Safety, trust and a tale of questionable intelligence

Last month, I wrote about safety as it pertains to the elimination of the Harriman awards. Safety is again at the forefront, this time thanks to legislation introduced to the Illinois General Assembly.

Caltrain construction and maintenance this week

Southern California’s Caltrain will conduct construction on the San Bruno Grade Seperation Project and perform maintenance at several locations.

LACMTA releases Final EIS/EIR

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority released its Final Environmental Impact Statement/Report for the Westside Subway Extension Project.

UP invests $8.7 million in Nebraska, named Supplier of the Year for Rail Services by GM

Union Pacific is enhancing Nebraska’s transportation infrastructure by investing $8.7 million in the rail line that runs between Sarben and Joyce. The project is in progress and is scheduled to be completed by the end of August.

LACMTA ridership increases

Recent Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority system ridership numbers show an increase in weekday boardings during January and February of 2012.

Pacific Northwest Passenger Rail Corridor project celebrated

Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Szabo visited King Street Station in Seattle, Wash., to celebrate the Pacific Northwest Passenger Rail Corridor construction project, which will help increase the station’s capacity while transforming it into a modern transit hub.

SEPTA proposed FY2012 budget suspends improvement projects

For the third straight year, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority expects to defer critical improvement projects due to funding cuts, according to the authority’s Fiscal Year 2013 Capital Budget proposal.

NJ Transit Board approves Bloomfield Avenue Station upgrades

Improvements to make Newark Light Rail’s Bloomfield Avenue Station accessible to customers with disabilities and more convenient for all customers will begin this spring, under a contract approved today by the NJ Transit Board of Directors.

LACMTA expands additional train testing on new Expo Line

Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority will expand the operation of test trains along the LACMTA Expo Line corridor beginning Sunday, March 18, running trains from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m., seven days a week, on a schedule of every 12 minutes to simulate regular service on the line once the system opens in early 2012.

2011 CTA ridership hits highest level in two decades

CTA ridership grew by more than 15 million (three percent) in 2011, with more than 530 million boardings on trains and buses across the city, the highest total in 20 years and one of the highest increases among big-city transit operations across the United States.

Invensys Rail Corp. and Lilee Systems team up for new wayside messaging server

Invensys Rail Corp. and Lilee Systems have joined forces to bring a new Wayside Messaging Server (WMS) to PTC applications across North America. Invensys Rail will provide sales, application engineering and field service support for the WMS-2000, which was developed by Lilee.

UP to spend $9.2 million on Arizona infrastructure improvements

Union Pacific is enhancing Arizona’s transportation infrastructure by investing $9.2 million in the rail line that runs between Crag and downtown Phoenix. The project is in progress and is scheduled to be completed by the end of April.

Met Council testifies before legislature on need for expanded transit system

Light rail transit, not more buses, is the most cost effective option for supporting the existing jobs and the tens of thousands of jobs the Southwest corridor will add before 2030, Minnesota’s Twin Cities Metropolitan Council Chair Susan Haigh told a State Senate panel.

Thales, Siemens awarded contract for New York MTA test track

Thales and Siemens have been awarded a contract to provide a permanent communications-based train control test track facility for Metropolitan Transportation Authority New York City Transit.

MARC sees on-time performance nears record levels

The Maryland Transit Administration’s MARC Train service recorded some of the best on-time performance numbers ever during the month of February.

VTA to receive $900 million for BART Silicon Valley Berryessa project

On March 12, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority will receive a $900 million grant commitment from the Federal Transit Administration for the Bay Area Rapid Transit Silicon Valley Berryessa Extension Project.

Court dismisses lawsuit seeking to stop East Link light rail project

In the Seattle, Wash.-area, a Kittitas County Superior Court Judge issued a summary judgment in the lawsuit by Kemper Freeman seeking to stop the East Link light rail project.

CP: Customer relations drives Multi-Year Plan’s success

In a letter to shareholders, John Cleghorn, Chairman of the Board of Canadian Pacific outlined the railroad’s Multi-Year Plan and customer relationship success.

Railway Age names 2012 Short Line of the Year, 2012 Regional Railroad of the year

From the editors at RailwayAge

Railway Age magazine has named Vermont Railway the 2012 Short Line Railroad of the Year, and the Indiana Rail Road Co. its 2012 Regional Railroad of the Year. The awards will be presented at the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association’s annual meeting in Indianapolis, Ind., Tuesday evening, April 24, 2012.

NYCT fourth round of FASTRACK improvements to start

Metropolitan Transportation Authority New York City Transit is bringing FASTRACK to the Eighth Avenue Line beginning March 12, following success on the Lexington Avenue, Seventh Avenue and Sixth Avenue Lines.

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