Ed Boyle, Vice President Engineering, Norfolk Southern (NS Photograph)

Forward Focus

2024 READERS’ MOST INFLUENTIAL LEADERS, RAILWAY AGE MAY 2024 ISSUE: Railway Age’s 2024 subscriber-selected honorees all embody an entrepreneurial spirit anchored in a commitment to service, safety and sustainability.

Batory Slated for Amtrak Board

President Joe Biden on May 2 announced his intent to nominate Ronald L. Batory to the Amtrak Board of Directors. “Ronald L. Batory is a career railroad professional with more than 45

Now On Line: Railway Age May 2024 Digital Edition

The May 2024 issue of Railway Age is available digitally, featuring the honorees of our fifth-annual Readers’ Most Influential Leaders poll, plus Railinc’s locomotive report and MxV Rail R&D.

Starting May 21, a second daily Amtrak train will be offered between St. Paul and Chicago, via Milwaukee, the state-sponsored Borealis, whose name “was determined in a collaborative process,” Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari told Railway Age. “It is a reference to the north direction, in Latin.” (Amtrak Map)

Transit Briefs: Amtrak, NYMTA, SMART, WMATA

A second daily Amtrak train is launching between St. Paul, Minn., and Chicago, via Milwaukee, Wis., the state-supported Borealis. Also, New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and New York City Department of Social Services (DSS) unveil the Fair Fares pilot program; Northern California’s Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) logs record commuter rail ridership; and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) and Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) announce a transit planning initiative for the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia.

“Having a library, public restrooms, a community center, and a kitchen all under one roof—and only steps away from Skagit station—will be a major benefit for the people of Mount Vernon,” USDOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg said May 1. “This is the first of what we hope will be many TOD loans that will make vital resources more accessible to more people, especially historically overlooked communities.” (Screen Shot of the Mount Vernon Library Commons Project from a city of Mt. Vernon, Wash., video)

USDOT Closes First Loan Supporting TOD

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) on May 1 reported that its Build America Bureau has approved the first transit-oriented development (TOD) TIFIA loan, which will support a Mt. Vernon, Wash., project located a short walk from the Amtrak-served Skagit Station.

(Photo Credit: Facebook/Tren Maya)

Mayan Train Full Opening Delayed to Late August

Construction problems on an environmentally sensitive section of the line between Playa del Carmen and Tulum have caused numerous setbacks.

Metrolinx Selects ETCS Level 2 for GO Transit

Foregoing PTC (Positive Train Control) as deployed on the U.S. rail network, Metrolinx says its GO Transit regional rail system will be “the first passenger rail system in either Canada or the

Illinois State Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) and Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado (D-Chicago) have introduced the Metropolitan Mobility Authority Act that proposes combining RTA, CTA, Metra and Pace into a new Chicagoland entity and providing it with an annual boost of $1.5 billion, according to a WGN9 report on April 29. (CTA Photograph Courtesy of FTA)

Transit Briefs: CTA/Metra/Pace/RTA, VIA Rail, WMATA

Two Illinois state legislators propose merging the Regional Transit Authority (RTA), Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), Metra commuter rail and Pace suburban bus in Chicago. Also, VIA Rail Canada Inc. (VIA Rail) adds service between Ottawa and Toronto; and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) improves faregate display-screen messaging.

Premier of Alberta Danielle Smith announces the government's master plan aimed at increasing passenger rail service in the province. (Screenshot Courtesy of the Alberta government via YouTube)

Alberta Announces Master Plan Aimed at Increasing Passenger Rail Service

The Alberta government on April 29 announced a master plan aimed at increasing passenger rail service in the province.

“Train Daddy” (as he was nicknamed in New York City) Andy Byford is among the most recognizable figures in global passenger rail and now Senior Vice President for High-Speed Rail at Amtrak. (Screen Shot of Amtrak Video)
Commentary

Watch: Exploring Amtrak’s High-Speed Rail and What’s Next

Amtrak in 2000 introduced Acela, the first high-speed rail service in the Western Hemisphere. Since then, we’ve served more than 65 million passengers. But what’s next for high-speed rail in America? Dive into

LOAD MORE