California awards $2.5B to passenger rail
The California State Transportation Agency has awarded more than $2.5 billion in grants though its Transit and Intercity Rail Capital program. Awards include funding for the East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit project, BART downtown San Jose to Santa Clara extension, Caltrain San Jose to San Francisco electrification, BART service upgrades between San Francisco and Oakland; and completion of three Metrolink critical infrastructure projects. [progressiverailroading.com]

WV railroad repaired after nearly 40 years
Work to repair damage to the Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad from the 1985 flood has finally been finished. The last stretch was a 15 mile section between Cass and Durbin in Pocahontas County. Work to restore the line has been ongoing for several years. All of the rails and bridge have been restored. The rail line reports the Greenbrier Express will depart Cass starting in the spring. The ride features secluded and remote wilderness areas in the West Virginia mountains. [wvmetronews.com]

MnDOT optimistic about Twin Cities-Duluth
A long-awaited passenger train route running from the Twin Cities to Duluth could finally get state funding from the Minnesota legislature. Funding for the proposed Northern Lights Express route is under consideration in committee. After years of Republican opposition, DFL control of both houses has given MnDOT new optimism. With most of the $425 million project funding coming from the federal government, Minnesota lawmakers are looking to provide $99 million to move the project forward. [fox9.com]

Amtrak resumes weekend San Diego runs
Amtrak will resume weekend passenger service between San Diego and Orange counties Saturday for the first time since it was suspended September 30th to begin a track stabilization project still underway at San Clemente. The work is expected to conclude by the end of March. Regional Metrolink passenger service remains suspended south of San Clemente while Amtrak and Coaster services between San Diego and Oceanside have been uninterrupted. [sandiegouniontribune.com]

Maine DOT seeks Brunswick-Rockland trial
The prospect of regular passenger service on a state-owned route between Brunswick and Rockland, Maine, received a big boost last week when Maine’s Department of Transportation budgeted $3 million to advance a two-year pilot project utilizing 1950s-era Budd Rail Diesel Cars. Plans to extend the Boston-Brunswick Downeaster an additional 56 miles to Rockland have been contemplated since seasonal excursions ended in 2015 with Amtrak running a test train in 2019. [trains.com]

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Joe Biden hails plans for Baltimore tunnel fix
On Monday, President Joe Biden stood before the decrepit Baltimore and Potomac Tunnel to promote his 2021 infrastructure law which is just now ramping up the spending on major projects. Biden said replacing the tunnel could slash what’s now a 60-minute Baltimore-to-Washington commute in half. As a senator, the president regularly journeyed home to Delaware on Amtrak through the tunnel. The new tunnel will lead to 20,000 construction jobs and cut down on auto traffic and pollution. [apnews.com]

FTA makes $21B available for transit projs
The Federal Transit Administration is making approximately $21 billion available to transit agencies and communities in the 2023 fiscal year, following the passage of the $1.7 trillion omnibus appropriations bill in December. The FTA says funding will allow agencies to address repair backlogs, modernize fleets, and transition to new technologies that address the climate crisis. California, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Texas will each receive more than $500 million in funds. [smartcitiesdive.com]

Data shows NYC subway safety improving
Since new safety initiatives were launched last fall, major crime in NYC’s subway system is down 16% with the overall crime rate dropping to pre-pandemic levels. Since October, both New York and Metropolitan Transportation Authority police departments have increased officer presence on platforms and the state’s Office of Mental Health has increased support for unhoused individuals sheltering in the subway system and those who are suffering from severe mental illness. [masstransitmag.com]

LA Metro signs on for Ingelwood people mover
The Inglewood Transit Connector (ITC) Project, a three-stop, 1.6 mi people mover, is advancing thanks to a new agreement between L.A. Metro and the city of Inglewood. The people mover would connect L.A. Metro’s K Line to housing and commercial centers along an elevated guideway. The route will use Market Street, Manchester Boulevard and Prairie Avenue. The people mover will better connect Inglewood, L.A. County’s fastest growing city, with the L.A. Metro Rail system. [masstransitmag.com]

