Amtrak names new president/CEO
Amtrak named William J. Flynn as its next president and CEO. Flynn, a seasoned business leader with four decades of transportation and logistics experience, will begin his role April 15. Flynn succeeds Richard Anderson, who joined Amtrak as CEO in July 2017. Anderson, who fulfills his three-year commitment to the company this year, will remain with Amtrak through the end of the year as a senior advisor to Flynn. [metro-magazine.com]
Massachusetts looks to end train lease arrangement with Hartford Line
The Connecticut Department of Transportation is shopping for rail cars for the Hartford Line. The service currently relies on 30-year-old trains leased from Massachusetts. But officials in the Bay State have notified Connecticut that they want the cars back. State DOT Commissioner Joseph Giulietti expressed confidence the state would work out the details, although he did not provide lawmakers with a timetable. The line, linking New Haven, Hartford and Springfield, was launched in 2018. [courant.com]
UK government takes over northern franchise
The UK government has taken over the country’s Northern rail franchise from train operating company Northern (Arriva Rail North Ltd). Northern had held the franchise since April 2016, however services on the network have been beleaguered with problems, many of them out of the the operating company’s hands. As a result, the government has become the operator of last resort (OOLR), operating as Northern Trains. [railway-news.com]
Thailand to invest more than $21B to bolster rail network
The Thai Government has committed to invest more than $21 billion into the country’s railway network to improve connectivity and reduce pollution. The investment will be utilized to expand Bangkok’s rail transit system and build high-speed railways. The plan also includes a $1.3 billion transit hub in the city to enable connectivity to China and Singapore, as well as to other locations in Thailand. [railway-technology.com]
If we want smart cities, we need to double down on rail transit
A robust, rail-centric network should remain the backbone into which other transportation modes, like autonomous shuttles, ride-sharing and scooters, can feed. There’s a lot of discussion and excitement these days about the concept of “smart cities.” While the prospect of having more technology infused in a city’s operations could be very exciting, the most important aspect will continue to be transportation. [eco-business.com]
