Northwest commuter rail plan advances in Colorado
Denver’s Regional Transportation District (RTD) has named an independent engineering firm to study the feasibility of running peak-service commuter rail to Longmont, Colorado. The Northwest Rail Peak Service Study will examine extending existing B Line commuter rail and leasing BNSF right-of-way and tracks to enable peak-hours service from Westminster Station to Boulder and Longmont. Service proposed includes three morning trips from Longmont to Denver and three evening return trips. [railwayage.com]
Baltimore Penn Station redev to begin this summer
Scaffolding and fencing are going up around the historic Baltimore (Md.) Penn Station on the Northeast Corridor in advance of essential core and shell improvements, tentatively scheduled to begin this summer. The move follows the October 2021 groundbreaking ceremony for the station redevelopment and expansion project. Amtrak, which is investing $150 million in the effort, executed a Master Development Agreement with Penn Station Partners in April 2019. The master conceptual plan first calls for the full historic preservation of Baltimore Penn Station, which was built in 1911. [railwayage.com]
Impressive Kyiv metro station becomes bomb shelter
With 80 distinct mosaics, colorful stonework and swinging chandeliers, Kyiv’s network of 52 metro stations is often regarded as one of the most impressive underground systems in Europe. First opened in the 1960s, Kyiv’s metro system is home to an assortment of historical relics dating back to the Soviet era. But as Russian forces close in on the capital city, many Ukrainians are now taking shelter in the Soviet-era stations – hoping to avoid the blasts of incoming missiles on the streets above. [euronews.com]
Course change stalls West Virginia hyperloop project
The wait will continue for any groundbreaking for the Virgin Hyperloop project announced nearly two years ago. That announcement concerned a $500 million validation center proposed for West Virginia which developers said could earn regulatory approval to transport people and cargo by 2025. Now, Virgin has changed course focusing more on cargo transportation. It released more than 100 workers recently. The West Virginia Department of Transportation and WVU have completed a grant application to get the project back on track. [wvmetronews.com]
