^ it's too dam cold up there all the time.

 

but of course, global warming will fix that.

 

or pitch us into another ice age, i'm not sure. 😂🤷‍♂️

All around Ohio, states are investing in passenger rail......

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 22, 2023

 

Contact: Alexis Campbell, PennDOT, [email protected], 717-783-8800

 

Shapiro Administration Finalizes Agreement to Expand Western Pa. Passenger-Rail Access

 

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) finalized an agreement with Norfolk Southern Corporation (NS) to expand passenger rail service on the Pennsylvanian Amtrak line in Western Pennsylvania. Thanks to this expansion, more Pennsylvanians will have access to modern, safe, reliable passenger rail that gets them where they need to go – connecting Pennsylvania communities and bringing jobs, economic development, and infrastructure investment along with it.

 

“This agreement lays the groundwork for expanded passenger rail service in Western Pennsylvania while simultaneously preserving a critical freight rail corridor,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. “Ensuring more Pennsylvanians have access to safe and reliable transportation to Western PA will reduce commute times, help connect hundreds of thousands of residents, and boost local economies. This expansion of service on the Pennsylvanian will provide key mobility and economic benefits.” 

 

Currently, the Pennsylvanian Amtrak service travels roundtrip between New York City and Pittsburgh via Harrisburg once daily. The agreement that Norfolk Southern and PennDOT entered into supports increasing those Pennsylvanian passenger services to twice a day. To support these expanded passenger operations, the Commonwealth will invest more than $200 million in infrastructure and safety improvements that will be constructed and maintained by Norfolk Southern. PennDOT has applied for grant funds through the Federal Railroad Administration to help pay for these improvements.

 

The future improvements and construction will stem from a previously released Norfolk Southern operational feasibility study requested by PennDOT and includes upgraded rail lines, sidings, and necessary communications signals infrastructure. The renegotiated agreement with Norfolk Southern for the infrastructure work needed to support the additional Pennsylvanian ensures that safety and the best interests of the Commonwealth are fully addressed.   

 

"Norfolk Southern is excited to build upon our partnership with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania by increasing passenger rail options for the citizens of Pennsylvania while improving the resilience of our infrastructure for the shippers in the Commonwealth,” said Norfolk Southern Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer Mike McClellan. “This is a win-win agreement that would not be possible without the dedication and collaboration of our state officials, who share our vision for enhanced rail service across the Keystone State.”

 

The Pennsylvanian is a key passenger rail route connecting the citizens of the Keystone State from east to west, and, in conjunction with the Capitol Limited, with Cleveland, Chicago and beyond. The Pennsylvanian travels Norfolk Southern’s Pittsburgh Line, which is part of the Premier Corridor, a main artery for double-stack intermodal traffic moving between Chicago and metropolitan New York. It is one of the busiest and fastest links on Norfolk Southern’s network, connecting with major terminals in Toledo, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg and the Lehigh Valley. In a typical year, more than half of Norfolk Southern’s time-sensitive parcel and less-than-truckload shipments use the route at some point. The company’s trains deliver or pick up freight at 140-plus locations along the corridor, serving more than 800 customers. 

 

“We look forward to working with PennDOT and Norfolk Southern on this expansion of Amtrak service in the Commonwealth,” said Amtrak Vice President of State Supported Services Ray Lang.

 

Pennsylvania has 65 operating railroads – the most of any state in the country – and ranks fifth in total track mileage with more than 5,600 miles. The 2020 Pennsylvania State Rail Plan (PDF) reported that in 2017, 193.5 million tons of freight in 4.9 million railcars moved over the state's rail transportation system.

 

More information on PennDOT's efforts to improve intercity passenger rail in Pennsylvania is available on PennDOT’s website.

 

###

More new stuff! Brightline to Orlando started today...

 

News:

https://apnews.com/article/highspeed-rail-trains-florida-brightline-7a7bd3b390c43a8becc811d68dfcf386

 

 

The Pennsylvanian Amtrak service ( Pittsburgh-Harrisburg-Philly-NYC) will be expanded to 2x per day based on this agreement. Hopefully NOACA will be successful in its efforts to get the service extended to Cleveland. I’m a bit torn on this - I love that it’s happening, but it seems like $200M should do more than add one round trip train per day on an existing service. Proper frequency n CLE-Pitt-Harrisburg-Philly-NYC service should be at least hourly.

 

https://www.progressiverailroading.com/passenger_rail/news/PennDot-NS-sign-pact-to-expand-Pennsylvanian-Amtrak-access--70255

 

“The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced it has finalized an agreement with Norfolk Southern Railway to expand passenger-rail service on the Pennsylvanian Amtrak line in western Pennsylvania.

….

Currently, the Pennsylvanian Amtrak service travels round-trip between New York City and Pittsburgh via Harrisburg once daily. The new agreement supports increasing those Pennsylvanian passenger services to twice a day. 

