November 3, 201212 yr http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/Latest-Study-Likes-Iowa-City-Route-for-Amtrak-Omaha-Service-176866181.html Kind of a "No sh!t!" moment: A study concludes that the best passenger route is the one that connects the largest university in the state to the largest city-and state Capitol and also links to the Quad Cities and Chicago. Well at least they got that out of the way,. Latest Study Likes Iowa City Route for Amtrak Omaha Service A feasibility study nearing completion is likely to settle on the Iowa Interstate route through Iowa City and Des Moines to Council Bluffs and Omaha. That's the same line chosen three years ago to extend Chicago-Moline service to Iowa City - a plan stalled by opposition from Gov. Terry Branstad and state House Republicans. .... New trains to Omaha would supplement Amtrak's California Zephyr, one train a day in each direction on the BNSF Railway via Burlington, Mount Pleasant, Ottumwa, Osceola, and Creston. .... Starting in 2015, Iowa Interstate will host the new Amtrak trains between Chicago and Moline west of Wyanet, Ill., about 111 miles west of Chicago. Illinois Department of Transportation spokesman Josh Kaufman said engineering and design work is underway for a connection between Iowa Interstate and BNSF. ...... Iowa City service was included in early planning for the new route, but Branstad and legislative Republicans don't want the state to cover its $3 million-a-year operating susbsidy.
November 6, 201212 yr so much for that shiny new $530M south ferry station downtown -- pics and raw video of the sandy mess: http://gothamist.com/2012/11/05/photos_south_ferry_station_is_dry_n.php#photo-5
November 7, 201212 yr 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.... No Flyovers , 2 Tracks will dip under the New Haven line from the Hell Gate line , another 3rd Track will remain above ground for local service. Theres some talk a 4th track could dip but its a tight area....but at least 2 for now and maybe 3 down the road by 2025ish. The Hell Gate line is expected to get over 100,000 daily rides once both phases are done... Hell Gate line Phase 1 Penn Station Hunts Point - 2017-2019 Parkchester Morris Park Co-Op City New Rochelle Larchmont Mamaroneck Harrison Rye Port Chester Greenwich Cos-Cob Riverside Old Greenwich Stamford Hell Gate line Phase 2 Penn Station Sunnyside - 2020 Northern Boulevard - 2020 Hunts Point - 2017-2019 Parkchester Morris Park Co-Op City City Island - 2025 South Rochelle - 2025 New Rochelle Larchmont Mamaroneck Harrison Rye Port Chester Greenwich Cos-Cob Riverside Old Greenwich Stamford
November 7, 201212 yr Author No Flyovers , 2 Tracks will dip under the New Haven line from the Hell Gate line , another 3rd Track will remain above ground for local service. Theres some talk a 4th track could dip but its a tight area....but at least 2 for now and maybe 3 down the road by 2025ish. The Hell Gate line is expected to get over 100,000 daily rides once both phases are done... Hell Gate line Phase 1 Penn Station Hunts Point - 2017-2019 Parkchester Morris Park Co-Op City New Rochelle Larchmont Mamaroneck Harrison Rye Port Chester Greenwich Cos-Cob Riverside Old Greenwich Stamford Hell Gate line Phase 2 Penn Station Sunnyside - 2020 Northern Boulevard - 2020 Hunts Point - 2017-2019 Parkchester Morris Park Co-Op City City Island - 2025 South Rochelle - 2025 New Rochelle Larchmont Mamaroneck Harrison Rye Port Chester Greenwich Cos-Cob Riverside Old Greenwich Stamford Thanks. I saw something in recent days about a duck-under, which makes more sense given the space constraints here. Still, that could be more expensive than a flyover. I didn't realize that more than one track could be involved in a grade-separation here, but that makes sense given the traffic projections. Running that many commuter trains to Penn Station over this line would be huge. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
November 7, 201212 yr city island? i didnt hear that the new bridge to city island will accomodate rail. i haven't been there lately, i'll have to check this out sometime.
November 7, 201212 yr city island? i didnt hear that the new bridge to city island will accomodate rail. i haven't been there lately, i'll have to check this out sometime. Only "phase one" is being looked at per my source.
