In each of the 12 voting regions, 75 percent to 85 percent of the money would go to projects on an unchangeable master list. The remaining money would be given to cities and counties to spend on any transportation needs they might have in the future.

 

I doubt many of the regions pass this, if most of the money is going to Atlanta.

 

 

i'm glad you noticed that because thats what i thought too, even though overall the tone was pretty gung-ho about it. i applaud that they are getting together and taking action, tho, so we'll see. maybe one day ne ohio can do something similar.

 

 

something new for metronorth riders:

 

 

PrintEmail1 9 0ShareThis17

07/11/2012 11:24 PM

 

MTA Plans Ticket App For Metro North Riders

By: NY1 News

 

Metro North commuters could soon buy train tickets on their smartphones.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the mobile ticketing company Masabi are developing an app that will let passengers avoid ticket machines or having to use cash while aboard trains.

 

The MTA said the free app would allow commuters to buy electronic tickets that are scanned onboard by a conductor's handheld device.

 

The company will start testing the app with railroad employees next month.

 

If successful, the MTA said Metro North will look to expand the program to customers.

 

 

video:

http://www.ny1.com/content/news_beat...o-north-riders

 

los angeles just trying to git'r done:

 

 

Subway Line Meets an Obstruction: Beverly Hills High School

By ADAM NAGOURNEY / The New York Times

 

 

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- The Subway to the Sea, a train that would tunnel more than 15 miles from downtown Los Angeles to the Pacific Ocean, has encountered no shortage of obstacles over the years: from how to pay for it to skepticism about a huge mass transit project in a region that once ripped out trolley car tracks to make way for automobiles.

 

Now, a new impediment has stepped onto the tracks: Beverly Hills High School.

 

 

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/news/us/subway-line-meets-an-obstruction-beverly-hills-high-school-644919/

 

Midwest Rail Upgrades Speed Ahead, Creating Divide

The Wall Street Journal

 

Increased speeds for passenger rail lines in the Midwest bring along economic baggage, but can the pros outweigh the cons? As higher-speed rail, and expected economic growth, come to Illinois and Michigan, neighboring states see pitfalls.

 

http://www.planetizen.com/node/57805

 

Joliet, IL is a unique town with deep roots in the pax and freight train movement.  The current station hosts, Metra Rock Island commuter service  http://metrarail.com/content/metra/en/home/maps_schedules/metra_system_map/ri/map.html as well as Metra Heritage Corridor servicehttp://metrarail.com/content/metra/en/home/maps_schedules/metra_system_map/hc/map.html with a total of 26 daily round trips to Chicago.  It is also a stop for the Amtrak Lincoln Service, Chi-StL (4 daily round trips) and the daily long distance Amtrak Texas Eagle CHI-StL-FtW-San Antonio.  The current Amtrak station will be preserved, A new Train Terminal will be constructed and a new Bus Terminal for suburban and intercity bus services will be constructed.

 

http://www.cityofjoliet.info/documents/Joliet_Gateway.pdf

 

Thanks, jpIllInoIs. Welcome aboard.

this is nice. i wondered what would happen to the 9/11 'tiles for america.' they could not stay on a rickety wire fence forever:

 

 

 

MTA To Incorporate 9/11 Tiles In New Project

By: NY1

 

What started out as an impromptu tribute to the victims of the September 11th attacks will now have a permanent home in Greenwich Village.

The MTA is planning to use thousands of square ceramic tiles that were painted after the attacks as part of its plans for a new ventilation plant.

 

The squares will be featured on the exterior of the building.

 

They were originally part of a display titled "Tiles for America" where, in the days and months following the attacks, they adorned a fence near Greenwich and Seventh Avenues.

 

The building is expected to take less than four years to complete.

 

video:

http://www.ny1.com/content/news_beats/transit/165732/mta-to-incorporate-9-11-tiles-in-new-project

 

 

 

edit: knew i had pic of the tile fence somewhere!

 

 

 

Interest hasn't died in returning passenger trains to Fort Wayne, as demonstrated by three recent articles I found on the web site of the morning paper, the Journal Gazette. (http://www.journalgazette.net/)

 

Geoff Paddock, founding board member of Northern Indiana Passenger Rail Association (NIPRA) is also city councilman for my district and has a knack for selling ideas that benefit the community and building coalitions to make them happen.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Last updated: August 9, 2012 2:24 p.m.

 

Study to bolster push for Chicago-Fort Wayne-Columbus train

Statement as issued Thursday by NIPRA:

 

The Northeast Indiana Passenger Rail Association announced today that funds have been secured to conduct a feasibility study and to build a business case for the return of rail service from Fort Wayne to Chicago, with plans to extend service to Columbus, Ohio.

 

read more: http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20120809/BLOGS01/120809526/0/SEARCH

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Last updated: August 10, 2012 2:14 p.m.

 

Passenger rail’s return pushed

 

Backers hope $80,000 study gives idea new traction in city

Benjamin Lanka | The Journal Gazette

 

FORT WAYNE – Local supporters of bringing passenger rail back to the Summit City hope an $80,000 study – financed partly by local governments – will help persuade the federal government to invest millions in the area.

 

Geoff Paddock and Fred Lanahan, members of the Northeast Indiana Passenger Rail Association, announced Thursday they will pay Transportation Economics and Management Systems for the work.

 

read more: http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20120810/LOCAL/308109966/0/SEARCH

------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Published: August 12, 2012 3:00 a.m.

 

Push to return rail service to city on track

Frank Gray

 

If you’re younger than 30, you probably have no idea that you could once catch a train in downtown Fort Wayne and travel to places like Chicago.

 

That ended in 1992, when Amtrak moved its train station to Waterloo, about 30 miles north. According to City Councilman Geoff Paddock, the move happened because of a dispute over who would maintain a stretch of track in the northwest corner of the state.

 

Four years ago, an organization called the Northeast Indiana Passenger Rail Association sprang into existence with the goal of bringing rail service back to Fort Wayne, which, according to Paddock, is the largest city in the state without passenger rail service.

 

read more: http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20120812/LOCAL0201/308129936

From a press statement issued by NCI......