To achieve this increase, the commonwealth will invest more than $200 million in infrastructure and safety improvements that will be constructed and maintained by NS. PennDOT has applied for grant funds through the Federal Railroad Administration to help pay for these improvements.”

3 hours ago, Boomerang_Brian said:

The Pennsylvanian Amtrak service ( Pittsburgh-Harrisburg-Philly-NYC) will be expanded to 2x per day based on this agreement. Hopefully NOACA will be successful in its efforts to get the service extended to Cleveland. I’m a bit torn on this - I love that it’s happening, but it seems like $200M should do more than add one round trip train per day on an existing service. Proper frequency n CLE-Pitt-Harrisburg-Philly-NYC service should be at least hourly.

 

https://www.progressiverailroading.com/passenger_rail/news/PennDot-NS-sign-pact-to-expand-Pennsylvanian-Amtrak-access--70255

 

“The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced it has finalized an agreement with Norfolk Southern Railway to expand passenger-rail service on the Pennsylvanian Amtrak line in western Pennsylvania.

….

Currently, the Pennsylvanian Amtrak service travels round-trip between New York City and Pittsburgh via Harrisburg once daily. The new agreement supports increasing those Pennsylvanian passenger services to twice a day. 

To achieve this increase, the commonwealth will invest more than $200 million in infrastructure and safety improvements that will be constructed and maintained by NS. PennDOT has applied for grant funds through the Federal Railroad Administration to help pay for these improvements.”

 

$200 million for just one more round trip, but if that's the price of admission so be it. I *would* like to see the details, however.

 

On the other hand a second train opens the possibility of an extension to Cleveland!

3 hours ago, neony said:

 

$200 million for just one more round trip, but if that's the price of admission so be it. I *would* like to see the details, however.

 

On the other hand a second train opens the possibility of an extension to Cleveland!

Especially since freight traffic west of Harrisburg has dropped from 70 trains/day to 25 trains/day. 

On 9/26/2023 at 2:39 PM, gildone said:

Especially since freight traffic west of Harrisburg has dropped from 70 trains/day to 25 trains/day. 

 

Where did you see that? I find that very hard to believe, especially since the traffic heading west of Harrisburg also comes through Cleveland. And the frequency of NS traffic through Cleveland is very heavy.

From Supervisor Kathryn Barger
@kathrynbarger

I'm at the @metrolosangeles Board mtg. today. Glad our Board approved $1.6M to fund new mid-day & evening #AntelopeValley @Metrolink trains during the week + more weekend service. The #AV line will be the FIRST #Metrolink line to offer nearly hourly service w/ a consistent/predictable schedule. Proud to have led this effort for our constituents in the #Antelope, #SantaClarita & #SanFernando Valleys. More: http://tinyurl.com/AVMetrolink

yay orlando-miami brightline --

 

 

 

On 9/28/2023 at 11:47 AM, KJP said:

 

Where did you see that? I find that very hard to believe, especially since the traffic heading west of Harrisburg also comes through Cleveland. And the frequency of NS traffic through Cleveland is very heavy.

From one of thr board members of the Western PA rail advocacy group. Latest nees from the industry as a whole is thay car loads are up a bit so I'm sure the dip is temporary. 

BRIGHTLINE DOUBLES DAILY TRAIN SERVICE TO MEET HUGE DEMAND!

 

Train travel is becoming red hot in America!

 

Brightline has officially doubled the train service between Miami and Orlando to 30 trips daily starting Monday. The announcement was made on Oct. 4, less than two weeks after the company's inaugural trip to central Florida. 

 

Brightline is now running 15 trains in each direction from Orlando to Miami, doubling the previous offering of eight trips each way. 

 

The first train of the day leaves Miami at 6:41 a.m., arriving in Orlando at 10:19 a.m., and the last train of the day leaves Miami at 9:41 p.m. Meanwhile, the first train leaves Orlando at 4:38 a.m., and arrives into Miami at 8:11 a.m. The final train leaves Orlando at 8:54 p.m. 

  

Brightline also has stops in Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton and West Palm Beach. Additional early-morning and late-night trains will operate between these stations. Before the extension to Orlando on Sept. 22, service only went to West Palm Beach. The launch of new services came nearly three months after Brightline completed construction of its rail line between Miami and Orlando.

 

"A big congratulations to Brightline for delivering first-class rail service to the American people," said Andy Kunz, USHSR President. "The huge success of their first train line proves Americans love train travel when its convenient, frequent, and luxurious."

 

News coverage:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/brightline-to-double-train-service-between-south-florida-and-orlando-next-week/ar-AA1hEjBH

 

https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/brightline-doubles-orlando-miami-train-service-to-30-trips-daily/3128869/

God, I wish we had that here.