November 8, 201212 yr Tampa Bay Times/Bay News 9 poll: I-4 voters wanted high-speed rail By Aaron Sharockman, Times Staff Writer In Print: Sunday, October 28, 2012 A majority of I-4 corridor voters did not like Florida Gov. Rick Scott's decision to cancel plans for a high-speed rail line that would have linked Tampa and Orlando, according to a new Tampa Bay Times/Bay News 9/Central Florida 13 poll. Fifty-one percent said Scott should not have rejected $2.4 billion in federal money to construct the rail line, compared to 39 percent who supported Scott's decision and 10 percent who were unsure. Scott said the project would cost state taxpayers too much over the long term. Meanwhile, Scott himself remains relatively unpopular, with 48 percent of I-4 voters disapproving of his job performance, compared to 42 percent who approve of his work. Read more at: http://www.tampabay.com/news/transportation/masstransit/article1258458.ece
November 8, 201212 yr city island? i didnt hear that the new bridge to city island will accomodate rail. i haven't been there lately, i'll have to check this out sometime. Only "phase one" is being looked at per my source. Orignally It was supposed to be Hunts Point , Parkchester and Co-Op city , Morris Park was added Recently.... Sunnyside is part of the LIRR inner City expansions.... Northern Boulevard was mentioned recently , along with City Island South Rochelle these projects will need to wait intill the Shell Interlocking is replaced , the upgrade and restoration of the Hell Gate line , Replacement of the Pelham Bay Bridge and a few other things.... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunnyside_(LIRR_station)#cite_note-0
November 8, 201212 yr West Side line Penn Station West 62nd Street (Upper West Side) West 125th Street Dyckman St? Riverdale Ludlow Yonkers Glenwood Greystone Hastings-on-Hudson Dobbs Ferry Ardsley-on-Hudson Irvington Tarryrown Philipse Manor Scarborough Ossining Croton-Harmon
November 13, 201212 yr EDITORIALS Downeaster train: A track to employment, development Posted Nov. 12, 2012, at 4:09 p.m . Until October 2008, a swath of downtown Brunswick not far from Bowdoin College sat unused, a decades-old eyesore contaminated by coal ash and unfit for development or public use. Known as Maine Street Station, the rubble-strewn lot bankrupted a past redevelopment effort and marred an otherwise scenic downtown landscape. On Nov. 1 of this year, an Amtrak Downeaster train rolled up to the platform at a new visitors’ center, to the same site, marking the extension of Amtrak’s Boston-to-Portland passenger rail service to Brunswick. Riders who disembarked from the train could dine at a restaurant or pub within the station complex. They could shop in stores that now occupy the rehabilitated brownfield site or luxuriate at a new inn. They could even seek medical attention at an adjacent walk-in clinic. During the past four years, the prospect of passenger rail service fueled the successful conversion of Maine Street Station from a symbol of decay to a downtown renewal success story. In a community suffering from the departure of roughly 5,000 jobs affiliated with Brunswick Naval Air Station, which closed incrementally between 2005 and 2011, the downtown project added employment opportunities and buoyed downtown merchants. Read more at: http://bangordailynews.com/2012/11/12/opinion/downeaster-train-a-track-to-employment-development/
November 16, 201212 yr 11/16/2012 12:00:00 PM Amtrak adds four rail cars to accommodate strong demand for Virginia service launch Ticket demand for the new Amtrak Virginia service from Norfolk has prompted Amtrak and the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation to add four more cars for the first day of service on Dec. 12. The additional cars will add another 280 seats for the service launch. The round-trip train will bring intercity passenger rail service to Norfolk for the first time since 1977, and will link the city with a same-seat ride to Richmond, Washington, D.C., New York City and other locations, Amtrak and Virginia officials said in a prepared statement. Read more at: http://www.progressiverailroading.com/prdailynews/news.asp?id=33372
November 17, 201212 yr By Associated Press, Published: November 16 SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A judge denied a request Friday from Central Valley farmers who sought to halt work on California’s ambitious high-speed rail project, allowing work on the $68 billion project to continue at an aggressive pace. Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Timothy Frawley denied a request for a preliminary injunction, saying that the agency overseeing the project “acted reasonably and in good faith” in trying to comply with California environmental law. *** We’re very concerned about what’s happening in our county, and what’s happening in our county is very real and it’s happening every day,” said Anja Raudabaugh, executive director of the Madera County Farm Bureau, one of the parties to the lawsuit. “My guys can’t get operating loans to plant trees next year. My guys can’t get operating loans to buy equipment for expanding their operations because they’re in the footprint of the alignment.” The decision allows the rail authority to begin buying land along the proposed route and continue with site surveys, engineering design work and geological testing that began months ago. http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/judge-denies-preliminary-injunction-that-sought-to-halt-work-on-calif-high-speed-rail-system/2012/11/16/73b8f84c-3057-11e2-af17-67abba0676e2_story.html
November 18, 201212 yr Author They're worried about what's happening our country? Do they mean that civilization is spreading beyond the cities? The horror! "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
November 21, 201212 yr This is a long article worth reading. http://www.examiner.com/article/illinois-based-nippon-sharyo-awarded-352m-contract-to-build-high-speed-railcars Governor Pat Quinn today was joined by U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) Secretary Ann L. Schneider and leaders from Sumitomo Corporation of America (SCOA) to announce that Illinois-based Nippon Sharyo has been awarded a $352 million contract from the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). Last July Governor Quinn announced that Nippon Sharyo would open the company’s new U.S. headquarters and passenger railcar production facility in Rochelle, Illinois. The Japanese train car manufacturer Nippon Sharyo invested $50 million and created 250 new jobs in Rochelle, which will help the company increase its competitiveness by moving closer to its U.S. customers and suppliers. “I am committed to growing our manufacturing industry, increasing foreign investment and bringing high-speed rail to Illinois,” Governor Quinn said. “Our strong transportation network and central location make Illinois the ideal choice for global companies like Nippon Sharyo that are looking to grow.” Much more in link above EDITED to comply with copyright restrictions. Please limit postings of copyrighted material to no more than three paragraphs. Thank you.
