(NCTD Photograph)

NCTD Cutting Back Coaster Fleet

The Board of California’s North County Transit District (NCTD) on June 15 approved trimming the Coaster regional/commuter rail fleet by five legacy, Bombardier-built bi-levels and two just-delivered Siemens Chargers, and using the

Unifor reaches agreements with CN. Pictured: CN master bargaining committee. (CNW Group/Unifor)

Labor Agreements Ratified at CN, CSX, Metrolink

CN has reached new collective agreements with Unifor, its largest union, covering approximately 3,000 Canadian employees. Also, the Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers-Transportation Division B&O (SMART-TD B&O) has ratified a

John C. Hellmann, CEO, Genesee & Wyoming

Hellmann Headlining Inaugural ‘Young Professionals’ Conference

Topping the list of reasons to attend Railway Age’s inaugural Young Professionals conference, to be held virtually May 11, is keynote speaker John C. Hellmann, CEO of Genesee & Wyoming, a short line and regional railroad holding company that owns or leases 115 freight railroads world-wide.

(BNSF Photograph)

People News: AITX, Metrolink, Pandrol, R&N, RailState, Sound Transit, WSP USA

Executive changes have been announced at railcar service provider AITX; Southern California regional/commuter railroad Metrolink; rail infrastructure firm Pandrol; Reading & Northern Railroad (R&N); real-time network visibility provider RailState; Seattle’s Sound Transit; and consultancy WSP USA.

Metrolink reports that its earthquake early warning system is based on an interface between the United States Geological Survey ShakeAlert® system and the railroad’s Positive Train Control system.

Watch: Metrolink Deploys Earthquake Early-Warning Tech

Technology that automatically alerts trains and applies the brakes for safe, rapid slowing or stopping in the event of an earthquake has been rolled out across Metrolink, the seven-line, 538-route mile regional/commuter

(Shutterstock/ Monton Tiemrak)

25 UNDER 40

RAILWAY AGE, FEBRUARY 2023 ISSUE: Railway Age is proud to recognize 25 ‘Fast Trackers’ Under 40 in 2023.

Los Angeles Gold Line Breda LRVs arrive at the Mission (Meriden Ave) station in Pasadena. (Joseph M. Calisi Photography©, All Rights Reserved)

So-Cal Rail Renaissance

PASSENGER RAIL FOCUS, RAILWAY AGE FEBRUARY 2023 ISSUE: Whoever thought that Southern California, which decades ago ripped up much of its extensive passenger rail network, would become a rail transit mecca? Agencies like Los Angeles Metro Rail, NCTD, Metrolink and Amtrak are returning the region to its glory days.

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.

New York MTA’s Metro-North Penn Station Access Project would bring MTA Metro-North commuter rail service to Penn Station and Manhattan’s west side, along Amtrak’s Hell Gate Line on the Northeast Corridor (artist’s rendering shown).

Transit Briefs: Brightline, NYMTA, OCTA, SacRT, SCVTA

Ahead of service to Orlando, train testing of up to 110 mph continues for Brightline, Florida’s private-sector passenger railroad. Also, New York MTA’s Metro-North Penn Station Access Project faces delays; Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) and Metrolink unveil track and station improvements in Anaheim, Calif.; Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) in California begins station modifications to accommodate new LRVs from Siemens Mobility; and Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (SCVTA) offers limited-edition trading cards.

ITC Rendering Courtesy of the City of Inglewood

LA Metro Finalizes Improvement Initiatives

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Authority (Metro) announced that it has approved a Master Cooperative Agreement (MCA) for the Inglewood Transit Connector (ITC) project and will partner with the Southern California Regional Rail Authority (Metrolink) to improve Antelope Valley Line (AVL) service.

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