September 27, 201311 yr secaucus is also not unappealing either, in fact its quite nice. whether it should have been built or not or over other priorities is another story.
September 27, 201311 yr Author Transportation Hub Anchors New World Trade Center Sep 26 2013 This month, our nation marked twelve years since the tragic events of 9/11. Our citizens—especially those closest to the terrible events of that day—view the rebuilding of the World Trade Center (WTC) with a mix of emotions. There will always be sorrow for the lives that were lost that day. The rebuilding of the World Trade Center, which includes the National September 11 Memorial and Museum, has been carefully designed to honor their memory and ensure we never forget what happened there; it also brings renewed vitality, cultural life, and economic recovery to lower Manhattan, showing the world that New York will not lose its spirit in the face of terrorism and tragedy. An Epic Transit Center A cornerstone of the new WTC is the dramatically beautiful transportation hub, designed by famed Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. Under construction since 2007, the $3.9 billion transportation hub brings together subway lines, rail from New Jersey (PATH system), and pedestrian walkways. See more at: http://voicesforpublictransit.org/blog.aspx?id=09-26-2013#sthash.2D3fxrA6.dpuf "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
September 28, 201311 yr i always wondered what it cost to take care of elevated train structures. turns out its $32M to prep and repaint repaint an elevated bronx subway section between 149th st to 180th st. its the first paintjob of the rusted metal since 1989: http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20130726/longwood/merchants-who-sought-elevated-track-painting-now-wonder-when-work-will-end
October 8, 201311 yr Author Tuesday, October 08, 2013 Amtrak, New York State reach cost-sharing agreement Amtrak and the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) have reached an agreement on cost sharing for most Amtrak routes in the state as required by federal law, state and railroad officials announced late last week. The agreement calls for the state to pay $22 million in federal fiscal-year 2014 to cover operating and capital costs associated with the Empire, Adirondack, Maple Leaf and Ethan Allen lines, NYSDOT officials said in a press release. It costs Amtrak about $100 million annually to operate the four lines. The Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 calls for states to share the costs of Amtrak routes less than 750 miles in length. The agreement signals the start of a new partnership between New York and Amtrak, with the shared goal of improving all aspects of service for riders, state and railroad officials said. READ MORE AT: http://www.progressiverailroading.com/prdailynews/news.asp?id=37951 "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
October 17, 201311 yr Author Massachusetts sure does love trains and station-area development..... Thursday, October 17, 2013 Massachusetts awards South Coast Rail community grants Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) awarded 17 technical assistance grants to implement smart growth principles of the South Coast Rail Economic Development and Land Use Corridor Plan. This is the sixth round of grants available to 31 communities who will be impacted by South Coast Rail. MassDOT and the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development reviewed the applications and awarded communities technical assistance for projects to address and support new zoning, housing needs and production plans, corridor studies, economic development, land use strategy and permitting. This sixth round of grants totals almost $245,000. Applicant communities worked with their Regional Planning Agencies (RPAs) to develop their proposals and will meet with the RPAs to implement their plans. The Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District will work with 14 communities; the Old Colony Planning Council with two and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council with two. READ MORE AT: http://www.rtands.com/index.php/track-maintenance/off-track-maintenance/massachusetts-awards-south-coast-rail-community-grants.html?channel=276 "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
October 21, 201311 yr With Downeaster train ridership up, possible increase in number of trips between Brunswick, Boston By Beth Brogan, BDN Staff Posted Oct. 20, 2013, at 12:49 p.m. BRUNSWICK, Maine — New figures released last week by Amtrak show the Downeaster train from Boston to Portland and Brunswick is busier than ever, prompting officials to contemplate eventually increasing the number of trips. Ridership on the Downeaster is up 3 percent from last year, and up a “staggering” 123 percent since the service started in 2005, according to Patricia Quinn, executive director of the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority,which operates the service for Amtrak. The number of people using the train for tourism increased 30 percent in the past year alone, Quinn said, and the amount of people arriving in Brunswick on the mid-afternoon train and leaving in the early evening for Boston has increased up to 20 percent during the week and 60 percent on the weekends. “People are not only riding the train, but coming here, going to local businesses, staying overnight, buying things in restaurants and stores and contributing to the local economy. [it] is extremely exciting for us,” she said. Read more at: http://bangordailynews.com/2013/10/20/news/midcoast/with-downeaster-train-ridership-up-possible-increase-in-number-of-trips-between-brunswick-boston/#!