 

UCLA ‘Study’ Critical of High Speed Rail Was Authored By Veteran Aircraft Exec

 

National Corridors Initiative

Investigative Report

©2012 The National Corridors Initiative

By James P. RePass, Publisher, Destination:Freedom

www.nationalcorridors.org

 

LOS ANGELES--- A major economic forecast  released by UCLA’s Anderson School of Management, which debunked the economic value of High Speed Rail just days before a critical make-or-break California State Senate vote, was written by a veteran aircraft industry executive and paid air industry consultant, a fact which was not disclosed by UCLA when it issued the report.

 

“California High Speed Rail Economic Development: Lessons From Japan”  was issued to the media in UCLA’s June “California Forecast.”

 

While in the past few days independent academics have begun to question the validity of the Anderson report’s sweeping conclusions, based as they are on a tiny data sample, the report’s impact in the news media has been large. The story has gone viral, and continues to be cited, appearing in hundreds of news reports and blogs across the country as a “serious” criticism of High Speed Rail, which is a bell-weather program for the Obama Administration.

 

The California High Speed Rail system, whose funding and construction was after two decades of debate enabled by a single-vote margin July 6, 2012, by the State Senate and is now officially launched, would compete directly with California’s lucrative but highly polluting short-route intercity air carrier market, one of the largest in the United States, and would directly impact the economic fortunes of the aircraft industry,  in which the report’s author has spent virtually his entire professional life, either as a direct employee, or as a consultant.

 

“California High Speed Rail Economic Development: Lessons From Japan” looked at a portion of the Japanese high speed rail system implemented in 1964, and from that tiny sample concluded: “Our study of the Japanese Shinkansen system from 1964 to present fails to provide evidence of induced aggregate growth,” asserting that it “simply moves jobs around the geography without creating significant new employment.”

 

While admitting in passing that “population growth, pollution abatement, or other factors” might justify the California High Speed Rail project, the report concludes, “As an engine of economic growth in and of itself, California High Speed Rail will have only a marginal impact at best.” 

 

The UCLA report was issued in June before the California State Senate had voted, and was immediately picked up by scores of newspapers in California and throughout the United States. Headlines typically read: “UCLA study of Japan's bullet train raises questions about California’s HSR” or “UCLA study guts the claim that HSR fosters economic growth.”

 

The UCLA study was also used as the basis for numerous editorials slamming High Speed Rail, as “proof” that it was and is a “boondoggle.” This, and an anti-rail campaign financed largely by petroleum interests,  caused such massive blowback in the state Capitol of Sacramento that on the day of the vote, July 6, the Senate leadership had to lock the doors to the building, and even then, physically locate at least one of the five Democratic senators who virtually went into hiding to avoid voting on the bill; it took three or four ‘final’ calls of the roll for the leadership to get to “21,” the minimum vote needed for passage.

 

The UCLA report was written primarily by Jerry Nickelsburg, according to UCLA public affairs, who is identified in the document only as “Senior Economist, UCLA Anderson Forecast.”

 

He is in fact a former career employee of, and on-going consultant to, the aircraft industry, a fact nowhere disclosed in the UCLA report, or in any press kits issued with the report.

 

That information however can be found on the website of his consulting firm, Deep Blue Economics, which sells aircraft simulation tools to the airline industry: It boasts: “Deep Blue Economics is a business and aviation consulting company with specialization in the analysis and disposition of business assets including aviation and simulation assets. The associates have over 50 years of experience with particular expertise in start-up operational, financial, route, fleet, and strategic planning and flight simulator capital planning evaluation, disposition, inspection, and appraisal. For more information, please contact Jerry Nickelsburg, Ph.D.”  It then lists his phone number and other contact information.

 

Reporters bothering to dig into the UCLA Anderson School faculty website, which were apparently few if any, would have seen that it identifies him as follows: “He received his Ph.D. in economics from the University of Minnesota in 1980 specializing in monetary economics and econometrics. He was formerly a professor of Economics at the University of Southern California and has held executive positions with McDonnell Douglas, Flight Safety International, and Flight Safety Boeing during a fifteen year span in the aviation business.”

 

“He also held a position with the Federal Reserve Board of Governors developing forecasting tools, and has advised banks, investors and financial institutions. From 2000 to 2006, he was the Managing Principal of Deep Blue Economics, a consulting firm he founded.”

 

In a prepared statement the National Corridors Initiative, a bi-partisan advocacy group for infrastructure investment, said:

 

“No one would question author Jerry Nickelsburg’s right to express whatever opinion he holds, or whatever criteria he uses to justify his conclusions. His credentials are sterling, but even if they were not, it is his right. But for UCLA to release his report under their name without disclosing the author’s long-standing aircraft industry background, when that specifically is the very industry that would be most directly affected by construction of a California or any other American High Speed Rail system, is outrageous.”

 

“UCLA is a revered icon, and needs to do better when it puts its name on a document that it well knows will be vacuumed up by the news media, as well as by the Citizens United-enabled, secretly –funded, pro-petroleum , anti-rail, reactionaries who under America’s utterly corrupt political system pay for many of our politician’s opinions.”

 

###

Just found this. Michigan keeps kicking our butt.....

 

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

TxDOT Proposing Oklahoma City to Brownsville High Speed Rail Line

planning stage just beginning, no word on potential cost

Jim Forsyth

 

The Texas Department of Transportation has unveiled a proposal for a high speed rail line stretching from Oklahoma City through Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio all the way to the Rio Grande Valley, 1200 WOAI news reports.

 

“Approximately 850 miles,” Jennifer Moczygemba, who heads the Rail Planning Division of TxDOT, told the San Antonio Metropolitan Planning Organization.

 

“It does connect a lot of the metropolitan centers, a lot of statistics show a large portion of the Texas population does live within 70 miles of I-35.”

 

Read more: http://radio.woai.com/cc-common/mainheadlines3.html?feed=119078&article=10375495#ixzz253dXhy3o

^ geez thats quite a long stretch!

 

mta is turning japanese! although its a good thing i know i wont like it:

 

 

MTA ups effort to rid subways of waste baskets

 

By BILL SANDERSON and DANIEL PRENDERGAST

Last Updated: 5:35 AM, August 31, 2012

 

Garbage cans will be hauled out of eight more subway stations on Sunday as part of a six-month experiment to see if the stations actually stay cleaner — and less ratty — when riders are forced to carry their trash outside.

