Proposal for New Maine Passenger Trains
How do you save a freight rail line when it loses its primary shipper? Many cycling enthusiasts will tell you to rip up the tracks and turn it into a bike trail,
AmeriStarRail
Transit Briefs: AmeriStarRail, CTA, MBTA, Gateway Development Commission, MDOT, SEPTA, CHSRA
AmeriStarRail proposes a battery electric streetcar system for Wilmington, Del. Also, CTA President Dorval R. Carter is named Equity in Infrastructure Project (EIP) Co-Chair; the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) aims to boost officer retention with a new Police Association contract and announces that Commuter Rail ridership has reached a new post-pandemic peak; the Gateway Development Commission can now officially receive checks from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA); the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) awards two contracts to study potential transit-oriented development (TOD) at light rail and subway stations; the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) Board approves a new contract agreement with TWU Local 234; and the California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) enters into an agreement with 13 rail labor unions.
Commentary
Troubled NEC Bridge Over Maryland Waters
Amtrak is working on a plan to replace the 117-year-old Howe deck truss bridge over the Susquehanna River between Perryville and Havre-de-Grace, Maryland, railroad west from Delaware and on the way to
Commentary
Amfleet I: How Safe After All These Years?
Two veteran railroaders with 110 years’ experience between them have called for Amtrak to phase out use of Amfleet I equipment on the Northeast Corridor (NEC) for safety reasons. They claim that
PANYNJ, Others Seek LGA Connection
In the October 2021 issue of Railway Age, we reported on Kathy Hochul, New York’s new governor, and some new directions that she might take concerning transit in the Empire State, especially in and near New York City. This is the territory of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), but the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) is a big player there, too. Hochul took office last August on two weeks’ notice, when Andrew Cuomo was forced out, due to a number of scandals. Cuomo had taken a hands-on approach to managing transit, but Hochul has not always supported her predecessor’s pet projects. The proposed LaGuardia AirTrain is a case in point.
Commentary
Private Sector Investment in NEC Operations?
For almost half a century, passenger rail service in the United States has resided in the public sector. Despite its unusual statutory charter, Amtrak’s voting shares belong to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Every transit agency that runs trains in its metropolitan area is owned by some sort of public entity, whether based in state or local government, or a separate public-sector authority. Times are changing, though, and certain private-sector entities have expressed interest in running passenger railroads.