Tuesday morning rail news: North County Transit District debuts new Coaster locomotives, refurbished cars San Diego’s North County Transit District placed the first five of its new Siemens Charger locomotives into service Monday, along with several newly renovated passenger cars. The locomotives, which began testing in October [see “News Photo: New Coaster locomotives begin testing,” Trains News Wire, […]
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After a year’s delay caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and an uprising in the California Legislature, the head of the state’s financially strapped high-speed rail project unveiled a “revised draft business plan” today restating an initial operating segment between Merced and Bakersfield as the project’s priority. The California High-Speed Rail Authority Board voted unanimously […]
Monday morning rail news: Start pushed back, cost estimate increased for Valley segment of California high speed route The California High-Speed Rail Authority has again reset the completion date and increased the estimated cost of the project. The Associated Press reports authority CEO Brian Kelly now says the 119-mile segment between Bakersfield and Madera in the Central […]
WASHINGTON — In response to a question last week from MSNBC interviewer Joy Reid — “How long is it going to take before I get my high speed rail?” — newly confirmed U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg didn’t answer directly. “As you know, the president is a big believer in passenger rail,” Buttigieg says. “Look, […]
Tuesday midday rail news: S.C. Ports Authority seeks funds to improve rail access to Port of Charleston The South Carolina Ports Authority is seeking $550 million in funding from state legislators to improve rail and barge access to the Port of Charleston, the only major East Coast port without near-dock rail access. The State newspaper reports the […]
More Monday morning rail news: LA Metro, county government offer $35,000 reward after shooting of light rail operator A $35,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individual who shot an LA Metro light rail operator early Friday morning at Indiana Station in East Los Angeles. LA Metro […]
Friday morning rail news: Montreal’s REM begins testing of Alstom light rail trainsets The first trainsets for Montreal’s Réseau express métropolitain light rail system have begun testing, REM reports on its Facebook page. The agency says tests will continue over the next few months between its Brossard station and Milan Boulevard. Alstom is building 106 two-car […]
Wednesday morning rail news: Transportation Safety Board of Canada issues report on 2018 CN yard death Failure to fully secure two unattended cars and ice contamination of those cars’ brakes led to a fatal accident in 2018 at Canadian National’s yard in Edmundston, New Brunswick, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada says in a report issued […]
WASHINGTON — The agencies overseeing state-sponsored Amtrak trains in California have asked Congress to address the national passenger railroad’s method of charging them for operations, focusing new attention on a long-simmering dispute. A Nov. 30 letter by San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission Executive Director Stacey Mortenson, obtained by Trains News Wire, urges “that states only […]
More Friday morning rail news Stockton Diamond gets $100 million grant from California The Stockton Diamond project, which seeks to replace a busy at-grade Central California rail crossing with a flyover, has received a $100 million grant from the California Transportation Commission. The Manteca Bulletin reports the grant will help fund a $237 million project that plans […]
More Wednesday morning rail news: San Francisco Muni to resume service on parts of two lines, but underground routes to remain closed San Francisco Muni will resume light rail service on one line later this month, and add another line in January, but the underground portion will remain closed into spring 2021. The San Francisco Chronicle […]
Tuesday midday rail news: Amtrak lands contract to operate Metrolink trains Southern California commuter rail service Metrolink has awarded Amtrak a new contract to operate its services, effective Jan. 1, 2021 and expiring June 30, 2025. As part of the contract, Amtrak provides and manages engineers and conductors to operate Metrolink trains. Amtrak, which was […]