Miami to Orlando is...a shorter distance than 3C+D. 235 miles vs 255. Is that right??? That's so despressing

It works because you have a dense, linear city along the Atlantic Coast full of retired people that goes directly between one of the world's busiest airports (MIA) and one of the world's top tourist destinations (Disney World). So it draws on several customer bases that aren't reproducable. Brightline will do the same between LA and Las Vegas, but it cant replicate its business model in places like Ohio, because we don't have the tourist traffic or the density. Like any business, they pick off the easy markets and leave the hard ones to the government. 

1 hour ago, westerninterloper said:

It works because you have a dense, linear city along the Atlantic Coast full of retired people that goes directly between one of the world's busiest airports (MIA) and one of the world's top tourist destinations (Disney World). So it draws on several customer bases that aren't reproducable. Brightline will do the same between LA and Las Vegas, but it cant replicate its business model in places like Ohio, because we don't have the tourist traffic or the density. Like any business, they pick off the easy markets and leave the hard ones to the government. 

Ohio 3C&D with sufficient speed and frequency would generate an operating profit. Obviously it would be better if that connected to an extended network in both Cleveland and Cincinnati, but that wouldn't be necessary. The bigger challenge in attracting Brightline (or other private operator) is that there are several routes elsewhere that would generate more ridership. Dallas-Houston being the most attractive (after the proposed LA-Las Vegas).

I don't know if that's true anymore than if Brightline is actually generating an operating profit. Transporting people is usually not very cost-effective for any mode of travel. To put these numbers into perspective, Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited carries just over 1,000 people a day with just one train in each direction and far fewer employees involved per passenger and still loses $1.5 million per year in direct, above-the-rail costs (not counting corporate overhead, marketing, etc)....

 

How Brightline train’s Orlando ridership fared in its 1st four weeks: 47,797 riders in 25 days - avg total daily ridership of 2,312. Avg fare: $87.5

https://www.wftv.com/news/local/how-brightline-trains-orlando-ridership-fared-its-1st-four-weeks/V3OHDBIUK5HJVK2IUWIB2VD6LU/

43 minutes ago, KJP said:

I don't know if that's true anymore than if Brightline is actually generating an operating profit. Transporting people is usually not very cost-effective for any mode of travel. To put these numbers into perspective, Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited carries just over 1,000 people a day with just one train in each direction and far fewer employees involved per passenger and still loses $1.5 million per year in direct, above-the-rail costs (not counting corporate overhead, marketing, etc)....

 

How Brightline train’s Orlando ridership fared in its 1st four weeks: 47,797 riders in 25 days - avg total daily ridership of 2,312. Avg fare: $87.5

https://www.wftv.com/news/local/how-brightline-trains-orlando-ridership-fared-its-1st-four-weeks/V3OHDBIUK5HJVK2IUWIB2VD6LU/

Do railroads still compete in the freight game?    Could their be business in moving shipments for Amazon and other e commerce distributors that need quicker service than freight rail can provide? 

4 hours ago, Cleburger said:

Do railroads still compete in the freight game?    Could their be business in moving shipments for Amazon and other e commerce distributors that need quicker service than freight rail can provide? 

 

Yes and no. The Class 1 carriers (railroads with annual revenue of $250 million or more in 1992, adjusted for inflation or $943,898,958 in 2021) get most of their intermodal traffic through third-party freight forwarders who solicit the shippers and book space on trains. For carload traffic (boxcars, tank cars, hoppers, etc), the Class 1 have relinquished much of their competition for this business to smaller Class 2 and Class 3 railroads or trucking. Class 1 railroads are under pressure from Wall Street to not hustle for traffic that fails to generate enough of a profit margin. 

Zoom!

 

 

Looks like Via rail/Amtrak service Between Toronto - Detroit and Chicago could start in 2027

https://www.iheartradio.ca/am800/news/dilkens-believes-amtrak-via-rail-link-is-an-exciting-opportunity-1.20532111#:~:text=Windsor mayor Drew Dilkens is,expected to start in 2027

 

with gateway underway they are finally at least looking at thru running for penn station —

 

 

 

Groundbreaking for Hudson Rail Tunnel Draws Politicos and Protestors

The feds are going to kick in 70 percent of the Hudson rail tunnel known as the Gateway Project, but the reality is more trains will not roll into Penn Station until 2038. And no one is saying yet where the extra trains well go in Penn Station.

MICHAEL ORESKES| 06 NOV 2023 | 10:23
 

 

… opponents argue that Block 780 can be saved if New Jersey Transit and the other railroads that use Penn Station–the Long Island Railroad and Amtrak–integrate their operations so they run trains through the station rather than terminating their runs there.

This, the argument goes, would increase capacity without increasing tracks and improve service by allowing passengers to take one seat rides from, say, Queens to New Jersey or Seacaucus, NJ to the Hamptons.

Amtrak said last summer that it was reviewing this option as part of an overall environmental review and plans to hold public outreach. But nothing further has been said since.

