Construction underway on new Toronto subway line
The Ontario provincial government has begun construction on a new subway project in Toronto that will cut through the heart of the city. Ontario Premier Doug Ford said the 15.6 km (9.7 mi) Ontario Line, will have 15 subway stops, and is designed to provide relief from overcrowding on Toronto Transit Commission’s Line 1. The new line will begin near Ontario Place south of Exhibition Place and end at the Ontario Science Centre in North York.The line will connect with 40 transit routes including train, subway, streetcar, and the Eglinton Crosstown light rail currently being built. [cbc.ca]
Memphis’ famous trolley cars will soon look very different
The Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) has given a preview of what their upgraded high-frequency light rail service will look like once the Madison Avenue rail line reopens. The upgraded Siemens–Duewag U2 light rail car, which is climate-controled and can seat over 100 people, will start public operation next year, after completion of an extensive evaluation and testing process. MATA’s light rail lines were closed in 2014 after two trolleys caught fire in a six-month span. The system’s Main Street trolley line re-opened in 2018. [localmemphis.com]
Last EU train out of Russia arrives in Helsinki Finland
Just after 7pm on Sunday, the Allegro express train from St Petersburg pulled into the Finnish capital, marking the closure of the last rail link between Russia and the EU. Finnish railway operator VR suspended the service, which since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been filled with Russians eager to get out before sanctions make leaving all but impossible. Since the February 24th invasion, around 700 passengers a day have packed trains that have remained open at the request of the Finnish authorities to allow Finns in Russia to exit the country. [france24.com]
Amtrak gives update on possible Green Bay – Milwaukee link
With sky high gas prices, the topic of bringing a passenger rail train between Green Bay and Milwaukee is becoming more relevant. Amtrak has updated the Wisconsin Association of Railroad Passengers (WisARP), a group advocating for the project. Amtrak wants to run passenger rail between Green Bay and Milwaukee with stops in Fond du Lac, Oshkosh, and Appleton. The ride would take about 2 hours and 50 minutes.The project cost is unclear but any federal funds would likely require matching state and local investments. [fox11online.com]
Mass eyes Wonderland T – North Shore commuter rail link
Just days after the Green Line rolled out its new extension, local leaders are now working on a plan for the Blue Line, hoping to connect the commuter rail to the Wonderland MBTA stop. Currently, riders on the Newburyport/Rockport commuter rail line wanting to get to Logan Airport have to go into Boston and take the Blue Line back out. That circuitous route is just one of many examples of why leaders said a project to connect the Blue Line to the commuter rail is necessary. [wcvb.com]