November 23, 201212 yr Rail service expansion sidetracked Wednesday, November 21, 2012 By James R. Campbell Nevada Daily Mail The Missouri Legislative Rail Caucus has parked its plan on a side track to extend passenger train service to Springfield, Joplin and St. Joseph while upgrading the state's twice-a-day service between Kansas City and St. Louis. State Sen. David Pearce, R-Warrensburg, a caucus member, said Wednesday that there is a lot of annual uncertainty about persuading the General Assembly in Jefferson City to subsidize the route; so the State Department of Transportation's May submission of a 20-year plan to the Federal Railroad Administration was scaled back to what was achievable. However, Pearce said there is a good chance the Missouri River Runner system will get new trains in 2014. "We've got some aging locomotives and passengers' compartments that have not been replaced since the 1970s," said Pearce, representing Vernon County until the end of the year because he was redistricted out of the 31st Senate District. Read more at: http://www.nevadadailymail.com/story/1915638.html
November 23, 201212 yr Rail service expansion sidetracked Wednesday, November 21, 2012 By James R. Campbell Nevada Daily Mail The Missouri Legislative Rail Caucus has parked its plan on a side track to extend passenger train service to Springfield, Joplin and St. Joseph while upgrading the state's twice-a-day service between Kansas City and St. Louis. State Sen. David Pearce, R-Warrensburg, a caucus member, said Wednesday that there is a lot of annual uncertainty about persuading the General Assembly in Jefferson City to subsidize the route; so the State Department of Transportation's May submission of a 20-year plan to the Federal Railroad Administration was scaled back to what was achievable. However, Pearce said there is a good chance the Missouri River Runner system will get new trains in 2014. "We've got some aging locomotives and passengers' compartments that have not been replaced since the 1970s," said Pearce, representing Vernon County until the end of the year because he was redistricted out of the 31st Senate District. Read more at: http://www.nevadadailymail.com/story/1915638.html Not every expansion is a good idea. This one in particular received poor marks on its feasibility ROI. It wold have cost the sate of MO a great deal of resources to build out and finance and it did not have rolling stock available. MO is doing the right thing in concentrating its resources on the KC-STL route.
November 23, 201212 yr Rail service expansion sidetracked Wednesday, November 21, 2012 By James R. Campbell Nevada Daily Mail The Missouri Legislative Rail Caucus has parked its plan on a side track to extend passenger train service to Springfield, Joplin and St. Joseph while upgrading the state's twice-a-day service between Kansas City and St. Louis. State Sen. David Pearce, R-Warrensburg, a caucus member, said Wednesday that there is a lot of annual uncertainty about persuading the General Assembly in Jefferson City to subsidize the route; so the State Department of Transportation's May submission of a 20-year plan to the Federal Railroad Administration was scaled back to what was achievable. However, Pearce said there is a good chance the Missouri River Runner system will get new trains in 2014. "We've got some aging locomotives and passengers' compartments that have not been replaced since the 1970s," said Pearce, representing Vernon County until the end of the year because he was redistricted out of the 31st Senate District. Read more at: http://www.nevadadailymail.com/story/1915638.html Not every expansion is a good idea. This one in particular received poor marks on its feasibility ROI. It wold have cost the sate of MO a great deal of resources to build out and finance and it did not have rolling stock available. MO is doing the right thing in concentrating its resources on the KC-STL route. I have to agree with this assessment. Let an operator such as Iowa Pacific - Pullman develop this discretionary St Louis-Branson market. Let's concentrate on a place where we have some things already going for ourselves: St. Louis-Kansas City. How about doubling frequencies to four daily round trips and running at a 90 mph top speed for starters?
November 23, 201212 yr Author Combining holiday shopping, Amtrak trains and the news media. One of many benefits of trains enjoyed in other states! http://bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/travel/2012/11/18/santa-may-have-his-sleigh-but-freeport-shoppers-have-train/ILpbRBZWwsqXRet8uZekQK/story.html "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
November 25, 201212 yr #7 subway train extension progress -- as of this morning: this is the south end -- where the boring machine went in permits! have we got permits!!! :-o air vents on the north end across from the javits convention center these are from a couple weeks ago
November 26, 201212 yr Author Calif.-Vegas party train planned for 2013 By Michelle Rindels THE ASSOCIATED PRESS LAS VEGAS — As if a weekend in Las Vegas isn’t wild enough for Southern Californians, a Nevada entrepreneur is about to add five more hours of party to either end. After striking an agreement with Union Pacific Railroad last week, the Las Vegas Railway Express is one step closer to bringing to life the X Train, a luxurious “party train” complete with big screen TVs, recliners and two ultra lounges. “The whole idea is when you get on a train, you feel like you’re in Las Vegas,” said Michael Barron, president and CEO of the $100 million venture that hopes to launch its maiden voyage on New Year’s Eve 2013. “It’s essentially a nightclub on wheels.” Read more right here.... http://www.telegram.com/article/20121125/NEWS/111259988 "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
November 30, 201212 yr Press Release November 26, 2012 Chicago to Omaha Regional Passenger Rail System Planning Study open house public hearings announced AMES, Iowa – Nov. 26, 2012 – The Iowa Department of Transportation, in coordination with the Federal Railroad Administration and Illinois Department of Transportation, has scheduled in-person public hearings and online, self-directed meetings for the Chicago to Omaha Regional Passenger Rail System Planning Study. Public input will be sought on the Draft Tier 1 Service Level Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), including the project’s purpose and need, all reasonable alternatives, the affected environment, and the potential environmental impacts of the alternatives considered. The basis for recommendation of the preferred route alternative will be presented. Preliminary reports, including environmental documents with exhibits and maps, will be available for review. Each public hearing and online meeting will contain the same presented information, so individuals can attend in-person at the public hearing, or view and comment at the online meeting. We encourage all those interested to participate. The public hearings will be conducted the week of Dec. 11, 2012, using a combined informal open forum and formal format. Iowa DOT staff will be available to discuss the project informally between 4 and 5:30 p.m. A formal presentation will begin at 5:30 p.m., followed by a question-and-answer session concluding at 7 p.m. The public is invited to attend the open house public hearing at the following locations. Chicago, Ill. Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012 Chicago Union Station, 500 W. Jackson St., Great Hall Gallery Des Moines, Iowa Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012 Des Moines Botanical Center, 909 Robert D. Ray Drive, Oak/Willow Room Council Bluffs, Iowa Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012 Council Bluffs Public Library, 400 Willow Ave., Conference Room A/B An online, self-directed open house public hearing will be available through Dec. 26, 2012, on the study’s website at www.iowadot.gov/chicagotoomaha/. Information included on this website will be identical to the presentation made at the in-person meetings. Comments on the Draft Tier 1 EIS can be provided in multiple ways through Dec. 26, 2012, to be considered part of the official public comment record: Leave a comment on the study website. Submit a comment at any of the in-person open house public hearings. Email a comment to [email protected]. Send a written comment form by mail to Amanda Martin, Iowa Department of Transportation, 800 Lincoln Way, Ames, Iowa 50010. Call the study’s toll-free information line at 800-488-7119. (Printed hearing materials may be requested using this information line.) For general information regarding the proposed improvement or the open house public hearings, please contact Amanda Martin, Iowa DOT’s Office of Rail Transportation, at 515-239-1653 or via email at [email protected].