 

Two stations have had no cans since last fall as part of the pilot program: 8th Street on the N/R lines in Manhattan, and the Main Street 7-line terminal in Flushing, Queens.

Both stations have become a lot cleaner as a result, MTA officials said.

Litter is down by 50 percent at 8th Street and by 67 percent at Main Street, officials said.

 

“We need to expand the experiment . . . to see if we have the same results,” said MTA chief Joseph Lhota.

 

 

http://m.nypost.com/p/news/local/rats_beyond_the_pail_LvN8VlZxeobzY0E9SDsbxH

 

Amtrak service to Norfolk to begin Dec. 12

http://www.wusa9.com/news/virginia/article/219083/188/Amtrak-Service-To-Norfolk-To-Begin-Dec-12

From a press statement issued by NCI......

 

UCLA ‘Study’ Critical of High Speed Rail Was Authored By Veteran Aircraft Exec

 

National Corridors Initiative

www.nationalcorridors.org

 

LOS ANGELES--- A major economic forecast  released by UCLA’s Anderson School of Management, which debunked the economic value of High Speed Rail just days before a critical make-or-break California State Senate vote, was written by a veteran aircraft industry executive and paid air industry consultant, a fact which was not disclosed by UCLA when it issued the report.

Grrr.  Politics in America

Moving forward in Niagara Falls....

http://www.progressiverailroading.com/amtrak/article/FRA-approves-TIGER-II-grant-for-Niagara-Falls-Amtrak-station-and-intermodal-center-Sen-Schumer-says--32344?utm_source=prnews&utm_medium=twitter#

fcr's $76M barclays center subway station in downtown brooklyn is set to open.

below are a few nydn remarks:

 

 

It cost $76 million. No, it’s not paved in gold. But not a cent of it came from taxpayers’ pockets. Forest City Ratner Companies (FCRC), the developer of the arena, the housing around it, MetroTech and Atlantic Center Mall, agreed to pay for the station as part of financing in return for the air rights from the MTA above the arena’s plaza, where one day a world-class commercial building could stand. Originally budgeted at $29 million, the commitment by FCRC extended beyond financial obligations.

 

“In comparison to building the subway station, the arena was a piece of cake,” says Robert Sanna, FCRC’s long-term head of construction.

 

“Mass transit is the centerpiece of the entire development,” says MaryAnne Gilmartin, FCRC’s executive vice president of development. “We committed to infrastructure improvements as part of the real estate deal. The new entrance is the key component to making this arena work. Under no circumstances do we want anyone driving to the arena, ever.”

 

 

more:

http://m.nydailynews.com/1.1159087#bmb=1

 

There's not a lot of detail out there about this major project, but between the New York state line and New Haven, CT, the state (ConnDOT) is undertaking a $400 million project that will make the travel times more respectable between New York and Boston.

 

They are replacing 105-year-old catenary structures over the tracks, as well as putting in new constant-tension wires to replace the old wires that sagged in heat and tightened in cold and caused major speed restriction problems. There are also more new ballasted bridge decks (as opposed to ones with the ties bolted to the steel girders) that allow speeds above 90 mph. And there are longer crossover tracks between the mainline tracks so trains can switch back and forth at full speed.

 

These improvements will allow Amtrak trains to exceed 90 mph (max up to 120 mph) with work to be finished by 2016. This should allow Acela Expresses to travel between New York to Boston in as little as 3 hours, 8 minutes.

Am I to assume that the portion of the line from New Haven to Boston has the constant-tension wires as well as ballasted decks and the like?  All of which would have been done when that portion of the line was electrified.

Am I to assume that the portion of the line from New Haven to Boston has the constant-tension wires as well as ballasted decks and the like?  All of which would have been done when that portion of the line was electrified.

 

Yes. Amtrak already hits 150 mph+ on portions of this route.

Thanks KJP for the info.  I'm not psyched about the inevitable delays during the construction period, but this will be a awesome improvement.  Much of the stretch between NYP and New Haven feels like an excruciating crawl these days, though maybe some of that is also do to congestion with Metronorth, not sure.

Amtrak also has rebuilt the Hell Gate tracks with new bridges, overhead wires and concrete ties to improve train speeds, as well as improving tracks at Shell Interlocking where Amtrak's Hell Gate route to Penn Station diverge/converge with Metro North's route to Grand Central to raise speeds from 15 to 45 mph. But Metro North will look at building a flyover here (blows my mind there never was one) here to coincide with the introduction of Metro North New Haven Line trains to Penn Station. That will also benefit Amtrak.

 

I was also reading that there some capacity issues between Providence and Boston, especially north of Readville where Acelas catch up to Amtrak Regionals and MBTA commuters that slow down the Acelas. There apparently is some discussion of detouring a few MBTA trains north of Readville via Dorchester by adding a second connecting track at Readville, and triple tracking south of Readville to Providence, with four tracks in some places, like at the Route 128 station.

 

There is nearly $1.1 billion in capital improvements underway with most of it focused in New Jersey (160 mph upgrades), Long Island (grade separate Harold Junction which sees 700 trains a day!) and the ConnDOT improvements from the NY state line to New Haven. Amtrak is also wrapping up work on some of the movable bridges east of New Haven.

I've been following the progress on the movable bridges east of New Haven for the past several months (years?) from the train.  It's been amazing to watch it come together and easy to understand how the costs add up given the marshy terrain and the complexity of building adjacent to a live route.  The Providence-New Haven segment is a very under-rated scenic Amtrak ride, IMHO.  The Hell Gate work was a lot less interesting to watch and a lot more irritating in terms of delays.  Such is life on the Regional :(

http://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/623/361/Amtrak-to-Operate-Test-Trains-at-165-mph-ATK-12-084.pdf

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 24, 2012

ATK-12-084

Contact: Media Relations

202 906.3860

 

AMTRAK TO OPERATE TEST TRAINS AT 165 MPH

 

Four test areas cover more than 100 miles of the Northeast Corridor

 

WASHINGTON— Beginning tonight and continuing into next week, Amtrak plans to operate high-speed test trains at 165 mph in four areas covering more than 100 miles of the Northeast Corridor. The tests in Maryland / Delaware, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Massachusetts are locations that may at some future time experience regular 160 mph service.

