WMATA Proposes ‘Severe Cuts’ in FY2025 Budget (UPDATED, 12/20) –– From Our Colleagues at Railway Age

WASHINGTON, D.C. –– The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) has released its proposed operating and capital budget for fiscal year 2025 (FY2025), which calls for “severe cuts” to address the agency’s $750 structural funding shortfall—a deficit equal to more than 25% of the operating budget—despite “proactive management actions” taken by WMATA to control expenses.

SacRT Adding Passing Track; Construction Starts January 2024

SACRAMENTO – Starting January 2, 2024, the Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) will start construction as part of the Folsom 15-Minute Light Rail Service Project.

Metrolink Service Systemwide Pauses Dec. 26th – 29th for Infrastructure Upgrades

LOS ANGELES – Starting December 26th and lasting through December 29th, Metrolink will pause its services systemwide in order to complete infrastructure upgrades and make repairs.

TransLink Replacing Four Escalators at Commercial-Broadway SkyTrain Station

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – TransLink will replace four escalators at the Commercial-Broadway SkyTrain Station as part of its Commercial-Broadway Escalator Replacement Project.

TriMet Six-Week MAX Disruption Starting Jan. 24th

PORTLAND – TriMet announced a six-week MAX disruption from January 14th through February 25th so contractors can finish construction at the Gateway Transit Center.

Ontario Awards Contract for Eglinton Crosstown West Extension Elevated Guideway

TORONTO – The Ontario government is taking the next step in building the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension in awarding a contract to construct an elevated portion of the Extension.

HART Settles With STG for $59.9MM

HONOLULU – Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation has reached a $59.9 million settlement with rail contractor STG.

NTSB Investigates CTA Yellow Line Train and Snow Removal Machine Collision

CHICAGO – The National Transportation Safety Board has released details on a collision between a Chicago Transit Authority Yellow Line train and a rail-bound snow removal machine.

VTA Awarded $2.9M Grant to Reuse Excavated Material

SAN FRANCISCO – Valley Transportation Authority has been awarded a $2,982,471 grant from the State of California Wildlife Conservation Board to reuse excavated material from the BSVII Project.

MBTA Green Line Extension (GLX) Work Update

BOSTON – The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority gave an update on its work along the Green Line Extension (GLX).

VPRA Awarded $729MM for TRV Initiative Projects

RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority (VPRA) announced it was awarded a grant totaling $729 million from the FRA via the Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program (FSP-National).

FRA Announces $8.2B For 10 Passenger Rail Projects

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) announced it has awarded $8.2 billion for 10 passenger rail projects.

Robert “Bob” Cigrang

Robert ‘Bob’ Cigrang, 1942-2023

MOUNT PROSPECT, Ill. – Robert “Bob” Cigrang, Vice President of Sales for Omni Rail Products, died Dec. 3. He was 74.

MBTA Completes Critical Track Work on Green Line

BOSTON – The MBTA has completed Green Line track work and removed 12 speed restrictions. Also, it has shortened two speed restrictions on the Green Line E branch between Prudential and Copley stations.

VPRA Selects Construction Partners for Long Bridge-North Package and Franconia-Springfield Bypass Projects

RICHMOND, Va. – VPRA selects Skanska/Flatiron Joint Venture for the Long Bridge-North Package and Flatiron/Herzog Joint Venture for the Franconia-Springfield Bypass

CTA’s RPM Phase One Project Begins Final Major Stage

CHICAGO – Chicago Transit Authority announced it has begun its final major stage of its Red and Purple Modernization (RPM) Phase One Project with the North Belmont Red-Purple Reconstruction.

$3B Grant Approved for Brightline West High-Speed Rail Project

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Biden Administration has approved $3 billion for Brightline West high-speed rail project to connect Las Vegas and Southern California.

Victoria Park/Stampede Station Switch to New Track and Platform

CALGARY, Alberta – The Calgary LRT has begun running as of December 4th after it was shut down on November 24th, so crews could continue construction in the Victoria Park/Stampede station rebuild.

Railway Age/RT&S 2023 LRT Conference Roundup

Plans for light rail technology and expansion of existing rail systems dominated a conference with a New Jersey flavor, held in Jersey City and sponsored by Railway Age and its sibling publication Railway Track & Structures (RT&S). The conference took place on Wednesday, November 15 and Thursday morning, November 16, and concluded that afternoon with a tour of New Jersey Transit Hudson-Bergen Light Rail Transit (HBLRT), which now operates in Hudson County with plans to expand northward into Bergen County.

MBTA: Commuter Rail Ridership Reaches New Post-Pandemic Peak, Exceeds 90% of Pre-COVID Levels

BOSTON ––Ridership totals bolstered by Halloween travel to Salem and Fairmount Line ridership boost during the Ashmont – Mattapan closure.

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