Monday morning rail news:
Start pushed back, cost estimate increased for Valley segment of California high speed route
The California High-Speed Rail Authority has again reset the completion date and increased the estimated cost of the project. The Associated Press reports authority CEO Brian Kelly now says the 119-mile segment between Bakersfield and Madera in the Central Valley will be complete in 2023, prompting a request to the federal government for a one-year extension on a funding deadline. That segment is now expected to cost $13.i billion, up from the previous $12.4 billion estimate. The COVID-19 pandemic is part of the reason, Kelly wrote in a letter, saying it has led to worker quarantines, delayed right-of-way procurement, and cost the project expected revenue from the cap-and-trade carbon reduction program. Kelly’s letter was released in advance of a Tuesday meeting of the authority’s board of directors.
FRA says Western Maryland Scenic must replace 50,000 ties
The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad will need 50,000 new ties, at an estimated cost of $2 million, before it can resume operations. The Cumberland Times-News reports the Federal Railroad Administration made that determination following an inspection, and “said the defects must be repaired before we can run,” railroad general manager John Garner told the newspaper. Allegany County, Md., oversees the right-of-way and provides $140,000 annually for maintenance. Frostburg, Md., Mayor Bob Flanagan said “we appreciate that, but it is a drop in the bucket.” The railroad has not operated since running Polar Express trains in 2019 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
CTA service to Midway Airport disrupted by ‘switching incident’
No injuries were reported when a Chicago Transit Authority Orange Line train was stopped by what was described as a “switching incident” just short of the Midway Airport station. WBBM-TV reports a dozen people were onboard, and were helped from the train by fire crews. derailed Sunday morning at Midway Airport. The Arlington Cardinal reports the incident occurred about 10:30 a.m.. about 20 feet short of the airport station.
