Railfanning.org News Wire

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Transit

MARTA looking to expand along Ga. Highway 400 corridor

August 29, 2013 Todd DeFeo
ATLANTA — The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) is looking to expand its system to include “high-capacity transit” along a major thoroughfare into the city’s northern suburbs. Transit options for the 12-mile corridor along Ga. Highway 400, according to a notice published in the Federal Register, could include bus or rail. While MARTA officials have looked to expand the city’s subway system, new tracks haven’t been brought into service since 2000. “MARTA has identified an alignment that would provide approximately 11.9 miles of transit service along the GA 400 corridor within existing right-of-way from the existing North Springs MARTA
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Amtrak

Amtrak investing $35 million in Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station

August 26, 2013 Railfanning.org News Wire
PHILADELPHIA — Amtrak is making a $35 million investment to upgrade the historic 30th Street Station in Philadelphia. The upgrades, according to Amtrak, will improve the passenger experience and improve pedestrian mobility in and around the facility. The upgrades also meet long-term infrastructure needs of the 80-year-old station. “30th Street Station is an iconic fixture in Philadelphia,” Stephen Gardner, Amtrak vice president of Northeast Corridor infrastructure and investment development, said in a statement. “As stewards of this national historic landmark we are committed to maintaining its status as a first-class facility for passengers and further integrating the station into the
Amtrak

Amtrak Continuting to Make Upgrades to Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station

August 25, 2013 Railfanning.org News Wire
PHILADELPHIA – Amtrak will continue work this summer and fall on several upgrades at Philadelphia 30th Street Station to improve the passenger experience, tend to the long-term infrastructure needs of the nearly 100year-old building and improve pedestrian mobility in and around the facility. The projects represent about a $35 million investment. “30th Street Station is an iconic fixture in Philadelphia,” said Stephen Gardner, Amtrak vice president of Northeast Corridor infrastructure and investment development. “As stewards of this national historic landmark we are committed to maintaining its status as a first-class facility for passengers and further integrating the station into the
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Transit

MARTA Moving Forward with Transit-Oriented Development

August 14, 2013 Railfanning.org News Wire
ATLANTA — MARTA recently release a Request For Qualifications (RFQ) to identify a master development partner to help create a new Transit-Oriented Development at the King Memorial rail station in Downtown Atlanta. The RFQ is the initial phase of a two-step process wherein potential development partners will be asked to respond to MARTA’s qualification criteria for its TOD program. A short list of firms who satisfy the criteria will subsequently be invited to submit formal bids on the project as part of a future Request for Proposals (RFP). MARTA selected King Memorial Station as the first of five transit-oriented developments
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Commuter Rail

SEPTA Sets Record for Regional Rail Ridership

August 14, 2013 Railfanning.org News Wire
PHILADELPHIA — SEPTA set a new Regional Rail ridership record, with 36,023,000 trips taken by customers during Fiscal Year 2013, the Authority announced last month. Fiscal Year 2013 was the 12-month period from July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013. Ridership on SEPTA’s 13 Regional Rail lines increased by 2.2 percent over the course of the year. System-wide, SEPTA recorded 337.3 million trips during the year on its trains, buses and trolleys. While total ridership was down slightly from the 339.3 million trips in Fiscal Year 2012, the numbers for FY 2013 were impacted by a two-day shutdown due to
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Commuter Rail

R Montague tubes close for 14 months of Sandy-related repairs

August 14, 2013 Railfanning.org News Wire
MTA New York City Transit has started so-called “Fix&Fortify” work to the R Subway Line Icon Montague Tubes. The work, which began Aug. 2, will last for 14 months. The MTA is well into the most extensive and wide-ranging reconstruction effort in its history after Superstorm Sandy decimated the subway system last fall. The Greenpoint and Montague Tubes suffered extensive damage during the storm, when they were flooded with salt water along with seven other interborough subway tubes. The work amounts to a near rebuilding of the link which connects Downtown Brooklyn with Lower Manhattan. The work will be completed
Commuter Rail

N.J. Transit approves FY 2014 budget with no fare increase

August 14, 2013 Railfanning.org News Wire
NEWARK, N.J. — The N.J. Transit Board of Directors last month approved a Fiscal Year 2014 operating budget that calls for no fare increase for the fourth consecutive fiscal year. The budget also includes a capital program to supports continued investments in infrastructure and equipment to maintain the system in a state of good repair and improve the overall customer experience. “This budget will enable us to maintain and enhance New Jersey’s robust transportation system while responding to the needs of the customers who rely on our service to conduct life’s daily business,” N.J. Transit Executive Director James Weinstein said