December 6, 201212 yr two and a half minutes of construction porn! east side access progress and animations:
December 6, 201212 yr here is something really interesting, its the very last vestige of brooklyn's lexington avenue elevated train - being torn down in bed-stuy: A reader sent in this video capturing the demolition of the last of the Lexington El train. The train went up in 1888 and ran through Clinton Hill and Bed Stuy. The old subway trusses in the video were built into a garage on the corner of Grand and Lexington, and were the last remains of the line since it was dismantled in the 1950s. In late November, construction workers demolished the garage, leaving only the subway structure. A four-story, four-unit building will rise in this lot. Read all about the history of the Lexington El over at Forgotten New York, and check out more pictures of the site after the jump. Remnants of the Lexington El at Construction Site [brownstoner] more pics on the link: http://www.brownstoner.com/blog/2012/12/the-demise-of-the-lexington-el/?stream=true
December 11, 201212 yr Author Take a moment and look at Norfolk Southern's Twitter page: https://twitter.com/nscorp. Take note of how excited they are about the new Amtrak service starting today to Norfolk, Va. that use NS's upgraded tracks. The is the first Amtrak service to Norfolk in 35 years and was funded by the Commonwealth of Virginia. NS also shared this press release issued yesterday by the Michigan governor's office about it working with NS, Amtrak and the Federal Railroad Administration toward another mutually beneficial project... http://www.michigan.gov/mobi/minewswire/0,,7-136--291086--rss,00.html For states like Ohio, or regions like the Cleveland-Youngstown-Pittsburgh Tech Belt, it shows that states and freight railroads can be excited partners with Amtrak in the development of passenger rail services when all parties have something to gain from the partnership. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
December 11, 201212 yr MDOT to take over 135 miles of railways from Norfolk Southern By Staff reports GateHouse News Service Posted Dec 10, 2012 @ 11:24 AM Fennville —The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has announced it will take over 135 miles of Norfolk Southern railroads between Kalamazoo and Dearborn, containing portions of Amtrak's Wolverine and Blue Water rail systems. The $140 million agreement, announced in conjunction with the Federal Rail Administration, is part of the on-going process to improve tracks across the country in order to accommodate high-speed passenger services. Improvements to the 135-mile section will decrease travel times between Detroit and Chicago by approximately 30 minutes. READ MORE AT: http://www.hollandsentinel.com/news/x1665848017/MDOT-to-take-over-135-miles-of-railways-from-Norfolk-Southern
December 14, 201212 yr :clap: Downeaster's new service to Brunswick doing better than expected By Scott Dolan [email protected] Staff Writer BRUNSWICK – Nearly twice as many people as projected rode Amtrak's Downeaster to Freeport and Brunswick in the line's first month, the operator of the service said Wednesday. The train carried an average of 190 passengers a day between Portland and Brunswick in November, said Patricia Quinn, executive director of the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority. "We had actually expected that we would have 100 passengers per day." The Downeaster, which started service between Portland in Boston in 2001, began making runs to Freeport and Brunswick on Nov. 1. Quinn said it's hard to draw conclusions so soon about who is riding the line and exactly why, so it's unclear which segments of riders will grow, remain consistent or shrink. Read More at: http://www.pressherald.com/news/Downeasters-new-rail-service-to-Brunswick-draws-nearly-twice-the-riders-as-expected.html
December 23, 201212 yr Riders making a go of train's new stops By Tom Bell [email protected] Staff Writer FREEPORT - Hannah Tyce, 18, of Augusta needed a big favor from her mother: pick up her boyfriend, who happened to be without a car in Boston. The solution? Amtrak's Downeaster, which could deliver the boyfriend to the new train station in Freeport. "Without this train, this wasn't going to happen," said the mother, Jane Maguire-Tyce, who on Wednesday drove to Freeport to retrieve the boyfriend. Also aboard the train, a middle-aged couple from Saugus, Mass., who came to Freeport to spend the day shopping, a 25-year-old New Hampshire woman with two young children visiting her parents in Brunswick, and a 67-year-old woman from Naples, Fla., visiting her children and grandchildren in Waterville. Read more at and see video: http://www.pressherald.com/news/riders-making-a-go-of-trains-new-stops_2012-12-23.html
January 11, 201312 yr Author High-Speed Rail on track to start construction in July Thursday, January 10, 2013 SAN FRANCISCO -- A representative of California High-Speed Rail was in San Francisco today to talk about the rail system's near- and long-term plans in the Bay Area. Regional director of CHSR in Northern California Ben Tripousis joined San Francisco Director of Transportation Policy Gillian Gillett for a high-speed rail forum at the San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association. Tripousis told a packed auditorium that a 2-hour-and-45-minute-trip from San Francisco's Transbay Terminal to Los Angeles' Union Station could be a reality by 2029, but that a host of political, financial and logistical obstacles must be hurdled before high-speed trains reach the Bay Area. READ MORE AT: http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/san_francisco&id=8949867 "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
