Commuter Rail

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Commuter Rail

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
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Canadian National

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,
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Commuter Rail

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,
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Commuter Rail

N.J. Transit Board Approves Changes to Bloomfield Ave. Station

March 16, 2012 Railfanning.org News Wire
NEWARK, NJ — Improvements to make Newark Light Rail’s Bloomfield Avenue Station accessible to customers with disabilities and more convenient for all customers will begin this spring, under a contract approved by the N.J. Transit Board of Directors. “Projects like this reinforce our steadfast commitment to enhancing the accessibility of our facilities and helping to ensure that public transportation is a viable option for all New Jersey residents,” said Transportation Commissioner and N.J. Transit Board Chairman James Simpson. The Board authorized a $5.2 million contract with DMR Construction of Waldwick, N.J., for the construction of accessibility improvements at the station,
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Commuter Rail

LaHood Announces $3.3 Million for New York High-Speed Intercity Rail Project

April 8, 2011 Railfanning.org News Wire
NEW YORK — U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced $3.3 million for the State of New York to add track and rail capacity in the congested Upstate New York area, advancing the state’s high-speed intercity passenger rail program. The project will relieve congestion, leading to greater reliability and faster travel times, and is necessary to achieve the faster speeds for future high-speed rail development. The project is being funded from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. “Adding track in Saratoga Springs and Ballston Spa will reduce congestion and improve reliability,” said Secretary LaHood. “President Obama’s bold vision for high-speed rail