“AEI (Automatic Equipment Identification) technology is 40 years old and tells us where our shipment was. What we need is a technology that tells us where our shipment is, and a more
Capital Metro (CapMetro) of Austin, Tex., names Dottie Watkins President and CEO. Also, Denton County (Tex.) Transportation Authority (DCTA) appoints four new executives, Maurice Bell, Sherrelle Evans-Jones, Bracey Goodwin IV and David Magaña; and Hitachi, Ltd. elevates Andrew Barr to Vice President and Executive Officer in charge of Regional Strategies (EMEA), and President of Hitachi Europe Ltd., and Giuseppe Marino to Group CEO of Hitachi Rail, a global supplier of rolling stock, signaling, service and maintenance, digital technology and turnkey systems.
Ahead of service to Orlando, train testing of up to 110 mph continues for Brightline, Florida’s private-sector passenger railroad. Also, Hitachi Rail publishes a study on attitudes toward public transport across eight global cities; former Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) General Manager and CEO Paul Wiedefeld is tapped as Maryland’s next Transportation Secretary; Warren Buffett speaks out against planned streetcar service in Omaha, Neb.; Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) receives the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) Gold Standard Award for transit security and emergency preparedness programs; and a new Seattle, Wash., program gives free transit cards to public housing residents.
Connect 6ix has landed the C$9 billion contract for the Ontario Line Rolling Stock, Systems, Operations and Maintenance (RSSOM) package, Canada’s Infrastructure Ontario and Metrolinx reported on Nov. 17.
Hitachi Rail on Oct. 18 released the final designs for its $70 million railcar manufacturing plant and test track in Washington County, Md. First on the production line when complete in early 2024: an 8000-series rapid transit car fleet for Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA).
RailPulse is developing a cloud-based telematics platform in an aim “to accelerate the adoption of GPS and other technologies across the North American railcar network.” Late last month, it outlined a three-phase approach to development, which is slated to be complete in second-quarter 2023.
Bay Area Rapid Transit’s (BART) Add Fare machines undergo major upgrades to improve customer experience. Also, Amtrak trains could be coming into the Miami Intermodal Center; the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) breaks ground on new accessibility project at Tasker-Morris Station; the Honolulu Authority for Rail Transportation (HART) and Hitachi Rail run small-scale exercise drills in partnership with the city’s first responders; the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) adopts a new Transit-Oriented Communities Policy to promote commercial development near transit stations; and NJ Transit rolls out two initiatives as part of its ongoing Safety Education Program.
Hitachi Rail and Trenitalia on Sept. 21 at InnoTrans 2022 unveiled the hybrid tri-mode “Blues Train,” which can switch between battery, electric or diesel power and will enter passenger service in Italy later this year.
Wabtec Corp. announced on Sept. 15 that it has won an order to supply 300 half-height platform screen doors across Panama Metro’s (Metro de Panama) L3 monorail stations being built by Hitachi Rail, as part of the Grupo de Empresas Sunrise Monorail.
Canada’s Infrastructure Ontario and Metrolinx on Sept. 14 announced the preferred proponent teams to deliver the South Civil, Stations and Tunnel (South) and Rolling Stock, Systems, Operations and Maintenance (RSSOM) contracts for the 9.7-mile (15.6-kilometer) Ontario Line, a planned Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) rapid transit line linking the Ontario Science Center and Exhibition/Ontario Place.
