Amtrak
Northeast Corridor
Amtrak
N.J. Transit: Longer Platforms, Expanded Station Building Coming to Metropark
NEWARK, N.J. – N.J. Transit is planning to renovate the station building and build longer, wider platforms at N.J. Transit’s busiest outlying rail station – Metropark Station on the Northeast Corridor in Woodbridge Township. “These improvements will ensure that Metropark Station remains an efficient and modern gateway for commuters in the growing Central New Jersey region,” said Transportation Commissioner and N.J. Transit Board Chairman Kris Kolluri. “While providing an enhanced customer experience, the project will also enable the station to serve more riders in the future to support capacity expansion projects such as the Access to the Region’s Core tunnel
Amtrak
FRA, New Jersey Transit Begin Study of Portal Bridge
WASHINGTON – Public comments are being sought for a project to replace, repair, or retain a 96-year-old railroad bridge on the heavily congested Northeast Corridor connecting the Newark, N.J., and New York. The Federal Railroad Administration and New Jersey Transit will jointly prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS), in cooperation with Amtrak, to study improvements to enhance capacity and operation of the Amtrak-owned Portal Bridge that spans the Hackensack River. Originally constructed in 1910, the bridge is nearing the end of its projected lifespan, officials say. “Because of the bridge’s critical role in the successful operation of the Northeast Corridor,
Commuter Rail
N.J. Transit Dedicates New Multilevel Rail Cars to Nine Communities
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — N.J. Transit dedicated its first multilevel rail cars to nine communities served by the state’s commuter rail system. At a Nov. 15 ceremony during the League of Municipalities gathering at the Atlantic City Convention Center, the cars were dedicated in recognition of the strong ties between N.J. Transit and the host communities of Trenton, Hamilton, West Windsor, Edison, Rahway, Woodbridge, Elizabeth, Newark and Summit. Each of the 234 multilevel cars will display a commemorative plaque in honor of a community served by the rail network as they are delivered over the next two years. “These municipalities
Amtrak
Amtrak Ticket Revenue Tops $1.37 Billion, Sets New Record
WASHINGTON — Amtrak passenger ticket revenue increased in Fiscal Year 2006 to $1.37 billion, the highest annual ticket revenue ever achieved, and, at $132 million over last year, the railroad’s largest year-over-year increase. The railroad also served 24.3 million passengers — nearly 300,000 more than for the same trains in the previous fiscal year. Total ticket revenue for the period October 2005 through September 2006 was an 11 percent increase over the $1.23 billion in FY05. Ridership increased from 24 million to 24.3 million — a one percent increase over the previous 12 months. “These numbers are indicative of the
Commuter Rail
Multilevel Rail Cars to Debut on Northeast Corridor
NEWARK, N.J. – After months of extensive testing, N.J. Transit will place the first multilevel train into service on Dec. 11 for customers on the Northeast Corridor between Trenton and New York. “These cars provide much needed capacity to meet our growing demand while we build the Trans-Hudson Express Tunnel,” said N.J. Transit Chairman and Transportation Commissioner Kris Kolluri. “We look forward to customers coming aboard.” “The Port Authority was proud to partner with N.J. Transit by providing $250 million for the first 100 multilevel rail cars,” said Port Authority Chairman Anthony R. Coscia. “That investment was the precursor to
Commuter Rail
N.J. Transit to Begin Portal Bridge Replacement
NEWARK, N.J. – Plans to eliminate a major chokepoint and source of delays on the Northeast Corridor are underway thanks to action taken this week by the N.J. Transit Board of Directors to conduct environmental and related engineering work to rehabilitate or expand the 96-year-old Amtrak Portal Bridge. The Board awarded a $3.3 million contract to New York-based AKRF Inc. to determine how best to increase rail capacity at the two-track swing bridge, which carries the Northeast Corridor (NEC) over the Hackensack River just west of Secaucus Junction. “Today’s action is another example of this Board’s commitment to take meaningful
Commuter Rail
Engineering Begins on Trans-Hudson Express Tunnel
NEWARK, N.J. – The Trans-Hudson Express (THE) Tunnel reached another important milestone Tuesday (Aug. 10). N.J. Transit Board of Directors approved a contract to begin engineering a project that will more than double commuter rail capacity between New Jersey and New York. The action comes less than two weeks after the Federal Transit Administration notified Congress that it would formally approve preliminary engineering of THE Tunnel project, following a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis and funding review by the FTA, officials said. Last week, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey committed up to $2 billion to fund construction of
Amtrak
Amtrak
Amtrak and Cianbro Corp. Announce $76 Million Bridge Span Replacement at New London, Conn.
WASHINGTON – The nearly 100-year-old Thames River Bridge between New London, Conn., and Groton, Conn., will undergo a $76 million replacement of its aging bascule lift span under a construction contract between Amtrak and Pittsfield, Maine-based Cianbro Corp., the parties announced. The construction project will take two years to complete and is the largest single capital improvement Amtrak will make to the Northeast Corridor during this time. Work on the project begins this month on the installation of seven new underwater communications and signal submarine cables. In the most dramatic phase of the construction project to occur over 12 days