For the first time in the U.S., Siemens Mobility will be showing at Railway Interchange 2019 (RSSI Booth #4137) its TPS Online Movement Planning Solution, currently “one of the most talked-about technologies since successful deployment across Europe including the U.K., Germany, France and Scandinavia, where it is currently supporting Norway’s autonomous train operations.”
Pittsburgh-based Hitachi Rail STS USA has partnered with the Rail Transportation Engineering (RTE) program at Penn State Altoona to donate a MicroLok® Wayside Control System.
After nearly a decade of analysis and active engagement with communities along the route, the California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) Board of Directors recently concurred with staff recommendations for the Preferred Alternatives for the high-speed rail routes in Northern California.
The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) on Sept. 16 released a proposed $51.5 billion 2020-2024 capital investment plan it describes as “by far the highest in the MTA’s history, increasing spending on infrastructure by 70% over current levels.” MTA plans to invest more than $40 billion in New York City Transit subways and buses as well as make major investments in the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North commuter rail networks.
Two vacant seats on the five-member Surface Transportation Board (STB) could be filled by early 2020, as a Democrat—to be paired with an already nominated Republican—has emerged as a likely nominee.
EnviroServe recently opened of a new office in Denver, Colo., which brings the company’s total operations to 17 locations across multiple states.
GWIP, LLC, a managed affiliate of The Broe Group, has sold a land parcel within the Windsor, Colo., Great Western Industrial Park (GWIP) to Intersand America Corp., a global cat litter producer.
Light rail projects continue to advance in Canada’s Ontario Province, as years of planning, investment and construction gradually come to fruition. And Toronto’s vintage ALRVs have finally been retired.
Amtrak CEO Richard Anderson proposes to eliminate most of Amtrak’s interregional trains because, he says, they cater predominantly to “hobbyists” and “experience-seekers.” And, he asserts, hardly anyone rides between endpoints. This vision explains in large measure why Amtrak does so poorly in the competitive marketplace for intercity travel, and why its trivial market share for intercity passenger transport (smaller than motorcycles) continues to decline.
It feels a little strange to paraphrase Karl Marx in this publication, but the circumstances seem to warrant it in this instance. There are advocates all over the country who want an improved Amtrak, at least as they see it, and this writer knows or has known many of them. Unfortunately, sometimes their advocacy serves to undermine the efforts of other advocates, pitting two advocacy camps against each other and furthering the goals of the anti-rail forces who want to make our trains disappear permanently. A recent editorial piece here in Railway Age, a blog post, a magazine story and an advocate’s response to it from earlier this year comprise two cases in point.