October 29, 201311 yr Tuesday, October 29, 2013 North Carolina records ridership, revenue gains on Amtrak lines in FY2013 North Carolina's state-supported Amtrak routes, among the fastest-growing in the Amtrak system, set new ridership and revenue records in fiscal-year 2013, according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT). Ridership on the Carolinian route increased 3.6 percent to 317,550 and revenue rose 6.4 percent to more than $19.8 million compared with the previous fiscal year, NCDOT officials said in a press release. On the Piedmont route, ridership climbed 4.7 percent to 170,266, while revenue jumped 8.1 percent to more than $3.3 million. FY2013 was the fourth consecutive fiscal year of growth for both routes, NCDOT officials said. Read more at: http://www.progressiverailroading.com/prdailynews/news.asp?id=38213
November 5, 201311 yr Author Where do the passenger trains (Amtrak, commuter, regularly scheduled excursion/tourist railroads, etc) run in the Northeast USA? Here's a detailed showing everything... http://beyonddc.com/log/?p=6060 "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
November 13, 201311 yr Author The rail travel times are inaccurate. It takes the Northbound Silver Meteor five hours to travel from Miami to Orlando. The Silver Star is not for travel from Orlando to Miami. And I would love to see someone drive from Orlando to Miami in three hours. So when this basic info gets screwed up, the rest of the article is suspect. Is Florida About to Enter a 'Golden Age' of Rail? ERIC JAFFE - NOV 13, 2013 11:15 AM ET When it comes to surface transportation, Florida is a road-first state. Rail is such a distant second that it's hardly fair to call it second at all. The trip between Orlando and Miami takes almost 6 hours on Amtrak's Silver Meteor and 7.5 hours on its Silver Star, both of which cut across the state and back again to reach Tampa mid-route (below, in red). The car trip, by contrast, is 3 hours on a single interstate. But lately Florida's road-rail gap has started to close. A passenger rail service called All Aboard Florida, is trying to become America's first private carrier in decades. It recently finished the last deal needed to secure the route between Orlando and Miami. The service is scheduled to begin carrying travelers in 2015 — connecting the two cities in a car-competitive 3 hours. The development has Scott Gunnerson of Florida Today wondering if the state is about to enter a "golden age of rail travel." Ananth Prasad, the state's transportation secretary, told Gunnerson that All Aboard Florida "will be the genesis for continued expansion of passenger rail." The sea change is attributed in large part to a belief that there's no other way around the state's awful highway congestion: READ MORE AT: http://www.theatlanticcities.com/jobs-and-economy/2013/11/florida-about-enter-golden-age-rail/7570/ "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
November 14, 201311 yr Downeaster expansion spurring ridership The new Portland-Brunswick train service carried nearly 50% more riders than expected in its first year. By Eric Russell [email protected] Staff Writer Amtrak’s Downeaster carried nearly 50 percent more passengers between Portland and Brunswick than rail officials expected in the first year of the service. From the start of the service on Nov. 1, 2012, through Oct. 31, 2013, about 52,000 people rode the train between Brunswick and Portland, according to unofficial numbers, said Patricia Quinn, director of the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority. That’s well above officials’ projection of 36,000 but consistent with the Downeaster’s steady growth in ridership since it started running between Portland and Boston 12 years ago. The numbers for the new line show that north of Portland, two-thirds of the passengers boarded in Brunswick and the rest got on the train in Freeport. READ MORE AT: http://www.pressherald.com/news/Downeaster_expansion_spurring_ridership_.html
November 15, 201311 yr North Carolina DOT launches new Web site to promote—and brand—its passenger trains as state products NOVEMBER 15, 2013 inShare by F. K. Plous When the North Carolina Department of Transportation rolled out a new and improved Web site for its state-supported passenger trains November 7 it included a subtle but important change in the site’s address. Before November 7 visitors seeking information about North Carolina’s passenger trains accessed the site by inputting the URL www.bytrain.org. But on November 7 the URL got two new characters to become www.ncbytrain.org. The new name makes it clear that the two daily Piedmont service round trips between Charlotte and Raleigh are sponsored, funded and managed by NCDOT and are a uniquely North Carolina-provided service. The Piedmonts are operated by Amtrak as a result of the state’s operating agreements under Section 209 of the Federal Passenger Rail Infrastructure and Investment Act. That means the engineers and conductors on the Piedmont trains are Amtrak employees. And per the act, known in passenger rail circles as “PRIIA,” North Carolina trains have the flexibility to operate over any freight railroad. - See more at: http://ccrail.com/north-carolina-dot-launches-new-web-site-to-promote-and-brand-its-passenger-trains-as-state-products/#!
