Commuter Rail – Page 42 – Railfanning.org

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo Announces Restoration of Limited Commuter Railroad and Subway Service

October 31, 2012 Railfanning.org News Wire

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced that beginning this afternoon, both Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad will begin to provide limited service on part of their respective networks. The Governor also announced that beginning Thursday morning, there will be limited subway service on several routes, supplemented by a bus shuttle between Downtown Brooklyn and Midtown. There will be no subway service between 34th St in Midtown and Downtown Brooklyn. Earlier today, Local, Limited-Stop and Express Bus service began operating as close to a normal weekday schedule as possible. As was the case yesterday, bus service will operate on a

NJ Transit Reopens River Line Light Rail Service

October 31, 2012 Railfanning.org News Wire

The Christie Administration announced today that River Line light rail service will resume service starting at 3 p.m. today, making trips every 30 minutes between the Walter Rand Transportation Center in Camden and Trenton Transit Center. The restoration of this light rail service continues the Christie Administration’s ongoing storm assessment and restoration efforts related to N.J. Transit. Due to significant damage across the State’s public transportation network, N.J. Transit rail and Access Link service will remain suspended until further notice. Newark Light Rail and Hudson Bergen Light Rail service also remain suspended until further notice. While bus service within the

N.J. Transit’s Infrastructure Severely Damaged in Hurricane Sandy

October 30, 2012 Railfanning.org News Wire

Hurricane Sandy has greatly damaged N.J. Transit’s infrastructure across the state, officials said. “The N.J. Transit system has experienced unprecedented devastation in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. Destruction summarizes the impact to rails, rail yards, bus depot and critical operation centers,” N.J. Transit Board Chairman and NJ Department of Transportation Commissioner James Simpson said. “With the break of daylight, N.J. Transit began to inspect and assess the full extent of the damage. Our employees are committed to restoring the system as safely and efficiently as humanly possible.” Early inspections reveal damage includes but is not limited to the following: Two

Governor Cuomo Directs MTA to Move Forward with System-wide Shutdown

October 28, 2012 Railfanning.org News Wire

The MTA has been directed by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to begin an orderly shutdown and suspension of all subway, bus and commuter railroad service at 7 p.m. Sunday. The decision was made to protect customers, employees and equipment from the wrath of Hurricane Sandy as the strong storm continues its march up the east coast. MTA Chairman and CEO Joseph J. Lhota announced that service on NYC Transit subways will be curtailed beginning at 7 p.m., and the bus network within the following two hours. Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad will start their finals trains by 7

Feds: $26.5 Million to Improve Reliability and Reduce Delays on North Carolina Passenger Trains

September 23, 2012 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON – The feds have awarded $26.5 million to the North Carolina Department of Transportation to improve reliability and reduce delays on Amtrak service in eastern North Carolina. The resulting improvements are centered in the area between Rocky Mount, N.C. and Petersburg, Va., and will improve service for both the Amtrak Carolinian line, which runs between New York City and Charlotte, N.C., and the Amtrak long distance trains that run between New York City and Florida, federal officials said. “This project will not only bring jobs to the region, but will also reduce delays between New York, Washington, Raleigh, and

Feds Award More than $74 Million to Further Development of the Southeast High-Speed Rail Corridor in Virginia

September 20, 2012 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON – The federal government has awarded more than $74.8 million to the Commonwealth of Virginia to continue development of the Southeast High-Speed Rail Corridor. The funding will help improve passenger and freight rail service between Virginia and Washington, D.C. and reduce delays on the Virginia Rail Express (VRE) commuter service, according to the feds. “The Southeast High-Speed Rail Corridor between Charlotte and Washington D.C. serves one of the fastest growing regions in the country, which is why it is critical to eliminate congestion points so that intercity passenger, freight and commuter rail can all run smoothly without delays,” U.S.

Wabtec Signs $45 Million Contract To Repower Locomotives For Toronto’s Metrolinx

August 24, 2012 Railfanning.org News Wire

WILMERDING, Pa. — Wabtec Corp.’s MotivePower subsidiary has signed a $45 million contract with Metrolinx, an agency of the Province of Ontario and the regional transportation authority for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA). MotivePower will repower 11 locomotives with new engines and propulsion systems that meet significantly higher environmental standards. Deliveries are expected to begin in 2014. The locomotives, originally built by MotivePower about five years ago, will be repowered with new engines that meet Tier 4 emission standards, as set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. They include technology that reduces diesel particulate emissions by about 85

Metro Takes Delivery of State-of-the-Art Track Geometry Vehicle

July 5, 2012 Railfanning.org News Wire

Metro has accepted delivery of its first track geometry vehicle (TGV), a specialized railcar equipped with advanced technology to analyze the condition of rail and track infrastructure, and to alert Metro to potential defects. The TGV, built by Falls Church, VA-based Ensco, Inc., gives Metro in-house capability to inspect track with greater speed and efficiency, and to detect track anomalies before they have an impact on service. “Ultrasonic and geometry testing can be performed to assist in managing maintenance needs and advance identification of ‘trouble spots’ to improve reliability of service and limit disruptions,” said Tom Robinson, Metro’s Deputy Chief

CN Sells Greater Toronto Area Rail Lines to Metrolinx for GO Transit Services

March 27, 2012 Railfanning.org News Wire

TORONTO — CN has sold two rail line segments in the Greater Toronto Area to Metrolinx for $310.5 million Canadian. GO Transit’s Richmond Hill commuter rail service operates over a portion of CN’s Bala Subdivision. Metrolinx is acquiring a segment of the subdivision from approximately Rosedale Valley Road north through the Don Valley to CN’s main east-west freight line north of Steeles Avenue near the Toronto-York Region border. Metrolinx is also acquiring a segment of CN’s Oakville Subdivision from a point near 30th Street in the Etobicoke area of Toronto and terminating just west of the Fourth Line in Oakville,

FRA Administrator Szabo Joins Portland Officials to Review Portland-Seattle Train Project

March 18, 2012 Railfanning.org News Wire

PORTLAND, Ore. – Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph C. Szabo on March 16 joined local officials at Union Station to celebrate the Pacific Northwest Passenger Rail Corridor construction project in Portland. Through the High-Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail Program (HSIPR), the U.S. Department of Transportation has invested $814 million to pay for upgrades to one of the busiest intercity passenger rail corridors in the nation, which runs between Vancouver, BC, and Eugene, OR. The upgrades are essential, as the number of roundtrips between Portland and Seattle is expected to increase by 50 percent in just five years. “All across the country,