CalSTA

ASLRRA President Chuck Baker

ASLRRA Honors Safety Professional, Safety Person of the Year; Names 2024 Environmental Award Winner

The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) has named Mission Mountain Railroad (MMR) Railcar Repairman Sam Pederson as its Safety Person of the Year and Florida East Coast Railway (FECR) Training Program Manager Albert Manning as its Safety Professional of the Year. Also, Sierra Northern Railway is named ASLRRA’s 2024 Environmental Award winner. All three awards were presented on March 25 at ASLRRA’s Annual Conference, held this year in Kansas City, Mo.

(Rendering Courtesy of Caltrans)

California Orders Another Six HFC Trainsets

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) on Feb. 14 reported exercising an option with Stadler for six additional zero-emission HFC (hydrogen fuel cell) FLIRT H2 trainsets, valued at $127 million. The $80 million base

The state of California and Stadler have signed a contract for four hydrogen-powered trainsets, “marking a significant step towards a sustainable, emissions-free future for the Golden State,” Stadler reported in an Oct. 12 LinkedIn post. (Rendering Courtesy of Stadler)

California Finalizes Order for 29 HFC Trainsets

Stadler on Oct. 12 signed an agreement with the state of California to supply four zero-emission HFC (hydrogen fuel cell) four-car FLIRT H2 trainsets to the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) and

CalSTA announced a $46 million state grant for VTA's East San Jose Light Rail Extension.

CalSTA: $690MM for Public Transportation Projects

The California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) on April 24 announced an award of more than $690 million to 28 new public transportation projects in disadvantaged communities to “close out the first wave of a historic infusion of state funding to expand transit and passenger rail service throughout the state, helping to cut planet-warming pollution.”

CalSTA awarded Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) $375 million for the six-mile, four-station BART Silicon Valley Phase II Extension Project that will bring BART service to downtown San Jose and Santa Clara. Project completion is scheduled for 2033.

CalSTA Awards $2.5B for Rail Transit Projects

San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) and Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board (Caltrain) are among the 14 California agencies that will share $2.515 billion in TIRCP (Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program) grants from CalSTA (California State Transportation Agency) for rail-related projects.

Transit Briefs: LA Metro, Calif. High-Speed Rail, Link21, Brightline

Lunar New Year TAP cards are now available at LA Metro Customer Centers and select rail stations. Also, new efforts to bring high-speed rail to downtown San Francisco include a price tag of $6.7 billion; Link21 announced appointment of 18 members to its newly formed Equity Advisory Council; and Brightline continues train testing at higher speeds in Palm Beach County in preparation for opening to Orlando.

According to CalSTA, 70% of the Port and Freight Infrastructure Program funding will go to projects that support goods movement through the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

California Supply Chain Receives $1.2 Billion in State Funding

The California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) on Oct. 12 issued final guidelines and a call for projects for $1.2 billion in one-time state funding for port and infrastructure projects to “build a more efficient, sustainable and resilient goods movement system.”