VIA Rail

SFMTA is establishing a working group “focused on ways to fund and cut spending at the financially strapped Municipal Transportation Agency” (Muni), San Francisco's network of bus, light rail, streetcar and cable car services, according to SFBay.ca. (SFMTA Photograph)

Transit Briefs: SFMTA, VIA Rail, Brightline, MARTA, HART

San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) is forming a working group to address projected deficits for Municipal Railway (Muni). Also, Transport Canada is requiring VIA Rail to update its emergency management action plan after riders were stranded on an intercity passenger train; Brightline, Florida’s private-sector passenger railroad, now allows travel agents and others to book its rail service with flights; Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority’s (MARTA) Atlanta headquarters earns Energy Star Certification by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); and Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation’s (HART) CEO receives a new multi-year contract.

The Canadian government has already invested more than $C 3bn over the last five years in fleet modernization. (Stephen Host Photograph)

VIA Rail Plots a Path for Transformation

Canada’s passenger operator Via Rail launched a strategic plan earlier this summer. Mark Simmons, Deputy Editor of IRJ, a Railway Age sister publication, talks exclusively to president and CEO Mario Péloquin about his ambitions to transform the company’s operations.

Transit Briefs: LA Metro, SEPTA, PRT, ITC Project, VIA Rail

LA Metro’s ridership continues its upward trend in June. Also, Express Mode on iPhone and Apple Watch is coming to the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA); Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) will offer employers and other groups bulk transit passes at a reduced cost; Elevate Inglewood Partners (EIP) is selected as the Best Value Proposer for the Inglewood Transit Connector (ITC) project; and VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) collaborates with Hack Club for a cross-country train adventure.

Meet VIA Rail’s One-Off Lumi Trainset

As reported on June 27, 2024 by Railway Age, the 18th of 32 Siemens Venture trainsets was delivered to VIA Rail’s Montreal Maintenance Center in a new, never-before-seen livery, which now has

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Four Days on VIA’s Canadian

Last summer I finished riding the entire VIA Rail system, including the railroad’s remote “Adventure” routes. It was not easy, and I reported those trips in a series collectively titled Adventures on

(Image Courtesy of VIA Rail Canada)

VIA Rail Unveils 2030 Strategic Plan

VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) on May 23 released a new five-year strategic plan, which Canada’s national rail passenger service described as the blueprint for its “next chapter.”

2023: A ‘Strong’ Year for VIA Rail

In 2023, 4.1 million passengers rode VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) trains, an increase of 815,000, or 24.7%, compared to 2022, marking the agency’s highest ridership since 2019, VIA Rail reported on May 14.

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