Amtrak

FTA earlier this month asked MBTA to revise and resubmit 12 corrective action plans “pertaining to hiring challenges, safety procedures and rail transit operations,” according to a Dec. 8 Sentinel & Enterprise report.

Transit Briefs: MBTA, PANY/NJ, SFMTA, TriMet, VPRA, WMATA

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has asked Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) to resubmit 12 corrective action plans addressing required safety improvements. Also, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANY/NJ) has issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to replace AirTrain Newark with a new 2.5-mile elevated guideway train system; San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) will offer Central Subway system riders wireless connectivity; Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet) and the Small Business Administration (SBA) form a strategic alliance; Virginia Passenger Rail Authority (VPRA) and Amtrak celebrated 10 years of service between Norfolk and Washington, D.C.; and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) long-awaited Potomac Yard Station is slated to open in May 2023.

Senate Advances Amtrak, STB Nominees

Five Presidential nominees to the Amtrak Board of Directors—one a renomination—and one re-nominee to the Surface Transportation Board (STB) were recommended for Senate confirmation Dec. 7 by the Senate Commerce Committee meeting in Executive Session.

Amtrak Looks to Remove Pennsylvania ‘Distant Signals’

With Positive Train Control (PTC) operational, Amtrak is seeking Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) approval to remove automatic wayside signals serving as distant signals to existing interlockings on the Mid-Atlantic Division’s Philadelphia-to-Harrisburg, Pa. line (a Northeast Corridor branch), according to a notice in the Federal Register’s Dec. 7 edition.

The 133-year-old Merchants Bridge, which spans the Mississippi River at St. Louis and links Missouri and Illinois, officially reopened to rail traffic Sept. 15, following completion of a $222 million replacement project. Owned and operated by the Terminal Railroad Association (TRRA), the bridge serves six Class I railroads and Amtrak. (Courtesy Walsh Construction and Trey Cambern Photography)
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Timeout for Tech: Railway Bridges

RAILWAY AGE DECEMBER 2022 ISSUE: Welcome to “Timeout for Tech.” Each month, we examine a technology topic that professionals in the railway industry have asked to learn more about. This month, I am joined by co-author and structural engineer W. N. Marianos as we consider railway bridges.

MassDOT has submitted an application for more than $108 million in federal funding for rail corridor improvements between Springfield and Worcester to restore Inland Route intercity passenger rail service. (Amtrak Photograph)

Transit Briefs: Amtrak/CSX/MassDOT, DART, NJT

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), in partnership with Amtrak and with support from CSX, is seeking federal funding for corridor improvements to restore Inland Route intercity passenger rail service. Also, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) is extending the Discount GoPass Tap Card pilot program; and New Jersey Transit (NJT) is re-launching its Adopt-A-Station program.

“Our new fare capping policy will save our customers money and ensure that no one overpays,” LACMTA CEO Stephanie Wiggins said on Dec. 2. (LACMTA Photo, Via Twitter)

Transit Briefs: LACMTA, NCDOT/Amtrak, OLI, VTA

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) Board approves a new fare policy. Also, the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) completes the first phase of construction for a new Amtrak station in Charlotte; Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI) awards more than $140,000 in grants to eight transit agencies in six states; and Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) receives authority to pursue federal funding for up to 50% of the cost of Phase II of the BART Silicon Valley Extension Project.

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