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RUN: Advocacy for Rail and the Environment

The passenger rail and transit scene has advocates throughout the nation. So does the environmental movement. While there is general agreement that more passenger trains and rail transit benefit the environment, there

Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, enables faster delivery and reduced costs. Since 2016, Alstom’s 3D-printed parts offering has been growing, with now almost 40,000 parts printed per year. (Caption and Photograph Courtesy of Alstom)
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Harnessing 3D Printing Tech to Deliver Fast, Sustainable Rail Parts

Chances are that if you’ve traveled on an Alstom train, that train has one or more of its parts created by 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing. In fact, we’ve just reached the milestone of having produced 150,000 3D-printed parts. Aurelien Fussel, Head of Additive Manufacturing Program, answers questions on Alstom’s exponential embrace of additive manufacturing solutions.

SacRT in mid-year 2024 will begin introducing a new fleet of low-floor light rail trains from Siemens Mobility.

Transit Briefs: BART/MTC, East-West Rail, Metrolinx, NYMTA, SacRT, San Diego MTS

The San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) and Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) are expanding their unlimited transit pass pilot program. Also, a Massachusetts legislative-panel report finds that MassDOT should run east-west passenger rail; Metrolinx addresses the launch date for Eglinton Crosstown LRT in Toronto; New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is considering recommendations for a congestion pricing toll rate schedule; Sacramento (Calif.) Regional Transit District (SacRT) provides a light rail transit-modernization update; and California Transit Association elects San Diego Metropolitan Transit System’s (MTS) Sharon Cooney as Chair.

BNSF, UP Earn Top Score on Corporate Equality Index

BNSF and Union Pacific (UP) have been recognized on the 2023-24 Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index—both scoring a 100/100 on LGBTQ+ equality in the workplace. The Corporate Equality Index is

(Photographs Courtesy of FTA, via social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter)

FTA: $343MM Available for Rail Transit Accessibility Projects

Transit agencies may now apply for Fiscal Year 2024 grants to improve subway, commuter rail and light rail system access for people with disabilities and mobility needs. The Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) All Stations Accessibility Program (ASAP) is making available $343 million; applications are due by Jan. 30, 2024.

(Amtrak Photograph)

Watch: Amtrak Releases FY23 Preliminary Results

Amtrak on Nov. 30 reported continued “strong growth” in Fiscal Year 2023 with nationwide ridership up 24.6%, as it resumed service on all routes and advanced infrastructure projects that it said will support plans to double ridership by 2040.

Virginia DRPT Grants Available. Apply Now!

The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) is now accepting online applications for rail, transit and commuter assistance grants for the 2025 Fiscal Year. The annual grant application period runs

New Siemens LRVs for St. Louis

Metro Transit, St. Louis, has awarded Siemens Mobility a $390.4 million contract for up to 55 new high-floor light rail vehicles—a base order of 24 plus options for up to 31 additional

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Report: No EIS for GMXT Nogales Bypass

The governor of Mexico’s northern state of Sonora acknowledged Nov. 21 that a new rail bypass for Grupo Mexico-owned Ferromex (GMXT) around the border city of Nogales was a Mexican army undertaking that

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Railway Age/RT&S 2023 LRT Conference Roundup

Plans for light rail technology and expansion of existing rail systems dominated a conference with a New Jersey flavor, held in Jersey City and sponsored by Railway Age and its sibling publication

“Across the country, I have seen firsthand how projects funded by our RAISE program are helping communities realize long-held dreams and well-planned visions for better infrastructure,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Nov. 30.

USDOT: 2024 RAISE Grant Applications Welcome

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) on Nov. 30 released a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the FY 2024 RAISE program, providing $1.5 billion in discretionary grant funding for freight and passenger transportation infrastructure projects with “significant local or regional impact.”

A preliminary design and environmental study will be completed this year on bringing Amtrak service to the Warwick/T.F. Green Airport Station (pictured) in Rhode Island, which is currently served by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. (City of Warwick Photograph)

Transit Briefs: Amtrak, HART, Kansas City Streetcar, MARTA

Will Amtrak stop at Warwick, R.I.? Also, the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) Board approves a new financing agreement for Skyline; the price tag for Kansas City Streetcar’s riverfront extension has gone up 75%; and Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) breaks ground on a new transit-oriented development project in DeKalb County, Ga.

"VHB stands ready to be the city's partner, addressing its evolving needs, and forging a path toward a brighter, more inclusive tomorrow," said NYC Managing Director Joe Pizzurro.
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VHB: NYC Office Experiences ‘Unprecedented Growth’

Multidiscipline civil engineering consulting and design firm Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. (VHB) says its New York City office is experiencing “unprecedented growth,” nearly doubling in size since the start of 2022 and welcoming several highly regarded professionals across its markets.

Aerial view of Pier B, courtesy of Port of Long Beach.

2024: A ‘Pivotal Year’ for POLB’s Pier B Rail Facility

The Port of Long Beach (POLB) on Nov. 29 announced that after more than 15 years of planning, it is going out to bid in early 2024 for its first construction contract to begin building the $1.567 billion Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility, which will be built in phases with the final segment due to be completed in 2032.

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William Henri Ferryman Jr., 88

Great Northern/Burlington Northern engineer William “Bill” Henri Ferryman Jr., 88, died Nov. 26, 2023 at Ecumen’s Emmanuel Nursing Home in Detroit Lakes, Minn. A third-generation railroader, Ferryman’s career spanned 36 years, beginning