Commuter Rail – Page 79 – Railfanning.org

Storms Wreak Havoc on NYC Trains

August 9, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

NEW YORK — Commuter rail and subways were closed after a tornado touched down and heavy rainstorms flooded portions of New York City, authorities said. The tornado had sustained winds topping 110 mph, authorities said. The twister tore a roughly two-mile swath in Brooklyn. At least one person was killed in the storm. Metropolitan Transit Authority were forced to close because the rain fell too fast, according to authorities. City officials were using pumps to remove the water and reopen any lines that closed. — Railfanning.org News Wire

N.J. Transit Orders 45 Additional Multilevel Rail Cars

July 12, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

NEWARK, N.J. — N.J. Transit’s Board of Directors last month authorized the purchase of an additional 45 multilevel rail cars from Bombardier Transportation — a move that saves the company money on overhaul costs. The fleet of 279 rail cars will enable N.J. Transit to meet and anticipate ridership demand on its busiest rail lines, while providing a higher level of comfort for customers. “Purchasing additional multilevel rail cars is a smart business decision — one that will allow us to replace some of our aging fleet more cost-effectively than overhauling older rail cars,” said Transportation Commissioner and N.J. Transit

N.J. Transit Sets New Systemwide Record

July 12, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

NEWARK, N.J. — N.J. Transit closed Fiscal Year 2007 (FY07) with the fourth consecutive year of systemwide ridership growth, with preliminary data showing a 4.1 percent increase to a record-high 250.9 million annual trips, up from the 241.1 million trips carried on the system’s bus, rail and light rail services in Fiscal Year 2006. The Corporation’s fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30. “Given our strong regional economy and job market and sustained higher fuel prices, more New Jersey residents than ever are relying on public transportation,” said Gov. Jon S. Corzine. “This continuing trend of record-high ridership

N.J. Transit Advances Project to Extend Hudson-Bergen Light Rail to 8th Street in Bayonne

July 12, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

NEWARK, N.J. — N.J. Transit’s plans to extend Hudson-Bergen Light Rail service farther into Bayonne advanced today, with the Board of Directors authorizing the acquisition of all property necessary to construct a one-mile extension of the track alignment and a new station at 8th Street. “The Hudson-Bergen Light Rail line has been serving Waterfront communities since opening seven years ago,” Transportation Commissioner and N.J. Transit Board Chairman Kris Kolluri said. “The one-mile extension south in Bayonne will provide new neighborhoods with connections to N.J. Transit rail services, trans-Hudson ferries, PATH trains and park-and-ride facilities.” “I would like to thank the

N.J. Transit Adopts FY 08 Capital, Operating Budgets

July 12, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

NEWARK, N.J. — After posting a fourth consecutive year of record ridership growth, N.J. Transit has adopted a budget that supports more service while keeping core system cost growth constrained to inflationary levels. “Gov. (Jon) Corzine once again has demonstrated his commitment to the economy, the environment and the quality-of-life for New Jersey residents by continuing state operating and capital support for public transportation,” said N.J. Transit Board Chairman and Transportation Commissioner Kris Kolluri. “This budget steps up to the service needs of growing ridership demand and lays the groundwork for the added capacity we need looking forward.” At its

N.J. Transit Replacing Rail Ties Along Morristown Line

July 12, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

NEWARK, N.J. — As part of its ongoing state-of-good-repair initiative, N.J. Transit is replacing wooden railroad ties with more durable concrete ties and laying new rail along a portion of the Morristown Line. Work will take place on weekends through Labor Day, beginning in the early morning hours and continuing throughout the day and into the evening. Beginning July 14, the project will move into Morristown, then head eastward along the line through Morristown, Convent Station, Madison and Chatham. Ties have already been laid in Denville, Parsippany-Troy Hills and Morris Plains. N.J. Transit is advising residents who live in the

CTA: Additional Work Means Removal of 8 Miles of Slow Zones This Year

July 11, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

CHICAGO — The Chicago Transit Authority announced an aggressive schedule to eliminate eight miles of slow zones on branches of two of its busiest rail lines – the north branch of the Red Line and the subway portion of the O’Hare branch of the Blue Line. The subway portion of the Blue Line work is underway and will be completed by mid-September and the Red Line work will be completed by year-end. Over the last ten weeks, CTA engineers have been focused on developing a detailed specification for re-building the Blue Line tracks from Addison to O’Hare. “We know our

Additional Security Funds Possible

June 14, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — Additional security grant funds for transit systems are likely as a result in increases in FY08 Department of Homeland Security appropriation bills that are pending in Congress. The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee voted June 14 to approve the FY08 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appropriations bill, which includes $400 million for rail/transit security grants — more than the double the amount contained in last year’s bill. Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee approved its version of the bill, which also contained $400 million for its rail/transit security grant program. “The availability of additional funds will

CTA’s Diversey Station to Close for Renovation

June 12, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

CHICAGO — Chicago Transit Authority’s Diversey station — on the Brown Line — will temporarily close for renovation. The closure begins June 25and will be closed for 12 months while construction crews work to upgrade and extend platforms, rebuild the stationhouse and make the station accessible to customers with disabilities. The adjacent stations – Wellington and Fullerton – will remain open during the temporary closure of the Diversey station so customers may continue to use them to access Brown Line service. When the Diversey station reopens next year customers will have a new stationhouse and platform with a new elevator

NTSB to Release Factual Reports on Massachusetts Bay Commuter Rail Collision

June 8, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — The National Transportation Safety Board will release a factual report June 11 into a January Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority passenger train collision that left two workers dead and injured two others. At 1:38 p.m. Jan. 9, southbound MBTA passenger train No. 322, traveling at 60 mph, struck track maintenance equipment near Woburn, Mass. Six track employees were working on or near the equipment at the time. Two employees were fatally injured, two employees were seriously injured and two employees were unhurt. Emergency responders treated and released ten passengers at the accident scene. The information being released is factual