The tests will utilize high-speed Acela Express equipment and will measure the interaction between the train and the track, rider quality and other safety factors. The test runs must be performed at 5 mph above the expected maximum operating speed of 160 mph.

 

The test areas between approximately Perryville, Md. – Wilmington, Del. (21.3 miles) and Trenton – New Brunswick, N.J. (22.9 miles) currently have a maximum speed limit of 135 mph. The test areas between approximately Westerly – Cranston, R.I. (29.2 miles) and South Attleboro – Readville, Mass. (27.8 miles) currently have a maximum speed limit of 150 mph. The same areas were used for similar high-speed tests before the introduction of Acela service.

 

The initial test run is in New Jersey where Amtrak is presently advancing design, engineering and other pre-construction activities for a $450 million project funded by the federal high-speed rail program. The project includes upgrading track, electrical power, signal systems and overhead catenary wires to improve reliability for Amtrak and commuter rail service, and is necessary to permit regular train operations at the faster speeds. Some construction activity is anticipated in 2013, but the project will ramp up dramatically thereafter to be completed in 2017.

 

About Amtrak®:

Amtrak is America’s Railroad®, the nation’s intercity passenger rail service and its high-speed rail operator. A record 30.2 million passengers traveled on Amtrak in FY 2011 on more than 300 daily trains – at speeds up to 150 mph (241 kph) – that connect 46 states, the District of Columbia and three Canadian Provinces. Amtrak operates intercity trains in partnership with 15 states and contracts with 13 commuter rail agencies to provide a variety of services. Enjoy the journey® at Amtrak.com or call 800-USA-RAIL for schedules, fares and more information. Join us on facebook.com/Amtrak and follow us at twitter.com/Amtrak.

 

biker16, I moved your post here because it fits in with the discussion we were just having on improvements to the Northeast Corridor. Though it still worked in the Amtrak thread. I just thought it was a nice "next-step" piece to add on to what we were already talking about. :)

Can a passenger train linking rural America to a big city make a profit?  The answer is yes.  The state-sponsored Amtrak train linking Lynchburg, VA to Washington, DC shows the importance of providing transportation alternatives to rural communities.  Would this work in Ohio?  Probably, but we won’t know until attitudes in Columbus change.

 

http://www.dailyyonder.com/passenger-trains-arent-just-cities/2012/09/20/4449

 

 

Amtrak Acela 165-170MPH Test Train at Princeton JCT

 

Zoooom!

http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/paffairs/news/pressrel/12pr121.htm

 

California Department of Transportation

 

Date: September 26, 2012

District: Headquarters – Sacramento

Contact: Tamie McGowen, California Department of Transportation

Phone: (916) 501-3547

Multi-state partnership announces intent to award contract for next generation of American trains

 

SACRAMENTO -The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) on behalf of the departments of transportation from Illinois, Michigan, and Missouri issued a Notice of Intent to Award today to Sumitomo Corporation of America to design, build, and deliver 130 bi-level passenger railcars for use in regional intercity rail corridors in California and the Midwest. The Notice of Intent to Award does not signify that a contract has been awarded but that a potential vendor has been identified.

 

Sumitomo Corporation of America submitted a bid of $352,276,000.

 

“By pooling our resources, all four states involved in this partnership can purchase the equipment at lower costs because it will be acquired in high volume under one contract,” said Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty. “These new railcars will help us meet the growing ridership demand on California trains, which is up 53 percent since 2002.”

 

Caltrans and the Illinois Department of Transportation will first conduct a federally required Buy America pre-award audit to verify assembly locations and manufacturing facilities for railcar components. Buy America rules require that all 130 new bi-level cars be assembled in the United States, and that all the major components must be manufactured domestically. The audit will be forwarded to the Federal Railroad Administration prior to the contract award. Sumitomo Corporation of America will also be required to submit insurance policies and performance bonds. A fully executed agreement is expected to be in place by mid-November.

 

“We are proud to partner with Caltrans and the Midwest Coalition to cost-effectively procure the state-of-the-art passenger railcar equipment needed to address the increasing demand for efficient and convenient passenger rail service throughout the state,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Ann L. Schneider. “With Amtrak ridership at record levels in Illinois and the official purchasing process of the railcars under way, this massive project will continue to boost America’s manufacturing and assembling industry and provide improved travel options for the entire Midwest.”

 

California will receive 42 railcars, while the Midwest Coalition, consisting of Illinois, Michigan, and Missouri will receive 88 railcars. Railcars delivered to California will be used on the three state-supported intercity routes, the Capitol Corridor (Sacramento area-Oakland-San Jose), the San Joaquin (San Francisco Bay Area/Sacramento-Bakersfield/Southern California), and the Pacific Surfliner (San Luis Obisbo-Los Angeles-San Diego). The Midwest Coalition will use its new railcars on the following corridors: Blue Water (Chicago-Port Huron), Wolverine (Chicago-Detroit-Pontiac), Pere Marquette (Chicago-Grand Rapids), Illini/Saluki (Chicago-Carbondale), Lincoln Service (Chicago-St Louis), Missouri River Runner (St Louis-Kansas City), Illinois Zephyr/Carl Sandburg (Chicago-Quincy), and future services between Chicago and Dubuque and Chicago and the Quad Cities, with potential extension to Iowa City.

 

"The collaborative effort of the states working together on selecting a rail equipment manufacturer is an important step toward saving money for all. We appreciate the leadership that Caltrans has taken toward spearheading this effort," said Timothy Hoeffner, Michigan Department of Transportation, director of the Office of Rail. "Michigan is experiencing unprecedented ridership growth, and when the new equipment arrives, this will improve the travel experience and grow passenger rail service even more."

 

The first railcars are slated for delivery in the fall of 2015, with the final car expected to be delivered in early 2018.

 

“Today’s announcement moves America one step closer to building a transportation system for the 21st Century,” said US Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood. “These 130 bi-level railcars will revitalize America’s passenger rail manufacturing industry base by creating new jobs up and down the rail supply chain and fostering a stronger market for passenger rail. They will improve passenger service and provide more flexibility for train operations, and because multiple states have – for the first time – pooled their resources and settled on a standardized design, this top of the line equipment can be purchased, repaired, and maintained for the lowest possible price.”

