Bells & Whistles—More cracks, more problems for HART
The top news stories of the week.
Railroad News
August editorial—Is it dead, or is it alive? High-speed rail progress in the U.S.
My son came off looking like an unlucky racoon sprawled across the pavement.
Palo Alto, Calif., wants grade separation for high-speed rail project, but authority is not listening
Residents in Palo Alto, Calif., have been waiting long enough for high-speed rail, and if plans go accordingly motorists will be waiting for high-speed rail long into the future.
MBTA announces month-long Orange Line shutdown
RT&S reported Monday that MBTA had announced that it would reschedule work on the Orange Line planned for next month.
Watco begins service on Texas Coastal Bend Railroad
Watco’s newest short line, the Texas Coastal Bend Railroad (TCBR), unveiled two locomotives emblazoned with the Port of Corpus Christi logo at a ribbon-cutting ceremony this week.
Bells & Whistles—The worst happens on extreme heat day
The top news stories of the week ending July 29.
The day when trains were not told to reduce speed during extreme heat, and the worst happened
Was BART having a brain cramp? Did it just zone out?
BNSF opens Tacoma domestic intermodal facility
BNSF Railway Company (BNSF) has partnered with the Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) to develop a new rail hub at the Port of Tacoma to meet increased intermodal demand in the greater Seattle region and unlock capacity.
Mexico pushes Mayan Train project construction, which could cost $20B and scar the environment
Despite what could be a $20 billion price tag, Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez remains committed to the Mayan Train project.
St. Louis MetroLink tunnels overwhelmed by heavy rainfall
A 100-year rain event hit the St. Louis region on July 26, and it made a spectacle out of the St. Louis MetroLink.
Watch: Brightline high-speed testing begins on portion of Orlando line
Brightline announced yesterday that high-speed testing (up to 79 mph) has begun on a portion of the line that will connect West Palm Beach with Orlando.
High temperatures have SEPTA continuously monitoring rail, power lines
The heat wave that is smacking the Philadelphia area has SEPTA making repeated inspections on its track.
MTA announces universal subway wireless connectivity plan
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced a public-private partnership to provide cell coverage throughout all 418 track miles of subway tunnels, along with an expansion of Wi-Fi service to all 191 above-ground subway and 21 Staten Island Railway stations.
Watch: Brightline welcomes Bright Green 2 and Bright Pink 2 trains to Orlando
Last week, Brightline welcomed new trains to it’s Orlando locomotive servicing facility.
Transport Canada announces new rail safety measures
This week, the Canadian Minister of Transport, the Honourable Omar Alghabra, announced that the Government of Canada is taking new actions to improve rail safety, in alignment with the Transportation Safety Board of Canada’s recommendations regarding the derailment in Field, British Columbia, in 2019.
Watch: First NTSB report on Amtrak collision with dump truck in June
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its first report on the collision between Amtrak’s Southwest Chief and a dump truck in rural Missouri.
HART reports millions in savings thanks to employee cuts, shift in light rail construction
The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) was able to chop millions of dollars off its budget mostly by making staff cuts.
Crews set to connect key Sound Transit light rail extension
In order for construction crews to connect the existing Tacoma Link line to the Hilltop Tacoma Link Extension, the T Line will be shut down Aug. 1 to Sept. 16 at the intersection of 9th Avenue and Commerce Street.
MBTA completes 12-day full-access closure on Green Line C branch
As part of the MBTA’s Capital Programs, the Capital Transformation team has successfully completed the 12-day full-access closure on the Green Line C Branch, delivering critical safety and dependability improvements across the branch.
Watch: Time-lapse video of signal bridge installment
On the Brightline Zone 4 project, HWR recently installed a 92’ signal bridge spanning five tracks, the largest of 11 overhead structures on the line.