Montana DOT on board for 2nd passenger line
The Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority is chugging along thanks to the addition of a new board member, the Montana Department of Transportation. MDT joined the authority to support the effort to restore long-distance passenger rail service through southern Montana. MDT joins BNSF Railway, Amtrak and three tribal nations as ex officio, or non-voting, members of the board of directors. The board also includes 18 counties as voting members. The route is among those Amtrak will consider for restoration. [bigcountrynewsconnection.com]
Boston T eyes batteries to speed electrification
The MBTA is considering a proposal for “discontinuous electrification” – a concept that could electrify the T’s regional rail system faster, with lower infrastructure costs, by relying on battery-equipped electric trains. The T’s proposed hybrid approach to electrification would use a mix of overhead wires and batteries, instead of overhead wires alone, as originally envisioned by the T’s Rail Vision plan. Using batteries could help avoid costly installation and maintenance of overhead wires on bridges and in tunnels. [mass.streetsblog.org]
US heat wave may force delays in Amtrak service
Amtrak has announced an extreme heat warning for the Northeast region, signaling that trains running between New York and Philadelphia might experience delays. High temperatures can cause the rails and overhead wires to expand so trains have to travel at lower speeds to avoid accidents. With extreme heat also comes the risk of rails warping, which can cause train derailments, rolling black outs and subsequent service disruptions. [abcnews.go.com]
Amtrak opens ticket sales from Burlington to NYC
The wait is over: You can now buy Amtrak tickets for travel between Burlington and New York City, which includes stops in Vergennes and Middlebury. Daily service on the Ethan Allen Express begins on Friday, July 29 at 10:10 a.m. at Union Station in Burlington. Passengers can purchase tickets on Amtrak.com, the Amtrak app, or at 1-800-USA-RAIL. Amtrak will offer 50% promotional fares on the Ethan Allen Express through the summer. [burlingtonfreepress.com]
Cracks in concrete raise Honolulu rail concerns
Slim cracks are growing in the concrete columns that support most of the elevated stations along the western half of Oahu’s future rail line, posing a new and “potentially significant” problem that could delay the system’s interim opening even further, according to project leaders. Contractors hired by the city’s Transportation Services Department discovered in recent weeks that those cracks have grown according to Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation leaders. [civilbeat.org]
