Metrolinx and the Toronto Transit Commission are reaching out to the private sector for possible design-build-finance approaches to advance three rail projects. TTC would operate and maintain the new lines, eschewing half of the “DBOM” (design-build-operate-maintain) approach, but the agency duo still seeks to employ a private-public partnership to expedite construction.
Ontario provincial leaders have introduced legislation to merge GO Transit, the transit system serving metropolitan Toronto, with Metrolinx, the regional planning agency charged with growing public transit in the Greater Toronto Area.
If the New York State Senate continues to balk at a plan to help the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority close a looming $1.2 billion budget gap, the agency’s millions of daily rail, subway, and bus riders face fare increases averaging 23% and deep cuts in service.
The on-again/off-again scheduled debut of Austin, Tex.’s Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority service is off again, at least for regularly scheduled revenue service. Though a ceremonial launch is still slated for Saturday, March 28, regular service won’t commence until sometime in April.
Current plans for Dallas Area Rapid Transit’s Orange (light rail) line to serve Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport are being reconsidered as adjustments to airport access are weighed.
Annapolis, Md.-based ARINC Inc. will design and produce a supervisory control system and communications systems for the Long Island Rail Road’s Harold Interlocking Complex in Long Island City, N.Y. Harold is among the busiest such complexes in the U.S., handling LIRR, New Jersey Transit, and Amtrak train movements as well as some freight activity.
The Metrolink engineer involved in the Sept. 12, 2008 Chatsworth, Calif., train crash had earlier allowed a teenaged railfan access to the locomotive cab, overseeing him as the railfan piloted the train, and planned to do so again the day of the accident, which killed 25 and injured 130, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.
Seemingly overriding its own pessimistic assessment offered only last week, Austin, Tex.’s Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority has reiterated its intent to open its initial 32-mile route on March 30, linking Leander with downtown Austin.
The Fort Worth Transportation Authority has completed an environmental study assessing commuter rail service from southwest Fort Worth to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. The proposed service, possibly using diesel multiple-unit (DMU) trains, would interface with existing DART light rail service at the Airport.