South Florida Regional Transportation Authority

NYMTA photo

Transit Briefs: NYMTA, Amtrak, Tri-Rail, NFTA, PRT

The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) combats “subway stupidity.” Also, Amtrak resumes service on the Adirondack Line; Tri-Rail takes added safety measures as it heads to downtown Miami; the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) launches a new MetGo app; and Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) deploys mobile ticketing and validators across light rail powered by Masabi.

Transit Briefs: WMATA, SFRTA/Tri-Rail

Four Green Line stations on the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) system will reopen on Saturday, Sept. 2. Also, the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA) is seeking a Miami-Dade vendor with ADA-accessible vehicles for first-/last-mile Tri-Rail accommodations.

WMATA is readying for service its newest station: Potomac Yard in Alexandria, Va. (WMATA Photograph)

Transit Briefs: Austin’s Project Connect, Metra, Metrolinx, Tri-Rail, Sound Transit, STM, WMATA

The Austin (Tex.) Transit Partnership awards light rail planning and design contracts for Project Connect. Also, Metra’s Chicagoland commuter rail stations will offer train-tracking and schedule updates on new video monitors; Metrolinx provides an official “first look” at GO Trains on the Davenport Diamond Guideway in Toronto; South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA) reveals a new Tri-Rail train wrap; Seattle’s Sound Transit receives a loan to finance its South Sounder Access Improvement Project; residents of the agglomeration of Montréal aged 65 and over will soon ride free on Société de transport de Montréal (STM) transit services; and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) announces the launch date of its 98th rapid transit station.

Brightline, Siemens and Herzog plan to employ 150 highly skilled technical positions at Basecamp, Brightline’s new $100 million state-of-the-art train maintenance facility that can service up to 16 trains at a time. (Screen grab courtesy of Brightline)

Transit Briefs: Brightline, Northern Lights Express, Tri-Rail, SEPTA

Brightline teams with Valencia College to bring highly skilled jobs to Central Florida. Also, Minnesota is closer than ever to funding the proposed Northern Lights Express (NLX); Tri-Rail ridership continues upward trend in first quarter 2023; and the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) releases proposed Fiscal Year 2024 Operating Budget.

Ahead of future service between Mobile, Ala., and New Orleans, La., Amtrak engineers and conductors will soon begin required “familiarization” trips to learn the route’s physical characteristics.

Transit Briefs: Amtrak, MTA Metro-North, Tri-Rail

Amtrak advances crew training for Mobile-to-New Orleans intercity passenger rail service. Also, Connecticut lawmakers eye electrification of MTA Metro-North Railroad’s Danbury Branch; and south Florida’s Tri-Rail commuter railroad saw January ridership grow 30% over the same month last year.

To provide new revenue to the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is eying a payroll tax increase on businesses in New York City and its surrounding counties that are served by MTA’s subways, commuter railroads and buses.

Transit Briefs: NYMTA, Tri-Rail, WMATA

New York Gov. Kathy Hochel addresses the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s “fiscal cliff” in her state budget proposal; MTA signs a program management and design services contract to support capital program infrastructure work. Also, south Florida’s Tri-Rail commuter railroad homes in on a 2023 start date for downtown Miami service; and Washington Area Metropolitan Transit Authority mourns the loss of employee Robert Cunningham, who intervened on behalf of a customer at Potomac Avenue rapid transit station and was a victim of gun violence.

The final Brookville LRV to support Sound Transit’s T Line Hilltop Tacoma Link Extension has arrived in Tacoma, Wash. (Photograph Courtesy of Sound Transit)

Transit Briefs: Amtrak, NYMTA, SEPTA, Sound Transit, Tri-Rail

Amtrak completes station upgrades in northeastern Missouri. Also, New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) holds station operations exercise at Grand Central Madison; Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) celebrates “a century of elevation”; the last of five LRV’s has arrived to support Sound Transit’s 2.4-mile extension of the Tacoma (Wash.) Link line; and south Florida’s Tri-Rail commuter railroad moves another step closer to serving MiamiCentral Station.

BART Add Fare Machines inside stations, which also serve as parking payment machines, now accept credit and debit cards.

Transit Briefs: BART, Amtrak, SEPTA, HART, MTC, NJ Transit

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.

Business Class riders will now be treated to reclining leather seats and other amenities onboard Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner. (Photograph Courtesy of Amtrak Pacific Surfliner)

Transit Briefs: Amtrak, CTDOT, CTA, MARTA, Metrolinx, SacRT, Tri-Rail

Amtrak® Pacific Surfliner® trains now include upgraded Business Class equipment. Also, Shore Line East, Connecticut Department of Transportation’s (CTDOT) commuter rail service between New London and New Haven, may be expanded to Rhode Island; Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) has installed security camera monitors in all rail station customer service booths; Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) marked the official opening of StationSoccer and released a Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Request for Proposals (RFP); Metrolinx’s GO expansion is progressing along the Barrie Line; Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) offers tips to “help clear the air” in recognition of California Clean Air Day (Oct. 5); and Tri-Rail, South Florida’s regional passenger railroad, will not reach downtown Miami in 2022.