 

Funding for the new rail equipment comes from Federal Railroad Administration grants totaling $808 million. Of these funds, $551 million was reserved to purchase the bi-level railcars; the remainder is slated to fund future locomotive and “trainset” procurements as well as to support project management and oversight expenses. California’s share ($168 million) of the grants is supplemented by $42 million from Proposition 1B, a transportation bond approved by California voters in 2006.

 

Contacts:

 

Josh Kauffman, Illinois Department of Transportation, (217) 558-0517

Janet Foran, Michigan Department of Transportation, (517) 335-7176

Kevin Thompson, Federal Railroad Administration, (202) 493-6024

From an e-mailed PR. Looks like the cars will be assembled in Rochelle, IL, about 75 miles due west of Chicago.....

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                       

AUGUST 21, 2012                                                                                       

 

Contact: David Jakubiak

              (312) 795-3713

              [email protected]

 

 

NEW HIGH-SPEED 130-RAILCAR PROCUREMENT CREATES ILLINOIS AND MIDWEST JOBS

 

STATEMENT BY HOWARD A. LEARNER

Executive Director, Environmental Law & Policy Center

 

CHICAGO – Howard A. Learner, Executive Director of the Environmental Law & Policy Center, and a lead advocate for high-speed rail, congratulates Nippon-Sharyo and Sumitomo Corp. of America on being chosen, through a competitive process, to manufacture 130 next generation passenger rail cars. The bi-level rail cars were commissioned by four states—Illinois, Michigan, Missouri and California—and will be assembled in Rochelle, Ill.

 

“This railcar procurement award is very good news for Illinois job creation and for the entire Midwest’s rail supply chain businesses.  Nippon-Sharyo will need to purchase everything from steel to bolts to couplings to seats, and Midwest manufacturers are poised to help deliver those goods.  This high-speed rail investment will create jobs in Illinois, business in the Midwest, and modern rail transportation for all of us.

 

“Manufacturing 130 modern new passenger railcars in Illinois makes clear that high-speed rail development is good for jobs, good for economic growth and good for the environment.  This advances the region’s position as a leading rail manufacturing center.

 

“Modern, fast, comfortable and convenient high-speed trains will improve mobility, reduce pollution, create new jobs and spur economic growth for Illinois and the Midwest.”

 

###

 

The Environmental Law & Policy Center is the Midwest’s leading environmental legal advocacy and eco-business innovation organization.

fulton street transit center progress

in downtown manhattan this afternoon

 

 

 

 

I can't believe how long it's taken to build that thing.

http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/paffairs/news/pressrel/12pr121.htm

 

California Department of Transportation

 

Date: September 26, 2012

District: Headquarters – Sacramento

Contact: Tamie McGowen, California Department of Transportation

Phone: (916) 501-3547

Multi-state partnership announces intent to award contract for next generation of American trains

 

SACRAMENTO -The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) on behalf of the departments of transportation from Illinois, Michigan, and Missouri issued a Notice of Intent to Award today to Sumitomo Corporation of America to design, build, and deliver 130 bi-level passenger railcars for use in regional intercity rail corridors in California and the Midwest. The Notice of Intent to Award does not signify that a contract has been awarded but that a potential vendor has been identified.

 

Sumitomo Corporation of America submitted a bid of $352,276,000.

 

“By pooling our resources, all four states involved in this partnership can purchase the equipment at lower costs because it will be acquired in high volume under one contract,” said Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty. “These new railcars will help us meet the growing ridership demand on California trains, which is up 53 percent since 2002.”

 

Caltrans and the Illinois Department of Transportation will first conduct a federally required Buy America pre-award audit to verify assembly locations and manufacturing facilities for railcar components. Buy America rules require that all 130 new bi-level cars be assembled in the United States, and that all the major components must be manufactured domestically. The audit will be forwarded to the Federal Railroad Administration prior to the contract award. Sumitomo Corporation of America will also be required to submit insurance policies and performance bonds. A fully executed agreement is expected to be in place by mid-November.

 

“We are proud to partner with Caltrans and the Midwest Coalition to cost-effectively procure the state-of-the-art passenger railcar equipment needed to address the increasing demand for efficient and convenient passenger rail service throughout the state,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Ann L. Schneider. “With Amtrak ridership at record levels in Illinois and the official purchasing process of the railcars under way, this massive project will continue to boost America’s manufacturing and assembling industry and provide improved travel options for the entire Midwest.”

 

California will receive 42 railcars, while the Midwest Coalition, consisting of Illinois, Michigan, and Missouri will receive 88 railcars. Railcars delivered to California will be used on the three state-supported intercity routes, the Capitol Corridor (Sacramento area-Oakland-San Jose), the San Joaquin (San Francisco Bay Area/Sacramento-Bakersfield/Southern California), and the Pacific Surfliner (San Luis Obisbo-Los Angeles-San Diego). The Midwest Coalition will use its new railcars on the following corridors: Blue Water (Chicago-Port Huron), Wolverine (Chicago-Detroit-Pontiac), Pere Marquette (Chicago-Grand Rapids), Illini/Saluki (Chicago-Carbondale), Lincoln Service (Chicago-St Louis), Missouri River Runner (St Louis-Kansas City), Illinois Zephyr/Carl Sandburg (Chicago-Quincy), and future services between Chicago and Dubuque and Chicago and the Quad Cities, with potential extension to Iowa City.

 

"The collaborative effort of the states working together on selecting a rail equipment manufacturer is an important step toward saving money for all. We appreciate the leadership that Caltrans has taken toward spearheading this effort," said Timothy Hoeffner, Michigan Department of Transportation, director of the Office of Rail. "Michigan is experiencing unprecedented ridership growth, and when the new equipment arrives, this will improve the travel experience and grow passenger rail service even more."

 

The first railcars are slated for delivery in the fall of 2015, with the final car expected to be delivered in early 2018.

