New York MTA takes ownership of Grand Central Terminal
The MTA has closed on its purchase of Grand Central Terminal for $33 million. The deal includes the Harlem Line and Hudson Line and marks the first time the MTA has owned the tracks and the terminal. Owning the properties means that Metro-North Railroad will have unencumbered control and responsibility of its operating environment. The MTA’s ownership of Grand Central Terminal will further give the Long Island Rail Road clear control of the East Side Access terminal being built beneath Grand Central Terminal. [rew-online.com]
New station opens on Tokyo’s iconic Yamanote loop rail line
A new train station has opened in Tokyo, becoming the first new stop on the capital’s busy Yamanote loop line in nearly 50 years. Takanawa Gateway Station is also a new stop on the Keihin Tohoku Line and offers easy access to Haneda airport and the Shinkansen bullet train. Featuring wayfinding robots and a shop with automated checkouts, the 30th stop on East Japan Railway’s Yamanote Line is the first added since 1971. [kyodonews.net]
Amtrak River Runner service in Missouri could be derailed under latest budget proposal
Amtrak service between St. Louis and Kansas City could be cut to one round-trip train ride per day under a budget plan outlined in the Missouri House. The decision to provide funding for only one daily round trip, down from two per day, comes as the state has failed to pay what it fully owes to Amtrak to provide the River Runner service dating to 2010. According to the Missouri Department of Transportation the state owes an estimated $6.5 million in unpaid bills to the passenger rail corporation. [stltoday.com]
Start date set in stone for Hamilton-Auckland passenger train
The long-awaited passenger train from Hamilton to Auckland, New Zealand will launch its first journey on August 3. A start date has been set for the Hamilton-Papakura service, named Te Huia, which will operate two return services on weekdays. Trains will set off at Frankton, stopping at the new Rotokauri Transport Hub and Huntly station, before reaching Papakura. [stuff.co.nz]