The chair of Amtrak, Anthony Coscia, said at the event that the expansion of rail capacity made possible by the new tunnel could allow innovations, such as running service directly from Long Island to Washington D.C.

Amtrak trains already run through Queens on their way from Boston to Washington through Penn Station, but they don’t stop there. Amtrak has previously said it would like to extend its intercity service out on Long Island to Ronkonkoma by working with the MTA and its Long Island Railroad “for each provider to expand services on the other’s route” a small version of through running of the sort Turvey and others are arguing for on a large scale.

The bigger question is whether New Jersey Transit and the Long Island Rail Road, run by the MTA, could run trains through Penn Station onto each others services. Andy Byford, the former had of the New York Transit Authority and now head of high speed rail for Amtrak, has supported this concept.

But Amtrak says he is not working on the Gateway Project or the related plans to improve Penn Station.

“The proposed southern expansion of Penn Station doubles down on dated train operating methods at Penn today,” Said Turvey. “Instead of streamlining operations at Penn by implementing the modern methodology of through running, the railroads are opting to expand the highly inefficient use of terminal tracks.

“This means that instead of having trains pass through Penn productively to stops across the region they will sit in train yards or return near empty to their points of origin. This dated model will cost two to three times more than through running, provide poorer service and will require the gratuitous demolition of one block and a half of Manhattan.”

 

 

more:

https://www.ourtownny.com/news/groundbreaking-for-hudson-rail-tunnel-draws-politicos-and-protestors-YB2838991

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 hours ago, mrnyc said:

with gateway underway they are finally at least looking at thru running for penn station —

 

 

 

Groundbreaking for Hudson Rail Tunnel Draws Politicos and Protestors

The feds are going to kick in 70 percent of the Hudson rail tunnel known as the Gateway Project, but the reality is more trains will not roll into Penn Station until 2038. And no one is saying yet where the extra trains well go in Penn Station.

MICHAEL ORESKES| 06 NOV 2023 | 10:23
 

 

… opponents argue that Block 780 can be saved if New Jersey Transit and the other railroads that use Penn Station–the Long Island Railroad and Amtrak–integrate their operations so they run trains through the station rather than terminating their runs there.

This, the argument goes, would increase capacity without increasing tracks and improve service by allowing passengers to take one seat rides from, say, Queens to New Jersey or Seacaucus, NJ to the Hamptons.

Amtrak said last summer that it was reviewing this option as part of an overall environmental review and plans to hold public outreach. But nothing further has been said since.

The chair of Amtrak, Anthony Coscia, said at the event that the expansion of rail capacity made possible by the new tunnel could allow innovations, such as running service directly from Long Island to Washington D.C.

Amtrak trains already run through Queens on their way from Boston to Washington through Penn Station, but they don’t stop there. Amtrak has previously said it would like to extend its intercity service out on Long Island to Ronkonkoma by working with the MTA and its Long Island Railroad “for each provider to expand services on the other’s route” a small version of through running of the sort Turvey and others are arguing for on a large scale.

The bigger question is whether New Jersey Transit and the Long Island Rail Road, run by the MTA, could run trains through Penn Station onto each others services. Andy Byford, the former had of the New York Transit Authority and now head of high speed rail for Amtrak, has supported this concept.

But Amtrak says he is not working on the Gateway Project or the related plans to improve Penn Station.

“The proposed southern expansion of Penn Station doubles down on dated train operating methods at Penn today,” Said Turvey. “Instead of streamlining operations at Penn by implementing the modern methodology of through running, the railroads are opting to expand the highly inefficient use of terminal tracks.

“This means that instead of having trains pass through Penn productively to stops across the region they will sit in train yards or return near empty to their points of origin. This dated model will cost two to three times more than through running, provide poorer service and will require the gratuitous demolition of one block and a half of Manhattan.”

 

 

more:

https://www.ourtownny.com/news/groundbreaking-for-hudson-rail-tunnel-draws-politicos-and-protestors-YB2838991

 

I’m so glad to hear it reported that they are considering through running at Penn Station. That would make such a huge difference! Hopefully that comes together. I’d feel much more confident if Andy Byford was directly involved in the Gateway / Penn Station project. 

^ yeah i wish, but no doubt train daddy will do what he can from the wings.

 

part of the foresight for this thinking about thru running to long island was put in place in advance a few years ago when mta actually invested in expanding the mid-suffolk train yard in ronkonkoma — ostensibly for east side access, but also with future thru running in mind:

 

https://new.mta.info/press-release/completed-construction-on-mid-suffolk-yard-helps-increase-future-capacity

I haven't had a chance to watch this yet, but everything the High Speed Rail Alliance puts out is of high quality:

 

Is Wisconsin so different politically from Ohio? Know what the difference is? From Day 1 of Amtrak, Milwaukee has always had decent train service to Chicago. That became the foundation constituency for more. Ohio has never had that foundation and neither Amtrak or the state government is willing to make the effort to change the status quo.

