MTA Long Island Rail Road

The new Richards Transportation Initiative at Penn (R-TRIP), housed in the University of Pennsylvania’s Institute for Urban Research, will be co-led by Penn IUR Faculty Fellow Leslie Richards, who is the former Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and CEO of Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority. She received a Railway Age Women in Rail Award in 2020. (Photograph Courtesy of SEPTA)

Transit Briefs: R-TRIP, MTA LIRR, Metra, REM

The University of Pennsylvania launches the Richards Transportation Initiative at Penn (R-TRIP), “a new hub for research, innovation, and real-world solutions in transportation.” Also, MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) ridership surpasses 300,000 in one day for the first time since the pandemic; Chicago’s Metra commuter railroad will put into service this fall a prototype café car; and the opening of two Réseau express métropolitain (REM) branches in Montreal is delayed again.

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It’s Just Golf. Honest!

On Sept. 17, 2025, the BNSF Executive Train was seen heading east at Depew, N.Y. (just south of Buffalo) on CSX’s Chicago-New York main line, “giving folks a chance to see something

Transit Briefs: MDOT, BART, Denver RTD, Caltrain, LIRR

The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) releases its $21.5 billion draft six-year capital budget. Also, Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) unveils its Cab Cam series, showcasing the agency’s entire system in 4K; Denver Regional Transportation District’s (RTD) transit police uses virtual reality technology to build upon real world technical skills; Caltrain installs digital displays at South Santa Clara County stations; and Gatekeeper announces a C$27 million Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) transit video project with New York Metropolitan Authority’s (MTA) Long Island Rail Road (LIRR).

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber announced that the Interborough Express (IBX) project is moving from the planning to active phase during a press conference at 61st St. & 14th Av. on Aug 1. (Marc A. Hermann / MTA)

Transit Briefs: NYMTA, Tri-Rail, FTA

New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) begins the engineering and design phase for Interborough Express (IBX) and awards an Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) Implementation System contract for Long Island Rail Road (LIRR). Also, South Florida’s Tri-Rail achieves a new all-time fiscal year ridership record; and the Federal Transit Administration rolls out guidance for host cities of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Games and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

MTA’s July Financial Plan forecasts approximately $50 million less in deficits for Fiscal Year 2027 and 2028, totaling $98 million. This is in addition to the $100 million announced in November, totaling $198 million less in deficits than this time last year, according to MTA. The projected deficit for Fiscal Year 2029 is $428 million. These funding shortfalls, MTA said, are in large part due trip growth in Paratransit. (Courtesy of MTA)

Transit Briefs: NYMTA, Denver RTD

The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) releases its July Financial Plan, showing balanced operating budgets for 2025 and 2026 and narrowed deficits in 2027 and 2028, and announces a TOD (transit-oriented development) project near Metro-North’s Beacon, N.Y., station. Also, Denver (Colo.) Regional Transportation District (RTD) authorizes a successor contract for two-thirds of its workforce.

Transit Briefs: TriMet, LA Metro, LIRR, Sound Transit

TriMet announces service cuts and other reductions to address budget shortfall. Also, LA Metro’s A Line Extension from Glendora to Pomona will open on Friday, Sept. 19; the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) shatters its post-pandemic daily ridership record; and the Sound Transit Board advances the opening of the Federal Way Link Extension.

A map of the proposed route for Northlander passenger rail service showing stops at Union Station (Toronto), Langstaff, Gormley, Washago, Gravenhurst, Bracebridge, Huntsville, South River, North Bay, Temagami, Timiskaming Shores, Englehart, Kirkland Lake, Matheson, and Timmins (South Porcupine), with a rail connection to Cochrane. (Courtesy of Ontario Government)

Transit Briefs: Northlander, NYMTA, APTA

Construction is under way at the Timmins-Porcupine Station in Ontario, Canada, part of the Northlander passenger-rail revival project. Also, the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) posts ridership, performance and safety improvements in first-half 2025; and the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) recognizes two members’ outstanding sustainability achievements.

REM’s South Shore-to-Central Station automated urban rail system service (Part 1) will be closed completely from July 5 through Aug. 17, to allow for service testing on Part 2, the new REM lines linking Montreal’s West Island and the North Shore to downtown, which are due for launch in fall 2025. (First trip across the Samuel-De Champlain Bridge | July 2022. Photo ©Thierry Du Bois)

Transit Briefs: NYMTA, REM

The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) offers a congestion-pricing progress report. Also, Montreal’s Réseau express métropolitain (REM) will shut down temporarily this summer.

The California Transportation Commission (CTC) on June 27 approved a $100 million award to Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority for BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) Silicon Valley Phase II. (VTA Photograph)

Transit Briefs: VTA, APTA, Valley Metro, VPRA

Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) lands $100 million in California state funding for the BART Silicon Valley Phase II project. Also, the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) presents its 2025 Rail Safety, Security and Emergency Management Awards; Arizona’s Valley Metro is introducing streetcar fares; and the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority (VPRA) marks its fifth anniversary.

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