Author: Marybeth Luczak

(Courtesy of Amtrak)

PSNY Project Advances

The U.S. Department of Transportation on March 23 reported selecting the AECOM-led joint venture with LiRo-Hill to provide project management services for the Penn Station New York “Transformation” Project, which is slated

The Sound Transit Board earlier this month gathered in Tacoma, Wash., to discuss the Enterprise Initiative: “a comprehensive agencywide effort to ensure that project delivery and operations are affordable going forward while delivering on the objectives of the ST3 plan.” (Courtesy of Sound Transit)

Transit Briefs: Sound Transit, PATH, Denver RTD

Seattle’s Sound Transit works to close a $34.5 billion gap to deliver on its ST3 plan. Also, PATH (Port Authority Trans-Hudson) in New York and New Jersey is developing plans to replace fare gates at all 13 stations; and Denver Regional Transportation District (RTD) launches a Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA).

CPKC has completed the purchase of and is starting to deploy 100 Wabtec Evolution Series ET44AC Tier 4 locomotives, part of its climate strategy, outlined in recently released reports. (Courtesy of CPKC)

Class I Briefs: CPKC, UP

Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) updates it low carbon transition strategy. Also, Union Pacific (UP) earns Railroad Carrier of the Year from MODE Global.

(Courtesy of the STB)

STB Sets 2Q26 Rail Cost Adjustment Factor

The Surface Transportation Board (STB) has adopted for second-quarter 2026 the rail cost adjustment factor (RCAF), which is defined as “an index formulated to represent changes in railroad costs incurred by the nation’s largest railroads over a specified period of time.”

Images, clockwise from upper left: Damaged third-rail feeder cable from a PATH track in Jersey City, New Jersey; Dallas Area Rapid Transit Train 81 in contact with a low overhead catenary wire in Dallas, Texas (Source: FOX 4 Dallas-Fort Worth); and internal damage to SEPTA railcar following the Ridley Park, Pennsylvania, fire. (Courtesy of NTSB)

NTSB Issues ‘Rail Propulsion Power Systems’ Safety Alert

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on March 19 published Safety Alert No. SA-105, “Electric Propulsion Power Systems – Finding Risks in Aging Rail Infrastructure,” for transit and commuter rail operators. It provides five steps that agencies can take to manage systems and help “avoid critical failures.”

Metra on April 6 will start a pilot program asking riders to launch their Ventra electronic ticket or show their paper ticket before boarding selected trains at downtown stations. (Metra Photograph)

Transit Briefs: Metra, SacRT, Denver RTD

Chicagoland’s Metra is kicking off a fare collection technology pilot. Also, Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) in California is building a Transit Ambassador team. Also, Denver Regional Transportation District (RTD) partners with Denver International Airport to boost Spring Break ridership.