Transportation Secretary says it is time for NY-NJ Gateway Project
After touring the New York – New Jersey Hudson River tunnels with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stressed the need to begin advance work on the Gateway Project tunnel system. Meanwhile New York Governor Andrew Cuomo continued to resist paying his state’s share of any tunnel work. The governor wants to make only necessary tunnel repairs, and direct funds to the state’s other pressing infrastructure needs. Saying that tunnel funding will not be an issue, Schumer indicated that construction could begin later this year. [rtands.com]
San Diego’s MTS running test trolleys on Mid-Coast Extension tracks
San Diego’s Metropolitan Transit System has begun testing trolleys on the Mid-Coast Extension of UC San Diego Blue Line. The extension will enable a one-seat ride from the U.S./Mexico Border north to the university community. To support the expanded service, MTS has added 45 new trolleys and 128 new positions including train operators, security, maintenance, IT and more to manage the extension. Major construction, which began in 2016, will be completed during the test period. Full service is expected to begin on November 21st. [masstransitmag.com]
Amtrak challenges CN plan for KCS line in Louisiana
Amtrak has questioned Canadian National’s plan to sell Kansas City Southern’s route between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana as part of the planned merger of the two railroads, That plan would see CN retain the right to operate on the route along with a freight tenant. The Southern Rail Commission has attempted to engage KCS on two possible passenger projects: a proposed Baton Rouge-New Orleans service, and a possible Dallas section of Amtrak’s Crescent. The Amtrak filing noted that CN’s continued control of the New Orleans-Baton Rouge line would “make restoration of reliable passenger rail service much more difficult.” [trains.com]
Scottish train company slaps down homophobe tweet about ‘Pride Train’
Scotland’s national rail operator has been praised for shutting down a bigoted Twitter user during Pride Month. When ScotRail tweeted a photo of its “Pride of ScotRail” train wrapped in the Progress Pride flag, the user asked if the company planned to paint a train “in ‘straight colors’?” “Or will we be discriminated against?” the user added, ScotRail was quick to respond. “Straight people aren’t punched in the face for holding hands with their life partner, nor are [they] executed in other countries simply for being straight,” to which a ScotRail social media team member added “Please educate yourself on the matter before commenting such nonsense.” [metroweekly.com]
