O-Train Confederation Line kicks off track installation with laying of first rail

Royal Galipeau, Member of Parliament (Ottawa–Orléans), Bob Chiarelli, Member of Provincial Parliament (Ottawa West–Nepean) and Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson installed the first official rail of the O-Train Confederation Line light-rail transit project June 12.

DSEIS for LACMTA’s Regional Connector project released

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) have released a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (DSEIS) for the Regional Connector Transit Corridor Project, an underground light-rail system under construction that will connect the existing LACMTA Gold, Blue and Expo lines in downtown Los Angeles.

BART Board approves FY16 budget

With record ridership stretching Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) resources, the board of directors voted to direct money to initiatives designed to increase train passenger capacity and to improve on-time performance through a $1.57 billion FY16 budget.

SEPTA to begin modernization project next week

Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) will begin a modernization project on its Route 101/102 (Media/Sharon Hill) trolley lines June 15.

HART awards contract to build three rail stations

The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transit awarded a $78.9-million construction contract to Hawaiian Dredging Construction Company to build three rail stations in the Waipahu area at West Loch, Waipahu Transit Center and Leeward Community College.

Former FRA Administrator Szabo named executive director of CMAP

The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) will soon have a new executive director, Joseph Szabo.

NTSB issues recommendation to address WMATA third rail power supply

In its ongoing investigation of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority (WMATA) train accident at L’Enfant Plaza on January 12, 2015, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigators found problems with certain electrical connections in WMATA’s system that require immediate action and issued a safety recommendation.

FRA issues safety advisory to prevent speeding passenger trains

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) issued a safety advisory recommending actions that passenger railroads take to prevent trains from speeding. The advisory is the latest in a series of steps FRA has taken to keep passenger railroads safe for the traveling public.

Railway Interchange exhibits sell out

Railway Interchange 2015 host associations say they are gearing up for the biggest event to-date. With four months to go before the event, indoor and outdoor exhibition space is sold out and 60 percent of available hotel rooms have been reserved.

Aecon consortium selected as Eglinton Crosstown preferred bidder

An Aecon Group Inc. consortium, Crosslinx Transit Solutions, has been selected by Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario as the preferred proponent for the development of the Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit project in Toronto.

Jerome Marullo joins Simmons-Boardman Railway Division

Jerome Marullo has joined the Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corp. Railway Division as Eastern Regional Advertising Sales Manager, with responsibility for Railway Age, Railway Track & Structures and International Railway Journal. He replaces Mark Connolly, who retired on May 22, 2015 after nine years with the company.

MBTA, Massachusetts develop winter resiliency plan

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) has prepared a $82.7-million Winter Resiliency Plan, which includes investments this summer and over the next five years in snow removal equipment, infrastructure upgrades and operations during harsh weather to improve service reliability.

Valley Metro’s Mesa extension to open seven months early

Beginning August 22, Valley Metro Rail will be traveling to new destinations along Main Street into downtown Mesa, Ariz. With service beginning seven months earlier than scheduled, the Central Mesa extension will soon take riders beyond Sycamore to Mesa Drive.

Bianco retires from MTA NYCT

President of Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) New York City Transit (NYCT), Carmen Bianco plans to retire later this year from his position running the largest mass transit system in North America. In his time as president, Bianco transformed the agency’s organizational culture to align management strategies, enhance safety and improve customer service to advance the subways, buses, paratransit and Staten Island Railway in New York City.

Feinberg nominated as FRA administrator

On May 29, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate Sarah Feinberg as administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration. Feinberg has been serving as acting administrator since January 9, 2015.

SEPTA to begin trolley track renewal project

Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) will conduct a track renewal project on a portion of its Route 15 trolley line from June 14-September 19, 2015, which was originally installed in the 1950s.

LACMTA Board adopts new FY 2016 budget

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) Board of Directors has approved a new $5.56 billion FY 2016 budget.

Aéroports de Montréal wants to integrate LRT proposals into single system

Aéroports de Montréal (ADM) presented a proposal to Québec’s Committee on Public Finance that would integrate the light-rail systems of the South Shore and West Island.

Copper thieves cause NYCT service disruption

Wednesday’s commute for riders on New York City Transit’s (NYCT) A Line was delayed due to damage caused by copper cable thieves who vandalized cable from subway tracks near Howard Beach, Queens.

Patch to transportation bill buys Congress two more months

A bill to extend current surface transportation funding at MAP-21 levels through July was approved by the Senate on Friday, May 22, and now awaits President Obama’s signature.

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