January 16, 201312 yr Author Amtrak's new Norfolk train sees ridership nearly double its initial projections....... Amtrak: 11,000+ trips made in December on Washington-Norfolk route by Philip Townsend, 13News WVEC.com Posted on January 15, 2013 at 11:09 AM Updated yesterday at 6:01 PM NORFOLK-- Amtrak Virginia says the new Washington to Norfolk route generated more than 11,000 trips. The service from Harbor Park started December 12, bringing back passenger rail service that stopped in the 1970s. Preliminary ridership numbers show between 11,200 and 11,500 trips were made in December, double what the city projected, according to Assistant City Manager Ron Williams. READ MORE AT: http://www.wvec.com/my-city/norfolk/Amtrak-11000-trips-made-in-December-on-Washington-Norfolk-route-186955231.html "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
January 19, 201312 yr The big-picture argument for passenger rail Emily Behlmann Web producer- Wichita Business Journal The advocates who are pushing for passenger rail in Wichita aren’t just interested in accessing a fun new mode of transportation in downtown Wichita. As I worked on a story for this week’s Wichita Business Journal about the effort to extend Amtrak’s Heartland Flyer route through Wichita, I kept hearing these broad discussions about our city’s economic future. First, a rundown of what the Northern Flyer Alliance and other advocates are trying to achieve: Amtrak’s Heartland Flyer ends and turns around in Oklahoma City. The Southwest Chief runs east and west across Kansas, passing through Kansas City, Newton and Garden City. The alliance wants to connect the two, extending the Heartland Flyer north, through Wichita and into Newton. The result? You could hop on a train in downtown Wichita and get down to Oklahoma City or Fort Worth, Texas. Or, head north, get on the Southwest Chief, and go to Kansas City or Chicago. Read more at: http://www.bizjournals.com/wichita/blog/2013/01/the-big-picture-argument-for-passenger.html?ana=fbk
January 21, 201312 yr ugh! South Ferry subway repairs could take 3 years, cost $600M Last Updated: 7:57 AM, January 18, 2013 Fixing all the damage inflicted on the South Street subway station by Superstorm Sandy may take up to three years. Last month, the MTA said the repairs would take at least a year. But on Thursday, the agency said it estimates that fully restoring the station would take much longer and cost $600 million. That includes $350 million for physical repairs; $200 million for signal replacement; $30 million for third-rail equipment and $20 million for line equipment. The South Ferry subway station, at Manhattan's southern tip, was inundated with water up to its ceiling during the storm. The No. 1 train station underwent a $545 million renovation and expansion in 2009. The station is a major conduit to the Staten Island and Liberty Island ferries. http://m.nypost.com/p/news/local/man...slB4kNxOlkhRKL
January 21, 201312 yr Author ugh! South Ferry subway repairs could take 3 years, cost $600M Last Updated: 7:57 AM, January 18, 2013 Fixing all the damage inflicted on the South Street subway station by Superstorm Sandy may take up to three years. Last month, the MTA said the repairs would take at least a year. But on Thursday, the agency said it estimates that fully restoring the station would take much longer and cost $600 million. That includes $350 million for physical repairs; $200 million for signal replacement; $30 million for third-rail equipment and $20 million for line equipment. The South Ferry subway station, at Manhattan's southern tip, was inundated with water up to its ceiling during the storm. The No. 1 train station underwent a $545 million renovation and expansion in 2009. The station is a major conduit to the Staten Island and Liberty Island ferries. http://m.nypost.com/p/news/local/man...slB4kNxOlkhRKL That's unreal. I hope they've got some good flood insurance. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
January 21, 201312 yr Maybe the tunnel itself somehow influcenced damage to neighboring buildings and the MTA is going to be stuck paying for all that.
January 24, 201312 yr 1/24/2013 10:00:00 AM Virginia governor recommends $1 billion for rail, transit Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell's proposed "Virginia's Road to the Future" transportation project list includes $1 billion for new rail and transit projects, his office announced Tuesday. The governor's long-term transportation funding proposal would provide the Virginia Department of Transportation with $1.28 billion in new state funding that could be used for 158 highway projects, and $1.07 billion in new funds for rail and transit projects, state officials said in a prepared statement. In addition, the plan would provide $500 million so projects in the existing six-year improvement program would not be delayed due to lower revenue projections. Read more at: http://www.progressiverailroading.com/prdailynews/news.asp?id=34960
January 25, 201312 yr 1/24/2013 10:00:00 AM Virginia governor recommends $1 billion for rail, transit Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell's proposed "Virginia's Road to the Future" transportation project list includes $1 billion for new rail and transit projects, his office announced Tuesday. The governor's long-term transportation funding proposal would provide the Virginia Department of Transportation with $1.28 billion in new state funding that could be used for 158 highway projects, and $1.07 billion in new funds for rail and transit projects, state officials said in a prepared statement. In addition, the plan would provide $500 million so projects in the existing six-year improvement program would not be delayed due to lower revenue projections. Read more at: http://www.progressiverailroading.com/prdailynews/news.asp?id=34960 I saw another story that has Virginia calling for an extension of existing service to Roanoke from Lynchburg. The latter got new service a couple of years ago and it has been a rousing success. Is Bristol next? Knoxville?
