The city that led the U.S. trolley revival in 1981 will extend its Green Line service Sept. 2, linking downtown San Diego with the 12th and Imperial Transit Center. The project was celebrated during a ceremony Thursday at the Gaslmap Quarter Station, itself recently renovated.
Residents in New Orlean’s French Quarter Thursday assured Railway Age by email that the city center was literally weathering Hurricane Isaac far better than expected, retaining electric power and phone service. But outlying city neighborhoods and suburbs often were being overwhelmed with water generated by heavy rain. All streetcar service remained suspended Thursday, the residents said.
U.S. Class I railroads once more logged mixed traffic results during the week ending Aug. 25, 2012, the Association of American Railroads reported Thursday. U.S. freight carload traffic slipped 0.8% from the comparable week in 2011, but U.S. intermodal volume advanced 5.2% for the week compared with a year ago.
Dallas Area Rapid Transit said Wednesday it is offering a “new fare system” to facilitate bus-to-rail transfers, and also offering a new discount midday pass, beginning Dec. 3. DART says the change is :”designed to encourage ridership during the parts of the day when DART has additional capacity.”
In travels through the Pacific Northwest last week, BNSF Chairman and CEO Matthew Rose sought to ease concerns of cities and other interests in Washington and Oregon that an expected increase in export coal ports and the number of trains serving them will prove to be unduly disruptive.
Calgary residents in the city’s northeast section gained direct access to the two new light rail transit stops on the C-Train 202 line Monday, with station openings at Saddletowne and Martindale.
Massachusetts reportedly is preparing to acquire Pan Am Railways right-of-way between Springfield, Mass., and the Vermont border, in order to facilitate passenger rail development on the “Knowledge Corridor.” The price is pegged at about $17 million.
Erie, Pa.-based GE Transportation Friday unveiled its next Evolution Series locomotive that the company says “will decrease constituent emissions by more than 70% and save railroad customers more than $1.5 billion in infrastructure and operational costs.”
Clearwater, Fla., has added its name to the list of those supporting development of a light rail transit (LRT) system for the Tampa Bay area, despite opposition from some self-described fiscal conservatives.
U.S. freight carload traffic for the week ending Aug. 18 declined 2.1% compared with the same week in 2011, the Association of American Railroads reported Thursday. U.S. intermodal volume for the week, by contrast, rose 3.6% compared with the same week a year ago.