Commuter Regional

William J. Ronan, 1913-2014

William J. Ronan, generally acknowledged as the architect of the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and who served as its first chairman, died on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2014 at his home in West Palm Beach, Fla. He was 101.

Cummins showcases passenger engine lineup at APTA

Cummins Inc. is presenting its engine lineup for public transportation customers at the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Expo in Houston. Products available for both transit bus and rail markets are on display, “representing the diverse portfolio of Cummins diesel and natural gas engines,” the company says. “The breadth of product offerings demonstrates Cummins commitment to deliver reliable and fuel-efficient solutions for customers across all public transportation segments.”

SMART CFO: Project fiscally sound

Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) service “is two years away from the start of passenger service between the Sonoma County Airport and downtown San Rafael” in northern California, and the project “is on solid financial footing,” according to SMART Chief Financial Officer Erin McGrath.

Caltrain electrification design-build gets nod

California Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr., has signed California Senate Bill (SB) 785, legislation that allows the Caltrain electrification project to proceed as a design/build procurement. The Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board’s (Caltrain’s owner/operator) authority to issue design/build contracts expires at the end of this year, but SB 785 extends the authorization until 2024. Officials said extension of design/ build authority was necessary for the project to proceed as planned.

TEX Rail gets FTA, FAA nods to proceed

The Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The T)’s TEX Rail project has received a Record of Decision (ROD) from both the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Federal Aviation Administration, the T announced Monday, Sept. 29, 2014 .