January 26, 201312 yr 1/24/2013 10:00:00 AM Virginia governor recommends $1 billion for rail, transit Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell's proposed "Virginia's Road to the Future" transportation project list includes $1 billion for new rail and transit projects, his office announced Tuesday. The governor's long-term transportation funding proposal would provide the Virginia Department of Transportation with $1.28 billion in new state funding that could be used for 158 highway projects, and $1.07 billion in new funds for rail and transit projects, state officials said in a prepared statement. In addition, the plan would provide $500 million so projects in the existing six-year improvement program would not be delayed due to lower revenue projections. Read more at: http://www.progressiverailroading.com/prdailynews/news.asp?id=34960 Geez, I sure wish OUR REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR actually understood the advantages of, and wasn't an enemy of quality Amtrak and mass transit... Bob McDonnell is a jackass on most issues ... but he's got it right on this one. Why not follow your brother's lead Mr. Kasich?
January 30, 201312 yr almost lost the other one in rhe 1970s after penn in the 60s: 01/29/2013 11:35 PM Grand Central Terminal At 100: Legal Battle Nearly Led To Station's Demolition By: Jon Weinstein Fifty years after first opening, Grand Central Terminal earned landmark status. The designation should have ensured its prosperity and longevity, but in 1970s it came dangerously close to being leveled. Jon Weinstein describes the protracted battle over the terminal's fate that lead all the way to the Supreme Court. It would take the destruction of Pennsylvania Station in 1963, one the city's most distinctive destinations, to bring about a cry of public indignation. "Penn Station didn't die in vain," said Sam Roberts, author of "Grand Central". "People were so upset that Penn Station was demolished by the Penn Central, sold the air rights, built a new building, Madison Square Garden, that they said, 'We're not going to let this happen again.'" EDITED TO COMPLY WITH POSTING REQUIREMENTS/COPYRIGHT LAWS video: http://www.ny1.com/content/special_reports/grand_central_terminal_at_100/176190/grand-central-terminal-at-100--legal-battle-nearly-led-to-station-s-demolition
January 31, 201312 yr Yes..... while Ohio's politicians leave us all to continue to wait at the station for trains that never come..... that state up north (and the home of the auto industry) is seeing the fruits of their investment. MDOT and Amtrak announce best-ever ridership record on three routes Published: Tuesday, January 29, 2013 Fast facts: •Nearly 800,000 passengers traveled on three Amtrak routes in Michigan in 2012, setting a ridership record. •MDOT officials cited increased awareness of train service and a positive focus on the future of rail travel as the reasons ridership was up. •Revenue from the three routes also set a record of $27.8 million in 2012. Nearly 800,000 passengers traveled on Amtrak trains in Michigan in 2012, setting a highest-ever ridership record for the state’s three routes. Michigan’s routes include the three-times-a-day Wolverine Service (Pontiac/Detroit-Chicago), once daily Blue Water Service (Port Huron-East Lansing-Chicago) and once daily Pere Marquette Service (Grand Rapids-Chicago). Read moe at:http://www.thenewsherald.com/articles/2013/01/29/news/doc5108034675ca6231618516.txt
February 1, 201312 yr happy 100th birthday today grand central. it continues getting bigger and better. Grand Central Terminal celebrates 100-year anniversary Originally published: January 30, 2013 12:40 PM Updated: January 31, 2013 6:05 PM By MARSHALL S. BERDAN. Special to Newsday When William K. Vanderbilt, chairman of the New York Central Railroad, threw open the doors of his new 70-acre transportation palace at midnight on Feb. 1, 1913, nearly 150,000 people poured in to marvel at the Beaux Arts beauty that was as much an engineering triumph as an architectural wonder. more: http://www.newsday.com/travel/grand-central-terminal-celebrates-100-year-anniversary-1.4534792
February 1, 201312 yr great article in the times about a much less heralded 100 anniversary, the $67M mta renovation of this old bronx rail admin bldg, which today is the e180th st subway station for the 2/5 trains: 100 Years Later, a Railroad Landmark Is Revived By DAVID W. DUNLAP The New York, Westchester & Boston Railway Administration Building in the Bronx now serves as the East 180th Street station on the No. 2 and No. 5 lines. Because this isn’t a post about Grand Central Terminal. It’s about the New York, Westchester & Boston Railway Administration Building at East 180th Street and Morris Park Avenue in the Bronx, built in 1912. The railroad went out of business in 1937, but its distinctive home serves as the entrance to the East 180th Street station for No. 2 and No. 5 trains. And it received a kind of 100th birthday gift last year: a $66.6 million renovation by New York City Transit. “It’s not often that we get the opportunity to do work at a facility that has the historical and architectural significance of the East 180th Street station,” said Thomas F. Prendergast, the president of New York City Transit, the arm of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority that is in charge of the city’s subways and buses. “There was a collective effort to achieve the objective, to restore it to historical significance.” more: http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/31/100-years-later-a-railroad-landmark-is-revived/?hp
February 12, 201312 yr IOWA Rail advocates say upgrade will benefit freight, economy Feb. 11, 2013 11:28 PM, Written by William Petroski Upgrading Iowa’s passenger railroad system with more than $100 million in state and federal money will have a big payoff for freight railroads and will bolster Iowa’s economy, rail advocates said Monday. State Sen. Matt McCoy, D-Des Moines, spoke at a Capitol news conference with rail industry supporters to endorse a $20 million state appropriation needed to secure an $87 million passenger railroad grant to Iowa from the Federal Railroad Administration. The money would be spent to upgrade the Iowa Interstate Railroad line between Iowa City and the Quad Cities for a proposed Chicago-to-Iowa City passenger route. “While we have been calling this a passenger rail project, it is probably more accurate to call it a freight rail project,” McCoy said. “It is a freight rail project because the vast majority of trains that will travel on these improved rails, traveling at faster speeds with improved safety, will be freight trains.” Read more at: http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20130212/NEWS10/302120043/-1/SPORTS09/Rail-advocates-say-upgrade-will-benefit-freight-economy?gcheck=1