November 26, 201311 yr Demise of Maine freight service just the ticket for commuter rail? Or would a paved recreational trail linking Portland with its northern suburbs be more appealing? By Tom Bell [email protected] Staff Writer While some see the demise of freight service as an opportunity to push forward on plans for commuter rail service, others envision a paved recreational trail that links Portland with its northern suburbs. The conflict emerged earlier this month when the St. Lawrence & Atlantic Railroad filed a petition with the federal Surface Transportation Board seeking permission to discontinue freight service on the section of the line between Portland’s East Deering neighborhood and the Auburn city line. Railroad president Mario Brault said the railroad is losing money on the line because it must maintain the tracks and crossing gates to serve just one customer in Portland, the Burnham & Morrill Co., makers of B&M Baked Beans. READ MORE AT: http://www.pressherald.com/news/demise-of-freight-trains-just-the-ticket-for-commuter-rail.html
November 27, 201311 yr Author B&M Baked Beans? Really?? BTW, I saw this article among my tweets the other day. I'm still trying to figure which line they'd use since Conway is on one route and Berlin is on another..... November 24. 2013 10:10PM Railway company proposing Montreal to Portland service through northern NH By DEBRA THORNBLAD Special to the Union Leader The possibility of passenger rail from Montreal to Portland, Maine, is gaining momentum in the North Country. Two plans to use the rails are awaiting a nod from St. Lawrence and Atlantic. The Golden Eagle Railway Corporation is proposing a commuter-type day train between Portland and Montreal. It would go from Portland to Montreal one day and back the next day. Its proposed route through New Hampshire would include the towns of Conway, Berlin, Gorham and Groveton. David Schwanke, president of Golden Eagle, said there would be several stops. Eventually Golden Eagle would like to provide commuter service back and forth four times a day, perhaps more on the weekends. He said if approved by St. Lawrence and Atlantic, the company would also be looking for a place for a restoration facility and corporate headquarters. READ MORE AT: http://www.unionleader.com/article/20131125/NEWS/131129544 "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
November 27, 201311 yr Demise of Maine freight service just the ticket for commuter rail? Or would a paved recreational trail linking Portland with its northern suburbs be more appealing? By Tom Bell [email protected] Staff Writer While some see the demise of freight service as an opportunity to push forward on plans for commuter rail service, others envision a paved recreational trail that links Portland with its northern suburbs. The conflict emerged earlier this month when the St. Lawrence & Atlantic Railroad filed a petition with the federal Surface Transportation Board seeking permission to discontinue freight service on the section of the line between Portland’s East Deering neighborhood and the Auburn city line. Railroad president Mario Brault said the railroad is losing money on the line because it must maintain the tracks and crossing gates to serve just one customer in Portland, the Burnham & Morrill Co., makers of B&M Baked Beans. READ MORE AT: http://www.pressherald.com/news/demise-of-freight-trains-just-the-ticket-for-commuter-rail.html Trail types are already casting hungry eyes at this line. I wonder if this line would be used by the proposed Portland-Montreal line?
November 27, 201311 yr Author Trail types are already casting hungry eyes at this line. I wonder if this line would be used by the proposed Portland-Montreal line? If the Portland-Montreal train goes through Conway area, no. That's a different route. But if the Portland-Montreal train goes through Gorham and Berlin, then yes it could use this route. The reason why I say "could" is because there are two rail lines from Portland to Auburn. Both could use the newly rehabbed rail line that's used for the Downeaster extension to Brunswick. One could operate independently of that line and run to Portland's waterfront and downtown (now the old Maine Narrow Gauge RR). But this is the line over which service is to be discontinued. There already is a trail along the narrow gauge portion along Portland's waterfront. That is unfortuntate because the rail St. Lawrence & Atlantic (and the narrow gauge continuation of it) goes right into downtown Portland. The Amtrak station is nowhere near downtown and on a stub-end line that requires Brunswick extension trains to make reversing moves in and out of the Portland Amtrak station. I never understood why that station was built there. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
December 2, 201311 yr Author BTW, I was doing some research on All Aboard Florida's passenger rail development plan, and especially the railroad parent company's TOD elements around its planned stations spurred by the rail service and that will help support the passenger rail service. The Downtown Miami station looks like it will be a substantial station, including multiple tracks and loading platforms elevated above the streets. Why such a big station for a train service likely offering hourly trains? Because it would also include capacity for more frequent commuter trains along the FEC which are anticipated to handle 24,000 riders a day through a multi-county region where 140 residential and office towers are planned or under construction! The planning gets underway in 2014...... http://tri-railcoastallinkstudy.com/ "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
