Chicago-Northern Indiana commuter rail expansion project launched
Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) has held a virtual groundbreaking ceremony for its West Lake Corridor Project, extending the South Shore Line commuter rail service 7.8 miles from Hammond (on the north) to Dyer (on the south). Slated for completion in 2024, the extension will give Chicago commuters four new stations—two in Hammond, one in Munster, and one at the border of Muster and Dyer. Project cost is expected to total $944.9 million. [railwayage.com]
The Cincinnati Streetcar now offering a free ride
The Cincinnati Streetcar (aka Cincinnati Bell Connector) has become free to ride. The streetcar passenger service, which was suspended during the beginning days of the pandemic, eliminated streetcar fares for 60 days following its reopening. Now, despite challenges, the free fare has been permanently extended. Streetcar Director Travis Jeric has said the restart of the Connector has gone very smoothly, despite pandemic related cuts in ridership and hours. However City Mayor John Cranley and several council members continue to raise concerns. [citybeat.com]
Virgin Hyperloop wonders: what does 600 mph travel do to the brain?
Virgin Hyperloop, the transportation company owned by business magnate Richard Branson, has ambitious plans to build a vacuum tube transportation system that travels over 600 miles per hour. But before it does so, the company has made the reasonable decision to figure out what traveling that quickly might to do the brain. To wit, scientists at West Virginia’s Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute (RNI) will find out what to expect when launching passengers at 78 percent the speed of sound. [futurism.com]
China’s new high-speed train to bolster cross-border travel
China has developed a new type of high-speed train that can run on different rail systems to facilitate cross-border travel. With a maximum speed of 400 km per hour, the train has been designed to switch among the world’s four main railway track gauges in just a few minutes while running on international routes. Currently, when trains run between countries with different gauges, staff must replace the train bogies, or passengers and cargo must change trains. The new train, equipped with gauge-changing bogies, can change its rail mode as it traverses multi-gauge stretched of track. [xinhuanet.com]
Brightline West launches rail project website
Brightline Holdings, the developer of the proposed high-speed rail line between Southern California and Las Vegas, has launched a new website with details on the project’s construction. The site reports that early works construction on “Brightline West” is expected to break ground late this year on the High Desert segment, which will connect Victor Valley and Las Vegas. The 260-mile high-speed rail system will feature fully electric, zero-emission trains and reach speeds of up to 200 mph. Expected travel time is about three hours, or twice as fast as drive time. [progressiverailroading.com]
Eurostar now runs direct trains from Amsterdam to London
Back in 2018, Eurostar went Dutch and opened a much-hyped rail link from St Pancras London to Amsterdam Centraal. But there was a catch. Though trains from London to Amsterdam ran direct, on the return journey passengers had to disembark at Brussels and get their passports checked. When Eurostar was finally going to start running its long-promised direct trains back from Amsterdam to London, those plans were put on hold thanks to global lockdowns. But as of October 26, the route has finally begun. [timeout.com]
