Transit Briefs: MORPC, Alstom

Written by Carolina Worrell, Senior Editor
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Corridors of Interest in the style of Amtrak Connect. Map created by Ryan Colburn, via Twitter.

The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) and Ohio mayors work to advance Amtrak expansion plans. Also, Alstom’s automated people mover (APM) at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport carries first passengers across new extension.

MORPC

According to a Columbus Underground report, MORPC, along with other metropolitan planning organizations throughout Ohio, submitted “expression of interest” letters to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) earlier this fall indicating their willingness to work with the FRA to “create more detailed plans for new passenger rail service.”

The letters, which were also sent by a group of mayors along the proposed 3C+D corridor (linking Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus and Cleveland), including Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther, also “make the planning agencies and municipalities entities eligible to apply for federal funds in the future, if needed, and more broadly help to demonstrate support for Amtrak expansion in the state,” according to the Columbus Underground report.

According to MORPC, and as reported by Columbus Underground, the letters “requested prioritization of the 3C+D corridor–including a passenger rail spur connector to John Glenn International Airport–as well as the Chicago-Columbus-Pittsburgh corridor. And other potential lines have been submitted for consideration, including Columbus–Toledo–Detroit, Columbus–Lancaster–Logan–Athens, Columbus–Chillicothe–Portsmouth, and an expansion of the Zanesville and Western Scenic Railroad.”

A map created by Houston, Tex.-based transportation planner Ryan Colburn showing the potential lines, as well as other submitted corridors, has been making its rounds on social media, “illustrating the central role of Columbus in such a potential passenger rail system,” according to the Columbus Underground report, which adds that the map “takes Amtrak’s own Connects US plan and adds in the corridors proposed by regional planning agencies, cities and state departments of transportation.”

“To me the good news is that people are thinking about this, people are noticing,” said Stu Nicholson, Executive Director of the pro-train advocacy group All Aboard Ohio. “We get comments daily, almost; ‘what about this corridor?’”

According to the Columbus Underground report, Nicholson and other advocates “are hopeful that Governor Mike DeWine will soon weigh in on the issue publicly, noting that other governors–including some from neighboring states–have been much more hands-on in working with planning agencies and local leaders to bolster their state’s chances of being awarded federal funding.”

The bipartisan infrastructure bill that was signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2021 includes $66 billion in funding for Amtrak expansion nationally.

According to the Columbus Underground report, a spokesperson for the governor’s office said that DeWine “wouldn’t be responding to questions about Amtrak expansion until a report being prepared by ORDC examining construction and operation costs has been completed.”

The deadline to apply for the first round of funding from the infrastructure bill is March 7.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding DeWine’s support, MORPC’s leadership “has been making the case that this latest bid to bring back passenger rail to Columbus is different than previous attempts (in 2010, Governor John Kasich returned $400 million in federal money for passenger rail expansion shortly after taking office),” according to the Columbus Underground report.

Alstom

Alstom announced Dec. 20 that it has successfully delivered the extension to the PHX Sky Train® APM system at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, providing airport connections to the light rail train system and the rental car center.

This extension to the PHX Sky Train®, Alstom says, provides not only increased capacity, but also more multimodal and accessible connections between the city of Phoenix and the airport, and an enhanced overall airport experience for domestic and international travelers.

Successful delivery of the extension to the PHX Sky Train® automated people mover (APM) system at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

Under the scope of its contract for the 2.5-mile extension, Alstom delivered a full turnkey solution comprised of electro-mechanical and guideway equipment; expansion of the current maintenance and storage facility; a maintenance recovery vehicle; retrofitted the wayside signaling system; and upgraded vehicles already in operation today. In addition, 24 new Innovia APM 200 vehicles allow for three-car trains, up from two-car trains, which means “being able to move more passengers more comfortably and more quickly in and around the airport facilities,” Alstom said. Alstom delivered the extension, while maintaining current operations of the PHX Sky Train® throughout construction and testing, with no impact to availability or reliability of the system.

“Our partnership with Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is grounded in a shared vision and commitment to improve passenger connectivity,” said President of Alstom Americas Michael Keroullé. “The complexity of this extension project was tied to the need to maintain airport connectivity services aligned with passenger expectations during construction and especially at the time of integrating the extension to the existing system. What we have achieved today demonstrates the power of a great and collaborative partnership with Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, an important asset as we continue to operate and maintain the expanded Sky Train system for the years to come.”

According to the company, Alstom’s relationship with the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport dates to 2009 and the construction of the first phase of the PHX Sky Train®. For the first phase of construction, Alstom designed and supplied all electrical and mechanical equipment, a maintenance facility and 18 Innovia APM 200 vehicles. In addition, since 2013, Alstom has operated and maintained the PHX Sky Train® since it first started carrying passengers–24 hours per day and 365 days a year–and will continue to operate and maintain the entire 4.2-mile system for the next 10 years.

The PHX Sky Train®, Alstom says, has a proven track record, achieving near flawless performance–consistently more than 99.5% percent availability–since the system opened. This is the third installation of Innovia APM 200, following Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and Heathrow Terminal 5 Transit.

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