February 15, 201312 yr Author FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 14, 2013 AMTRAK MICHIGAN SERVICE IMPROVEMENT UPDATE State contracts with Amtrak to maintain former Norfolk Southern track; One-year anniversary of 110 mph service celebrated in Western Michigan CHICAGO and LANSING – Amtrak and the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) are gearing up for track improvements along the former Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) route used by Amtrak Wolverine Service and Blue Water trains from Kalamazoo to Central and Eastern Michigan. Amtrak has responsibility for this infrastructure, effective Feb. 16. As announced in December 2012, MDOT used a grant from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to purchase of 135 miles of NS railroad for $140 million. The line is directly connected to the Amtrak-owned Michigan District, which runs 97 miles from Kalamazoo to Porter, Ind. The result is nearly 80 percent of the route between Detroit and Chicago is publically owned and will be maintained for passenger trains at higher speeds. The goal is to expand the 110 mph top speeds for Amtrak trains from the current 80 miles, starting eastward with the 22-mile segment between Kalamazoo and Battle Creek. Travel times will be reduced as more improvements are made. Last year, Amtrak shaved about 20 minutes from the 2001 schedules on the Amtrak-owned segment of the corridor and the plan is to further reduce the travel time between Detroit and Chicago to about five hours. The $140 million used to purchase the line included FRA High-speed Intercity Passenger Rail Program grant funds, plus a state match of $37.5 million. The FRA also awarded $196.5 million to MDOT for major track and signal improvements on this corridor, to be performed by Amtrak. NS will also transfer rail traffic control (train dispatching) to Amtrak in phases during the next three years. “Amtrak looks forward to working with the FRA, Michigan, Illinois and Indiana to improve this corridor and better connect these vital cities in the Midwest with travel times far better than driving, more comfortable and productive than flying and with a smaller carbon footprint than either of those modes,” said Joe Boardman, Amtrak President and CEO. Passengers riding Amtrak trains in the higher-speed segment in Michigan and Indiana will be offered complimentary cake and beverages tomorrow (Feb. 15) to celebrate the first anniversary of 110 mph (177 kph) service. “Rail is an important component of Michigan's economic comeback,” said State Transportation Director Kirk T. Steudle. “Investments in intercity passenger rail will reduce travel times, improve service and set the stage for increases in capacity along the Wolverine Service. The first anniversary of 110 mph train travel in Michigan is the perfect time to give a shout-out of appreciation to passengers who are riding Amtrak trains in record numbers.” Last month, MDOT announced nearly 800,000 passengers traveled on Amtrak trains in Michigan in 2012, setting a highest-ever ridership record for the state's three routes, including the three-times-a-day Wolverine Service (Pontiac/Detroit-Chicago), once daily Blue Water (Port Huron-East Lansing-Chicago), and once daily Pere Marquette (Grand Rapids-Chicago). The line also will continue to provide freight rail services to major Michigan companies, with NS paying the state to access the track and being asked to participate in freight-related improvements in the years to come. “The improvements being made to the line will be performed in a way that protects the freight rail potential throughout Michigan,” said Tim Hoeffner, MDOT’s rail chief. “MDOT will continue to work with NS and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation to grow the freight business along with intercity passenger rail travel.” A version of the above map in higher resolution is available from Amtrak or MDOT. About Amtrak®: Amtrak is America’s Railroad®, the nation’s intercity passenger rail service and its high-speed rail operator. A record 31.2 million passengers traveled on Amtrak in FY 2012 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. About MDOT: MDOT is responsible for a network of 10,000 miles of state trunkline roadways. This network, comprised of all I-, US-, and M-numbered routes in Michigan, carries 53 percent of all traffic and around 70 percent of all commercial traffic in the state. MDOT also is responsible for administrating a comprehensive multimodal program that includes airports, intercity passenger services, rail freight, local public transit services, nonmotorized transportation and the state's Transportation Economic Development Fund. A safe, well-maintained, and efficient transportation system provides the backbone for all economic activity within the state. Join us on facebook.com/MichiganDOT and follow us at www.twitter.com/michiganDOT. On the Web at www.michigan.gov/mdot. # # # "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 18, 201312 yr Author Let's see. Orlando has a couple million people. So do each of the 3Cs. Check. Florida has tried many times in the past to develop train service and failed. So has Ohio. Check. Florida has a Republican governor. So does Ohio. Check. Florida also has a growing population comprised of people who come from other places and are willing to try new ideas, like developing train services. Ohio has a stagnant population and isn't willing to do anything out of fear of change. Yep, seems we found a big difference........... Up to 4 trains could be headed Metro Orlando's way February 17, 2013|By Dan Tracy, Orlando Sentinel Metro Orlando, which pursued trains unsuccessfully for decades, could be virtually overrun by them in a few years. Four systems are in various stages of planning and one, the $1.2 billion SunRail commuter train, is under construction and almost certainly will be accepting fares next year. The builders of a second train, the $1.5 billion All Aboard Florida carrier that would link Orlando International Airport with South Florida, are negotiating the final route with property owners and have promised to be running in 2015. READ MORE AT: http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2013-02-17/news/os-trains-metro-orlando-20130217_1_american-maglev-orange-blossom-express-passenger-train "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 19, 201312 yr Let's see. Orlando has a couple million people. So do each of the 3Cs. Check. Florida has tried many times in the past to develop train service and failed. So has Ohio. Check. Florida has a Republican governor. So does Ohio. Check. Florida also has a growing population comprised of people who come from other places and are willing to try new ideas, like developing train services. Ohio has a stagnant population and isn't willing to do anything out of fear of change. Yep, seems we found a big difference........... Up to 4 trains could be headed Metro Orlando's way February 17, 2013|By Dan Tracy, Orlando Sentinel Metro Orlando, which pursued trains unsuccessfully for decades, could be virtually overrun by them in a few years. Four systems are in various stages of planning and one, the $1.2 billion SunRail commuter train, is under construction and almost certainly will be accepting fares next year. The builders of a second train, the $1.5 billion All Aboard Florida carrier that would link Orlando International Airport with South Florida, are negotiating the final route with property owners and have promised to be running in 2015. READ MORE AT: http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2013-02-17/news/os-trains-metro-orlando-20130217_1_american-maglev-orange-blossom-express-passenger-train Yes.... Ohio....where good ideas come to whither & die.
