Passenger

NYCT FASTRACK coming to the 1, 2 and 3 lines

New York City Transit’s FASTRACK is returning to the Seventh Avenue Line. Metropolitan Transportation Authority New York City Transit conducted four FASTRACK line shutdowns in the first quarter of this year resulting in an unprecedented amount of work. During the first late-night shutdown on the Broadway/Seventh Avenue 123 corridor, 800 maintenance workers completed more than 400 tasks each night, a monumental effort that would have taken months under normal operations. And, according to NYCT, there is still more work to be done.

Centennial celebration of San Francisco’s first streetcar kicks off

San Francisco Mayor Edwin Lee and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), which oversees all transportation in the city, including the Municipal Railway (Muni), joined U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, chair of the SFMTA Centennial Honorary Committee, to launch the 100th anniversary celebration of the Municipal Railway, founded on December 28, 1912.

NYCT launches second track improvement initiative

In New York a major track renewal and component replacement project along the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Queens Boulevard Line will begin on April 7. The track closure will be in effect 24 hours a day as the tracks and support equipment are completely replaced with new ties, tie blocks, plates and rails.

Metro Gold Line contractor receives Notice To Proceed

California’s Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority issued a Full Notice to Proceed to Foothill Transit Constructors, A Kiewit Parsons Joint Venture for the $486 million Foothill Extension from Pasadena to Azusa light-rail alignment project. The Full Notice to Proceed affords the Kiewit Parsons Joint Venture the ability to implement all aspects of the design-build contract, including design and construction of the 11.5 miles of tracks, stations, crossings, bridges, utilities, maintenance facility and more. The total project budget is $735 million.

LACMTA to update the public on the East San Fernando Valley Transit Corridor Study

Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, in cooperation with the city of Los Angeles, will hold three community meetings in April to update the public on the Alternatives Analysis study that is evaluating options to improve north-south travel opportunities in the East San Fernando Valley and provide connections to the regional transportation network. The AA study is a precursor to the draft environmental document.

RT&S launches “Rail Brief” weekly engineering newsletter

The editors of Railway Track & Structures are pleased to bring you “Rail Brief,” a weekly e-mail newsletter that brings breaking news about rail engineering and maintenance-of-way to your inbox. Whether it occurs on or off the track, RT&S “Rail Brief” will cover advancing projects, developing technologies and other updates on rail infrastructure.

Unitrac awarded Amtrak contract

Unitrac Railroad Materials, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Healey Railroad Corporation, received a $1.1 million contract to supply special trackwork to Amtrak.

SFMTA recommends two-year budget proposal with maintenance focus

The Transportation for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, which oversees all transportation in the city, including the Municipal Railway (Muni), released proposals to balance the agency’s upcoming two-year budget. The proposals make a significant investment in maintenance that will increase Muni’s reliability, reduce overtime through adequate staffing and focus on key initiatives such as the Transit Effectiveness Project.

Granite JV awarded $56 million Arizona streetcar project

Granite Construction Incorporated, in a joint-venture with Old Pueblo Trackworks, comprising Granite and RailWorks Track Systems, has been awarded a $56 million contract by the city of Tucson, Airz., to build the first federally-funded streetcar project in more than 60 years. Granite will book its share, approximately $29 million, into backlog during the first quarter of 2012.

Ground breaks to eliminate major bottleneck in Missouri

A groundbreaking in Osage, Mo., has taken place for a new railroad bridge that will eliminate one of the worst rail bottlenecks in the country. The $28 million project received $22.6 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s High-Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail Program.