Burlington Amtrak service off to a strong start
Early ridership numbers show strong support for the 6-month-old Ethan Allen Express rail service between Burlington, Vermont and New York City. Using statistics from Trains in the Valley, a rail advocacy organization in western Massachusetts, Vermont rail booster Carl Fowler reported that the extended Ethan Allen Express route surpassed advocates’ expectations by transporting 7,800 riders in October and 8,000 riders in November, the last month for which figures are available. [sevendaysvt.com]

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NYC’s LIRR pulls into Grand Central Madison
The MTA’s Long Island Rail Road has begun direct train service into Grand Central Madison in New York City. Grand Central Direct trains operating between Jamaica and Grand Central Madison double LIRR capacity into Manhattan. The new terminal provides seamless connectivity throughout the MTA region, with LIRR and MTA Metro-North railroads and subway services all in one building for the first time. A new Main Line Third Track enables reverse-commuting options that were not previously possible. [progressiverailroading.com]

Cincinnati streetcar ridership hits all-time high
Ridership on Cincinnati’s fare-free Connector rose most months throughout 2022 and hit its all-time annual record high in the year. In 2022, 846,601 people boarded the streetcar to travel along its 3.6 mi route that stretches through Over-the-Rhine and The Banks via the Central Business District. The previous record for ridership was 2017, the streetcar’s first full year of operation, 571,601 people rode the Connector.
[progressiverailroading.com]

Twin Cities-Duluth rail advocates newly optimistic
MinnesoMinnesota legislators have started to work on securing funding for a long-anticipated passenger rail line between Duluth and the Twin Cities, with bills in the House and Senate calling for $99 million from the state general fund to start the service. If Gov. Tim Walz signed off on that legislation, it would unlock $396 million in matching federal funding for the Northern Lights Express rail service. It would be the first passenger rail [twincities.com]

Mass sees push for Commuter Rail electrification
State lawmakers are making another push for Commuter Rail electrification, now that a new governor is in office. Legislation was filed in both the House and Senate that calls for the MBTA and its rail contractor, Keolis, to operate a fully electric system by Dec. 31, 2035, and “ensure sufficient zero-emission infrastructure is in place” to meet that timeline. The proposed legislation directs the MBTA and MassDOT to pursue federal funding to accomplish zero-emission infrastructure and electrification. [masstransitmag.com]

Philly launches QR ticketing for up to five people
Philadelphia’s SEPTA has launched a mobile ticketing pilot program, offering a QR code ticket for up to five people traveling together using its smartphone app. Key Tix is not intended to replace SEPTA’s Key Cards, but to provide an option for infrequent users who want to enjoy the same benefits, including one free transfer per trip. Key Tix is currently valid on metro, light rail and bus services, with expansion to suburban rail lines planned for later this year. [railwaygazette.com]

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Limited service returning to stabilized SoCal track
Emergency track work in San Clemente, California, has stabilized coastal slope movement allowing weekend passenger-rail service to resume. Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner will resume weekend service on February 4th, while Metrolink trains will continue to operate on weekends as far as San Clemente Pier Station. The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) expects work to be completed by late March, when full service could be restored. Service was suspended in September.[progressiverailroading.com]

Long sought Rhode Island train station opens
After two decades, the Pawtucket-Central Falls Transit Center finally opened Monday morning. The train station, located on Pine Street, adds a stop to the MBTA Providence/Stoughton line, connecting the Blackstone Valley with Boston. The first train left shortly before 4:30 a.m. The station was originally set to open last summer, but the project was delayed due to labor and supply chain problems. Gov. Dan McKee joined other leaders at 9 a.m. for a ceremonial ride to the station from Providence. [wpri.com]

Amtrak starts overnight fleet replacement proces
After requesting information regarding replacement railcars for its overnight routes, Amtrak has received submissions from ten manufacturers. This marks the first formal step to completely reequipping Amtrak’s long-distance network. The new vehicles will be used to provide 14 overnight routes across the country including the Auto Train, California Zephr, Southwest Chief and Empire Builder. [railway-news.com]

