FTA makes nearly $5 billion in transit funding available
Nearly $5 billion in Fiscal Year 2022 transit formula funding has been made available by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The funding. offered to transit agencies, states and Tribal governments. is available under the Further Extending Government Funding Act, which provides partial-year spending authority through February 18th. Included are advance appropriations for repair, senior mobility and accessibility. Full-year formula funding will be available once Congress passes a FY 2022 appropriations bill. [masstransitmag.com]
Amtrak seen adding Milwaukee-Madison within next 5 years
Amtrak’s proposed route between Milwaukee and Madison could happen within the next five years. Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway predicts the massive federal infrastructure bill could fund it. The bipartisan $1.2 trillion bill includes $66 billion for Amtrak to maintain and expand service. The plan includes the Milwaukee-Madison route, as well as another new state route between Milwaukee and Green Bay. Reportedly, the two proposed routes would be extensions of Amtrak’s existing Hiawatha service between Milwaukee and Chicago. [tmj4.com]
More seating urged for $1.6B Moynihan Train Hall
Moynihan Train Hall has been open for just over a year, and one of the chief complaints from day one has been the lack of public seating. Now, a coalition of federal, state, and city lawmakers is calling on the MTA and Amtrak to install benches in the cavernous main hall, which currently doesn’t have any seating. While ticketed passengers taking the Long Island Rail Road or Amtrak have access to luxurious seating on the ground and on upper floors, passengers waiting in the main hall have nowhere to sit, but on the floor. [gothamist.com]
German capital region to get hydrogen trains
The states of Berlin and Brandenburg plan to introduce hydrogen-powered trains into Germany’s capital region. The Niederbarnimer Eisenbahn (NEB) trains will operate on a restored Heidekrautbahn line between Berlin’s Wilhelmsruh Station and the village of Basdorf. Project partners hope to set standards in the development of hydrogen infrastructure and sustainability for local passenger rail. Nationally, switching from diesel to hydrogen will save 3m kg of CO2 annually. The start of hydrogen-powered operations is expected to coincide with the Heidekrautbahn’s 2024 reopening. [railway-news.com]
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