Confirming a change by its contract partner, Caltrans amended its $317-million contract for new passenger cars, replacing Nippon Sharyo with Siemens, which will join with Sumitomo Corp. of America to fulfill the delayed multi-state order. Other details of the order were changed as well.
Chicago area commuter rail operator Metra announced August 9, 2016 that due to changes in the availability of capital required to fund its $2.4 billion modernization plan, the agency has temporarily suspended its search for a vendor to supply 367 double-deck gallery-style coaches.
The federal-state partnership to build 130 modern bi-level passenger rail coaches for higher-speed rail (HrSR) corridors in the states of California, Illinois, Michigan and Missouri under the 2008 PRIIA legislation “was doomed from the start,” according to James E. Coston, Chairman of Corridor Capital LLC.
With the launch of Union Pearson Express (UPE) connecting Lester B. Pearson International Airport to Toronto Union Station on June 6, the Cummins QSK19-R becomes the first railcar diesel engine produced in North America certified to meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Tier 4 Final emissions regulations.
Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) service “is two years away from the start of passenger service between the Sonoma County Airport and downtown San Rafael” in northern California, and the project “is on solid financial footing,” according to SMART Chief Financial Officer Erin McGrath.