NC passenger trains saw record ridership in ’22
North Carolina’s state-subsidized passenger trains had a record year in 2022. The Piedmont and Carolinian carried 522,550 people last year, according to the N.C. Department of Transportation. That eclipses the previous annual record of 481,491 in 2014. The numbers don’t include four long-distance Amtrak trains that make several stops as they pass through the state between New York and the Southeast. [aol.com]

Kansas City Streetcar extends hours of operation
The KC Streetcar has extended weeknight hours to midnight in response to an increase in ridership and downtown activity. The streetcar’s ridership has steadily increased and rebounded since the early months of the Covid pandemic in 2020. Since opening in May 2016, the streetcar has served more than 11.2 million passenger trips. Strong demand from the community supports the decision to extend hours. [rtands.com]

Houston METRO launches new light-rail vehicle
Harris County’s MTA (METRO) has launched the first of 14 new light-rail vehicles (LRVs) to be added to the Houston agency’s fleet over time. The new LRV entered service on the METRORail Red Line, which runs between the Northline Transit Center and Fannin South Station. Stops include downtown stations, Midtown, Museum District, Hermann Park/Houston Zoo, Texas Medical Center and NRG Park. The Siemens Mobility vehicles have wide aisles to accommodate wheelchairs, strollers and bicycles. [progressiverailroading.com]

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Light rail chosen for Brooklyn-Queens connector
New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority will develop Interborough Express-branded light rail services along the 22.5 km freight corridor between Bay Ridge in Brooklyn and Jackson Heights in Queens. The existing freight line links Bay Ridge docks at 65th Street Yard, which is served by a train ferry across the Hudson River, with short line operator New York & Atlantic Railway’s main marshaling yard at Fresh Pond in Queens; it then turns north to reach Jackson Heights. [railwaygazette.com]

White Pass & Yukon restart Alaska-Canada train
The White Pass & Yukon Railway will resume trips between Alaska and Canada this summer, the first such operations since before the Covid pandemic, One-way passenger service from Skagway, Alaska to Fraser, British Columbia, will run daily from early May to early October, with return or continuing service by bus. Service to Carcross and Bennet, Yukon Territory, will begin in late May and continue through mid-September. [trains.com]

Brightline Florida sets ridership and sales records
Aided by its seasonal Polar Express promotion and discounted $10 rides celebrating the opening of stations at Boca Raton and Aventura, Brightline’s Miami-West Palm Beach service carried 183,920 passengers in December 2022, generating $5.1 million of ticket revenue. Both are monthly records since service began in early 2018. The new stations only opened the week before Christmas, but they contributed nearly 10% to the December ridership total. [trains.com]

River-adjacent NYC stations suffer air quality loss
New research from New York University (NYU) Grossman School of Medicine found subway stations near river tunnels can have significantly higher concentrations of potentially dangerous particles in what they call a “river-tunnel effect.” Concentrations of particles can be 80% to 130% higher in stations neighboring river tunnels versus those stations that were two or three stop further from the rivers. Researchers hope their study will help prioritize mitigation and cleaning efforts. [masstransitmag.com]

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Amtrak to restore second Vancouver round trip
Amtrak will add a second round trip between Seattle and Vancouver, British Columbia, starting March 7th, restoring the line to pre-pandemic levels of service. Amtrak will also increase the number of daily trips between Seattle and Portland from four to six this fall. Before the onset of the pandemic, more than 750,000 riders traveled along the Cascades line each year. The route to Vancouver was suspended in May 2020 and one trip was restored in September 2022. [seattletimes.com]

New Mexicans want high-speed rail investment
Two bills pre-filed in the New Mexico State Legislature ahead of the new session, may pave the way for expanded rail service in New Mexico. The proposals seek to bring a high-speed rail line through the entire state, and into Colorado to the north and Chihuahua, Mexico, to the south. The bills would allocate $500,000 for a feasibility study and $1 billion for the rail project itself. [sourcenm.com]

Jungle railway plan alarms Mexican scientists
Parts of Mexico’s remote southern jungles have barely changed since the time of the ancient Maya. In the eyes of Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, a railway his government is building — known as the Tren Maya — will bring modern connectivity to areas deprived of significant economic benefits. But the railway and its hasty construction also critically endanger pristine wilderness and ancient cave systems beneath the jungle floor, droves of scientists and environmental activists said. [abcnews.go.com

