“Hey, Virginia and Rail Enthusiasts everywhere! We've officially broken ground on the Long Bridge Rail Project,” the U.S. Department of Transportation reported via social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on Oct. 15. (Image Courtesy of USDOT)

Long Bridge Construction Kicks Off

A groundbreaking ceremony was held Oct. 15 for the $2.3 billion Long Bridge Project, which is slated to boost passenger rail capacity over the Potomac River between Arlington, Va., and Washington, D.C.,

(Shutterstock/ narai chal)

Railway Age Announces Women in Rail Honorees for 2024

Railway Age is celebrating eight years of recognizing women who not only excel at leadership but also serve the community and drive industry change, paving the way for the next generation. This

Rendering of Amtrak’s new 350,000 square-foot heavy maintenance facility at Penn Coach Yard in Philadelphia, Pa. (Courtesy of Amtrak)

Amtrak Breaks Ground on $462MM Maintenance Facility Project

Amtrak on Oct. 4 kicked off construction of its new heavy maintenance facility at Penn Coach Yard in Philadelphia, Pa.

Commentary

Lucky 13: Goodbye Silver Star and Capitol Limited, Hello …. Floridian?

On July 30, Amtrak announced it was planning to tarnish the Silver Star, the train that has traveled between New York and Florida since 1939. It will throw its venerable silver piece

Work has officially begun along all parts of the 9.7-mile (15.6-kilometer), 15-station Ontario Line subway, which will run from Exhibition Place through the downtown core and connect to the Eglinton Crosstown LRT at Don Mills Road. (Map Courtesy of Metrolinx)

Transit Briefs: Metrolinx, City of Edmonton, Amtrak, MBTA, NYMTA, Sound Transit

Work is now under way across all contracts that make up Metrolinx’s Ontario Line project. Also, AECOM has been selected as design partner for the Capital Line South Light Rail Transit Extension project in Alberta; Amtrak and Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) launch separate rail marketing campaigns; New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) breaks ground on Grand Central Madison’s 45th Street entrance; and Seattle’s Sound Transit advances the Kent Station Parking and Access Improvements project on the Sounder S Line.

Amtrak, NYMTA, NJ Transit Release NYP Feasibility Study

Amtrak, the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and NJ Transit (the Railroad Partners) on Oct. 2 released a feasibility study that analyzes the potential of four concepts to double train capacity

(Amtrak Illustration)

OIG to Amtrak: ‘Better FDT Program Planning Would Improve Oversight, Reduce Risks’

“Amtrak has not completed all necessary planning for the Frederick Douglass Tunnel (FDT) program despite the approach of major construction, increasing the risk of cost overruns and schedule delays,” a newly released Amtrak Office of Inspector General (OIG) report has found.

(Gateway Development Commission illustration)

For Hudson Tunnel Project, $2.7B in Federal Grants Now Available for Construction

The Gateway Development Commission (GDC) on Sept. 30 reported executing the $3.8 billion Federal-State Partnership Grant agreement with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), completing the $12 billion federal contribution for the Hudson Tunnel Project. The action also immediately obligated the initial $1.9 billion from the grant.

Byl Herrmann, Amtrak (left) and Miguel Santiago, STV. (Photographs courtesy of the respective companies)

People News: Amtrak, STV

Amtrak elevates Byl Herrmann to Executive Vice President and General Counsel. Also, professional services firm STV hires Miguel Santiago as Vice President and Newark, N.J., Area Manager for the Transportation Northeast Operating Group.

Transit Briefs: Amtrak, DART, LA Metro, TriMet, Jacobs, Denver RTD

Amtrak debuts a new integration with Google to support more sustainable transportation choices. Also, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) is named Agency of the Year by Latinos In Transit (LIT); LA Metro shares its Mobility Concept Plan for the 2028 Olympic games; TriMet approves a new labor contract with the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 757; the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) appoints Jacobs as the program management consultant for the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) Station Improvements Project; and the Denver Regional Transportation District (RTD) marks 30 years of light rail.

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