North America – Page 63
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Metro Report InternationalHudson-Bergen light rail extension progresses
USA: New Jersey transport agency NJ Transit has awarded a design and preliminary engineering contract worth $160·2m to WSP USA to develop the Route 440 extension of the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail network. The 1·1 km extension would take the existing Jersey City branch of HBLR from West Side Avenue ...
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NewsNJ Transit orders double-deck EMUs from Bombardier
USA: A firm order for 113 double-deck EMU cars was approved by the NJ Transit board on December 12. A base contract will be placed with Bombardier Transportation for what the commuter rail operator claims will be ‘the first self-propelled multilevel railcars in the USA’. The contract ...
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NewsVIA Rail selects Siemens to replace Québec - Windsor corridor fleet
CANADA: Siemens has been awarded a C$989m contract to supply a fleet of 32 push-pull inter-city trainsets to enter service on the Québec City - Montréal - Toronto - Windsor corridor from 2022, national passenger operator VIA Rail announced on December 12. Each trainset will be formed of one locomotive ...
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NewsRailway supply industry news round-up
Vossloh AG announced on November 30 that it had successfully completed the acquisition of Australian concrete sleeper manufacturer Austrak Pty Ltd from Laing O'Rourke through its Vossloh Australia subsidiary. In future, Austrak will form part of Vossloh’s Tie Technologies business unit, within the Core Components division. Releasing its annual results ...
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CP launches next-generation grain haulage fleet
CANADA: Canadian Pacific formally unveiled its next-generation grain trainsets on December 4, during the opening of an upgraded loading terminal near Moose Jaw attended by Saskatchewan’s Minister of Highways & Infrastructure Lori Carr. Designated High Efficiency Product, the 2 590 m long unit trains are expected to carry 44% more ...
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NewsTrains return to Churchill
CANADA: The first VIA Rail passenger service for 18 months arrived at Churchill in northern Manitoba on December 4, having left Winnipeg two days earlier. Following the arrival of a freight train on November 25, the occasion marked the reopening of the Hudson Bay Railway, which provides the only land ...
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Metro Report InternationalOrange County breaks ground on streetcar line
USA: Orange County Transportation Authority held a groundbreaking ceremony for the OC Streetcar line on November 30. The total project cost is estimated at $408m and is being funded through federal and state funding, as well as a local 0·5% sales tax. A $149m Full Funding Grant Agreement with ...
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Metro Report InternationalMinneapolis Southwest LRT breaks ground
USA: A groundbreaking ceremony for the Minneapolis Southwest Light Rail project took place on November 30 at the site of the line’s rolling stock stabling depot in Hopkins. Main construction work is due to take place in 2019-22, ahead of a period of testing in 2022-23. Passenger services are ...
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Metro Report InternationalValley Metro launches incident reporting app
USA: Phoenix’s Valley Metro has launched AlertVM, a free safety and security app which passengers can use to discreetly report suspicious activity, vandalism, graffiti, disruptive behavior and maintenance issues to staff, or receive notifications about service delays. ‘We are committed to providing our riders with a safe and reliable light ...
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Metro Report InternationalFTA allocates $281m for five transport projects
USA: A total of $281m in additional Fiscal Year 2018 federal funding for transport projects through the Capital Investment Grants programme was announced by the Federal Transit Administration on November 28. The five projects either have a construction grant agreement or are nearing completion of all statutory and readiness requirements. ...
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NewsBrightline to negotiate land leases as Orlando – Tampa proposal progresses
USA: The state of Florida has chosen to accept a proposal from inter-city passenger company Brightline to develop a route between Orlando and Tampa, largely following trunk roads. Brightline had initially proposed the route as the third phase of its network; Florida Governor Rick Scott then issued a request for ...
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NewsNew York MTA to acquire Grand Central Terminal
USA: New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority has agreed to purchase Grand Central Terminal and sections of the Hudson and Harlem commuter rail lines, correcting what it terms a ‘historical quirk’ of New York infrastructure ownership. The acquisitions, valued at $35m, were approved at an MTA finance committee meeting in mid-November. ...
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Metro Report InternationalCBTC goes live on New York’s 7-Flushing Subway line
USA: New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority confirmed on November 26 that CBTC had been activated along the length of the 7-Flushing Subway line. The 16 km Flushing Line runs from 34th Street/Hudson Yards in Manhattan to Main Street, Flushing via Queensboro Plaza, carrying both local and express services at peak ...
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NewsWabtec offers hosted PTC back-office for ASLRRA members
USA: The American Short Line & Regional Railroad Association has entered into an agreement for Wabtec Railway Electronics to provide Positive Train Control to its member railways using a hosted multi-tenant back office system. This is designed to offer complete PTC back-office functionality within a package which is cost-effective for ...
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NewsUS high speed train safety standards issued
USA: The Federal Railroad Administration has amended its safety standards for passenger trains to create a new category covering trains operating at speeds up to 220 miles/h (355 km/h), in what it said was ‘one of the most significant enhancements to the nation’s passenger rail design standards in a century’. ...
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Metro Report InternationalSt Louis opens heritage-style tram line
USA: The southeastern part of the Delmar Loop Trolley heritage-style tramway in St Louis was inaugurated on November 16. The opening was delayed by a day because of heavy snowfall. The 2 km route runs from Missouri History Museum/Forest Park to Delmar Loop, serving six stops. The western 1·5 ...
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Metro Report InternationalSystra awarded Québec City tramway contract
CANADA: The City of Québec and transport authority RTC have awarded Systra Canada a seven-year C$12·5m contract to undertake engineering design for a proposed tram line. Norton Rose Fulbright Canada is to provide legal services under a separate five-year contract worth C$375 000. The 23 km route would ...
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News‘Serious challenges’ facing California high speed programme
USA: The programme to build a high speed rail network through California linking Los Angeles with the San Francisco Bay Area is facing ‘serious challenges’, according to a report issued by the state auditor on November 15. Many of the risks relate to California High Speed Rail Authority’s decision to ...
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NewsVirgin Trains USA formed by Virgin Group and Brightline
USA: A strategic partnership and trademark licensing agreement for the launch of Virgin Trains USA was announced by Virgin Group and private-sector inter-city train operator Brightline on November 16. Subject to certain closing conditions, Virgin Group is to make a minority investment in Brightline, which will be managed and operated ...
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Metro Report InternationalMinneapolis Southwest LRT civils contract awarded
USA: The Twin Cities Metropolitan Council awarded the civil works contract for the Southwest LRT light rail line on November 15 to a joint venture of Lunda and C.S. McCrossan. Bids were invited last year, and the joint venture beat one other bidder with its offer of $799·5m. The ...