December 2, 201311 yr Saw this in USA Today on a flight the other day. Good to see some states are working towards the future. Gee--what populous state would fit well in this map of short routes? ;) States are getting on board for Amtrak short routes Larry Copeland and Paul Overberg, USA TODAY 8 a.m. EST November 23, 2013 ABOARD THE CAROLINIAN — On a recent afternoon, Amtrak's Carolinian pulls out of the Raleigh, N.C., train station right on time at 4:50 p.m. It's southbound for Charlotte, with seven regularly scheduled stops along the way. About 10 minutes into the trip, the train chugs to a stop at the North Carolina State Fair. Parents crowd on with young children lugging huge stuffed bears and giraffes. The booty is crammed into overhead luggage bins, and the train is soon on its way again. States that view Amtrak intercity trains as a viable alternative to driving or flying are stepping up to help foot the cost of the trains. These short corridors are showing robust growth for the agency. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/11/23/states-amtrak-short-lines/3316205/
December 2, 201311 yr Author Posted in the Amtrak thread. But probably ought to be noted here as well. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
December 2, 201311 yr Author New train station dedicated today in Norfolk, VA. Freight railroad NS is a big backer of this Amtrak service as it added new track capacity to a growing freight rail line -- a win-win for freight and passengers.... "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
December 3, 201311 yr A state with a major rail corridor between two major cities at either end of a heavily traveled highway corridor and the state's capitol in the middle. The state invests heavily in the corridor infrastructure (in partnership with the Feds and the railroads) to improve both freight and passenger service. Ohio? No…. Missouri.
December 3, 201311 yr what a sight -- i saw a rack of crooknecks lined up on 2nd avenue in one of the subway construction zones this past weekend. i also caught the mta holiday train parked downtown too: more opportunities to catch it this month:
December 3, 201311 yr Awesome set mrnyc, especially those old MTA (Christmas cars), complete with wicker seats, no less...
December 11, 201311 yr Author December 6 Montreal-to-Boston night train gains steam Advocates meet in Canada to advance a plan for the ‘hotel’ passenger service, which would include stops in Maine. By Tom Bell [email protected] Staff Writer Advocates of an overnight passenger train that would connect Montreal with Boston, Portland and Old Orchard Beach have about two months to reach an agreement with freight railroads that own the route if they want the service to start next summer. If the group misses that deadline, it will try for the summer of 2015, said Francois Rebello, the Montreal entrepreneur behind the project, called the “hotel train” or “night train.” “We hope we can still do it by next summer, but it’s not the end of the world if we have to wait,” Rebello said Thursday after meeting in Montreal with more than 30 supporters of the project, including officials and business leaders from New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine. READ MORE AT: http://www.pressherald.com/news/Montreal-to-Boston_night_train_gains_steam_.html "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
December 11, 201311 yr Author CTDOT Commissioner Redeker on the latest in infrastructure, TOD, and the NHHS Rail Program. http://ow.ly/rG6BU "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
December 12, 201311 yr Author WOW.... Portland Express All aboard for free music, fun and giveaways this Friday at King Street Station in Seattle. http://www.travelportland.com/article/portland-express/ "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
December 15, 201311 yr there were constant announcements about no open containers allowed on metronorth platforms today due to santacon lol!
December 19, 201311 yr Hello all: I found this site and orgnization from a search on using interstate right of way for commuter rail. The page I pulled up was from 2007 but was pertinant to what I was trying to investigate. Before I found this site I found a presentation from MegaRail, a company based in Texas - a pdf of a powerpoint presentation. Not glitzy or of a high-tech engineering genre and it had a sort of 50's sci-fi appearance, but it addressed the possibilities of using existing ROW corridors for innovative light rail. I chose my screen name here hastily, and yes I am an old professional surveyor who has plied my trade here in Ohio, and Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Quit my profession because I no longer wanted to participate in the shale gas development, and am very concerned about expanded and continuing use of fossil fuels. So I'm not a transportation professional (or a resident of a metro area) but have long thought that much of the high traffic corridors could be adapted and adopted by light rail, alongside vehicular traffic. It is a particular conundrum when Keynsian politics results in highway projects in the service of job creation and economic stimulus at a time when we should be (imho) moving away from our traditional use of automobiles towards more and better public mass transit. I'm sure somebody on this forum has seen the MegaRail presentations and I would appreciate an informed critique of their (and similar) ideas, or links to any related info. I believe the terms of use agreement I just accepted prohibits me from posting a direct link at this time. Thanks - Vince
December 20, 201311 yr a final bloomberg administration post editorial: Three cheers for the No. 7 extension By Post Editorial Board December 20, 2013 | 1:35am Only 10 years ago, you’d have been medicated if you’d said a whole new neighborhood could be shoehorned into Midtown Manhattan. But at noon on Friday, Mayor Bloomberg will take a ceremonial ride on the No. 7 subway line extension — right through just such a neighborhood. Hudson Yards, on the far West Side, is now a reality. That’s not only because the No. 7 is on pace to open there in June, stretching the line from Times Square to 34th Street and 11th Avenue. It’s also because major development projects are well under way, with more sure to follow. Bloomberg and his staff accomplished this remarkable feat almost single-handedly — and deserve nearly all the credit, along with their victory ride. READ MORE AT: http://nypost.com/2013/12/20/mayor-mikes-hudson-yards-feat/ KJP: Edited to comply with copyright laws.
