Sound Transit to receive $154 million federal loan

Light rail train at elevated station with construction equipment

SEATTLE – Sound Transit will receive a $154 million loan to finance the South Sounder Access Improvement Project, including construction of new parking garages at three Sounder commuter rail stations: Puyallup, Sumner, and Auburn, Wash. The loan comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (RRIF) program created in 1998 to […]

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Brightline unveils Orlando terminal, fare structure

ORLANDO, Fla. — Although a firm start date for Brightline’s Miami-Orlando revenue service has yet to be firmed up, the company used a Thursday grand opening event at its Orlando International Airport station to release more details about fares and how trains will operate. Brightline says ticket sales will begin next month and revenue service […]

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Florida’s Tri-Rail to adopt new look

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MIAMI – The South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA) has approved a new look for Tri-Rail trains, changing the “blue skies, white clouds and palm trees” design for the first time since its unveiling on Tri-Rail trains in 2001. “I am excited to announce that Tri-Rail trains will be refreshed with a new design that will […]

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FEC begins drawbridge rehabilitation for Brightline trains

Train crossing bridge

STUART, Fla. — Starting this week, crews are beginning rehabilitation of the St. Lucie River drawbridge at Stuart, 38 miles north of West Palm Beach, that will result in periodic closures to oversize boats through May 29. It will remain the only single-track segment on Florida East Coast Railway’s main line south of Cocoa, Fla., […]

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Privately operated overnight train proposed in California

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SAN FRANCISCO – A privately funded project to operate a nightly first-class passenger train between San Francisco and Los Angeles is underway, the SFGATE reported. Dreamstar Lines Inc., based in Newport Beach, says it’s working on lining up passenger cars, financing, staffing and agreements to operate the new service on the route once served by […]

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Caltrain to reduce weekday service for two weeks

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SAN CARLOS, Calif. — Caltrain will reduce weekday service for two weeks beginning Monday, April 17, to accommodate construction and testing for its electrification project. Daily service will be reduced from 104 trains to 82 for the weeks of April 17-21 and April 24-28. Monday through Thursday of those weeks, the last northbound train of […]

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Maryland agreements will explore MARC expansion into Delaware, Virginia

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ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Maryland’s Department of Transportation has signed agreements with agencies in Delaware and Virginia to explore expansion of MARC commuter rail service into those states, Gov. Wes Moore announced Thursday. The agreements are steps toward potential run-through service sought by MARC to Newark, Del., and Alexandria, Va. Discussions with the Delaware Transit Corp. […]

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More Midwest Venture cars enter service; California still waits

Train with four matching Siemens Venture passenger cars

Second of two parts CHICAGO — The introduction of Venture business/coach cars on some state-supported Amtrak routes in the Midwest reflects an increase in availability of the Siemens-built equipment, delayed by a variety of production and acceptance issues. Meanwhile, there is still no firm date for the introduction of California’s Venture equipment, although a spokesman […]

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