February 19, 201312 yr Let's see. Orlando has a couple million people. So do each of the 3Cs. Check. Florida has tried many times in the past to develop train service and failed. So has Ohio. Check. Florida has a Republican governor. So does Ohio. Check. Florida also has a growing population comprised of people who come from other places and are willing to try new ideas, like developing train services. Ohio has a stagnant population and isn't willing to do anything out of fear of change. Yep, seems we found a big difference........... Up to 4 trains could be headed Metro Orlando's way February 17, 2013|By Dan Tracy, Orlando Sentinel Metro Orlando, which pursued trains unsuccessfully for decades, could be virtually overrun by them in a few years. Four systems are in various stages of planning and one, the $1.2 billion SunRail commuter train, is under construction and almost certainly will be accepting fares next year. The builders of a second train, the $1.5 billion All Aboard Florida carrier that would link Orlando International Airport with South Florida, are negotiating the final route with property owners and have promised to be running in 2015. READ MORE AT: http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2013-02-17/news/os-trains-metro-orlando-20130217_1_american-maglev-orange-blossom-express-passenger-train Yes.... Ohio....where good ideas come to whither & die. A lump of coal can go from Cleveland to Cincinnati by train but you can't, thanks to CSX, Gov. Kasich, Republicans, highway contractors, the Columbus Dispatch and other "mainstream" media and others. Just the end of a long history of false starts, endless study-talk bullet train scenarios, Amtrak service losses and middle-of-the-night "service", the loss of the last commuter train to Cleveland while we built roads as if there was no tomorrow. So, at long last, we get to the very brink only to have the train snatched away...probably for many years to come. Talk about snakebitten. Now I'm in Florida and while we have an idiot governor here, at least some things are happening.
July 21, 201311 yr a shame this thread was gutted! aww well, lets carry on...! the #7 train extension ventilation bldgs are about done:
July 27, 201311 yr Business Booming On Amtrak In Missouri, Illinois http://fox2now.com/2013/07/10/business-booming-on-amtrak-in-missouri-illinois/ Posted on: 10:08 pm, July 10, 2013, by Roche Madden ST. LOUIS, MO (KTVI)– Business on Amtrak in Missouri and Illinois has been booming. Folks are parking their cars, skipping the airport and taking the train. More people are boarding the train in St. Louis and going north to Chicago or west to Kansas City than ever before. Marc Magliari is a spokesman for Amtrak, “Ridership has more than doubled because there are more opportunities for people to arrive, more opportunities for people to go back and forth the same day.” Kevin Hagerty rode the train recently to Chicago with his son. “I think people are trying to save money and this is the way to save money,” he said. St. Louis can pay as lithe as $26 and go all the way to the Windy City, cheaper than driving or flying. ..... Ridership has also jumped on the Missouri River Runner, the train from St. Louis to Kansas City. Although there are only two round trips a day people are turning to Amtrak because it`s now dependable. Eric Curtit works for MODOT, “It`s gone from 63 percent to around 90 percent and we have weeks and sometimes month where it was 100 percent on time performance.” Curtit says newer track or siding allows freight trains to get out of the way of Amtrak so passengers can arrive in Kansas City on time. Plus a new bridge is being built which shouldll eliminate one of the last major bottlenecks in Missouri. Curtit added, “This route consistently is in the top satisfaction of all amtrak routes across the country.” The future for Amtrak looks bright. New cars, new engines and high speed travel is on the way. Marc Magliari said, “In the next five years we`re going to have two 110 mile an hour from Chicago one to St. Louis and one to Detroit.” A 15 mile stretch of track between Dwight and Pontiac illinois opened last year. The train has no problem right now passing traffic on interstate 55. Wi-fi will be added within the year on the River Runer. Amtrak is also green, officials say the route from St. Louis to Kansas City removes about 600 cars from interstate 70 everyday.
July 27, 201311 yr While I appreciate the information on this thread as informing us what's happening other places regarding rail expansion, it's also frustrating because there's no passenger rail expansion going on here in Ohio other than Cincy's small streetcar system... It's all the more frustrating that Kasich, the Amtrak/transit slayer, is allegedly gaining in the polls, meaning the long-term outlook for passenger rail and rail transit ain't good.
July 27, 201311 yr While I appreciate the information on this thread as informing us what's happening other places regarding rail expansion, it's also frustrating because there's no passenger rail expansion going on here in Ohio other than Cincy's small streetcar system... It's all the more frustrating that Kasich, the Amtrak/transit slayer, is allegedly gaining in the polls, meaning the long-term outlook for passenger rail and rail transit ain't good. It's hard to be an Ohioan these days, with such an anti-rail regime in place. It's one of the reasons why I left the state in 2011. However, I still have friends and kids there and have an emotional tie to Ohio. Logic tells us that as one on the biggest states in the country, it should have a public transportation system to match. All we can do is to keep trying. There may be other ways to achieve our goals. Someday Kasich will be gone and by that time neighboring states might show the way with their vastly improved services.
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