North America – Page 11
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Metro Report InternationalNew York MTA appoints criminal justice advocate to support staff and customers
USA: New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority has appointed Kathryn Falasca as its first Criminal Justice Advocate. An experienced criminal attorney, she will work with law enforcement agencies, prosecuting authorities and community organisations to support MTA employees and customers during the investigation and prosecution of people accused ...
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Metro Report InternationalVancouver SkyTrain extension contracts awarded
CANADA: Major construction works for the 16 km extension of Vancouver’s SkyTrain light metro Expo Line from King George in Surrey to 203 Street in Langley are set to begin this year, following the award of the guideway, stations and systems & trackwork contracts. The SkyLink ...
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NewsCaltrain Downtown Rail Extension contract awarded
USA: The Transbay Joint Powers Authority has selected the AECOM-led Portal Connectors team to provide programme management and construction management services for the long-planned extension of Caltrain commuter rail services into central San Francisco. Downtown Rail Extension Branded as The Portal, the Downtown Rail Extension project ...
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Metro Report InternationalHonolulu awards downtown metro contract
USA: Civil engineering company Tutor Perini has won a $1·66bn design and build contract covering the extension of Honolulu’s Skyline metro into the city centre. The contract was awarded on August 15, with construction to start next year for completion in 2030. The City Center Guideway ...
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NewsMBTA orders double-deck coaches
USA: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has ordered a further 41 Hyundai Rotem double-deck coaches for use on Boston commuter services. The firm order signed on August 14 has been placed using an option on a 2019 order for 83 cars, of which 76 have been now ...
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NewsVirtual reality added to short line training
USA: The Short Line Training Center has added three modules to its Learning Management System which make use of virtual reality for enhanced engagement, greater safety than live training and increased accessibility for railway operators. The courses cover Freight Car Familiarization, Locomotive Daily Inspection and Class ...
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NewsMore Northeast Corridor upgrading works launched
USA: Amtrak is undertaking $260m of track improvements and other infrastructure works on the Northeast Corridor this summer. ‘In addition to our ongoing catenary inspection and repair programme, we are renewing our tracks, signals and other railroad infrastructure across the Northeast Corridor and the Harrisburg Line, ...
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Metro Report InternationalContractor selected to build Chicago’s Red Line Extension
USA: The Chicago Transit Authority has approved a $2·9bn contract for Walsh-Vinci Transit Community Partners to design and build the 9 km metro Red Line Extension. The consortium comprises Walsh Construction, Vinci Construction, EXP, Systra and subcontractors. Kiewit Infrastructure and a joint venture of FH Paschen, ...
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NewsCaltrain launches electric passenger service
USA: Californian commuter train operator Caltrain celebrated the start of 25 kV 60 Hz electrified services with an inaugural train carrying invited guests from San Francisco on August 10. Public services began the following day. More electric trains will be added ahead of the start of ...
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NewsCalifornia High-Speed Rail Authority names next CEO
USA: The California High-Speed Rail Authority board has appointed Ian Choudri as the next CEO.. His start date is still to be confirmed. He will succeed Brian Kelly, who has led the authority for six years and announced earlier in the year that he intends to ...
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NewsBattery-electric trains to be ordered for Boston commuter line
USA: The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority board has approved a proposal to replace diesel locomotive-hauled trains on Boston’s Fairmount Commuter Rail Line with battery-electric multiple-units. An onboard battery would be charged when overhead electrification is available, including at Boston’s South station. The 15 km line from ...
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Metro Report InternationalCalgary light rail project cut back because of rising costs
CANADA: Calgary City Council has scaled back plans for the first phase of its Green Line light rail project, blaming ‘the cost inflation that is impacting all major infrastructure projects across North America’. The change follows work to reduce costs through value engineering, design optimisation and ...
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NewsStellex to acquire foundry and forge businesses
USA: Private equity firm Stellex Capital Management has reached a definitive agreement to acquire rail and industrial cast, forged and machined product manufacturer McConway & Torley and axle maker Standard Forged Products from Arcosa. The transaction is expected to close in Q3 this year. Stellex sees ...
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Metro Report InternationalRolling stock and signalling partners selected for Los Angeles driverless metro proposal
USA: One of the two consortia developing concepts for a high capacity public transport link through the Santa Monica mountains between Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley and Westside has selected the companies which would supply driverless metro trains and control systems should its proposal go ahead. ...
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NewsNJ Transit orders more double-deck EMU cars
USA: The board of New Jersey’s NJ Transit has approved an order for 36 more Alstom Multilevel III electric multiple-unit cars. The maximum price of the order approved on July 24 is $170m plus 5% for contingencies. It is being placed using a December 2018 contract ...
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NewsRegional Rail acquires Cincinnati Eastern Railroad
USA: The 3i-backed short line group Regional Rail has acquired the Cincinnati Eastern Railroad, which operates on 110 km of track owned by Norfolk Southern between Clare and Plumb Run in Ohio. Traffic includes aggregates, agricultural products and paper. ‘We look forward to building on the ...
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NewsFive opportunities to improve railway safety identified in short line assessments
USA: The Short Line Safety Institute has identified five areas of strength and five areas of opportunity through an analysis of the 20 railway Safety Culture Assessments it conducted last year. A frequency analysis identified strengths in the provision of PPE; employees feeling comfortable communicating safety ...
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NewsAgreement to cut Californian rail project red tape
USA: The California State Transportation Agency and California High-Speed Rail Authority have renewed a 2019 agreement under which the state has taken on the Federal Railroad Administration’s environmental review responsibilities under the National Environmental Policy Act. California is the only state with NEPA assignment for rail ...
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Metro Report InternationalHitachi Rail awarded Philadelphia metro train contract
USA: The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority board has approved a $724·3m contract for Hitachi Rail to supply 200 metro cars to replace the current fleet on Philadelphia’s Market-Frankford Line. A pilot vehicle is to be delivered from Hitachi’s new factory at Hagerstown in Maryland in autumn ...
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NewsWork to replace Susquehanna River Bridge gets underway
USA: A ceremony in northeast Maryland on July 19 marked the start of early construction works for a $2·7bn project to replace the Susquehanna River Bridge which forms a bottleneck on the Northeast Corridor. The 1·3 km double-track bridge incorporating a swing section opened in 1906. ...