December 23, 201311 yr in his final few days in office, bloomberg takes his 7 train victory lap: http://m.nydailynews.com/1.1554643
December 23, 201311 yr Author Iowa passenger rail proponents fold after costs balloon Dec. 23, 2013 • ED TIBBETTS [email protected] DAVENPORT | The drive to build a passenger rail link between the Quad Cities and Iowa City has hit a big roadblock. A new analysis says construction costs for the connection have grown to $125 million, $35 million more than what was projected just three years ago. The new figure -- as well as a much higher state contribution -- may well doom any chances of getting legislative approval for the link, even though the same analysis estimates the ongoing annual subsidy has shrunk dramatically. READ MORE AT: http://wcfcourier.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/iowa-passenger-rail-proponents-fold-after-costs-balloon/article_9b24b437-0381-55d9-a168-c45cc9917a0b.html "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
December 23, 201311 yr Hello all: I found this site and orgnization from a search on using interstate right of way for commuter rail. The page I pulled up was from 2007 but was pertinant to what I was trying to investigate. Before I found this site I found a presentation from MegaRail, a company based in Texas - a pdf of a powerpoint presentation. Not glitzy or of a high-tech engineering genre and it had a sort of 50's sci-fi appearance, but it addressed the possibilities of using existing ROW corridors for innovative light rail. I chose my screen name here hastily, and yes I am an old professional surveyor who has plied my trade here in Ohio, and Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Quit my profession because I no longer wanted to participate in the shale gas development, and am very concerned about expanded and continuing use of fossil fuels. So I'm not a transportation professional (or a resident of a metro area) but have long thought that much of the high traffic corridors could be adapted and adopted by light rail, alongside vehicular traffic. It is a particular conundrum when Keynsian politics results in highway projects in the service of job creation and economic stimulus at a time when we should be (imho) moving away from our traditional use of automobiles towards more and better public mass transit. I'm sure somebody on this forum has seen the MegaRail presentations and I would appreciate an informed critique of their (and similar) ideas, or links to any related info. I believe the terms of use agreement I just accepted prohibits me from posting a direct link at this time. Thanks - Vince Welcome to UO. Wish I could comment on the MegaRail thing, but I cannot. You are spot-on about highway construction and fossil fuel consumption. My hat goes off to you for making such a large personal sacrifice to stand up for your beliefs about fracking.
December 26, 201311 yr hows this for random? the guy that does the launch box blog, about the 2nd ave subway, was on vacation in quebec, went to a rural agriculture fair...and ran in to the 2nd ave subway! http://thelaunchbox.blogspot.com/2013/09/back-on-track-from-quebec.html?m=1
December 26, 201311 yr Thanks for the welcome nnija. I'm rural, but my brother is metro Pittsburgh and will be visiting him this pm. He's very involved in his urban community, and gives me a good perspective on the broader picture. While I'm here wondering and trying what may adaptable and salvagable in suburban-rural rustland, he's involved in what the smart money says the future is - cities.
