Could Maryland finally be ready to replace Baltimore’s oldest rail tunnel?
Amid plans and developments to improve Baltimore Penn Station and the train services that pass through it, none is as feasible or commercially viable as Amtrak’s much-anticipated reconstruction of the B&P (Baltimore and Potomac) Tunnel. Almost every passenger train between the city and Washington, DC passes through Baltimore’s 147-year old rail tunnel which makes its replacemnt vital to the future of the Northeast Corridor. Now, after trudging along for more than a decade, plans for a new tunnel may be coming together. [ggwash.org]
RTD-Denver to open N commuter-rail line in September
The Regional Transportation District of Denver (RTD) has announced the new N commuter-rail line will open on September 21st. The new 18.5-mile, six-station line will serve downtown Denver, Commerce City, Northglenn and Thornton, and include a stop at the National Western Complex in Denver. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, initial ridership was forecast at 6,400 to 9,100 daily boardings. The remaining 5.5 miles of the corridor, which will extend to North Adams County when completed, will be built as funds become available. [progressiverailroading.com]
VIA Rail logged 5 million riders in 2019
With five million riders in 2019, VIA Rail Canada experienced its highest annual ridership in 30 years. The numbers represent a 5.5 percent increase over 2018 ridership. Of the total, 96 percent used VIA Rail for inter-city travel, 3 percent for long-distance travel and 1 percent for regional travel. On the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor, VIA Rail logged 4.7 million riders, a 5.5 percent year-over-year increase. Service suspensions due to political blockades and the Coronavirus pandemic have seen current year ridership decline. [progressiverailroading.com]
