Breaking News

WMATA on May 23 brought Automatic Train Operation (ATO) to the Green and Yellow lines, following what it called “rigorous internal training and testing and concurrence from the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission.” (WMATA Photograph)

Transit Briefs: WMATA, LACMTA, Metrolink, Trinity Metro

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) launches Automatic Train Operation (ATO) on the Green and Yellow lines. Also, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) releases new details about its Sepulveda Transit Corridor project; Metrolink, Southern California’s regional passenger rail system, offers riders customized service alerts; and Trinity Metro’s Richard W. Andreski joins the Executive Committee of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Board of Directors.

LRW Scholarship Applications Due June 6

The League of Railway Women (LRW) is still accepting applications for three scholarships—the Connie Sumara Memorial Scholarship, the Future of Railroading Scholarship, and the new Sue Black Memorial Scholarship—for the 2025-26 school year. Applications are due June 6, 2025.

(BNSF Photograph)

AAR: North American Rail Volume Rises Through Week 21

North American carload and intermodal traffic for the first 21 weeks of 2025 (ending May 24) was up 3.3% from the prior-year period, according to the Association of American Railroads’ (AAR) latest rail traffic report. While the United States and Canada both saw gains, Mexico experienced a loss.

NYC Transit Tech Lab Announces 2025 Project Partners

The New York City Transit Tech Lab, a joint initiative of the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and the Partnership Fund for New York City, has selected 12 companies to collaborate with regional transit agencies for eight-week proof-of-concept tests of technologies designed to “optimize transit schedules, communications, inspections, and maintenance.” In addition to the MTA, the agencies include the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey (PANYNJ), NJ Transit and the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT).

Fort Gibson, Okla.-based Port Muskogee. (Photograph Courtesy of OmniTRAX)

OmniTRAX Lands PMR Operator Contract

OmniTRAX on May 28 reported that it is the exclusive operator of Port Muskogee’s Port Muskogee Railroad (PMR) in Oklahoma. Under a signed Railroad Facilities Operating Agreement with the Port, PMR becomes

Littlejohn Acquires RailPros From Court Square Capital Partners

Littlejohn & Co., LLC (Littlejohn), a private investment firm based in Greenwich, Conn., on May 27 announced that it has acquired RailPros from Court Square Capital Partners, which originally acquired RailPros in July 2020. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

MBTA Board Approves $9.8B FY26-30 Capital Investment Plan

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Board of Directors on May 20 unanimously approved the agency’s Fiscal Years 2026-2030 MBTA Capital Investment Plan (FY26-30 MBTA CIP), which includes more than 660 unique projects to “modernize, expand, and increase the safety and reliability of the MBTA transit network” with a programmed spend of $9.8 billion over the next five fiscal years.

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