Commuter Rail
Commuter Rail
Commuter Rail
U.S. Transportation Secretary LaHood Announces $727,000 for New York High-Speed Rail
NEW YORK — U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced $727,000 for the State of New York to continue work on its high-speed rail program with the rehabilitation of the Buffalo-Depew railroad station. The Department of Transportation has provided New York $1.7 million of the $151 million awarded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for high-speed rail. “President Obama’s bold vision for high-speed rail is a game-changer for transportation in New York and the United States,” LaHood said. “This undertaking is not only creating good jobs and reinvigorating our manufacturing base, it’s also going to reduce our dependence on
Commuter Rail
U.S. Transportation Secretary LaHood Announces Initial $20.3 Million For North Carolina High-Speed Rail
WASHINGTON — In January, President Obama announced that North Carolina was awarded $545 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds to continue its development of high-speed intercity rail. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation and the State of North Carolina have finalized a grant agreement for $20.3 million, the first installment of the $545 million awarded to the state. “President Obama’s bold vision for high-speed rail is a game changer for U.S. transportation,” LaHood said. “We’re improving North Carolina’s transportation infrastructure while putting people back to work. That’s a win for everyone.”
Commuter Rail
U.S. Transportation Secretary LaHood Announces $35 Million in Recovery Act Funding For Downeaster Rail Improvements
WASHINGTON — In January, President Obama announced that Maine was awarded $35 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds for the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority (NNEPRA). On July 6, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation and the State of Maine have finalized a grant agreement allowing work to begin on the rehabilitation and expansion of the popular state-supported Downeaster Amtrak intercity passenger service. The Downeaster operates five daily roundtrips between Portland, Maine, and Boston. “This project is a great example of what the Recovery Act is all about,” LaHood said.
Commuter Rail
High Speed Rail Moves Forward: Federal Railroad Administration Seeks Applications for $2.3 Billion in High-Speed Rail Grants
WASHINGTON — The Obama Administration has taken the next step toward realizing its vision for high-speed rail in the United States. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) will begin accepting applications for $2.1 billion in grants to continue the development of high-speed intercity passenger rail corridors. In addition, FRA will make another $245 million available for individual construction projects within a corridor. Funds for both come from the FY 2010 DOT Appropriations Act. “This important step builds on the $8 billion for high-speed rail that President Obama announced last January,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “The President’s
Amtrak
Amtrak Announces Actions Implemented to Put MARC Passengers First
WASHINGTON – At a special “Meet the Managers” event today at Washington Union Station, Amtrak President and CEO Joseph Boardman directly informed MARC passengers of some of the actions the railroad is implementing to put passengers first and take care of their needs in the event of a MARC commuter train breakdown. “Amtrak is in the business of moving people and we must never forget that,” Boardman said. “Passengers come first and the equipment comes second.” Amtrak is taking the following actions now and will continue to work with MARC to identify additional measures to improve customer service: Water Supply
Amtrak
Amtrak, Metra, TSA and Local Law Enforcement Deploy Across Chicago Area Rail Stations
CHICAGO – During today’s morning and evening commutes, Amtrak Police, Metra Police, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) personnel and law enforcement officers from more than 100 federal, state, local and rail police agencies are being deployed at more than 100 passenger rail stations in Illinois and the neighboring states of Wisconsin and Indiana in an exercise of expanded counterterrorism and incident response capabilities. The multi-force security surge across Chicagoland and in two other states is not in response to any threat or incident. Rather, today’s deployment is part of Operation ALERTS (Allied Law Enforcement for Rail and Transit Security), a coordinated
Amtrak
Amtrak Apologizes to MARC Passengers
WASHINGTON – On June 21, MARC Train 538 lost power soon after leaving Washington Union Station, resulting in loss of air conditioning and “uncomfortable conditions for passengers” who waited about two hours for a resolution. “On behalf of Amtrak, I extend my most sincere apologies to the passengers of Train 538 for having to withstand unacceptable conditions and inconveniences during this service disruption,” President and CEO Joseph Boardman said. “We fell short of providing the service we strive to deliver. “In conjunction with the Maryland Transit Administration and the Federal Railroad Administration we are conducting a thorough investigation of the