Railroad News

New York City's Penn Station will resume regular train schedules on Sept. 5, Amtrak announced today.

The national intercity passenger railroad's two-month infrastructure renewal program at the station is wrapping up. Amtrak engineering crews have completed nearly seven of the eight weeks of work, Amtrak officials said in a press release.

The Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon's (TriMet) new Hop Fastpass™ electronic fare system now accepts smartphone payments, the agency announced Tuesday.

Riders can use a smartphone and a mobile wallet app with a linked credit or debit card to purchase fares on TriMet's rail and bus services, as well as on the Portland Streetcar.

North Carolina Railroad Co. (NCRR) is among local business partners investing in a manufacturing facility that will be built in Asheboro, North Carolina.

Fibertex Personal Care, a Danish textile company, will open its first U.S. manufacturing plant at an established industrial site in Asheboro, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper announced earlier this month.

The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) today will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its newly renovated Brookpark Station.

Served by the Red Line rail route and four bus routes, the station underwent a $16.5 million renovation project. The work included building a new platform, canopies and entrances, as well as improving lighting, security systems and cameras.

MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) last week replaced switches and inspected track between Farmingdale and Ronkonkoma, New York, as part of a double-track project.

To complete the inspection, crews used a diagnostic car fitted with ultrasonic and induction test equipment. The equipment is designed to detect and repair internal rail defects that aren't easily visible, LIRR officials said in a press release.

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) has completed all required testing for five of its next-generation light-rail trains.

President Donald Trump yesterday signed a resolution that gives final approval for a safety commission to oversee the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA).

The resolution is the final legislative requirement before a safety oversight organization can be created for agency, The Washington Post reported.

U.S. Senate Democrats have asked the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to reconsider its recent decision to withdraw an Obama-era proposal to mandate sleep apnea testing for train operators and commercial truck drivers.

In a letter sent Monday to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, the senators asked for the data the USDOT used to make the decision to withdraw the rule, along with the department's plan to identify and treat rail operators and truckers diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea.

GE and the Port of Los Angeles are expanding a pilot program launched last year to use a digital solution to keep cargo flowing more efficiently.

As a result of the pilot's success, the parties have committed to new commercial agreements worth up to nearly $12 million and extended their relationship for at least five years, GE officials said in a press release.

With California's population projected to grow by 21 million by 2050, rail transportation will be vital to the state's efficient movement of freight and people, a new research report concludes.

Titled "Rail and California Economy," the report presents case studies and analysis of freight- and passenger-rail transportation on land use, freeway congestion and the movement of commodities, and those factors' effects on the state's economy.

Amtrak's repairs at Penn Station in New York City have helped drive a record average weekday ridership for Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH).

Ridership last month rose 9.2 percent year over year to nearly 298,000 passengers, which is the highest average weekday ridership for any month since the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey took over the rail line in 1962, PATH officials said in a press release.

Port Freeport in Texas hosted a groundbreaking ceremony last week to mark the start of construction on the first phase of the Parcel 14 Rail Development project.

Part of the port's long-term strategy, the $21 million rail project is designed to enhance land-side accessibility and supply chain efficiency for Brazoria County's petrochemical industry and other port users, port officials said in a press release.