Federal Railroad Administration

The proposed CV Rail intercity passenger service would span approximately 144 miles, linking the City of Coachella, Calif., with Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles. (Courtesy of RCTC)

Transit Briefs: LACMTA, BART, UTA, Phoenix Valley Metro, SEPTA, CV Rail

Parsons Transportation Group (Parsons) lands a contract for Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (LACMTA) Metro A line extension project. Also, crime on the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) drops 41% in 2025; Utah Transit Authority (UTA) shares 2025 achievements and 2026 service plans; Phoenix Valley Metro in Arizona is identified as a top transit agency in the nation for ridership growth; leased railcars will soon enter Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) commuter rail service; and Southern California’s Riverside County Transportation Commission advances the proposed Coachella Valley Rail (CV Rail) project.

(FRA image)

FRA Issues Final Reflectorization Rule

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has issued a final rule concerning reflectorization of rail freight rolling stock. The rule, 49 CFR Part 224, which went into effect on Jan. 27, “codifies waivers and removed an outdated implementation schedule.”

(Courtesy of CPKC)

CPKC: ‘Exceptional Execution in Challenging Market’

In reporting fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results on Jan. 28, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) President and CEO Keith Creel said, “Despite macroeconomic and trade policy headwinds in 2025, our Precision Scheduled Railroading model again enabled us to control costs and deliver a record core adjusted operating ratio while capitalizing on our unique growth opportunities.”

January 2026: Construction of the launch box at the tunnel portal in New Jersey. (Caption and Photograph Courtesy of GDC)

HTP Work Stoppage on the Way?

Construction on the Hudson Tunnel Project (HTP), a key component of the Gateway Program, will “pause if disbursements of federal funds do not resume in the coming days,” the Gateway Development Commission

  • News

FRA Restoring Scrapped RSAC

Fewer than six months after scrapping a rail labor, management and supplier-supported Railroad Safety Advisory Committee (RSAC), the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is restoring it, but with a smaller membership to be

A SEPTA employee inspects a Silverliner IV Train. (Courtesy of SEPTA)

Transit Briefs: SEPTA, STM, LACMTA, NC By Train

Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is restoring all morning express trips on Regional Rail as more Silverliner IVs return to service. Also, STM (Société de transport de Montréal) releases its 2026 budget and 2026-2035 Capital Investment Program; the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) Board will consider advancing the C Line Extension to Torrance and the Sepulveda Transit Corridor projects; and NC By Train in North Carolina breaks its ridership record for the fourth consecutive year.

(FRA image)

FRA Unveils New Settlement Negotiation Process

Federal and state rail safety inspectors have several enforcement tools at their disposal. Civil penalties, which are reserved for “severe instances of noncompliance warranting the deterrent effect of monetary penalties,” are assessed

NTSB Determines Probable Cause for NJ Transit Collision

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released the final report for its investigation of the Oct. 14, 2024, NJ Transit accident in which an Alstom employee was fatally injured when the train struck a tree that had fallen across the tracks near Florence, N.J.

Amtrak’s twice-daily Mardi Gras between New Orleans and Mobile, Ala., has served more than 46,000 riders since its Aug. 18 launch. (Photograph Courtesy of Amtrak)

Transit Briefs: Amtrak, SEPTA, TriMet, NJT, TTC, MBTA

Amtrak’s newest service, the Mardi Gras, is seeing strong demand. Also, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is taking delivery of 10 leased coaches from MARC (Maryland Area Regional Commuter Rail); Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet) promotes Alan Lehto to Executive Director of Planning, a newly created position; New Jersey Transit (NJT) earns the 2025 Combating Human Trafficking in Transportation Impact Award; Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) considers advertising installations in subway tunnels; and Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) and Keolis Commuter Services (Keolis) release a year-in-review report.

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