1. ACE – California congressman McNerney introduced a bill that is probably dead before action to have US DOT grant $450M to build a separate track ( separate from UP ) for ACE from San Jose to California central valley. Indication that this would be planning in conjunction with the Ca HSR with ACE stations located on turnouts from HSR. Possible time savings from 2:10 to :55.
ACE has let out for bids new maintenance facility in Stockton with construction starting this summer.
ACE ridership up to 2900/day vs 2400/day in 2010.
2. Caltrain starting grade separation project in San Bruno raising tracks over three streets and closing a couple other crossings. Project will also build a new station.
Construction proceeding at Santa Clara station will provide a wider and longer center platform with a pedestrian underpass allowing trains to pass in station. ACE will return to station and maybe Capitol corridor trains stop.
Construction started on San Jose Diridon station adding 2 full platforms on west side that were closed in SP times. The 4 new tracks are being built for UP freight, Amtrak CS, ACE, Capitol corridor, Caltrain, and HSR services along with present tracks and platforms. Signaling at each end of station being added to allow quicker accelerations in and out of station as station already has a movement every 2 minutes during rush hour.
Caltrain average daily ridership Feb 2011 new record 41,400k vs 36,700 2010 with 86 trains vs 90 in 2010 and 98 in 2009. All time periods up except midday (barely down) which had 4 fewer trains in 2011. Approximately 5 rush hour trains 85 - 100% full. Weekend ridership up 21% over 2009 &2010 to 22,200 passengers.
3. Chicago Metra – resuming construction on UP north line bridges this month with 2 tracks remaining in service. Something about building a new track being built closer to the western edge of the ROW?
4. LAX – Metrolink has added a new track 1A to station at Laguna Niguel / Mission Viejo. This in conjunction with rebuilt track 1 and platform work with 1A being a new stub track. 7 (more to be added when other Fullerton line improvements completed Oct 2011 ) Inland Empire and Orange County trains terminate / originate from /to north at this station. This will improve fluidity of Amtrak trains in case of off schedule operation.
Metrolink will offer train service for both Dodgers and Angels late night baseball games from LAX Union station, Laguna, Antelope Valley, San Bernardino, & Ventura County lines in various combinations.
Lancaster line getting track shift and a siding extension to 10,000 ft to allow better passing of 5+ UP round trip freight trains.
5. San Diego – Coaster has started Sunday service with 4 round trips San Diego – Oceanside. Weekdays 11 RTs 2 extra Fri night, Sat 6 RTs. No sprinter service sun from Oceanside.
6. Delaware – DART SEPTA starts Sun service to Wilmington, De 7 daily RTs SAT & Sun.
7. Miami -- Tri-Rail placed 1st two of a 24 car order of Hyundai cars into service after assembly in LAX. 1st one was a cab car. The temporary closing of the Miami airport station scheduled for Mar 11th still has not occurred. This closing will last for about 2 years as the airport station is rebuilt into the Miami Central station (Miami Intermodal Center) for Tri-Rail, Amtrak, Metrorail, & airport people mover. Hialeah Market station will resume being the airport station it once was. Since there are many more trains now there are problems with CSX due to their freight route branch off the line about ½ mile south of the single track Market station. There is a siding there that may be used to bypass Market. The Airport station closing will save #14M and 2 years of construction time. Tri-Rail claims bused passengers to MIA will only take 3-5 minutes longer but my experiences on LaJune Rd and 36th street anticipate rush hour delays of 10 – 20 minutes.
8. VRE -- Ridership bumping 20,000/day. 7 stations parking overfull with 2 stations ready to build 200 + parking spaces. Fredericksburg no relief until Spotsylvania (at least 3 yrs) comes into VRE and builds a station with 500 – 1000 parking spaces.
9. Cal-Train: Thru Mar weekday ridership up 12% ; weekend up 21% maiinly due to 2 daily Baby Bullet round trips added cuting time from San Jose - SFO from 1:38 to :57. 2011 vs 2010.
Beginning June 1 (next Wednesday), New Jersey Transit will be adding quiet cars to all rush hour trains to/from Hoboken. It will be the Eastmost car, first on inbound trips, last on outbound trips, cab car under normal circumstances.
My Model Railroad: Tri State RailMy Photos on Flickr: FlickrMy Videos on Youtube: YoutubeMy Photos on RRPA: RR Picture Archives
10. Seattle Sounder: 1st quarter 2011 vs 2010 Sounder ridership south line down less than .5% north line down 29% mainly due to many cancellations for mudslides shutting down line.
11. Seattle light rail: up 19% with weekdays up 24%
12. Tacoma light rail: Up 10%
13. San Francisco Transbay terminal. The new terminal for Cal Train and HSR is on or slightly ahead of schedule. Demolition work complete of old Transbay terminal except for 1 bus ramp off actual location. Shoring piling now being placed and will start installing soon.
http://transbaycenter.org/construction-updates/updates-notices/current-activity
14. Boston -- MBTA: The Boston Bruins victory parade overwhelmed all train and subway service today. Some Wochester commuter train service delayed as much as 60 minutes due to overcrowding. Ended up with shortage of train cars as well.
