High Performance

Andy Byford during his two-year tenure as NYCT President.
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Report: “Train Daddy” Andy Byford to Join Amtrak

Andy Byford, nicknamed “Train Daddy” when he was President of MTA New York City Transit, will begin his new role as Senior Vice President for Amtrak’s high-speed rail (HSR) program, effective April 10, according to multiple news reports.

ACE officials are anticipating that expansion into Stanislaus and Sacramento counties will begin in late 2026, The Modesto Bee reports. (ACE Photograph)

Transit Briefs: ACE, Amtrak, BART, Brightline West

ACE’s (Altamont Corridor Express) timeline is being pushed back for its commuter rail service expansion into Stanislaus and Sacramento counties in California. Also, Amtrak and the Southern Rail Commission are seeking a federal study for new long-distance service across Mississippi and Louisiana to Texas; San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) proposes fare increases in 2024 and 2025; and Brightline West teams with the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California (SBCTC) and the Southern Nevada Building Trades Union on its planned 218-mile high-speed rail system connecting Las Vegas and Southern California.

Commentary

Still Riding, Still Writing at 75!

Sometimes I find it difficult to believe that I’ve made it this far. Wednesday, March 8, is my 75th birthday. None of us ever know precisely how many more birthdays we will

Arup/WSP JV are providing planning and engineering services for Link21’s planned Transbay Rail Crossing, connecting Oakland and San Francisco. (Photo credit: Link21 Program)

Report: Link21 Scaling Back?

The $29 billion Link21 initiative led by San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) and the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (CCJPA), with the aim of connecting BART with the region’s intercity, commuter and high speed passenger rail systems, like Amtrak and Caltrain, while also “connecting people sustainably to employment opportunities and affordable housing throughout the 21-county Northern California Megaregion,” may be scaled back.