 

“Today’s announcement moves America one step closer to building a transportation system for the 21st Century,” said US Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood. “These 130 bi-level railcars will revitalize America’s passenger rail manufacturing industry base by creating new jobs up and down the rail supply chain and fostering a stronger market for passenger rail. They will improve passenger service and provide more flexibility for train operations, and because multiple states have – for the first time – pooled their resources and settled on a standardized design, this top of the line equipment can be purchased, repaired, and maintained for the lowest possible price.”

 

Funding for the new rail equipment comes from Federal Railroad Administration grants totaling $808 million. Of these funds, $551 million was reserved to purchase the bi-level railcars; the remainder is slated to fund future locomotive and “trainset” procurements as well as to support project management and oversight expenses. California’s share ($168 million) of the grants is supplemented by $42 million from Proposition 1B, a transportation bond approved by California voters in 2006.

 

Contacts:

 

Josh Kauffman, Illinois Department of Transportation, (217) 558-0517

Janet Foran, Michigan Department of Transportation, (517) 335-7176

Kevin Thompson, Federal Railroad Administration, (202) 493-6024

 

It's interesting to note that while the feds authorized $551 million, the car oder will cost only $352 million, a $199 million difference. Let's hope they plow the remainder into more of these cars!

I can't believe how long it's taken to build that thing.

 

i know, but you know the above ground bldg is nothing compared to the rat maze they had to straighten out below.

 

i know it doesn't work like this, but still i wish all the efforts for this new station, the new SI ferry station, the #7 train extension and the eastside access project were for the 2nd avenue subway instead. it would be done by now.

 

Acela HSR test train caught at 165 mph (at 3:18) at Newark, Delaware, just SW of Wilmington -- love the crickets and the lights on the historic depot......

 

 

 

And farther north at Hamilton, NJ station, a large new station facility between Trenton and Princeton Jct (135 mph is the normal cruising speed for Acela here)....

 

Amtrak Acela 165 MPH Speed Test Hamilton, NJ Station

http://www.fra.dot.gov/roa/press_releases/fp_FRA%2028-12.shtml

 

FRA 28-12

Monday, October 01, 2012

Contact: Kevin Thompson

Tel.: 202-309-6403

 

U.S. Transportation Deputy Secretary Porcari Announces $120 Million for Connecticut to Increase Train Service and Improve Travel Times

 

Federal Government and Connecticut Partnering to Invest more than $365 Million on the New Haven to Springfield Corridor

 

MERIDEN, Conn. – U.S. Transportation Deputy Secretary John Porcari today announced that the state of Connecticut will receive $120 million in High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail program funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation to complete construction on the Hartford segment of the New Haven to Springfield, Mass. passenger rail corridor.  Once the project is complete in 2016, 11 additional round-trip trains will travel between Hartford and New Haven, for a total of 17 trains traveling the line, compared to six today.  Deputy Secretary Porcari was joined in making the announcement by Governor Dannel Malloy, members of the Connecticut congressional delegation and other officials. 

 

“This investment will mean increased speeds, reduced delays and added capacity along the New Haven to Springfield corridor,” said Deputy Secretary Porcari.  “It’s good news for rail travelers and for the regional economy, and it’s one more sign of President Obama’s support for rail projects in New England and across America.”

 

Improvements to the corridor will reduce travel time between St. Albans Vt. and New Haven, Conn., by more than one hour.  The project involves installing 10 miles of double track, upgrading a signal system on a portion of the line, and making improvements at 28 road crossings.  Thirteen bridges and culverts will be repaired or replaced, and four Amtrak stations will receive new, high-level, Americans with Disabilities Act compliant platforms with overhead pedestrian walkways and newly expanded parking areas for rail customers. 

 

“No economy can grow faster than its transportation network allows,” said Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph C. Szabo.  “These investments will bring new jobs, along with commercial and residential development, to Connecticut.”

 

The improved corridor between Springfield and New Haven is part of an extensive plan developed by Connecticut, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Amtrak to dramatically transform passenger rail service in New England over the next 20 years.  The improved service will provide a convenient and reliable connection to the Northeast Corridor in New Haven, providing New England families and businesses with better access to New York City and Washington, D.C.

 

Today’s announcement follows two additional High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail (HSIPR) grants totaling $70 million for the New Haven to Springfield line, awarded in 2011: http://www.fra.dot.gov/roa/press_releases/fp_FRA%2024-11.shtml.

 

In total, the federal government has invested $191 million in the line.  Collectively, the state and federal government are partnering to invest a total of $365 million, including $141.9 million from the State of Connecticut, along the line to reduce trip times, improve reliability, add capacity, improve safety, and renovate four Amtrak stations in Wallingford, Meriden, Berlin, and Hartford.

 

The state’s long-term vision for the New Haven to Springfield line calls for operating up to 25 daily round‐trips and train speeds are expected to increase from 79 mph to 90 mph.

 

Since 2009, the Obama Administration has awarded over $3.7 billion to passenger rail projects across the Northeast region stretching from Maine to Washington, D.C.  Nationwide, the Obama Administration has invested over $12 billion in passenger rail.  Federal funding for today’s grant was awarded through FY 2010 appropriations under the Federal Railroad Administration’s High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail program. 

 

####

I can't believe how long it's taken to build that thing.

 

it takes time to gold plate transit projects.

another tod benefit.

there is no parking at this new arena.

 

 

0 14 0 15

09/29/2012 09:37 AM

MTA: LIRR Sent 1,200 More Than Normal To Atlantic Terminal Friday

By: NY1 News

 

 

 

People attending events at the Barclays Center are urged to take mass transit and it appears they have heeded that call.

The MTA says the Long Island Rail Road carried 1,200 more people than normal into Atlantic Terminal Friday evening.

 

The Barclays Center opened Friday night with the first of eight sold-out performances by Brooklyn native Jay-Z.

 

The hip-hop mogul is a part-owner of the NBA's Nets, who start playing at Barclays next month.

 

Concert-goers who spoke to NY1 had nothing but great things to say about the show and the arena.

 

"Jay-Z did his thing, man," said one. "He did it big, you know, brought Brooklyn back the way Brooklyn's supposed to be.

 

"Barclays Center is amazing," said a second. "Jay-Z put on an incredible performance."

 

"This is a great addition to the cultural life of New York and certainly Brooklyn," said Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz. "And when the Nets defeat the Manhattan Knicks, how sweet it is."