15. New Mexico -- Rail runner; Weekend service will probably end at end of August due to lack of federal funds. Feds have been funding polution ($1.2M) mitigation and that expires at end of august
blue streak 1 13. San Francisco Transbay terminal. The new terminal for Cal Train and HSR is on or slightly ahead of schedule. Demolition work complete of old Transbay terminal except for 1 bus ramp off actual location. Shoring piling now being placed and will start installing soon. http://transbaycenter.org/construction-updates/updates-notices/current-activity
16. Per web site demolition complete with some debri to be gathered up. Shoring work continuining.
blue streak 1 http://transbaycenter.org/construction-updates/updates-notices/current-activity 16. Per web site demolition complete with some debri to be gathered up. Shoring work continuining.
Missed that demolition on old Transbay terminal complete but demolition of other buildings outside of present Transbay is still being completed. ( for train tracks, light rail and other uses).
17. The Capitol corridor is having a pleasant problem. Due to the higher ridership on all 3 routes equipment was taken from a spare train set(s) to lengthen regular trains. Now when any delay ( tresspasser, bridge, equipment, grass fires, freight train problems, etc ) ,happens the corridor has to 1. Cancel the return train or 2. delay trains until the cascading delays can be made up.
Additional equipment will not be built and come on line for a couple years.
18. Mass --- State authorized final EIS work for BOS - New Bedford state directes focus on electric train service. Maybe MBTA will finall get some electric motors or EMUs?
19. Chicago: Governor of Illinois has signed a bill mandating METRA, PACE, & CTA develop and put into use a universal fare card by 2015. (month not listed) . Also free Wi-Fi on these services also mandated date unknown.
20. Phoenix, Az:: 1st Light rail stop has had an on demand cooling system installed. Believe that passengers push button to activate and when Light Rail car leaves cooler turns off?
21. CALTRAIN SFO - SJC - Gilroy, Ca. Also Ca HSR same route: FRA has given CALTRAIN a $16M partial grant to design a PTC capable signal system (called CBOSS). System will be fully capable to operate HSR, CALTRAIN baby bullets, EMUs, & regular service, and UP freights. Total cost estimates $261M. FRA has given CALTRAIN first US waiver to operate EMUs along with the UP freights. At this price can PTC be implemented for $15B nationwide??
22. Orlando: Sun Rail: Ground breaking will occurr on Monday June 18. Ray LaHood will be present.
AMT ALP-45DP 1350 was testing today (photo not mine):http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=369232&nseq=0
Here it is seen testing under diesel power. I'm not sure if it did any electric testing today.
ns3010 AMT ALP-45DP 1350 was testing today (photo not mine):http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=369232&nseq=0
What is with all the horn bells?
blue streak 1 ns3010: AMT ALP-45DP 1350 was testing today (photo not mine):http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=369232&nseq=0 What is with all the horn bells?
ns3010: AMT ALP-45DP 1350 was testing today (photo not mine):http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=369232&nseq=0
They are actually two separate horns, each with five bells. Neighbors near AMT's yards don't want them to test their horns before departure, so they are required to have a backup horn in case the main one fails. Probably the dumbest thing I've ever heard...
23. Orlando Sun Rail: Gave Bombardier notice to proceed to design and build Bi-Level commuter cars last week. Evidently contract had already been signed?
blue streak 1 23. Orlando Sun Rail: Gave Bombardier notice to proceed to design and build Bi-Level commuter cars last week. Evidently contract had already been signed?
24. Sun Rail Contract is for 14 Double deck push pull cars. # of cab control cars unknown.
Also ordered locos from MPI (5?) edit 7 locos
25. CONN: Ordering 25 additional m-8s all single instead of married pairs.
26. CONN: Proposing fare increase of 15% for mnrr and 14% for SLe. sle would discontinue weekend service. PLS excuse improper capitals shift function on keyboard acting up.
24. Sun Rail Contract is for 14 Double deck push pull cars. # of cab control cars unknown. Also ordered locos from MPI (5?) edit 7 locos
Do you have an article about this? I'm not questioning it, I've just been unable to find further information, and I was hoping that you had some.
EDIT: fixed quote
[quote user="ns3010"]
[quote user="blue streak 1]
[/quote]
Check here:
http://www.railwaygazette.com/nc/news/single-view/view/sunrail-commuter-project-funding-signed.html
27. music city star reports june ridership up 53% [26,989] from 2010. First 6 months up 40%.
28. wisconsin: announced terminating krm proposal.
29. Ny NJ -- PATH: increasing base fare from 1.75 - 2.75 [ra}
Did I read correctly that some new M-8's will be TRAILERS?
30. New Mexico. -- Rail runner has new reduced schedule starting Aug 29. Due to lack of funds from state
31. South Shore -- Announced that 3 year CAT wire renewal was completed in August ahead of schedule..
32. SEPTA: 12 EMUs that were parked in Trenton during Irene have substained substantial damage. SEPTA did not specify what type was damaged but since SEPTA is planning to repair them makes one wonder if they were Silverliner - 5s as all other are slated for retirement in the next few years. Anyone with more info??
blue streak 1 27. music city star reports june ridership up 53% [26,989] from 2010. First 6 months up 40%.
33. music city star - Reports FY ending june 30 250,000+ passengers up 50% from last FY.
34. New York -- MNRR appears to be overtaking LIRR with passenger trip counts. For year MNRR expects 81.9M trips vs LIRR 81.5M. Sounds like a tie.
35. Sanfran CalTrain -- ridership up 13%+ for August 2011 vs 2010. Up to 1.25M passengers ; revenue up 15% due to fare hike. Note: weekend ridership up 30%.
http://www.caltrain.com/about/news/Present__Future_Looking_Brighter_for_Caltrain.html
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