Caltrain on Aug. 22 reported that its third and fourth EMUs of 19 on order have arrived at the Centralized Equipment and Maintenance Facility in San Jose. (Photograph Courtesy of Caltrain, via Twitter)

Transit Briefs: Caltrain, Metrolinx, NYCT, Sound Transit

Caltrain’s third and fourth new Stadler-built KISS EMUs (electric multiple unit) arrive in San Jose, Calif. Also, GO Transit debuts DC character-themed PRESTO fare cards for FAN EXPO Canada in Toronto; a new cohort of MTA New York City Transit (NYCT) train operators graduates; and Seattle’s Sound Transit takes delivery of the first two of 11 new commuter railcars from Alstom.

The Sound Transit Board on July 28 identified the preferred light rail route and station locations for the West Seattle Link Extension after weighing community priorities, regional needs, input from agencies and the city of Seattle, and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) analysis. (Photograph Courtesy of Sound Transit)

Transit Briefs: Sound Transit, BART, Brightline, Metra, NYCT

The Sound Transit Board has confirmed the preferred alternative for the West Seattle (Wash.) Link Extension and approved free fares for riders who under 19 years old. Also, San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) has reinstituted a face-mask requirement; Brightline, Florida’s private-sector passenger railroad, is testing trains along a portion of its Orlando extension, slated to open in 2023; Chicago’s Metra is upgrading the historic Blue Island Vermont St. Station; and a new cohort of MTA New York City Transit (NYCT) train conductors has graduated.

LACMTA officials on July 23 were joined by L.A. Mayor and LACMTA Board Member Eric Garcetti; LACMTA First Chair Jacquelyn Dupont-Walker; Assemblymember Isaac Bryan; and Crenshaw community leaders, supporters and residents to celebrate the memory of civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. at the dedication of the Martin Luther King K Line Station in South Los Angeles. (Photograph Courtesy of LACMTA)

Transit Briefs: CTA, LACMTA, NYCT

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is seeking applicants to join its ADA Advisory Committee. Also, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) on July 23 dedicated the Martin Luther King Station, which will open this fall as part of the 8.5-mile K Line light rail project; and MTA New York City Transit (NYCT) will begin a monthly ridership survey.

The New York MTA has named Rosemonde Pierre-Louis of the McSilver Institute for Poverty Policy and Research at New York University (NYU) and Roger Maldonado of Smith Gambrell LLP as Co-Chairs of its Blue-Ribbon Panel to combat fare and toll evasion. (Photograph Courtesy of NYCT)

People News: AllTranstek, CSX, New York MTA

Steve McCullough, Jim Dinell and Mike Tait have transitioned to new roles at AllTranstek, LLC, a North American third-party, non-asset-based rail fleet management provider. Also, CSX’s Arthur Adams and Norfolk Southern’s (NS) D’Andrae C. Larry have earned spots on Savoy magazine’s 2022 list of Most Influential Black Executives in Corporate America; and the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has appointed two Co-Chairs for its Blue-Ribbon Panel to combat fare and toll evasion.

Ridership on New Mexico's Rail Runner Express is said to have nearly doubled since April: from 800 round-trips per day to the current average of more than 1,500.

Transit Briefs: InnoTrans; N.M. Rail Runner; NYCT

InnoTrans is offering North American attendees a discount to attend its biennial international event. Also, New Mexico’s Rail Runner Express regional/commuter rail service is extending its fare discount and adding service; and MTA New York City Transit has appointed four executives.

In 2018, the MTA signed a $1.75 billion contract with Kawasaki for 535 R211 subway cars.

NYMTA: Labor Problems at Kawasaki Nebraska Plant Delaying Deliveries (UPDATED June 30)

According to New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) officials, labor shortages and mismanagement at a Nebraska plant where Kawasaki railcars set to replace aging ones on New York City Transit’s subway and

PTSI Transportation has supplied a Route Learning System™ to Santa Clara VTA for use in its new technical training center.

Transit Briefs: NYMTA, Santa Clara VTA

MTA New York City Transit (NYCT) has set a new record for pandemic-era subway ridership. Also, Santa Clara Valley (Calif.) Transportation Authority (VTA) has taken delivery of a Route Learning System™ to help qualify light rail operators.

Richard Davey, incoming President, MTA New York City Transit

Richard Davey to Lead NYCT

Former Massachusetts Secretary of Transportation Richard Davey has been named President of MTA New York City Transit (NYCT), effective May 2.

New York MTA late last year launched a Track Trespassing Task Force to study ways to reduce track intrusions, which increased by 20% between 2019 and 2021 across its subway and commuter rail systems, resulting in 68 fatalities in 2021.

New York MTA Tackling Track Intrusion

Platform screen doors and track intrusion detection technology will be pilot tested on New York City subways as part of a multi-pronged safety initiative that was announced at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) Feb. 24 Board meeting.

Mitsubishi Electric Lands NYCT CBTC Contract

Mitsubishi Electric Corp., which in 2020 joined Thales and Siemens as the New York MTA’s third CBTC (communications-based train control)-certified supplier after completing a testing program launched in 2015, has been awarded a $62.65 million contract to provide wayside equipment for the MTA New York City Transit QBL-E (Queens Boulevard Line East) resignaling project.

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