WASHINGTON — The application process has begun for more than $2.4 billion in funding through the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements, or CRISI, grant program, the Federal Railroad Administration has announced. The Notice of Funding Opportunity issued today includes funding for Fiscal Years 2023 and 2024 and is available for projects to improve U.S. […]
LOS ANGELES — The long-awaited, much-needed people mover system at Los Angeles International Airport, which was originally expected to be finished this year, may not be complete until late 2025, the Los Angeles Times reports. The $2 billion, 2.25-mile automated, elevated rail system will connect airport terminals with parking lots, a new central rental car […]
BOSTON — A failure in a counterpin, a small switch part, led to the derailment of a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Red Line train on March 23, MBTA CEO Phillip Eng told a meeting of the agency’s board on Thursday. WCVB-TV reports the failure of that small pin allowed a larger pin connecting to a […]
AUGUSTA, Maine — A bill calling for a study to extend rail passenger service from Portland, Maine, to Bangor, via Lewiston, Auburn, and Waterville, was defeated this week in the state’s House of Representatives, CentralMaine.com reports. In a Wednesday vote, LD 860 was defeated 82-63, a week after the state Senate had approved the legislation […]
FAIRFIELD, Conn. — In a move to address a longstanding source of confusion, the Fairfield Metro station on Metro-North’s New Haven Line will be renamed Fairfield-Black Rock, local and Connecticut Department of Transportation officials have announced. The station in question, which opened in December 2011, is approximately 1.7 miles northeast of the downtown Fairfield station. Commuters […]
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. — A former Caltrain official, as well as a former contractor for the commuter agency, are facing felony charges after allegedly spending public funds to secretly build themselves small apartments inside two of the agency’s train stations, the San Jose Mercury News reports. Joseph Vincent Navarro, 66, formerly of the Bay Area […]
WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board has named the inaugural members of its Passenger Rail Advisory Committee, which will help the board address issues affecting passenger rail service. More than 90 people had been nominated or nominated themselves to serve under a range of categories [see “STB passenger advisory committee has no shortage of nominees,” […]
ALLENTOWN, Pa. — A study on the potential return of passenger service to Allentown, Pa., by Pennsylvania’s Department of Transportation and consulting firm WSP was released Wednesday, narrowing from 12 to five the potential routes such service might take. The full 60-page study, available here, provides a roadmap for the process it would take to […]
TORONTO — Siemens Mobility has been awarded a contract by Ontario transportation agency Metrolinx to handle track, signal, and right-of-way maintenance for the Central Region of Toronto’s passenger rail infrastructure system, Siemens has announced. Siemens already has a similar contract in the West Region and handles signal and communications services at the Metrolinx Network Operations. […]
DENVER — The Regional Transportation District will temporarily cut light rail service to one train per hour on some lines as of May 26, the Denver Post reports, saying the reduced frequencies are necessary to address maintenance that has been deferred, but risking abandonment for cars by riders who have that option. Many of the […]
Travel with Trains.com to the Hartford Line, a busy stretch of commuter railroad operating passenger service between New Haven, Conn. and Springfield, Mass. Opened in 2018 and featuring up to 35 passenger trains a day, this state-supported passenger rail corridor features both CT rail service and Amtrak Regionals. In addition, we’ll view Amtrak Vermonter, which […]
NEW YORK — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority board has approved toll rates for Manhattan’s planned congestion pricing program, which is intended to fund improvements to MTA transit programs. The board voted 11-1 at a meeting today (March 27) to approve tolls of $15 during the day and $3.75 at night in the congestion zone below […]
