![“We are honored that VRE has once again placed its trust in Keolis,” Keolis President and CEO Brad Thomas said. “This [contract] renewal underscores the operational excellence our teams deliver each day, and we remain committed to the highest standards of safety, reliability, and customer service as we support the DMV [District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia] region’s mobility needs.” (VRE Photograph)](https://www.old.railwayage.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/vre-1-315x168.png)
Virginia Railway Express (VRE) renews its contract with Keolis North America (Keolis). Also, construction is under way on Metrolinx’s Bowmanville Extension project that will bring the Lakeshore East GO line into the Durham Region of Southern Ontario, Canada.
A large order of Plasser American maintenance-of way-equipment arrived in Canada on Nov. 6. Offloaded from a ship at the Port of Hamilton/Federal Marine Terminals Pier 14, the equipment was rigged up
Metrolinx next month will add a new GO Transit station in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Also, San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) is running longer trains in response to increasing ridership; and MTA New York City Transit (NYCT) in December will implement a route swap to improve train service between Manhattan and Queens.
The Ontario, Canada government on Jan. 27 reported that it is investing more than C$350 million to refurbish 121 GO Transit bilevel commuter railcars at Ontario Northland’s Remanufacturing and Repair Center in North Bay.
Alstom on Jan. 15 reported signing a framework agreement valued at approximately C$500 million with Metrolinx to refurbish 181 Series VIII bilevel commuter railcars for GO Transit in Ontario, Canada.
UNESCO recognizes New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) Grand Central Madison with a “World’s Most Beautiful Passenger Station” interior award. Also, the Kitchener Central Transit Hub and Toronto’s 50 Wilson Heights TOD (transit-oriented development) advance in Ontario, Canada.
CN names Breanne Oliver AVP, Communications and Public Affairs. Also, Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) appoints Gregory W. Percy as interim CEO; and New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) veteran Mark Bienstock joins STV’s Transportation Northeast Operating Group.
This summer, Chicago will see CTA’s Red Line Extension project through the eyes of three high school students. Also, Minnesota’s Metropolitan (Met) Council and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) prepare an environmental report for the Metro Blue Line extension project; New Jersey Transit (NJT) hosts a workshop on transportation and security planning ahead of large-scale events like the FIFA World Cup 2026; Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) in May exceeds 70% of pre-COVID ridership for the first time; and Ontario’s Metrolinx awards a rail program advisory contract to Jacobs.
The Rail Connect Partners joint venture has entered into an alliance development agreement with Toronto’s Metrolinx for the East Harbour Transit Hub. Also, New York regional transportation agencies launch their sixth-annual tech competition; and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) celebrates a transit-oriented development project at the North Bethesda Metro Station in Maryland.
The number of police incidents impacting San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) service is declining. Also, rail planning and operations software has been selected for Metrolinx’s GO Rail Expansion–On-Corridor Works program; and Southern California’s Metrolink schedules a temporary service outage to complete a three-year modernization project.
