Williams new FTA Deputy Administrator
K. Jane Williams, a veteran of two GOP administrations, has been appointed Deputy Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration.
Commuter Regional
Amtrak unveils Siemens Midwest Charger
The first Amtrak Midwest Charger locomotives were unveiled Monday in Chicago, and have started revenue operations in in Illinois and Wisconsin.
Commentary
OSA: “Voluntary” doesn’t make the grade
A friend and colleague sent the following letter to, among others, Dr. Amanda Emo, Fatigue Program Manager, Risk Reduction Program Division, Office of Safety Analysis, Federal Railroad Administration, regarding obstructive sleep apnea (OSA):
IO, Metrolinx issue RFQ for Lakeshore East expansion
Infrastructure Ontario (IO) and Metrolinx have issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for interested parties to build and finance the Lakeshore East-Central Corridor Expansion project.
NY Penn Station renewal work on schedule
The “Summer of Hell,” while not quite living up to its reputation, will end for New York area commuters on Sept. 4 as the Amtrak Infrastructure Renewal program at New York Penn Station remains on schedule with regular operations returning on Sept. 5.
Tap, hop on and ride Portland-Vancouver transit
Working with TriMet, C-TRAN and Portland Streetcar, INIT has initiated the final, open-payments component of the Hop Fastpass™ e-fare system within the Portland-Vancouver Metropolitan Area.
SIGNET transportation expansion takes flight with Sparrow
SIGNET Electronic Systems, Inc., Norwell, Mass., a privately held systems integrator, has promoted Greg Sparrow to Vice President of Transportation Solutions. The move comes two years after he led the company’s entry into the transportation market and established its Transportation Solutions department.
Construction under way on NY Penn expansion
More than a half-century after the cashed-strapped, bankruptcy-headed Pennsylvania Railroad demolished the original, spacious and beautiful Pennsylvania Station New York, selling the air rights to developers and leaving a largely maligned, overcrowded underground complex in its place, construction is finally under way to transform the former Farley Post Office Building, across Eighth Avenue from Penn Station, into a grand new train station.
Metra names Derwinski as executive director/CEO
Metra’s Board of Directors has elevated its chief mechanical officer to serve as the commuter agency’s next executive director/CEO.
Turnaround exec to lead MBTA as GM/CEO
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has named Luis Manuel Ramírez as its next General Manager/Chief Executive, effective Sept. 12. Ramírez, who will succeed Interim GM Steve Poftak, is credited with successful turnarounds at some of the nation’s largest corporations through his 30-year business career.