Study shows NC Triangle commuter rail options
GoTriangle shared the results of a commuter rail feasibility study to gain input on options for a future commuter rail service. The agency is also launching a public feedback campaign in Durham, Cary, Raleigh and Clayton, areas through which the system would run. The proposed Greater Triangle commuter rail would help provide a congestion free transportation opportunity and serve a region slated to grow by more than a million people and a corresponding one million cars in the next 30 years. [masstransitmag.com]

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Central Subway Line opens in San Francisco
San Francisco’s T-Third line has officially started its new route connecting Chinatown to Sunnydale and the Bayview in the new Central Subway. The new route will vastly improve transportation and reduce travel times to and from some of San Francisco’s most densely populated areas and major shopping corridors, expanding transit options and new connections. The new T-Third route runs north to the new Central Subway from 4th & King platform. [nbcbayarea.com]

Universal Orlando backs new SunRail Station
Orlando’s Right Rail coalition and Universal Orlando Resort have announced plans to open a new SunRail station at the Orange County Convention Center at Universal Orlando. This project will advance the development of SunRail’s Sunshine Corridor program to offer a commuter rail line between Orlando International Airport and the Orange County Convention Center. The Corridor will also connect passengers to Brightline services at the airport. [railway-news.com]

Ohio eyes fed money for new Amtrak service
The state of Ohio is “strongly considering” applying for federal dollars that could lead to expanded passenger rail service throughout the state, including establishment of a new route connecting Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnati. Meanwhile, Northeast Ohio officials do plan to pursue funding to establish Cleveland as an Amtrak mini-hub, with more frequent service to Chicago and the East Coast. As one of the states most underserved by passenger rail, Amtrak has targeted Ohio for expansion. [cleveland.com]

Wellington-West Palm Beach light rail proposed
A new travel option to get around town could be coming to Palm Beach County. The Palm Beach Transportation Planning Agency (PBTPA) has proposed adding a light rail system linking downtown West Palm Beach to The Mall at Wellington Green to help ease congestion. The Department of Transportation is expected to conduct a feasibility study in 2025 to decide if the proposal should move forward. [wptv.com]

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Amtrak eyeing New Orleans to Miami revival
With an agreement forged for Amtrak to run from New Orleans to Mobile starting this year, there is new talk that passenger trains could continue on to Florida’s East Coast. A map outlining the possible new service was revealed at a recent meeting of the Amtrak board of directors.The proposed service would extend across the Florida panhandle and onto Jacksonville, enabling through service to Orlando and Miami. Passenger trains haven’t operated between Jacksonville and New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. [masstransitmag.com]

Post-covid ridership lag besets Seattle service
In April 2020, two months after the first reported case of the coronavirus in the U.S., the future of the Sounder commuter rail line looked bright. But in the months that followed, use of the train evaporated, as it did on all forms of public transportation. Nearly three years later, that ridership is barely returning, hovering at roughly a third of pre-pandemic ridership. [seattletimes.com]

Proposals sought for Vancouver SkyTrain proj
British Columbia officials have invited two pre-qualified bidders to respond to a request for proposals (RFP) for the Surrey Langley SkyTrain project. The RFP addresses the design, construction and financing of the elevated guideway, roadworks, utilities and active transportation elements of the project. The Surrey Langley SkyTrain project calls for extending the Expo Line by 10 miles on an elevated guideway from King George SkyTrain Station in Surrey to 203rd Street Station in Langley City. [progressiverailroading.com]

Study looks at North Adams-Boston service
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation is conducting a study to examine the costs, benefits, and investments necessary to implement passenger rail service from North Adams to Greenfield and Boston. Dubbed the “Northern Tier Passenger Rail Study,” the work looks to ensure future rail service would have the speed, frequency, and reliability necessary to be a competitive travel option along this corridor. [news10.com]