December 28, 201311 yr Tom Zoellner: Imagine what Michigan Central Station could be with high-speed rail 11:10 AM, December 26, 2013 Detroit has no shortage of “ruin porn,” but visitors who come here for such photos usually stop first at Michigan Central Station. The colossal Beaux Arts tower was abandoned in 1988, and has been a haven for graffiti artists and urban adventurers ever since, as well as the city’s most visual thorn of conscience. Proposals to turn it into a casino went nowhere. The Detroit City Council considered trying to dynamite it into dust in 2009, but failed. But other cities have shown what they can do with historic train stations, and that reuse can pay off in the end. And with new leadership in Detroit, intent on revitalizing the city’s isolated residential clusters instead of razing all the derelict houses that blight the horizon, there may be potential to rally political support to save Michigan Central Station from oblivion. http://www.freep.com/article/20131226/OPINION05/312260022/
January 6, 201411 yr Phase 1 of the Washington Metro Dulles extension is nearing operation in Northern VA. This extension ends about five miles short of the airport. Phase 2 will extend to the airport and build at least one more station further out. Make sure you're sitting down when you read the cost difference between building an above-ground and a subway station at the airport: On April 6, 2011, the MWAA Board voted 9 to 4 to build an underground station located 550 feet (170 m) from the airport terminal rather than an above-ground station 1,150 feet (350 m) away from the terminal. The underground station would be more convenient to travelers, but would come at an additional cost of $330 million and would extend the construction time of the project, delaying the expected opening to mid-2017.[53] Several Virginia politicians including Governor Bob McDonnell, Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, Rep.Frank Wolf, and former Congressman Tom Davis oppose the decision to build a more expensive underground station, and have threatened to withhold support for the project and to propose increasing the number of Virginia representatives to the MWAA Board. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood has offered to mediate the dispute.[54]
January 7, 201411 yr Author Track projects planned or soon to built on the LOSSAN (LA - San Diego) corridor. #Amtrak #NCTD #metrolink #Rail EDIT: It's a bit hard to see, but suffice it to say, a lot is happening! And on the other coast.... http://m.amtrak.com/mt/www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=AM_Alert_C&pagename=am%2FAM_Alert_C%2FAlerts_Popup&cid=1251625299204 Empire Service Schedule Change Effective January 13, 2014 Please be advised that select Empire Service trains will operate according to new schedules, effective January 13. As a result, travel times between Niagara Falls and New York Penn Station have been shortened by up to 30 minutes. Additionally, please note the following: Daily Train 284 will operate one hour earlier from Albany to New York Penn Station. Saturday Train 286 has been cancelled. Passengers may make reservations aboard other Empire Service trains. Sunday Train 256 will operate one hour later from Albany to New York Penn Station. Thank you for traveling with Amtrak. We appreciate your patronage. Reservation and schedule information is available on Amtrak.com, our free mobile apps and at 1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245). PSN 1213-22 "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
January 7, 201411 yr happy 20th anniversary to the mta metrocard. it began on 1/6/94 at two stations. the token was gone by 1998. who knows when we will ever get contactless smart cards? the mta is floundering on what kind of fare collection system to use next. *** edit -- i just found out something about this. seems like the tech is already there to do it, so i hope they hurry it up: "In D.C., the WMATA produces the SmartTrip Cards embedded with the chip—the MTA's plan is reliant on credit card companies adopting the new technology. What we're looking to do in 2019, or thereabouts, is to reduce the presence of the MTA in selling a particular card that you then carry around with you. What we're envisioning is the large banks and credit card companies will be moving towards including the RFID chips right in their credit cards. That takes place on a large scale. Customers would just be able to tap their own credit cards at the turnstile, rather than having to go to a machine, insert the credit card into the machine, take out the credit card, and get a new card from the MTA. We'd take away that whole step and say you just tap your own card—debit card or credit card—and then you would be able to see on your bank statement how much you paid to the MTA and when."
January 8, 201411 yr Massachusetts transportation program to fund transit-rail projects Passenger Rail By Angela Cotey, Senior Associate Editor In summer 2013, the Massachusetts legislature approved a series of tax hikes that pave the way for the commonwealth to borrow up to $6.4 billion for transportation projects — including substantial investments in transit and freight rail. Now, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) and associated agencies, such as the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), are gearing up to launch a series of transportation improvement projects that would be financed through the tax increases. Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick proposed the investment program, known as "The Way Forward: A 21st Century Transportation Plan," in January 2013. But the administration paved the way for the plan's approval years before that. In 2009, Patrick signed an act that called for modernizing Massachusetts' transportation systems, requiring that the commonwealth integrate its transportation agencies into a new, streamlined Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). The public works and transportation, turnpike authority, highway department, registry of motor vehicles, port authority and aeronautics commission were merged into one department. In addition, MBTA and the Regional Transportation Authorities now are overseen by MassDOT. The aim: to reform the commonwealth transportation agencies and gain more public trust, particularly following the Big Dig, a Boston highway project plagued with cost and scheduling overruns. READ MORE AT: http://www.progressiverailroading.com/passenger_rail/article/Massachusetts-transportation-program-to-fund-transitrail-projects--38969?source=pr_digital01/08/2014&usedate=01/08/2014&[email protected]&cid=15441
January 10, 201411 yr cuomo backs news $1B metronorth rail line thru bronx http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/01/09/nyregion/cuomo-supports-metro-north-expansion-in-the-bronx.html?_r=0&referrer=
January 10, 201411 yr Author But no rail on the Tappan Zee Bridge? Meh.... "The proposed station locations would not directly connect to subway stops in the Bronx." That's nuts. C'mon guys! And I thought M-N carried 100,000 riders each weekday on the New Haven Line? "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
January 10, 201411 yr But no rail on the Tappan Zee Bridge? Meh.... "The proposed station locations would not directly connect to subway stops in the Bronx." That's nuts. C'mon guys! And I thought M-N carried 100,000 riders each weekday on the New Haven Line? There are a lot of questions regarding this idea: What about capacity issues at Penn Station? $1 billion won't solve that. Why not a station on Long Island to link up with LI RR?
