Amtrak taps Winters as inspector general
Amtrak’s Board of Directors has selected Kevin Winters as the passenger railroad’s new inspector general, effective immediately.
Intercity
Virgin Trains USA prepares for NASDAQ IPO
Virgin Trains USA announced Jan. 30 that it is launching an Initial Public Offering (IPO) of 28,334,000 shares of common stock. The NASDAQ Global Select Market listing is expected to raise $17
Chicago suburb pays up to fight Amtrak Hiawatha project
Glenview, Ill., a village about 15 miles from Chicago, has reportedly approved spending a significant chunk of funding to continue its opposition efforts in regards to the proposed Amtrak Hiawatha project.
BART awards Phase II extension contract to Mott MacDonald/PGH Wong Engineering
A joint venture of of Mott McDonald and PGH Wong Engineering has won the contract to provide general engineering services for Phase II of the 16-mile, six-station Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART)
FRA gives $46 million in PTC grants in 10 states
Eleven projects to implement positive train control (PTC) systems will split more than $46 million in grants from the Federal Railroad Administration. The winning PTC projects include a wide variety of rail
Brightline gains state approval of high-speed service plans
Brightline, Florida’s intercity higher-speed rail system, received approval from the state Nov. 28 to negotiate for land to add high-speed passenger rail service from Orlando to Tampa.
Final four vie for Philly Amtrak station project
Amtrak has narrowed to four teams in its search for a master developer for its Northeast Corridor station project in Philadelphia.
FRA finalizes HSR rulemaking
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) on Nov. 21 issued a final rule establishing what it’s calling “modern, performance-based safety standards for railroad passenger equipment.”
FRA issues notice of $272M for state-of-good-repair project funding
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Nov. 15 for the Federal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair Program (Partnership Program).
Transit veteran jumps to Hyperloop
Jay Walder, who spent several years at the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) in executive-level positions, has accepted the CEO post at Virgin Hyperloop One (VHO), one of several companies competing
Amtrak OIG says railroad can cut up to $6.4M in costs
Amtrak’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) audit, released Nov. 9, states that the passenger railroad service is capable of reducing the cost of service and inspection activities by adjusting workloads and staffing
Brightline submits sole Tampa-Orlando HSR proposal
Only one company submitted a proposal to develop a passenger rail line connecting Tampa and Orlando – but that company is well-known in Florida transportation circles.
Abrams to lead S. Florida RTA
Palm Beach County Commissioner Steven L. Abrams was selected Executive Director of the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA).
New impact study for Oregon passenger proposal
Oregon after years of study has released a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for proposed passenger service upgrades between Eugene and Portland.
Bentley acquires LEGION, launches OpenBuildings Station Designer
The acquisition of a pedestrian simulation software provider and the launch of a new design application are helping Bentley Systems, Incorporated, integrate comprehensive digital workflows into train station design.
Feasibility study looks at Ann Arbor-Traverse City passenger rail service
A feasibility study looking at potential ridership and costs of passenger rail between Traverse City and Ann Arbor, Mich., says service could attract 1.5 million riders per year and generate approximately $100
Amtrak commits to Southwest Chief via rail in FY19
An Amtrak official told a Senate hearing the agency would continue to operate passenger service through the Southwest on routes exempted from Positive Train Control.
Amtrak OIG report identifies eight major challenges faced by the railroad
The Amtrak Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued a report of Sept. 28 identifying eight major management and performance challenges it sees the railroad having to face in fiscal years 2019 and
Second track completed for Hartford Line
A second track between Hartford and Windsor on the CTrail Hartford Line has been completed and is open, according to the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT).
PennDOT to study Altoona to Pittsburgh passenger service
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf has directed the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) to again study the feasibility of passenger rail between Altoona and Pittsburgh.