 

 

Could passenger service return to Michigan Central in Corktown?

 

(Paywalled)

 

https://www.detroitnews.com/restricted/?return=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.detroitnews.com%2Fstory%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fdetroit-city%2F2023%2F11%2F15%2Fpassenger-rail-service-return-to-michigan-central-in-corktown%2F71583695007%2F

Nearly half of NC's trains don't travel outside of the state. They link Charlotte-Raleigh, 170 miles apart, which is an easy drive. But the route now has five trains in each direction. Thirty years ago, it didn't have any trains after a state-supported Amtrak train that ran through to Washington DC failed to produce ridership and was canceled. Despite that, the state DOT was convinced it was a good route and decided to sponsor a Charlotte-NYC train. The ridership between Charlotte and Raleigh was good and resulted in the addition of a standalone train between those cities. And then another. And then another. And then another.

 

With record ridership, North Carolina looks to expand passenger rail system

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article281987988.html

the pa of ny&nj is raising airtrain fares and tolls ahead of voting on its budget next month —

 

 

 

AirTrain fare will soar to $8.50 per ride next spring, Port Authority says; commuter advocates seethe

 

By Ben BrachfeldPosted on November 19, 2023

 

 

…

The Port Authority is currently advancing a project to replace the Newark AirTrain, which it contends is out-of-date and in need of modernization. The project is set to construct 2.5 miles of new “elevated guideway” and three new stations, and is projected to cost north of $2 billion.

 

…

The budget includes investments in the ongoing redevelopment of JFK Airport, planning for a new Port Authority Bus Terminal (now rebranded as the Midtown Bus Terminal), and for PATH to adopt a contactless tap-to-pay system similar to OMNY.

 

The agency is also set to invest $1 billion in its police force and other security measures.

 

 

more:

https://www.amny.com/transit/airtrain-fare-hike-port-authority-spring-2024/

 

A JFK AirTrain in 2011. Kai Brinker via Wikimedia Commons

 

6 hours ago, KJP said:

Nearly half of NC's trains don't travel outside of the state. They link Charlotte-Raleigh, 170 miles apart, which is an easy drive. But the route now has five trains in each direction. Thirty years ago, it didn't have any trains after a state-supported Amtrak train that ran through to Washington DC failed to produce ridership and was canceled. Despite that, the state DOT was convinced it was a good route and decided to sponsor a Charlotte-NYC train. The ridership between Charlotte and Raleigh was good and resulted in the addition of a standalone train between those cities. And then another. And then another. And then another.

 

With record ridership, North Carolina looks to expand passenger rail system

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article281987988.html

North Carolina is absolutely Ohio’s best example to reference. There are many similarities between the states with regards to passenger rail - city spacing, distance from larger destination cities, etc. And Ohio has a pretty substantially larger population along the proposed corridor compared to Charlotte - Raleigh. NC’s success is what all of us should point to when people question whether the 3C+D would be successful. 

On 11/20/2023 at 1:18 PM, KJP said:

Nearly half of NC's trains don't travel outside of the state. They link Charlotte-Raleigh, 170 miles apart, which is an easy drive. But the route now has five trains in each direction. Thirty years ago, it didn't have any trains after a state-supported Amtrak train that ran through to Washington DC failed to produce ridership and was canceled. Despite that, the state DOT was convinced it was a good route and decided to sponsor a Charlotte-NYC train. The ridership between Charlotte and Raleigh was good and resulted in the addition of a standalone train between those cities. And then another. And then another. And then another.

 

With record ridership, North Carolina looks to expand passenger rail system

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article281987988.html

Hello Ohio?? The other red states are doing it! 

Twitter version of NC to Ohio comparison:
 

 

Amtrak will add two additional daily trains between Portland and Seattle, beginning December 11. These will be in the early morning and late evening.

Go North Carolina! North Carolina applied for BIL funds for 12 — TWELVE — new passenger rail corridors. 

 

https://x.com/the_transit_guy/status/1731094503325385020?s=20

 

 

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2023/11/25/business/why-doesnt-the-us-have-more-passenger-trains/index.html

 

Brightline West to get $3 billion from US. If this is from the federal-state partnership program as it appears, it's one-fourth of all funds available. This will go to the $12 billion Los Angeles-Las Vegas project.

 

https://x.com/reviewjournal/status/1732061953906851914?s=20

 

1 minute ago, KJP said:

Brightline West to get $3 billion from US. If this is from the federal-state partnership program as it appears, it's one-fourth of all funds available.

I hope that any grants to a private company includes contractual access for Amtrak and other potential operators. Fed money grants to private enterprise should have good terms for public access. I suppose I shouldn’t hold my breath on that.

