommodate a new set of auxiliary tracks, allowing freight and passenger trains to speed through the Vancouver yard on a track currently used as a siding. Ultimately, the DOT anticipates railroad improvements in Vancouver and throughout Western Washington will enable the state to improve the frequency and on-time performance of Amtrak passenger service.

Acquiring the property was seen as a small but necessary piece toward that much larger goal. The contamination did not faze transportation officials, said David Smelser, rail projects coordination manager for the DOT.

A spokesman for BNSF, which now holds title to the property, said the railroad and the DOT were fully aware of the contamination. Yet the state ultimately agreed to bear the cost of cleanup because this particular property was considered crucial to the overall $150-million rail improvement project.

State officials said they considered segregating the property with a retaining wall to minimize environmental remediation, but that would have been even more costly than hauling away all of the tainted soil. And the Fruit Valley neighborhood would have been left with a contaminated piece of ground. So taxpayers are stepping up.

"We came to an agreement on the best overall plan to accommodate rail," BNSF spokesman Gus Melonas said. "It works operationally, but it is also a benefit to the neighborhood and community."

The state agreed to pay up to $1 million for BNSF to remediate the environmental hazard and clear the top eight feet of soil to bring it level to the adjacent rail yard. The soil had to be removed to clear the way for the auxiliary tracks. State transportation officials said they did not break down the estimated cost of earthwork versus environmental remediation.
However, they said the remediation cost would be substantial.

"At some point, you dig down and get to clean dirt," Smelser said.

FTA announces $182.4 million in funds for seven major transit projects

The Federal Transit Administration said that it is advancing a total of $182.4 million in New Starts funding for seven transit projects already under construction in New York, Dallas, Salt Lake City, Seattle and Northern Virginia.

"By making these payments now, we’re not only fulfilling the federal government’s commitment to these projects sooner, but we’re also giving a well-timed boost to communities that have made an important investment in their transportation infrastructure," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "We want to keep the projects moving and people working with these early investments, which will save these cities money over the long haul."

The grants being awarded will not increase the federal government’s overall share in the projects. Rather, a portion of the federal share for each project is being paid earlier than expected because of unallocated funds in FTA’s Fiscal Year 2010 budget for new construction.

"The advance payments will free up local funds that can now be used for other transit projects that will make it easier for families to get to work, to school and to other important destinations," said FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff. "These advances will also result in the savings of financing costs that local sponsors would have otherwise incurred."

These projects-which include subway, light rail and commuter rail-have already been given "full funding grant agreements," documents that establish the federal government’s share of funding as well as annual payment schedules.

In recent years, the FTA has provided between $1.5 billion and $1.8 billion annually toward new public transportation projects through its New Starts Program, the primary source of federal assistance for local sponsors of transit construction.

Dallas – Northwest/Southeast Light Rail
Advanced Payment: $17,788,000

New York – Long Island Rail Road East Side Access
Advanced Payment: $44,341,000

New York – Second Avenue Subway
Advanced Payment: $40,667,000

Northern Virginia – Dulles Corridor
Advanced Payment: $19,799,000

Salt Lake City – Mid Jordan LRT
Advanced Payment: $20,623,000

Weber County/Salt Lake City, UT – Commuter Rail
Advanced Payment: $16,500,000

Seattle – University Link
Advanced Payment: $22,686,000

 

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