First next-genAcela trainset to undergo high-speed testing in Colorado
The first of 28 new Amtrak Acela trainsets is headed from its Hornell Alstom production facility in New York to Amtrak’s Colorado test track for high-speed testing. The trains will undergo dynamic testing for pantograph, railway dynamics, tilting and traction The company will also test their slip/slide and wayside protection, brakes and train control management systems. Plans call for a nine-month testing period. Amtrak expects the trains to begin operations in 2021 on the Northeast Corridor (NEC). [railway-technology.com]
Metro Atlanta’s population boom prompts MARTA rail expansion
With metro Atlanta’s population exploding and millions more people coming, Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority’s (MARTA) rail network and the city’s transit ecosystem are playing catch up. MARTA’s system hasn’t undergone a major expansion since opening 40 years ago. Now, to accommodate more riders, MARTA plans to improve its 48-mile heavy-rail system, better integrate and expand the Atlanta Streetcar, and weave rail into the city’s transit ecosystem through station upgrades and transit-oriented developments (TODs). [progressiverailroading.com]
Dutch ATO driverless train carries passengers for the first time.
A Dutch driverless train relying on Automatic Train Operation (ATO) has carried passengers for the first time. The by-invitation-only test run in the Netherlands province of Groningen was hosted by Stadler, ProRail, Arriva Nederland, and the province. The self-driving train uses Grade of Automation 2 (GoA 2) to control accurate vehicle stopping, movement, and stopping. The train features an integrated train protection system and an on-board train driver able to intervene at any point. [railway-news.com]
The LAX People Mover: A First-Look At The (Very Cool) Visuals
The LAX people mover project broke ground in March 2019, and it won’t actually be up and running until at least 2023. But you can now get a preview of how it will look and feel coming into Los Angeles International Airport by rail. The people mover is an electric train that will transport travelers to and from terminals at LAX and a light rail station on Metro’s LAX/Crenshaw Line. For certain Angelenos, that means making the trip to the airport (and back) entirely by rail. [aist.com]
Indiana’s South Shore Line receives FTA approval on second rail project
Indiana’s South Shore Line is going to have a new addition. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) now has the line’s double track project in final engineering phase, which essentially means it has the green light to proceed. The $416 million project would set up a second line of tracks between Gary and Michigan City, Indiana, and also would include the elimination of 21 at-grade crossings in Michigan City. The double track project is expected to receive full federal funding with completion as early as 2023. [rtands.com]
Britain’s Bold Plan for High-Speed Rail
While the speed and frequency of Britain’s railways might be the envy of many North Americans, the U.K. still has some way to go before it catches up with the seamless high-speed train services of its continental European neighbors. That’s set to change with last week’s approval of a controversial high-speed rail project by Prime Minister Johnson’s government. The 330 mile high-speed railway, referred to as HS2, would connect London with Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds, on trains capable of speeds of up to 250 miles per hour. [citylab.com]