 

Hopefully we learn more about Chicago grants from that program soon.

texas frieght — so good! — 😂

 

 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Czhioq_MoZK/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

 

On 12/5/2023 at 12:35 PM, Boomerang_Brian said:

I hope that any grants to a private company includes contractual access for Amtrak and other potential operators. Fed money grants to private enterprise should have good terms for public access. I suppose I shouldn’t hold my breath on that.

 

Hopefully we learn more about Chicago grants from that program soon.

 

Doubt that. Even Amtrak fights against public access. Here's the route....

https://www.railwayage.com/regulatory/stb-advances-12b-brightline-west-project/

 

Meanwhile, our neighbors are doing stuff...

 

Senators Casey and Fetterman today announced PA will receive $144 million from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to upgrade infrastructure along the Keystone West Corridor between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg to accommodate a second daily round trip Amtrak Pennsylvanian.  The grant comes from the Federal Railroad Administration's (FRA) Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Grant Program (FSP).  The state also received a $500,000 Corridor ID grant to plan and develop how to expand both Pennsylvanian and Keystone services along the entire Pittsburgh to Philadelphia corridor.

https://www.casey.senate.gov/news/releases/casey-fetterman-announce-144-million-to-expand-amtrak-service-between-pittsburgh-harrisburg-and-philadelphia

 

raleigh to richmond route gets a billy:

 

 

 

 

Faster rail service between Raleigh, Richmond gets $1B infusion

 

By Lauren Ohnesorge – Senior Staff Writer, Triangle Business Journal

Dec 5, 2023

 

 

An infusion of federal dollars is advancing a new commuter rail line that will make for shorter travel times between Raleigh, Richmond and Washington, D.C.

 

 

more:

https://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2023/12/05/raleigh-richmond-commuter-rail-amtrak-new-route.html

nc looking ahead to more rail routes:

 

 

 

 

Dec 5 2023

   

Tillis Announces $3.5 Million in Grants for NC Rail Identification and Development

 

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Thom Tillis announced $3.5 million in grant fundingfrom the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to identify potential new rail routes or improvements across North Carolina. 

 

The Corridor sponsors would enter Step 1 of the program to develop a scope, schedule, and cost estimate for preparing, completing, or documenting its service development plan. 

 

 

more:

https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2023/12/tillis-announces-3-5-million-in-grants-for-nc-rail-identification-and-development

 

Booming next to Brightline 

 

 

as an old dune fan, i love this ... 😂

 

 

 

 

And the winner for San Jose BART’s boring machine name competition is…

 

The Mercury News received over 1,000 responses to a poll asking what the BART tunnel boring machine should be named

 

By GABRIEL GRESCHLER | [email protected] | Bay Area News Group

PUBLISHED: December 18, 2023 at 4:09 p.m. | UPDATED: December 19, 2023 at 3:36 a.m.

 

 

After more than 400 submissions and 1,175 votes on a name for San Jose BART’s tunnel boring machine, we have a winner — and it’s sure to make sci-fi fans giddy.

 

“Shai-Hulud” came in first place, with 229 votes, a nod to the sand worm creatures in the popular “Dune” novels and movies that many readers say resemble the boring machine that will carve a nearly five-mile tunnel underneath San Jose for the future BART extension. The Valley Transportation Authority purchased the $76 million dollar device in November from Germany and it will be shipped to the South Bay in pieces before being reassembled. Construction is set to begin in 2025.

 

“It is just such a perfect fit for Silicon Valley,” said Rob Lofland, a Sunnyvale resident who is a big fan of the books written by Frank Herbert and submitted the name. “We have so many engineering geeks.”

 

For the non-Dune fans: The Shai-Hulud are enormous worms that populate the planet of Arrakis. Their larvae produce a valuable resource known as “spice,” which allows humans to travel through space safely, though harvesting it can be risky. The battle over who controls the supply is a major part of the Dune novels and has been compared to real-world geopolitical tensions over resources like oil. The first of six Dune novels came out in 1965 and has since seen multiple film adaptions, most recently starring Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya.

 

 

more:

https://www.mercurynews.com/2023/12/18/and-the-winner-for-san-jose-barts-boring-machine-name-competition-is/#:~:text=“Shai-Hulud” came in,for the future BART extension.

 

A scene of the sand worm Shai-Hulud from Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures’ action adventure “DUNE: PART TWO,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. (Warner Bros. Pictures)

 

 

A summary of out-of-state stuff....