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Brightline adds two new South Florida stations
Brightline has opened two new stations in South Florida, launching service in Aventura and Boca Raton. The rail network has existing stops in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. The Aventura station will allow commuters to travel to Miami Central in about 20 minutes. The 34,000 square-foot station features a pedestrian skybridge for train platform access. Brightline is planning a second pedestrian bridge to connect the platform with the nearby Aventura Mall. [rtands.com]

Grand Central Madison LIRR opening delayed
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has missed the planned late December opening of Long Island Rail Road service to its new station beneath Grand Central Terminal. The new east side station for Long Island Rail Road trains requires additional days to complete. Grand Central Madison will allow the estimated half of LIRR riders that work on Manhattan’s east side to bypass doubling back from Penn Station. A January opening date is possible. [ny1.com]

LA Metro/HSR ink Union Station Link agreement
The California High-Speed Rail Authority has approved a $423.34 million-dollar agreement with Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority (L.A. Metro) to modernize L.A.’s historic Union Station through the Link Union Station (Link US) project. The Link US project will allow trains to enter and exit from both north and south of the station, to increase rail service capacity and reduce train idling times. The project will also improve transit connections and accommodate future high-speed rail service. [masstransitmag.com]

Toronto Bloor-Yonge station makeover funded
Funding has been finalized for a major expansion of Toronto’s Bloor-Yonge TTC station, the busiest on the Toronto metro network. The cost of the project, C$1.5 billion, will be split between city, provincial and federal governments. Plans call for subway platforms to be modified and expanded; station infrastructure to be replaced; and a new fully accessible entrance to be added. Construction is planned to begin in 2024. [railwaygazette.com]

Warren Buffett opposes Omaha streetcar proj
Billionaire investor Warren Buffett broke with his practice of staying out of local politics to urge his hometown of Omaha to abandon its planned streetcar project because he says it’s too expensive and not as flexible as buses. Buffett wrote a letter to the editor of the Omaha World-Herald and met with the mayor this week to lobby against the $306 million project and urge the city to let residents vote on it. But city officials are moving forward with the streetcar because they believe it will spur development. [apnews.com]

New Hampshire ditches commuter rail study
New Hampshire’s Republican-led Executive Council has terminated a $5.5 million engineering and financial study on restoring commuter rail service from Boston through Manchester. A council member said that stopping the work now would allow the Department of Transportation to divert $1.5 million that remains unspent to other mass transit services. The rejection came after the party conducting the study asked to extend the completion date for the study from the end of January to the end of September. [masstransitmag.com]

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Phoenix debuts final stage of the PHX sky train
Just in time for the busy holiday travel season and next year’s Super Bowl, Phoenix celebrated the opening of the final stage of the PHX Sky Train. The long-awaited 2.5 mi extension connects the terminals with the Rental Car Center and adds two new stations – the Rental Car Center Station and the 24th Street Station. Trains arrive and depart every three to five minutes 24 hours a day. [internationalairportreview.com]

FTA grants $686M for transit station accessibility
The Federal Transit Adminstration has announced approximately $686 million in grant funding for accessibility upgrades at transit stations across the United States. The grants represent the first round of funding under the new All Station Accessibility Program, or ASAP, part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. They will go to 15 projects in nine states including Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, and Washington state. [trains.com]

Houston Metro glimpses first of 14 new-get LRVs
The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO), based in Houston, Texas, has debuted the first of 14 new fourth-generation (H4) light rail vehicles (LRV). These vehicles will run on the METRORail Red Line, which operates in and around downtown Houston. The new cars have an open seating plan and almost four feet of aisle space to improve passenger flow and better accommodate wheelchairs, strollers and bicycles. [railway-news.com]

Atlanta set for 224 new MARTA rail cars in 2025
MARTA has debuted plans for the roll out of its new rail cars. With amenities like cell phone charging ports and luggage space, the project will attempt to move Atlanta’s public transportation rail system into the 21st century. The new railcar bodies were constructed by Stadler in Hungary and are on their way to Salt Lake City to be outfitted before returning to Atlanta to go into service in 2025, a year before Atlanta plays host to a round of the 2026 World Cup. [theatlantavoice.com]

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