Hudson Tunnel Project: $6.88B CIG Grant

The Gateway Development Commission (GDC) announced July 6 that the Hudson Tunnel Project has entered the Engineering Phase of the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Capital Investment Grants (CIG) Program, and that the

Photo Courtesy of VCFD, via Twitter

Reports: Amtrak Train Derails After Hitting Truck in Southern Calif.; 16 Injured

An Amtrak Coast Starlight passenger train heading to Seattle from Los Angeles and carrying approximately 198 passengers derailed on June 28 at 11:15 a.m. in Moorpark, Calif., after striking a county water truck that was blocking the tracks, injuring 16 people and causing “severe damage” to the train, according to multiple news reports.

Traditional dining will be offered as an exclusive, complimentary amenity for riders traveling in First Class private rooms on Amtrak’s Silver Meteor and Silver Star. (Amtrak Photograph of Rigatoni Bolognese, a Dinner Option)

Amtrak: ‘Traditional Dining’ Returns to Silver Meteor, Silver Star

Amtrak is now offering “traditional dining” to First Class private-room passengers of the Silver Meteor and Silver Star, which provide daily service between New York and Miami. The train routes join six others

Amtrak’s Adirondack train between New York and Montreal will now terminate at Albany-Rensselaer. The move comes just three months after the Adirondack restarted. It had been discontinued due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Transit Briefs: Amtrak, East-West Rail, REM, SkyTrain

Service on Amtrak’s New York City-Montreal Adirondack train is suspended north of Albany, N.Y. Also, east-west passenger rail projects in Palmer and Pittsfield, Mass., will advance with the addition of $12 million in the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s (MassDOT) newest capital investment plan; final pre-commissioning starts this month for the Réseau express métropolitain (REM) between Brossard and Gare Centrale stations; and the launch of SkyTrain’s new Capstan Station in metro Vancouver has been delayed.

(NCTD Photograph)

NCTD Cutting Back Coaster Fleet

The Board of California’s North County Transit District (NCTD) on June 15 approved trimming the Coaster regional/commuter rail fleet by five legacy, Bombardier-built bi-levels and two just-delivered Siemens Chargers, and using the

Transit Briefs: Amtrak, NYMTA, Metra, SEPTA, LA Metro, Caltrain

Amtrak leadership signs Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI) Safety Pledge. Also, the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and Metro-North Railroad set post-pandemic ridership records; Metra seeks public feedback on proposed simplified fare structure; the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) receives two sustainability awards for environmental excellence; LA Metro implements fare capping; and Caltrain delays fare increases.

Commentary

Chicago-St. Louis: Missing Ingredients

How long will the State of Illinois pretend that it has built true HSR (high-speed rail) by naming what is actually higher-speed rail (HrSR)* “Illinois High Speed Rail”? When you allow state

Amtrak: Chicago-St. Louis Finally Attains 110 MPH

After roughly 20 years of development, HrSR (higher-speed rail)* with speeds up to 110 mph will be in effect as of June 26 on Amtrak’s 284-mile Chicago-St. Louis corridor, on Lincoln Service

Amtrak Issues FY22 Sustainability Report

Amtrak has published a sustainability report for FY 2022, detailing the railroad’s reduced diesel usage and air emissions, alongside increased purchases of carbon-free energy.

Amtrak on June 14 will hold hiring events in Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia, Pa., and online. More than 4,000 positions are available. (Amtrak Photograph)

Transit Briefs: Amtrak, BART, Maryland DOT, NYMTA, PANY/NJ

Amtrak is hosting in-person and virtual hiring events on June 14, and will temporarily suspend some Michigan-to-Chicago Wolverine service. Also, San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) approves a two-year budget, including a fare hike; Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) is seeking public input to help shape its long-range transportation plan; New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) will introduce blue lighting inside select subway stations; and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANY/NJ) issues a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for the AirTrain Newark replacement program.

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