 

Brightline’s new Las Vegas train line could be the start of a U.S. high-speed rail revolution.  The big picture is that America has never been more bullish on high-speed rail. Thanks to the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the government has big bucks to dole out to signature projects. And, at least for now, the nation has a president eager to get those projects underway….Even as it steals California High-Speed Rail’s thunder, Brightline West could be a blessing in disguise for its beleaguered sibling. Preliminary studies indicate massive ridership and revenue boosts if the two systems are linked by a proposed rail line known as the High-Desert Corridor. A state-of-the-art high-speed rail service, connecting the nation’s tourism and media capitals, could also do a lot for the high-speed rail industry’s political fortunes.   

https://www.fastcompany.com/90997250/american-high-speed-rail-has-never-been-closer-to-reality-can-it-cross-the-finish-line

 

 

Rick Haglund: Will billionaire Dan Gilbert lead Michigan in developing long-awaited transit?  Metro Detroit leaders have asserted for decades that the lack of a comprehensive public transit system is a major economic development drag on the region and state. They’ve made little progress in building it, though. But Michigan could be experiencing a turning point in getting serious about transit, as evidenced by Gilbert’s potential influence, Amtrak’s new transit proposals and other developments….And on Thursday, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s “Growing Michigan Together Council” issued its final report, calling for greater investment in transit. 

https://michiganadvance.com/2023/12/17/rick-haglund-will-billionaire-dan-gilbert-lead-michigan-in-developing-long-awaited-transit/

 

 

OPINION: National rail investments are leaving NM in the dust. December has been a great month for passenger rail in the United States. Billions of dollars were granted to projects in several states for the construction of new high- and conventional-speed passenger lines, and millions doled out across the country to study and develop new routes in order to bring them to shovel-ready status.

Unfortunately, none of these projects benefit New Mexico, save for our friends in Deming and Lordsburg that may see Amtrak’s Sunset Limited a little more often. 

https://www.abqjournal.com/opinion/opinion-national-rail-investments-are-leaving-nm-in-the-dust/article_d5e80ec6-987a-11ee-8307-2f4713cd7b5a.html

 

 

Second Amtrak route in ND won’t impact Empire Builder service. A plan to reinstate a southern Amtrak passenger route in North Dakota would bring no change to Amtrak’s Empire Builder service, said a spokesman for the passenger rail service….On the Empire Builder’s route, Magliari said, there are improvements being done in the Malta, Montana, area. Malta is about 340 miles west of Minot.

According to an Amtrak news release, the Malta, Montana, Corridor Operational Enhancement Project, an up to $14.9 million project, will improve the Empire Builder service by eliminating critical bottlenecks that cause delays and operational conflicts for freight and passenger trains.  

https://www.minotdailynews.com/news/local-news/2023/12/second-amtrak-route-in-nd-wont-impact-empire-builder-service/

 

 

Editorial: With bullet train sidetracked, upgrade Cascades. The decision last week from the Federal Railroad Administration — to sidetrack a funding request for further study of an “ultra-high speed” rail line from Vancouver, B.C. to Portland, Ore., via Everett, Seattle and Olympia — should signal state leaders to switch tracks to a plan that would refurbish the current north-south Amtrak Cascades line, while still significantly cutting travel times between cities and seeing completion possibly decades earlier….Seizing on last week’s news, a coalition of transportation and environmental groups, calling itself Solutionary Rail, is seeking support for a long-range plan to outfit the Amtrak Cascades rail line for higher-speed electric trains, similar to the Acela trains common on the East Coast that can reach speeds of more than 110 mph. 

https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/editorial-with-bullet-train-sidetracked-upgrade-cascades/

 

 

Editorial: Plan for rail future. While some would say that nostalgia is driving the pressure for passenger rail, rather than real demand for train service when car transportation is so cheap and convenient, we say that the future needs to be planned for. Ohio has railroad routes in abundance, and multiple cities that could benefit from convenient mass transit connections….Train travel is a natural for Ohio, and Toledo, which has an outstanding train station. The award of study funding was a response to coordinated support in Ohio. 

https://www.toledoblade.com/opinion/editorials/2023/12/18/editorial-plan-for-rail-future/stories/20231218016

 

 

After 34 years, Texas might finally get a high-speed rail line between Dallas and Houston. Texas Central, a private company, launched the project with significant backing from Texas investors in 2014. It planned to connect North Texas to Houston with a stop in the Brazos Valley near Texas A&M University. The train would reduce the hours-long drive to 90 minutes between the state’s two biggest cities, and represented the most advanced effort toward Texas high-speed rail since a failed project in the 1990s. However, as the pandemic wreaked havoc on the transportation industry, many thought the project was doomed. That is until recently, when two key developments breathed new life into the project. Amtrak entered the picture as a potential partner in August, and then the project won a $500,000 Corridor ID grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to develop a scope of work and budget. 

https://www.fastcompany.com/91000949/after-34-years-texas-might-finally-get-a-high-speed-rail-line-between-dallas-and-houston

 

 

What’s next in the push to restore southern Montana’s passenger rail service. “Two big things that were nested under the bipartisan infrastructure act are playing out now. The $500,000 grant we were awarded last week puts us in the planning pipeline for project implementation. It’s huge for us. We also helped develop language in the 2021 infrastructure act directing the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Railroad Administration to study former Amtrak routes that could be brought back into service as well as brand new routes of 750 miles or more. The final report for the Amtrak daily long-distance service study is expected next spring or summer, and we expect to be included in it.” 

