Railroad News

Amtrak has suspended service between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia until May, a local news outlet yesterday reported. 

The service, which stops in Greensburg, Latrobe and Johnstown, Pennsylvania, has been suspended since March 19.  

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is soliciting proposals on research topics that would have an impact on the safety and efficiency of U.S. freight- and passenger-rail operations.

Last week, the FRA released a Broad Agency Announcement, which provides opportunities to government, industry and academia to conduct applied technology research that will support the objectives of the Office of Research, Development and Technology and its four divisions: track, rolling stock, train control and communication, and human factors.

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority on April 9 will resume weekday light-rail service after a two-week closure. 

The authority suspended light-rail service after a light-rail operator trainee tested positive for COVID-19. During the suspension, the agency deep-cleaned its rail cars and began replacing upholstery seats with vinyl, VTA officials said in a press release.

Sound Transit yesterday suspended almost all construction activities related to the agency’s transit-rail expansion projects due to COVID-19 risks. 

The suspensions will be in place until May 4, according to the agency's construction alert newsletter.

Pan Am Railway's Hoosac Tunnel in western Massachusetts reopened April 4, after being closed for repairs over the past several weeks.

A Norfolk Southern Railway train on April 5 traveled through the tunnel for the first time since the structure was shut down in mid-February after a portion of its brick liner fell onto the tracks. The closure affected all NS trains operating between Mechanicville, New York, and Ayer, Massachusetts, NS officials said in a customer service alert.

The Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) has been recognized by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts for financial transparency. 

DCTA received a ‘star’ in the comptroller’s Transparency Stars program for “outstanding efforts” in making spending and revenue information available, DCTA officials said last week in a press release.

Several passenger-rail agencies are further reducing service and implementing other measures to continue to limit the spread of COVID-19.

Following is a summary of recent updates by agency:
 

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro) last week announced construction milestones on the Purple Line subway extension project to connect riders between downtown Los Angeles, Beverly Hills and Westwood, California.

Construction on the Wilshire/La Brea Station passed the half-way mark to completion. The Wilshire/Fairfax and Wilshire/La Cienega stations are 41 percent and 29 percent completed, respectively.

Alaska Railroad Corp. (ARRC) has extended temporary operational changes for passenger-rail operations in response to national and international health agency guidance on the COVID-19 pandemic.

ARRC will suspend Aurora Winter Train through the end of the current winter season. In addition, the Coastal Classic Train will begin daily scheduled service July 1; the Denali Star Train northbound service will begin July 1 and daily bi-directional service will begin July 2; Glacial Discovery Train daily scheduled service will begin July 3; and Hurricane Turn Train will operate May 7 and June 4, while maintaining social distancing requirements, and standard Thursday-Monday summer service will begin July 2.

Canada's Transport Minister Marc Garneau late last week announced new rail safety measures aimed at reducing train derailments.

The ministerial order requires speed restrictions for the following:
• key trains that have one or more loaded tank cars of dangerous goods that are toxic by inhalation or contain 20 or more tank cars containing dangerous goods; and
• higher-risk trains that carry crude oil or liquefied petroleum gases in a continuous block of 20 or more tank cars or 35 or more tank cars dispersed throughout the train.

Metra in Chicago yesterday announced it has closed the cab car on all trains to passengers to protect its train crews from potential exposure to COVID-19.

Last week, the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA) also installed plexiglass enclosures for booth attendants at Tower City Station to ensure distancing between riders and staff. Next week, GCRTA next will begin using ultra violet technology (UV-C) to enhance its disinfectant procedures at stations and on trains.

The San Mateo County Transit District's (SMCTD) board earlier this week authorized Caltrain to place a 1/8-cent sales tax measure on the November ballot in San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties in California.

If passed, the measure would generate more than $100 million annually to support Caltrain’s operation and expansion of electrified rail service.