Heavy rail or monorail? L.A. Metro has a big decision to make for Sepulveda Transit Corridor
Will the Sepulveda Transit Corridor project be heavy on the minds of L.A. Metro Board members, or will it be a monorail?
Passenger
Things looking brighter at Amtrak with passage of American Rescue Plan Act of 2021
As part of its COVID-19 recovery efforts, Amtrak announces full restoration of daily service for 12 long distance routes following pandemic-related schedule reductions in 2020.
With BNSF out of the picture, Minneapolis officials come up with new answers for Blue Line extension
After failing to come to terms with BNSF, Minneapolis officials are breaking off on their own for alternative route options for the Bottineau Blue Line light-rail project.
Rail Runner passenger service resumes
After not offering passenger service for about a year due to the pandemic, the New Mexico Rail Runner Express resumed limited service on Monday, March 8. The State of New Mexico has set guidelines for the reopening of commuter rail on a limited basis.
TTC to close portion of Line 1 for 10 days to accelerate state-of-good-repair work
Beginning at 6 a.m. on Mon., Mar. 15, the TTC will close the portion of Line 1 between St George and St Andrew stations to allow crews to continue important tunnel improvements.
Demolition of building, part of third track expansion, traps LIRR signal workers
The Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) is trying to figure out what happened when a building partially collapsed onto another building and trapped workers.
Commentary: Cybersecurity and the railroads
Imagine waking up one morning and learning from your preferred news source that agents from an adversarial nation-state were fanned out across the country, stealing information and documents from private corporations and government agencies.
Proposed train yard project in Calif. described as a ‘nuisance’ by one resident
Residents of San Luis Obispo, Calif., are not happy about a proposed train yard project, with one calling it a “nuisance” on social media.
California High-Speed Rail Authority meets federal funding deadline well ahead of schedule
About ten days ago, the California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) secured federal funding prior to the deadline.
Watch: Section of Del Mar bluffs by railroad track fails
The collapse of the Del Mar bluffs in California continues.
Cable car and vintage streetcar services to be restored in San Francisco
SFMTA announced yesterday that service will be restored to the cable car and streetcar lines over the next couple of years, with two lines back in service in 2021.
Committee leaders release DOT Inspector General’s ethics report on former Secretary Elaine Chao
[Yesterday], Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) and Chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) released the report from the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (DOT OIG) [on the] ethics investigation into former Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao.
Study: Monorail in Maryland would not be enough to reduce traffic
A study shows that the construction of a monorail system in Montgomery County, Md., would be useful, but not useful enough to shed traffic off of I-270.
Granted one final extension, Brightline needs to resolve issues for Tampa route
Brightline has until mid-summer to come to terms with local and state governments that would allow the passenger rail service to extend service from Orlando to Tampa.
SEPTA Board approves five-year strategic plan
The SEPTA Board [last week] approved a five-year Strategic Plan for fiscal years 2021 through 2026. The plan – “SEPTA Forward: A Vision for a Stronger Future” – provides a framework for the Authority’s recovery from COVID-19 and sets a vision for future growth.
Baltimore Washington Rapid Rail announces diversity, equity and inclusion plan
Baltimore Washington Rapid Rail (BWRR), the developer of the Baltimore-Washington Superconducting Maglev (SCMaglev) Project, [yesterday] announced ambitious goals that would deliver billions of dollars of economic benefits to communities of color, women, and their businesses in constructing and operating the $13 billion high-speed train project.
Caltrain’s first electric trainset shipped to Colo. for testing
Caltrain’s first electric trainset has arrived at the Transportation Technology Center in Pueblo, Colo. for testing, marking a major milestone in the electrification of the railroad.
Metrolink awarded $13.6M for Antelope Valley Line railroad/highway safety improvements
Metrolink announced [Friday] it was awarded up to $13.6 million of Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Section 130 Program Funds for safety improvements at four grade crossings along its Antelope Valley Line in the cities of Palmdale and Lancaster.
Bells & Whistles—Calif. high-rail project digs deeper in trouble
Will New York receive a downpour of federal funding to serve the ‘subway desert’? Going cheap on section of high-speed rail project in Calif. has created hefty cost overruns L.A. councilman calls
Sound Transit Board approves transfer of surplus property to City of Seattle
The Sound Transit Board has approved a motion to transfer 10 surplus property sites in the Rainier Valley at no cost to the City of Seattle for the development of affordable housing, as a part of a partnership that includes a $10 million commitment from the city to build affordable homeownership opportunities.