https://montanafreepress.org/2023/12/18/whats-next-in-the-push-to-restore-southern-montanas-passenger-rail-service/

 

 

Announcement raises Indy's hopes for a high-speed transformation. “This is a first step toward expanding passenger rail in Indiana,” INDOT Commissioner Mike Smith said in a press release. “Receiving this funding allows us to gather essential information to make more informed decisions going forward.” Amtrak also qualified for a federal grant of up to $500,000 to look into expanding its Cardinal service from three to seven days a week. And the Kentuckiana Regional Planning and Development Agency qualified for a similar grant of up to $500,000 to investigate potentially bringing back rail service to connect Louisville and Indy. 

https://www.reporter.net/indiana/news/announcement-raises-indys-hopes-for-a-high-speed-transformation/article_ffa74886-9a90-11ee-ae1b-f326515781b9.html

 

Sold outs....

 

 

 

 

boulder— denver — colorado springs

 

vs.

 

belen — alberquerque — santa fe

 

 

same distances —

 

one has 10-15 trains/day the other has 0

 

one is 2X more population

 

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/C1XZvrNuLxc/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

 

 

very nice!

 

 

 

 

CTDOT: Norwalk Merritt 7 train station completed, with ribbon-cutting set for walkway in next week

By Kalleen Rose Ozanic
Jan. 3, 2024
CT Insider

 

 

"NORWALK — A ribbon-cutting ceremony for Norwalk’s long-awaited new Merritt 7 train station will officially welcome commuters to the completed project within the next week, a Connecticut Department of Transportation spokesperson said.

Work crews completed construction between Christmas and New Year’s Eve for the project that the state approved funding for in 2017 — although part of the new station has been open to commuters since June, said Josh Morgan, CTDOT communications manager.

“I think they were doing some finishing touches,” Morgan said. “Most of it was completed by the end of Dec. 22, and then they had a little bit of work there that week between Christmas and New Year's...”

 

 

more:
https://www.ctinsider.com/news/article/norwalk-merritt-7-train-station-metro-north-18585247.php

 

 

The new Merritt 7 train station will welcome commuters with an official ribbon-cutting within the next week, Connecticut Department of Transportation spokesperson Josh Morgan said. (Ned Gerard/Connecticut Post)

 

 

The new Merritt 7 train station is under construction in Norwalk, Conn., on July 17, 2023. -- Ned Gerard/Connecticut Post

 

 

 

There's only one qualified supplier on this list. Ask Amtrak. And its USA factory is in Sacramento, California.

 

NEWS RELEASE: High-Speed Rail Authority Releases Shortlist of Potential Suppliers for Electrified High-Speed Trains in California

https://hsr.ca.gov/2024/01/05/news-release-high-speed-rail-authority-releases-shortlist-of-potential-suppliers-for-electrified-high-speed-trains-in-california/

well this is fun —

 

the lirr comes to ohio —

 

sorta — 

 

if you happen to be out that way you can see an old cab-less lirr engine in republic scrapyard in ashtabula — 

 

 

 

 

Former LIRR FA2 awaits scrap in Northeast Ohio

 

By Joseph Zadeh | January 7, 2024 

 

A long way from the 'Dashing Commuter'

 

 

more:

https://www.trains.com/trn/railroads/history/former-lirr-fa2-awaits-scrap-in-northeast-ohio/

 

yes of course brightline orlando to tampa is up next —

 

 

 

 

January 05, 2024

Intercity

 

A New Orlando-Tampa Extension for Brightline?

 

Written by Carolina Worrell, Senior Editor

 

 

According to a Fox 35 Orlando news report, a bill filed Jan. 3 by State Senate Transportation Chair Nick DiCeglie (R-Indian Rocks Beach) would require the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to preserve a 44-foot-wide rail corridor in the right-of-way of Interstate 4 in order to extend Brightlinepassenger rail service between Orlando and Tampa, Fla.

 

According to the report, the proposal (SB 1226), would also require FDOT to “consider infrastructure issues,” such as the spacing of bridge columns and barriers that would separate the potential rail right-of-way and the interstate.

 

In September, Brightline completed a 170-mile, $6 billion project that connected its rail service to Orlando from South Florida, where stations have operated since 2018. Brightline has signaled that it wants to extend the service to the Tampa area, according to the report.

 

 

more:

https://www.railwayage.com/passenger/intercity/a-new-orlando-tampa-extension-for-brightline/

Here is a webpage about the PennDOT/Norfolk Southern (NS) agreement to increase western PA passenger rail service including a list of the 11 infrastructure projects to be done by NS. The four Early Action projects are targeted for completion by 2026 to begin operation of a second Pennsylvanian the same year.

 

https://advancingparail.com/projects/keystone-west/