BART’s overall customer satisfaction rating in the most recent Passenger Experience Survey (PES) reached 81%, which is 7% higher than the previous quarter, according to the transit agency. (BART Photograph)

Transit Briefs: BART, Metro-North, VIA Rail, WMATA

San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) reports rider satisfaction gains. Also, MTA Metro-North Railroad completes its third station-accessibility project in 2024; VIA Rail Canada calls on Ottawa to replace its long-distance fleet; and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) increases police patrols on trains and buses.

Northeast Corridor Commission Releases CONNECT NEC 2037

The Northeast Corridor Commission on Nov. 16 issued CONNECT NEC 2037 (C37), which identifies long-term service objectives and associated capital investments over the next 15 years along the 457-mile NEC (Northeast Corridor),

Craftsmen at MTA Metro-North Railroad’s North White Plains, N.Y., shop applied a vinyl wrap to locomotive No. 211, celebrating New York Central, the predecessor railroad that operated on the Hudson and Harlem lines. (Photo credit: Emily Moser / MTA Metro-North Railroad)

Transit Briefs: BSPRA, Metro-North, Miami-Dade County

The Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority (BSPRA) in Montana will use a $150,000 grant to help plan for passenger rail across the state’s southern tier. Also, MTA Metro-North Railroad unveils its third Heritage Series locomotive, celebrating the commuter railroad’s 40-year history of public service; and Florida’s Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works rolls out free fares on Metrorail and Metrobus services.

CTA has released a $1.99 billion operating budget proposal for 2024 that reflects a 9.2% (or $168.2 million) increase over the previous year.

Transit Briefs: CTA, LIRR, Metrolink, Metrolinx, WMATA

Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) proposes a $1.99 billion operating budget for 2024. Also, Rob Free takes over as acting President of MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR); Southern California’s Metrolink conducts an on-board drill using earthquake safety technology; WSP in Canada wins a contract for Metrolinx’s Hamilton Light Rail Transit project in Ontario; the Ontario government plans transit-oriented development near six future stations of Metrolinx’s Ontario Line subway and Scarborough Subway extension projects in Toronto; and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) extends Parsons’ task-order contract.

At Metro-North, six new SC-42DM dual-mode (diesel-electric/third-rail) Charger locomotives will replace GE P32AC-DMs, which have either reached or exceeded their projected 25-year lifespan. (Siemens Mobility Photograph)

More Siemens SC-42DMs for Metro-North

Siemens Mobility on Sept. 26 reported that it will supply six additional SC-42DM dual-mode (diesel-electric/third-rail) Charger locomotives to MTA Metro-North Railroad, building on an initial 27-unit order placed in 2020 for the

Amtrak on Sept. 21 celebrated the $1.4 million renovation of its Missouri River Runner-served station in Jefferson City. (Amtrak Photograph)

Transit Briefs: Amtrak, MBTA, NYMTA, SMART

Amtrak completes $1.4 million station-accessibility upgrade project in Jefferson City, Mo. Also, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) schedules fall service shutdowns for maintenance work; New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) reports post-pandemic subway ridership records and releases a Request for Information for subway platform cooling technologies; and Petaluma, Calif., receives $30.2 million for affordable housing at the future Petaluma North SMART (Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit) Station.

Catherine Rinaldi. New York MTA photo.

Rinaldi to Step Down as Interim LIRR President

MTA Metro-North President Catherine Rinaldi has announced that she will transition out of her role as interim President of MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), which she took on in February 2022

VIA Rail has announced an investment of more than $80 million in the renovation of four of its 36 “heritage” stations: Winnipeg Union Station (pictured), Vancouver Pacific Station, Halifax Station and Gare du Palais in Québec City. (Photograph Courtesy of VIA Rail, via X, formerly known as Twitter)

Transit Briefs: Caltrain, MBTA, Metro-North, Sound Transit, TTC, VIA Rail

California’s Caltrain debuts new fare product promotions. Also, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Agency (MBTA) announces its vision to improve safety, service, equity, sustainability and culture; commuter rail service on MTA Metro-North’s New Canaan, Conn., Branch will resume after three months of trackwork; Sound Transit announces the launch date for the Bellevue-to-Redmond, Wash., portion of the East Link light rail extension; Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) confirms that service on Line 3 Scarborough RT (rapid transit) will not restart following a July 24 derailment; and VIA Rail Canada is investing more than C$80 million in four “heritage” stations.

Metro-North’s locomotive No. 201 pays tribute to Conrail. (MTA photo)

Transit Briefs: Metro-North Railroad, BART, MBTA, OC Transpo, Metrolinx, NYMTA/LIRR

Metro-North Railroad celebrates its 40-year history of public service with a second rebranded locomotive; Bay Area Rapid Transit’s (BART) latest Quarterly Performance Report (QPR) shows major service reliability improvements with fewer delays; the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s (MBTA) Operations Control Center (OCC) policies meet Federal Transit Administration (FTA) requirements for safety of the public and workforce; service on OC Transpo’s Ottawa LRT network resumes; Metrolinx announces e-scooter pilot program with SCOOTY Mobility; and the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announces preliminary findings of internal investigation following Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) derailment.

VHB Director of Traction Power James Shao

Shao Joins VHB as Director of Traction Power

VHB announced Aug. 8 that James Shao has joined the firm as the new Director of Traction Power in its Newark, N.J., office.

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