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Commuter Rail

N.J. Transit Previews New Pascack Valley Line

RIVER EDGE, N.J. — Various railroad and elected officials recently took a whistle-stop tour aboard a Pascack Valley Line (PVL) train to announce expanded service featuring 121 additional trains per week – including full weekend service for the first time in more than 60 years. “As a Bergen County resident, I know firsthand the difficulties residents face on our crowded roadways,” N.J. Transit Board Member Susan Hayes said. “The new trains mean Bergen County residents will have new travel options during the middle of the day, on weekends and late at night, creating a better match between service and demand.”

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Transit

MARTA: Ridership Increases in FY07 Thanks to Improved Service and New Fare Equipment

ATLANTA — MARTA experienced a significant boost in ridership in FY07 providing service for 147.5 million passenger boardings – 6.6 percent more than the previous fiscal year, officials said. Rail ridership also increased 12.2 percent with 77.7 million passenger boardings.  Thanks to the additional ridership, passenger revenue was also up 3.5 percent contributing to a budget surplus for the second year in a row. “MARTA’s efforts to improve service and to take a more customer focused approach to the way we do business have successfully resulted in an increase in ridership,” said MARTA General Manager Richard McCrillis.  “We are extremely

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Union Pacific

Union Pacific to Increase Train Speed Through Salt Lake City

OMAHA, Neb. – Union Pacific Railroad will increase train speed from 10 mph to 40 mph through multiple grade crossings in Salt Lake City, Utah, beginning on Nov. 2. The crossings include 1800 North Street, 3rd North Street, 4th North Street, 6th West Street, 8th West Street, 9th West Street, 10th West Street and 2nd South Street. Recent track improvements on this section of track permit operating at higher speeds. Union Pacific has raised train speeds through several communities across its rail network over the last several years following track improvements and has found that not only do the trains

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Transit

MARTA Welcomes New General Manager Dr. Beverly Scott to Lead the Agency

ATLANTA — MARTA’s new General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Beverly Scott joined the Authority this week after being selected last month by the MARTA Board of Directors. Scott has over 30 years of experience in the transit industry and has held leadership positions at some of the nation’s largest transit agencies. “Dr. Scott brings to the table a wealth of transit experience at an important point in MARTA’s history and a critical time for transportation planning in the region,” said Interim Board Chairman Reverend Walter L. Kimbrough.  “With Dr. Scott’s leadership and vision, we will continue to improve our

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Amtrak

Select Amtrak Pacific Surfliner Trains Stop at Two New Locations in Orange County

OAKLAND – Select Amtrak Pacific Surfliner trains are stopping at two new locations in the cities of Orange and Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo. These new stops are at Metrolink stations between the Anaheim and Santa Ana Amtrak stations and between Irvine and San Juan Capistrano. The Metrolink station in Orange is located at 194 North Atchison Street, Orange, California. The Metrolink station in Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo is located at 28200 Frobes Road, Laguna Niguel, California. The new stops began on Monday, Oct. 29. Pacific Surfliner trains operate 12 daily roundtrips between San Diego and Los Angeles, with five extending to Santa

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Amtrak

Amtrak Illinois Ridership Up Strongly

CHICAGO – Huge ridership gains are tied to increased Amtrak train frequencies in Illinois, with the three routes between Chicago and downstate communities showing large increases and helping Amtrak to set a new national record for passengers. In all, nearly 3.6 million passengers used Amtrak stations in Illinois, including all trains at Amtrak Chicago Union Station. The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) has more than doubled the size of its contract with Amtrak, providing three of the five round-trips on the Chicago-St. Louis corridor and two round-trips each on the Carbondale and Quincy routes, starting late last October. On the

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Amtrak

Amtrak Hiawatha Service Ridership Up Strongly

MILWAUKEE – Amtrak ridership in Fiscal Year 2007 on Hiawatha Service trains between Chicago and Milwaukee increased by 2.6 percent and is approaching 600,000 annual riders. In all, more than 631,000 passengers used the three Wisconsin Hiawatha Service stations, including Amtrak Empire Builder passengers at Milwaukee’s downtown station. More than 2.8 million passengers used the two Illinois Hiawatha Service stations, including other trains at Amtrak Chicago Union Station. Amtrak operates seven daily round-trips on the route Mondays through Fridays, with six round-trips on Sundays. The ridership gain on the Hiawathas is slightly more than the national Amtrak ridership increase of

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Amtrak

Amtrak Michigan Ridership Up Strongly

LANSING, Mich. – Amtrak ridership in Fiscal Year 2007 on trains in Michigan increased by more than 17,000 passengers, totaling nearly 682,000 riders on the three routes in the Great Lakes State. In all, Amtrak sold more than 750,000 tickets to and from locations in Michigan. Amtrak operates three daily roundtrips on the Pontiac-Detroit-Ann Arbor-Chicago route known as the Wolverine Service. The 2.4 percent ridership gain on the Wolverines matches the national Amtrak ridership increase and is the result of more than 449,000 passengers choosing rails instead of roads. The state-supported single-frequency daily routes in Michigan — Grand Rapids-St. Joseph-Chicago

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Amtrak

Amtrak Honors California Department of Transportation, William Bronte with Prestigious President’s Service and Safety Award

WASHINGTON – Amtrak has honored William Bronte, Chief, Division of Rail for the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), for special recognition among state and local leaders across the nation for his support of Amtrak and his commitment to passenger rail service. During ceremonies here, Amtrak President, CEO Alex Kummant presented Bronte with Amtrak’s most prestigious award, the President’s Service and Safety Award for State Partner. He is one of three people who received the award nationally. “Your efforts exemplify initiative, commitment and dedication to Amtrak, and our entire organization extends to you our highest appreciation,” said Kummant. Recipients in the

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Amtrak

Amtrak’s Keystone Service Sees Increases in Ridership and Revenue

WASHINGTON – Amtrak is reporting double-digit growth in ridership and revenue during fiscal year 2007 on routes through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, most notably the Keystone Service. Operating between Harrisburg, Philadelphia and New York, the Keystones saw ridership grow to 988,454, an increase of 20 percent for FY07. Ticket revenue for the same period increased nearly 30 percent to $20,582,838. The Keystone Service ranks fifth in growth in ridership and revenue among all Amtrak services. “People traveling from Harrisburg and Lancaster to Philadelphia and back now have an even better option to beat traffic congestion,” said PennDOT Secretary Allen D.