Brightline begins test runs north of West Palm Beach
Brightline has started the new year with a critical step toward the completion of its intercity rail system that connects Miami and Orlando. The new railroad has started running qualifying trains between West Palm Beach and Brevard County. The trains are an opportunity for locomotive engineers and train conductors to learn the tracks and territory along a 130-mile stretch of the corridor not yet available to passengers. During these runs, the trains will top out at 60 miles an hour, basically freight train speeds. None of them will have passengers. [wftv.com]
Canadian Pacific to support Amtrak DFW-Atlanta I-20 expansion
The Canadian Pacific (CP) freight railway company has announced its support for Amtrak’s expansion of passenger railway services along the Interstate 20 corridor between Dallas/Fort Worth and Atlanta. The announcement, which also conveyed Amtrak’s support of CP’s proposed merger with Kansas City Southern railways, was welcome news to the members of the 1-20 Corridor Council, a multi-state advocacy coalition which has been working for over 15 years to establish the East-West long-distance passenger rail connection between Dallas/Fort Worth and Atlanta. [ktbs.com]
Maryland MTA Purple Line delayed to late 2026 as costs rise
It was safe to assume the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) Purple Line would not open in 2022 per its original schedule. However, a revised project schedule report shows the 16-mile line delayed until the fall of 2026. The project has experienced a contractor change, legal challenges and the impacts of covid. With a new lead contractor on board, full scale construction is expected to begin this spring. The report also shows that costs have increased approximately 66 percent over 2016 numbers. [masstransitmag.com]
Trains intended for unbuilt Wisconsin line going to Nigeria
Two trains originally intended for a high-speed rail line to connect Madison and Milwaukee are headed for Nigeria. The trains are set to become part of West Africa’s first operational metro system. It’s the latest turn in a decade-long saga revolving around high-speed rail. In 2009, Wisconsin’s then-Gov. Jim Doyle, a Democrat, announced a deal with Talgo for two new trains to be built in the state and used for a high-speed rail line between Milwaukee and Madison. In the same year, Wisconsin was awarded $810 million for the project in a federal stimulus bill. [wpr.org]
