The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) is urging the House and Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations Committee leaders “to resolve their differences and provide the critical investments needed to improve our nation’s public transit, passenger rail, and multimodal infrastructure.”
![The NTSB observed the inspection and disassembly of wheelset #4 from railcar 7200, which caused the 2021 Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority derailment in Virginia. “In accordance with wheelset design, each wheel should have been flush against its bearing when mounted,” NTSB wrote in its January 2023 derailment investigation report. “Before disassembly, the inspection identified gaps between both wheels and their respective bearings: about 0.63 inches for the right-side wheel and about 1.10 inches for the left-side wheel [see above] … The back-to-back measurement was about 55.375 inches, or about 2 inches wider than the maximum design specification.” (NTSB Image)](https://www.railwayage.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/lead-315x168.png)
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on Jan. 4 issued its final report on the October 2021 Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) train derailment in Arlington, Va., attributing the cause to a wheelset irregularity. Chair Jennifer Homendy was critical of both the transit agency’s “safety culture” and the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) oversight.
Metrolinx teams up with Canadian whisky brand Forty Creek to provide free rides on GO Transit and UP Express on New Year’s Eve. Meanwhile, NJ Transit’s systemwide beverage ban remains in effect, and the Federal Transit Authority (FTA) takes nationwide steps to address assaults on transit workers. Also, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) kicks off a community engagement process to activate new spaces under new Red Line Tracks; the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) introduces the first LRV4s with a new seating arrangement; Scarborough’s Rapid Transit (RT) trains could have a new home in Detroit; and NJ Transit sells a stuffed animal to support Ricardo the Bull.
Transit agencies may now apply for Fiscal Year 2024 grants to improve subway, commuter rail and light rail system access for people with disabilities and mobility needs. The Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) All Stations Accessibility Program (ASAP) is making available $343 million; applications are due by Jan. 30, 2024.
The Northeast Corridor Commission on Nov. 16 issued CONNECT NEC 2037 (C37), which identifies long-term service objectives and associated capital investments over the next 15 years along the 457-mile NEC (Northeast Corridor),
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) on Nov. 15 reported that it is proposing new rules to “strengthen” U.S. rail transit oversight by giving State Safety Oversight Agencies (SSOAs) the right to inspect transit facilities without warning, and requiring SSOAs to collect metrics and data from the rail transit systems they oversee and to create inspection programs to decrease risk. Comments are due Jan. 16, 2024.
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is considering minimum safety standards to provide protections for transit workers to obtain rest “thereby reducing the risk of fatigue-related safety injuries.”
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) on Oct.26 announced a proposed update to the Public Transportation Safety Certification Training Program regulation that would “build upon existing training requirements for safety professionals in rail transit agencies and ensure that the training curriculum is more responsive to evolving industry needs.”
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) on Oct. 13 announced the opportunity to competitively apply for $5,093,000 under the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 and 2023 Public Transportation Innovation Program to serve as the Program Lead for the Accelerated Advanced Digital Construction Management Systems (ADCMS) program. Applications are due by Feb. 12, 2024.
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) on Oct. 10 reported that approximately $197 million in competitive grant funding is now available through its Rail Vehicle Replacement Program.