Regulatory

(MBTA Photograph)

MBTA Issues Proposed $9.6B CIP, Extends Keolis Contract

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) on April 25 released its proposed $9.6 billion FY 2025-29 Capital Investment Plan (CIP) and agreed to extend Keolis’ operations contract for its Commuter Rail network, which runs from Boston to Eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

HART on April 24 announced the arrival of its final trainset from Hitachi Rail at Honolulu Harbor. (HART Photograph)

HART Takes Delivery of Final Trainset, $125MM in Federal Funding

The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) on April 24 received $125 million from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) under an amended Full Funding Grant Agreement, plus its final four-car trainset from Hitachi Rail for Skyline, the first urban rail transit GoA4 (Grade of Automation) system in operation in the United States.

“BNSF is committed to improving safety on our railroad and is proud to have reached an agreement to voluntarily participate with ATDA in C3RS,” BNSF President and CEO Katie Farmer said April 25. (BNSF Photograph)

BNSF: Second Class I to Participate in FRA C3RS

BNSF and the American Train Dispatchers Association (ATDA) will partner with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to join a one-year pilot program of the FRA-sponsored Confidential Close Call Reporting System (C3RS). Their decision to

Donald M. Payne Jr. (Photo from the Congressional Office of Donald M. Payne Jr.)
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Donald M. Payne Jr., 1958-2024

U.S. Rep. Donald M. Payne Jr. of New Jersey, who served as Senior Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Rail Subcommittee, died April 24. He was 65.

(Steve Halama, Unsplash)

Industry Groups Urge EPA to Deny CARB Rule

Industry groups are calling on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reject an authorization request from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to implement a regulation that was finalized last year,

Beginning May 5, RTD-PD will move to a 24/7 staffing model. (Denver RTD photo)

Transit Briefs: Metra, Denver RTD, Amtrak OIG

Metra schedules 47 safety blitzes in 2024. Also, Denver Regional Transportation District’s (RTD) Transit Police will implement 24/7 patrols beginning May 5; and the Amtrak Office of Inspector General (OIG) identifies opportunities for Amtrak to better use its customer service data to improve the customer experience.

(Brightline Photograph)

Brightline West Breaks Ground

Brightline West on April 22 held an official groundbreaking ceremony in Las Vegas for its $12 billion, 218-mile high-speed rail project linking Nevada and Southern California. The route, which has full environmental

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Watch: NS Reports Ops, Safety Improvements

Norfolk Southern’s Operations Task Force, led by Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer John Orr, reports that has made several improvements at the Conway Yard locomotive shop in Pennsylvania, northwest of

FRA on Nov. 6, 2023, reported awarding $16.4 billion for 25 passenger rail projects along the Northeast Corridor (NEC) through the Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program. Amtrak was to receive nearly $10 billion for the 12 projects it will lead. (White House Graphic)

FRA Releases 2024 NEC Project Inventory

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has published the 2024 Northeast Corridor (NEC) Project Inventory—an updated NEC project pipeline for the Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Grant Program (FSP-NEC). On Nov. 15, 2022, FRA