MTA Metro-North Railroad

At Metro-North, six new SC-42DM dual-mode (diesel-electric/third-rail) Charger locomotives will replace GE P32AC-DMs, which have either reached or exceeded their projected 25-year lifespan. (Siemens Mobility Photograph)

More Siemens SC-42DMs for Metro-North

Siemens Mobility on Sept. 26 reported that it will supply six additional SC-42DM dual-mode (diesel-electric/third-rail) Charger locomotives to MTA Metro-North Railroad, building on an initial 27-unit order placed in 2020 for the

Amtrak on Sept. 21 celebrated the $1.4 million renovation of its Missouri River Runner-served station in Jefferson City. (Amtrak Photograph)

Transit Briefs: Amtrak, MBTA, NYMTA, SMART

Amtrak completes $1.4 million station-accessibility upgrade project in Jefferson City, Mo. Also, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) schedules fall service shutdowns for maintenance work; New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) reports post-pandemic subway ridership records and releases a Request for Information for subway platform cooling technologies; and Petaluma, Calif., receives $30.2 million for affordable housing at the future Petaluma North SMART (Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit) Station.

VIA Rail has announced an investment of more than $80 million in the renovation of four of its 36 “heritage” stations: Winnipeg Union Station (pictured), Vancouver Pacific Station, Halifax Station and Gare du Palais in Québec City. (Photograph Courtesy of VIA Rail, via X, formerly known as Twitter)

Transit Briefs: Caltrain, MBTA, Metro-North, Sound Transit, TTC, VIA Rail

California’s Caltrain debuts new fare product promotions. Also, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Agency (MBTA) announces its vision to improve safety, service, equity, sustainability and culture; commuter rail service on MTA Metro-North’s New Canaan, Conn., Branch will resume after three months of trackwork; Sound Transit announces the launch date for the Bellevue-to-Redmond, Wash., portion of the East Link light rail extension; Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) confirms that service on Line 3 Scarborough RT (rapid transit) will not restart following a July 24 derailment; and VIA Rail Canada is investing more than C$80 million in four “heritage” stations.

Metro-North’s locomotive No. 201 pays tribute to Conrail. (MTA photo)

Transit Briefs: Metro-North Railroad, BART, MBTA, OC Transpo, Metrolinx, NYMTA/LIRR

Metro-North Railroad celebrates its 40-year history of public service with a second rebranded locomotive; Bay Area Rapid Transit’s (BART) latest Quarterly Performance Report (QPR) shows major service reliability improvements with fewer delays; the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s (MBTA) Operations Control Center (OCC) policies meet Federal Transit Administration (FTA) requirements for safety of the public and workforce; service on OC Transpo’s Ottawa LRT network resumes; Metrolinx announces e-scooter pilot program with SCOOTY Mobility; and the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announces preliminary findings of internal investigation following Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) derailment.

Avalon Harrison will include more than 140 affordable housing units, as well as access to shops and retail. (MTA photo)

Transit Briefs: NYMTA/Metro-North, LA Metro, Metrolink, Brightline, OC Transpo, WMATA

The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announces the completion of Avalon Harrison, a transit-oriented development at the Harrison Metro-North station. Also, LA Metro reveals new subway cars; Metrolink relaunches low-income discount program as “Mobility-4-All”; Brightline delays inaugural Orlando rail service; partial service on OC Transpo’s O-Train Line 1 returns; and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) is paid $100,000 to extend service after Beyoncé concert.

A new Amtrak OIG report finds that Amtrak “faces challenges with the systems and processes it uses to track and manage costs for capital projects, which hinder project teams from identifying emerging cost overruns.” (Photograph Courtesy of Amtrak OIG, via Twitter)

Transit Briefs: Amtrak OIG, FTA, NYMTA

“Amtrak is strengthening its project cost management, but can better organize costs and improve guidance,” according to the latest Amtrak Office of Inspector General (OIG) report. Also, the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) and Cincinnati Connector Streetcar will receive funding through the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Areas of Persistent Poverty Program; and New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) will increase subway fares and implement recommendations of the Blue-Ribbon Panel Report on Fare and Toll Evasion.

evo-rail, Nomad Digital and Alstom will deliver core rail-5G mmWave radio technology to Caltrain, which provides commuter rail service between San Francisco and San Jose, Calif. (Photograph Courtesy of Caltrain via Twitter)

Transit Briefs: Caltrain, Metro-North, SJRRC, VIA Rail

evo-rail teams with Alstom and Nomad Digital to bring rail-5G mmWave radio technology to Caltrain. Also, MTA Metro-North Railroad train inspectors could strike this fall; San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission (SJRRC) will receive $40 million from the California Transportation Commission (CTC) for a double-tracking project that has both freight and passenger rail benefits; and VIA Rail Canada is investing more than C$25 million on London, Ontario, station upgrades.

Transit Briefs: Amtrak, NYMTA, Metra, SEPTA, LA Metro, Caltrain

Amtrak leadership signs Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI) Safety Pledge. Also, the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and Metro-North Railroad set post-pandemic ridership records; Metra seeks public feedback on proposed simplified fare structure; the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) receives two sustainability awards for environmental excellence; LA Metro implements fare capping; and Caltrain delays fare increases.