 

The Nets play their first pre-season game at the arena on Oct. 15.

 

more:

http://www.ny1.com/content/transit/169855/mta--lirr-sent-1-200-more-than-normal-to-atlantic-terminal-friday

 

cuzzo rips the fulton folly:

 

 

HOME > NEWS > OPINION

 

$1.4 billion subway station to nowhere

By STEVE CUOZZO

Last Updated: 12:48 AM, October 2, 2012

 

Surprise: The new Dey Street entrance for the Fulton Transit Center, to open this fall, won’t take you anywhere but to the subway station on the other side of Broadway — not to the R train’s Cortlandt Street station, as the MTA had promised for seven years.

At least not for a long time: The agency admitted this week that not enough people would use the new underground corridor, perhaps as few as five per hour, to justify opening the $200 million link.

 

Told you so — five, six and seven years ago. In the face of near-universal praise for the project, The Post warned repeatedly that anything that could go wrong, would — and so would things that seemingly couldn’t go wrong, like iron-clad federal funding.

In fact, $847 million in US dough was just fine — until it turned out to be not nearly enough, causing the MTA to pull the Fulton project’s plug in January 2008. By then, the agency had evicted scores of viable stores and businesses, tangled traffic on Broadway and made the old station’s mere inconveniences into a true horror show.

 

I wrote that the old station, although messy and confusing, was no more so than many other large subway stations, and could’ve easily and cheaply been fixed with better signs, lighting and maintenance.

 

 

yadda:

http://m.nypost.com/;s=4L5Qf3HegCjiD4jq6IhLc02/f/mobile/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/billion_subway_station_to_nowhere_YcYBUk1gJ5O6jYMiuherNP?utm_campaign=OutbrainA&utm_source=OutbrainArticlepages&obref=obinsource

 

This will also impact the Boston section of Amtrak's daily Lake Shore Limited service through Bryan, Toledo, Sandusky, Elyria and Cleveland........

 

10/5/2012   

CSX, Massachusetts officials finalize agreement on Framingham/Worcester line

 

Yesterday, Massachusetts and CSX Corp. officials announced the completion of an agreement through which CSX will transfer ownership of rail track and operations along the Framingham/Worcester line to the commonwealth, enabling the expansion of commuter-rail service.

 

CSX officials joined Massachusetts Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray and Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) Secretary and Chief Executive Officer Richard Davey to mark the occasion of the now finalized agreement, which will enable MassDOT to improve and increase commuter-rail service between Boston and Worcester, the state's two largest cities, according to a press release issued by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA).

 

The commonwealth will begin immediately to increase service on the Framingham/Worcester line with the addition of new inbound and outbound trains between the two cities for a total of 31 stops, MBTA officials said.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.progressiverailroading.com/csx_transportation/article/CSX-Massachusetts-officials-finalize-agreement-on-FraminghamWorcester-line--32834?utm_source=prnews&utm_medium=twitter#

Amtrak’s Kansas City-St. Louis route sees ridership chug upward

Kansas City Business Journal

by Autumn MorningSky, Web Producer

Date: Monday, October 8, 2012, 11:43am CDT - Last Modified: Monday, October 8, 2012, 1:08pm CDT

 

 

Amtrak’s Missouri River Runner trains saw increased ridership for the fifth straight year in fiscal 2012.

 

Between fiscal 2007 and 2012, the number of travelers on the route, which links Kansas City and St. Louis, has increased by 74 percent. So far this year, more than 192,000 people have ridden the train.

 

Last year, the River Runner had a record-setting performance, despite flooding that suspended several trips and reduced ridership on some trips by 28 percent.

 

Read more at:http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/news/2012/10/08/amtraks-kansas-city-st-louis-route.html?fb_comment_id=fbc_203289653138443_674728_203543679779707

"Chug"  :roll:

 

Why? Did the trains drink a beer quickly?

Looming fund cuts endanger Amtrak's Keystone line

October 08, 2012|By Paul Nussbaum, Inquirer Staff Writer

 

 

The popular Keystone rail service between Philadelphia and Harrisburg, Amtrak's fourth-busiest route, could face serious cutbacks next year because of reduced federal subsidies.

 

Amtrak will end its $8 million-a-year contribution for running the service on Oct. 1, 2013, to comply with a 2008 law that requires Amtrak to shift operating costs to the states, Amtrak spokeswoman Danelle Hunter said.

 

Pennsylvania, which already spends about $9 million a year to underwrite Keystone operations, has its own financial woes and is negotiating with Amtrak to avoid service cuts.

 

Read more at: http://articles.philly.com/2012-10-08/business/34306866_1_amtrak-s-keystone-northeast-corridor-keystone-line?fb_action_ids=4642078051312&fb_action_types=og.recommends&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%7B%224642078051312%22%3A117180955102229%7D&action_type_map=%7B%224642078051312%22%3A%22og.recommends%22%7D&action_ref_map=%5B%5D

Trains could return to St. Louis Union Station

 

BY TIM BRYANT • [email protected] > 314-340-820618

 

 

ST. LOUIS • Redevelopment plans for Union Station call for more hotel and office space, less retail – and maybe even a return of trains, along with a transportation museum.

 

Bob O'Loughlin – whose Lodging Hospitality Management is scheduled to close this week on the station's purchase – said Monday that excursion trains could be the ticket needed to reverse the sagging fortunes of the underused downtown landmark.

 

"A railroad transportation museum could be a driver to get people down there," he said. "We want to get a museum that honors the heritage of Union Station … Nothing is done yet, but we feel confident we want to go in that direction."

 

As soon as LHM closes Thursday on its $20 million purchase of Union Station, work will begin to convert the existing retail space along the station's Midway into a 50,000-square-foot expansion of hotel meeting space "so we'll be able to house a good-sized convention," O'Loughlin said.

 

Read more at:  http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/trains-could-return-to-union-station/article_27088448-119b-11e2-9079-0019bb30f31a.html

i'll never use it, but good for the suits downtown:

 

 

 

Updated 10/08/2012 06:31 PM

 

New Fulton Street Subway Station Entrance Opens At Dey Street

By: Tina Redwine

 

 

 

Straphangers in Lower Manhattan now have a new way to get to the 4 and 5 trains.

