Altamont Corridor Express

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.

As part of its Climate Action Plan, San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission has moved to the sole use of renewable diesel (R100) for its ACE locomotive fleet.

Transit Briefs: ACE, NJT, STM

San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission has made the switch to 100% renewable diesel for locomotives operating in ACE (Altamont Corridor Express) commuter rail service in California. Also, New Jersey Transit (NJT) and Berkeley College have signed a three-year marketing agreement; and Société de transport de Montréal (STM) has released its 2023 budget and 2023-32 Capital Expenditures Program.

The Sacramento region has secured nearly $50 million in CalSTA TIRCP (Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program) grants for Sacramento Valley Station and transit improvement projects. (Rendering Courtesy of Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority)

CalSTA Allocates $378.9MM for Rail Transit Projects

San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) and Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) are among the eight California agencies that will share $378.9 million in TIRCP (Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program) grants from CalSTA (California State Transportation Agency) for rail-related projects.

The San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission’s (SJRRC) ACE Rail Maintenance Facility will house the future Rail Academy of Central California (TRACC), which is seeking 70 students for instruction and hands-on-training this fall. Pictured: SJRRC TRACC Lead Tamika Smith (far left); San Joaquin Council of Governments Executive Director Diane Nguyen (third from left); and SJRRC Executive Director Stacey Mortensen (far right).

Rail Academy of Central California to Launch This Fall

A rail industry workforce development and apprenticeship program will launch this fall in Stockton, Calif., under a strategic partnership of Sacramento City College; Stockton Unified School District; Herzog Transit Services, Inc.; Union Pacific; and Amtrak.

ACE Ceres-Merced Extension Project Advances

The San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission (SJRRC) Board of Directors has certified the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the project extending Altamont Corridor Express (ACE) service south between Ceres and Merced, Calif.

SJRRC will provide up to 50% off regular ACE commuter rail tickets to qualified riders as part of a one-year pilot program.

SJRRC Caps Fares With CAP

California’s San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission (SJRRC) has launched the Altamont Corridor Express (ACE) Community Assistance Program (CAP) as a one-year pilot “to address equity and enhance regional mobility.”

$100MM TCEP Grant For Stockton Diamond Grade Separation

A $237 million highway/rail grade separation project on what is described as “the busiest, most congested at-grade rail junction and rail bottleneck in California” has been awarded a $100 million TCEP (Trade Corridor Enhancement Program) grant from the California Transportation Commission (CTC).

ACE charges ahead with Siemens

The San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission (SJRRC) has awarded Siemens a contract to build four Charger diesel-electric locomotives for Altamont Corridor Express (ACE) service, with an option to purchase four additional units.

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