January 10, 201411 yr Author There are a lot of questions regarding this idea: What about capacity issues at Penn Station? $1 billion won't solve that. Why not a station on Long Island to link up with LI RR? I wonder if LIRR reroutes some existing trains into Grand Central via the East Side Access, if that would free up some capacity into Penn Station. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
January 10, 201411 yr Author Think all gubernatorial GOPers hate trains? Not this one... Friday, January 10, 2014 Virginia, Norfolk Southern sign pact to return Amtrak service to Roanoke Virginia's Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) and Norfolk Southern Corp. entered into an agreement to improve rail infrastructure between Lynchburg and Roanoke, Va., Gov. Bob McDonnell announced yesterday. The improvements will return passenger rail to the Roanoke region for the first time in 34 years, Virginia officials said in a press release. "Intercity passenger-rail service is central to the commonwealth's economic growth, vitality and competitiveness in the region. Now the major population centers will have intercity passenger-rail service," said McDonnell. The governor's 2013 transportation funding plan was "instrumental" in prompting the return of Amtrak's intercity passenger-rail service to Roanoke, state officials said. READ MORE AT: http://www.progressiverailroading.com/prdailynews/news.asp?id=39022 "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
January 11, 201411 yr But no rail on the Tappan Zee Bridge? Meh.... "The proposed station locations would not directly connect to subway stops in the Bronx." That's nuts. C'mon guys! And I thought M-N carried 100,000 riders each weekday on the New Haven Line? huh? so a $1B investment is meh to someone like you who takes such an interest in this stuff? oh wait, thats right its in nyc lol! fyi - there soon will be no more tappan zee bridge. adding rail to a new bridge was determined to be too expensive quite a while back. it may still have provisions, im not sure though. but for sure no one was happy about it, even the gov. secondly, this line will serve as an alternative new subway line, that was a big part of the point, to bring more rail transit service to the bronx. i have always heard it would be much quicker to develop it in this way via metronorth. of course what the city could really ise is more outer crosstown rail services ideally.
January 11, 201411 yr Author Chill. I'm having fun. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
January 11, 201411 yr Author If you thought California's high-speed rail project was expensive, the alternative would be crippling to taxpayers. A press release.... http://railla.org/ railLA Applauds Governor Jerry Brown's Budget Plan $250 Million for California’s High-Speed Rail Project Thursday, Jan 9th 2014 LOS ANGELES, Calif. — railLA applauds Gov. Jerry Brown’s announced plan to allocate $250 million for California’s High-Speed Rail project and another $50 million for other passenger rail. “Once again, Governor Brown is holding firm to his commitment to California’s future. The high-speed rail project is a monumental investment in mobility benefiting the citizens of California.” said Jeremy Stutes, Board Member at railLA. The high-speed rail project will cost $68 billion dollars. “This 250 million invested will have a net positive impact, combined with funding sources through Measure R and federal matching funds, but it’s not nearly enough.” said Bob Vanech, railLA’s Treasurer. “The project’s impact will spread far beyond the high-speed rail line itself. It will change our pocketbooks, our cities, and how go about our daily lives.” Once completed, the project will link to Los Angeles’ expanding network of subways and light rail. “I’ll be able to travel from where I work in Santa Monica to Union Station via light rail, and then quickly across the state to rail networks in San Francisco - all within a few hours and without a car. I can’t wait!” Stutes said. In the next three decades, 12 million new residents are projected in California. Without high-speed rail, California would need to invest over 150 billion to build 4,300 new lanes of highway, 114 additional gates at California airports, and 4 new airport runways to accommodate that projected growth. That infrastructure investment would cost up to three times as much as the proposed high-speed rail project. “Clearly, high-speed rail is the right choice for California.” Stutes said. About railLA railLA (www.railLA.org) is a grassroots, positive public advocacy, non-profit, public benefit corporation with the specific purpose of increasing public awareness of the benefits inherent in integrating high-speed rail into our cities, most notably, at first, in Los Angeles. Since its inception, railLA, our LA-based group, has quickly become a growing partnership of architects, planners, artists and engineers working with business and community leaders as one voice to guarantee that the promise of high-speed rail becomes a reality. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