 

The glass-canopied Dey Street and Broadway subway entrance opened early Monday morning.

 

It's the latest part of the downtown Fulton Center project to be completed.

 

The entrance gives customers a new way to reach the southbound 4 and 5 train platform at Fulton Street.

 

From there, customers can access the northbound platform, as well as the 2, 3, A, C, J and Z lines.

 

The MTA said the Fulton Center is now 80 percent complete and is on track to open fully in June 2014.

 

 

video

http://www.ny1.com/content/transit/170333/new-fulton-street-subway-station-entrance-opens-at-dey-street

 

http://www.rtands.com/index.php/passenger/intercity/chicago-st-louis-hsr-demos-110-mph-speeds.html?channel=Array#.UIgxe2fdGE8

 

Monday, October 22, 2012

Chicago-St. Louis HSR demos 110 mph speeds

 

The start of 110-mph rail service in Illinois was demonstrated between Dwight and Pontiac on the Chicago-St. Louis rail corridor on October 19.

 

The project, part of a $2 billion federal and state investment in high-speed rail, has created and supported more than 6,000 construction jobs and many more related to production and equipment manufacturing.

 

The 15-mile demonstration segment showcased major infrastructure improvements, state-of-the-art signaling and significant technological and safety advancements. Trains will start carrying Amtrak riders at the higher speed between Dwight and Pontiac before Thanksgiving of this year. The 110-mph service is projected to be in place along nearly 75 percent of the Chicago-St. Louis corridor by 2015, reducing travel time by more than an hour. Today's demonstration is part of Illinois Governor Pat Quinn's vision to bring high-speed rail to Illinois and modernize the state's transportation infrastructure..... more in link

creative advocacy:

 

 

 

Brooklyn woman fails to set record for fastest trip through NYC subway system

 

By JENNIFER FERMINO and MATT ABRAHAMS

Last Updated: 5:54 PM, October 24, 2012

 

History eluded the Brooklyn woman trying to beat the world record for the quickest trip through the city’s subway system.

Stefanie Gray, 24, failed to finish in under 22 hours, 52 minutes and 36 seconds.

 

Gray — a campaign coordinator with the mass transit advocacy group Transportation Alternatives — left from 34th Street yesterday at 12:37 pm yesterday.

Shortly after she missed the record breaking time, she tweeted, “Not sure how long it’ll take[to finish]. Our entire route got botched by reroutings, that 40-min Rockaway ‘rush hour’ wait, and a police evacuation.” As of 3 p.m. today, Gray was still riding the rails.

She plans on completing her journey through every station in the system.

 

Gray wanted to break the record as an attempt to draw attention to the need for more mass transit funding from Albany.

 

 

http://m.nypost.com/p/news/local/brooklyn_qPCV8NKIUD1Adb4ALGYLZK

 

archpaper asks foster, som and wxy to reimagine grand central and its neighborhood for the next 100yrs:

 

 

http://blog.archpaper.com/wordpress/archives/48564

 

the east side access project could lead to more metro-north service to the eastern bronx:

 

 

10/23/2012 03:17 PM

 

Metro North "Access" Could Fill Void In East Bronx

 

By: Erin Clarke

 

 

 

Some residents of the Bronx could benefit from the MTA's plan to reroute some Metro North trains running through the borough.

NY1's Erin Clarke filed the following report.

 

For people who live along East Tremont Avenue in Parkchester it's not easy getting to the subway.

 

"You have the number 6 line, which is a local, but that's all the way at the end of Parkchester and then all the way over at 180th Street and Morris Park you have the number 2 and the number 5," said one Bronx resident.

 

But help may be on the way for them and others caught between subway lines, compliments of Metro North.

 

The rail line wants to open four new stations along a current Amtrak line as part of its new Penn Station Access plan. That could cut subway-deprived commuters' travel time to Manhattan down to as little as 20 minutes, while giving thousands of reverse commuters easier access to points north.

 

"We currently carry about 13,000 people a day out of the Bronx every week. In the morning we have between five and six thousand people who get on our trains in the Bronx every morning who travel every day to jobs in the northern suburbs," said Metro North Vice President of Planning Robert MacLagger.

 

The plan is also being lauded as a potential boost to the local economy.

 

"If somebody in Connecticut wants to open up a business or wants to come and look for opportunities in New York City we want them to come in," said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Junior.

 

 

more:

http://www.ny1.com/content/transit/171242/metro-north--access--could-fill-void-in-east-bronx

 

I'd like to see how they address Shell Interlocking. For those unfamiliar with this area, this where Amtrak's Northeast Corridor from Penn Station and Metro-North's New Haven Line from Grand Central Terminal converge, just southwest of the New Rochelle station. I've heard some discussion of putting at least one track from the Amtrak line on a flyover of Metro-North tracks. I'm amazed this was never a flyover considering the amount of rail traffic through here. There's 42 Amtrak trains and several freight trains per weekday going over to the Bronx, Queens and Penn Station and 230 weekday Metro-North commuter trains going to Grand Central. Amtrak upgraded its tracks so its trains could enter or leave the Metro-North line at 45 mph, rather than the previous 15 mph. But if more trains are added, or even some existing trains rerouted, I sure hope that flyover track is finally built!

 

Here's a great birdseye view, although a few decades old, of Shell Interlocking. It was probably shot from Avalon on the Sound, a 25-story apartment tower in New Rochelle. The view is looking southwest toward New York City. The Amtrak line to Penn Station diverges at left. The Metro-North line to Grand Central diverges at right....

 

Posted:Today

Updated: 10:03 AM

Last leg of long journey for Downeaster

Stops in Freeport and Brunswick finally fulfill Maine’s original vision for passenger rail service, which started with a Portland-Boston run in 2001.

By Tom Bell [email protected]

Staff Writer

 

BRUNSWICK — A crowd of nearly 600 people whooped, hollered and applauded when Amtrak's Downeaster arrived at the town's new station Thursday afternoon, marking the beginning of the first passenger rail service north of Portland since 1960.

 

Addressing the crowd, Patricia Quinn, executive director of the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority, quoted Barry Manilow as the train arrived: "It looks like we made it."

 

The crowd cheered.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.pressherald.com/news/a-long-journeys-last-leg_2012-11-02.html