Bells & Whistles—A high-speed track to nowhere?
The top news stories RT&S was following this week.
Passenger
FRA announces new Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Program for intercity passenger rail service
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has established the new Corridor Identification and Development (ID) Program.
Amtrak leverages weekend service outages to make critical repairs in North River Tunnel
Amtrak personnel recently spent a series of consecutive weekends in March remediating damage to the benchwall system in the South Tube of the North River Tunnel.
Editorial: A Requiem for HSR in America
We won’t see high-speed rail in this country for at least 100 years.
Light-rail project has turned Phoenix into a construction maze, but work progressing nicely
With light-rail construction happening throughout the city of Phoenix, drivers are complaining about confusing markings and barriers.
May editorial: Transpo officials should not be quick to reject Grand Slam idea
Mr. Williams finally picked me for his team.
Key sections of track now installed on Finch West light-rail project
Metrolinx has announced that key sections of track have now been installed for the Finch West Light Rail Transit (LRT) project in Toronto.
RT&S May issue is now online
The May issue of RT&S features stories on the use of lightweight cellular concrete on bridges and the Lazelle Road bridge project, as well as a product overview of handheld tools.
U.S. DOT announces intention to fund first phase of San Fernando light-rail line
The U.S. DOT’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) issued a Letter of Intent (LOI) to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) announcing DOT’s intention to obligate funds for the first phase of the East San Fernando Valley Transit Corridor light-rail line.
Will the FTA approve Honolulu’s shortened light-rail line?
Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi wanted Hawaii’s first light-rail project completed with the funds currently available, so they are cutting the line short.
Calif. state lawmakers are not releasing $4.2 billion in high-speed rail money
Democratic lawmakers in California are refusing to pass over $4 billion to fund the state’s high-speed rail project that would connect San Francisco to Los Angeles.
SEPTA releases Request for Proposals for King of Prussia Rail
SEPTA has released its Request for Proposals (RFP) for the final design phase of the King of Prussia Rail (KOP Rail) Project.
NVTC urges Washington Metro to relieve congestion at Rosslyn Tunnel
In a recent letter, Canek Aguirre, chair of the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission, urged Paul Wiedefeld, General Manager/CEO of WMATA to move “swiftly to design a solution to relieve train congestion at the Rosslyn Tunnel ahead of any broader Blue Line, Orange Line or Silver Line rail expansion desires.”
Next leader of Sound Transit has daunting task right out of the gate
The Sound Transit board will use a closed-door executive session on May 9 to discuss candidates to replace outgoing CEO Peter Rogoff.
Bells & Whistles—Metro Council ignored warning about light-rail project
The top news stories RT&S was following the week ending May 6.
The power behind laying tracks for the Hazel McCallion LRT
Laying new track, whether it’s heavy or light rail, is a process requiring precision and care – failure to pay attention to details can result in result in catastrophe. Here’s a Metrolinx story about the careful steps involved in laying new light rail track.
Condo residents warned of problems years before Southwest light-rail project broke ground
Those who live in a condo complex that shut down the Southwest light-rail project for months are now saying they warned about potential problems before work began.
Last chance to submit for 2022 RT&S Top Projects
The deadline to submit your project for consideration for the 2022 RT&S Top Projects list is May 7.
VTA votes on ‘foundational backbone’ of BART extension project
At the VTA Board of Directors meeting on May 5 the VTA Board will vote on a contract for the initial stage of the tunnel and trackwork, known as Contract Package 2 (CP2) for VTA’s BART Silicon Valley Phase II Extension (BSVII) Project.
MBTA makes major upgrades at Orange Line Wellington Yard and Maintenance Facility
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) is working on significant upgrades to their Wellington Yard and Maintenance Facility, located in Medford, Mass.