Columbus station proposal hinges on Amtrak plan
Plans have been drawn up to build a train station in Columbus, something that hasn’t existed in Ohio’s capital since the 1970s. Whether or not the station is actually built will depend on the fate of the latest plan to connect Ohio’s three largest cities with passenger rail. Last summer the Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority (FCCFA) commissioned a study to look at the feasibility of building an Amtrak station near the convention center. The results of that study were presented to the authority’s development committee on January 4th. [columbusunderground.com]
NY/NJ PATH trains readying tap-and-go fare collection
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) has begun implementing a new fare collection system for its PATH rapid rail service. which is plan. In November, as part of its three-year PATH improvement, PANYNJ Board of Commissioners approved a contract for delivery of a contactless fare payment and collection technology. The estimated $99.4-million project will allow riders to “tap and go” with their mobile devices and credit/debit cards. [masstransitmag.com]
UK’s HS2 bullet proj publishes Net Zero Carbon Plan
HS2 high-speed rail project has published its Net Zero Carbon Plan, which sets out how the project will reach net zero carbon by 2035. HS2 trains will be powered by zero carbon energy from day one of operation, while construction sites will be diesel-free by 2029 – with the first expected this year. Other targets include halving carbon emissions from steel and concrete by 2030, setting science-based goals to tackle carbon emission hotspots, and offsetting residual carbon emissions that can’t be fully eliminated. [railway-news.com]
Memphis explores light rail link to future Ford plant
The Memphis Area Transit Authority is exploring several transportation options to make the future $5.6 billion Ford plant in Haywood County more accessible to Memphians. One option: Establishing a light rail system that runs from Memphis to the Megasite of West Tennessee in Stanton, about 50 miles northeast of the city. The idea remains in the planning stage, but MATA is committed to solving the challenge of moving potential Ford workers from Memphis to the megasite, MATA CEO Gary Rosenfeld said. [commercialappeal.com]
Sri Lanka launches Colombo-Jaffna luxury train service
Sri Lanka has launched a luxury train service connecting the country’s Tamil-dominated Jaffna district to the capital city Colombo with the help of a Line of Credit offered by India, in another significant landmark in bilateral ties. The intercity rail service with all facilities was launched on Sunday for passengers traveling from Colombo’s Mount Lavinia suburb to Jaffna’s Kankesanthurai port suburb in the north, covering a distance of approximately 386 km (240 mi). [thehindu.com]
