Utah’s FrontRunner may be in line for double tracking, other improvements Utah’s budget situation looks better than expected for 2021, which may make room for a long-sought double-track project for FrontRunner commuter rail service. The Salt Lake Tribune reports improvements for the commuter operation include double-track segments between Ogden and Provo, which would allow trains […]
Amtrak adds digital payment options Amtrak is adding new digital payment options on Amtrak.com and the Amtrak smartphone apps, including Apple Pay, Google Pay, and PayPal. Each can be used for tickets and other purchases, and can be saved on customer profiles as a preferred payment option. “We know every minute counts for our customers […]
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has delayed a vote on a much-criticized for budget cuts that would include significant service reductions and layoffs, deferring a presentation on the proposal for a week. The Associated Press reports MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak recommended the delay to the Fiscal and Management Control Board, citing developments of COVID-19 […]
Monday morning rail news: Phoenix light rail project lands $638 million in federal funds The Phoenix Valley Metro light rail system will receive $638 million in federal funding for its South Central extension. KTAR Radio reports $530 million will come from the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Grants Program, with the remaining $108 million from the Federal […]
Additional Monday rail news: Metra extends sale of $10 one-day pass Metra is extending sale of its $10 All-Day Pass through Jan. 31, 2020. The pass, introduced June 1, allows unlimited Metra rides on a given day through 3 a.m. the following morning, and in most cases is less than the cost of two one-way […]
WILMINGTON, Del. — Amtrak, the Delaware Department of Transportation, and the Delaware Transit Corp. have completed a $71.2 million project adding 1.5 miles of third main track on the Northeast Corridor between Wilmington and Newark, Del. The project, which also includes bridge replacement and other improvements, eliminates a two-track section of the corridor. “The completion […]
DENVER — The initial version of a passenger rail operation along Colorado’s Front Range could see two to six round trips a day between Fort Collins and Colorado Springs, mostly on existing lines, and cost $1.5 billion to $2.5 billion. Colorado Public Radio reports that concept was presented by consultant HDR to the Front Range Passenger […]
Saturday morning rail news: Operator shortages curtail light rail service in Seattle, Tacoma With COVID-19 cases increasing, Sound Transit will temporarily reduce peak-hour service on its Link light rail lines as of Monday, Dec. 7, because of a shortage of operators. Trains will run every 12 minutes during peak periods; service during other times will remain unchanged. […]
Friday late morning rail news: Washington’s Point Defiance Bypass likely to reopen in spring or summer 2021 The Washington State Department of Transportation projects Amtrak train service will return to the Point Defiance Bypass in spring or summer 2021. The website Urbanist, reporting on an online presentation by WSDOT Operations Program Manager Jason Biggs, says Amtrak will begin testing […]
Thursday midday rail news: Five MTA employees charged in overtime fraud scheme Five current and former employees of New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority have been charged for participation in an overtime fraud scheme that made them some of the agency’s highest-paid workers. The New York Times reports acting U.S. attorney Audrey Strauss said the scheme involved claims […]
Wednesday morning rail news: New Senate bill would provide virus relief funding for transit, Amtrak Transit systems would receive $15 billion and Amtrak would get $1 billion under a new $908 billion, bipartisan Senate COVID-19 relief proposal introduced Tuesday. Reuters reports that in all, transportation — including airlines, airports, and private buses — would receive $45 billion […]
More Wednesday morning rail news: San Francisco Muni to resume service on parts of two lines, but underground routes to remain closed San Francisco Muni will resume light rail service on one line later this month, and add another line in January, but the underground portion will remain closed into spring 2021. The San Francisco Chronicle […]