January 11, 201411 yr Author Here's the DMU plan from Boston MBTA... DMU lines in dark purple: Take A Ride On The MBTA’s ‘New Indigo Line’ In 2024 MassDOT released a comprehensive five-year spending plan to fix the state’s transportation infrastructure. The report includes a long-term vision with another line. By Steve Annear | Boston Daily | January 9, 2014 6:02 pm The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has big plans for the Commonwealth over the next five years, including shortening commutes, bolstering the community, and adding specialized trains to the “Indigo Line,” which ideally, one day, would make stops in Allston, Cambridge, and stretch all the way to the North Shore. On Thursday afternoon, MassDOT released its Capital Investment Plan for 2014 through 2018, which is an outline of how state officials plan to spend money, trying to fix the problems that plague pedestrians, cyclists, commuters, and drivers. In a 65-page document, MassDOT Secretary Richard Davey outlined the goals of the agency, which includes projects on the state’s highways and bridges, as well as critical infrastructure changes along the tracks of the MBTA and Commuter Rail system. According to the report, over the next five fiscal years, MassDOT plans on spending roughly $12.4 billion on transit projects across the state. READ MORE AND SEE EMBEDDED LINKS AT: http://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/blog/2014/01/09/massdot-capital-plan-proposal/ "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
January 11, 201411 yr But no rail on the Tappan Zee Bridge? Meh.... "The proposed station locations would not directly connect to subway stops in the Bronx." That's nuts. C'mon guys! And I thought M-N carried 100,000 riders each weekday on the New Haven Line? There are a lot of questions regarding this idea: What about capacity issues at Penn Station? $1 billion won't solve that. Why not a station on Long Island to link up with LI RR? i was just going to say that. the real issue is getting track space at penn. and yeah what the heck since it wings over to long island, what about a lirr connection? but the good news is more bx rail service, which would be great. so yeah this plan or i guess project now has a long way to go and is dependent on other things coming together.
January 11, 201411 yr But no rail on the Tappan Zee Bridge? Meh.... "The proposed station locations would not directly connect to subway stops in the Bronx." That's nuts. C'mon guys! And I thought M-N carried 100,000 riders each weekday on the New Haven Line? There are a lot of questions regarding this idea: What about capacity issues at Penn Station? $1 billion won't solve that. Why not a station on Long Island to link up with LI RR? i was just going to say that. the real issue is getting track space at penn. and yeah what the heck since it wings over to long island, what about a lirr connection? but the good news is more bx rail service, which would be great. so yeah this plan or i guess project now has a long way to go and is dependent on other things coming together. What really needs to happen is a comprehensive plan to integrate all of the regions rail services to maximize efficiency and service. For example, LI RR trains should pass thru Penn Station to New Jersey points, giving passengers a one-seat ride and reducing the number of time slots tied up with duplicate arrivals and departures. The whole network is balkanized and inefficient.
January 11, 201411 yr But no rail on the Tappan Zee Bridge? Meh.... "The proposed station locations would not directly connect to subway stops in the Bronx." That's nuts. C'mon guys! And I thought M-N carried 100,000 riders each weekday on the New Haven Line? There are a lot of questions regarding this idea: What about capacity issues at Penn Station? $1 billion won't solve that. Why not a station on Long Island to link up with LI RR? i was just going to say that. the real issue is getting track space at penn. and yeah what the heck since it wings over to long island, what about a lirr connection? but the good news is more bx rail service, which would be great. so yeah this plan or i guess project now has a long way to go and is dependent on other things coming together. What really needs to happen is a comprehensive plan to integrate all of the regions rail services to maximize efficiency and service. For example, LI RR trains should pass thru Penn Station to New Jersey points, giving passengers a one-seat ride and reducing the number of time slots tied up with duplicate arrivals and departures. The whole network is balkanized and inefficient. yeah thats true as far as lirr's incompatibilities w/metro north. and lets throw amtrak in there while we're at it. but really a lot of this line is about providing more local rail service to the bx. its the cheepest way to add new service far as i know. certainly the whole metro area needs to be better integrated for sure.
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