Calif. SMART officials eyeing Spring commuter rail system launch
While the board originally planned to have the train completed by late 2016, they delayed the project due to engine problems and the testing of Positive Train Control.
PETALUMA, Calif. — The Sonoma State Star reports that Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) officials predict that its commuter train system will be fully operational and open to the public by the end of spring.
While the board originally planned to have the train completed by late 2016, they delayed the project due to engine problems and the testing of Positive Train Control.
In addition to technical problems, the SMART board is also dealing with some policy-related controversies, with many citizens complaining about loudness and frequency of the train horn. To alleviate those concerns, various counties have proposed creating quiet zones, which would restrict the regular sounding of the horn barring emergency situations. For the full story, click here.
Amtrak will open grant applications March 23 for community projects near the Frederick Douglass Tunnel alignment in Baltimore as part of a $50 million investment tied to the B&P Tunnel Replacement Program.
The Denmark Station $2.3 million construction investment project includes a new 280-foot concrete boarding platform, built eight inches above the top of rail, for improved accessibility for passengers with disabilities and families with small children and much more.
Caltrain and its partners have implemented safety improvements at specific locations in response to known risk conditions, operational needs, and available funding since the agency’s founding.
On a recent episode of METROspectives, METRO Magazine’s Executive Editor Alex Roman sat down with Ana-Maria Tomlinson, Director of Strategic & Cross-Sector Programs at the CSA Group, to explore a bold initiative aimed at addressing those challenges: the development of a National Code for Transit and Passenger Rail Systems in Canada.
Competitive FTA grants will support accessibility upgrades, family-friendly improvements, and cost-efficient capital projects at some of the nation’s oldest and busiest transit hubs.
The 3.92-mile addition will soon take riders west beyond its current Wilshire and Western station in Koreatown, continuing under Wilshire Boulevard through neighborhoods and communities including Hancock Park, Windsor Square, the Fairfax District, and Carthay Circle into Beverly Hills.
Under the plan, all long-distance routes will transition to a universal single-level fleet, replacing today’s mix of bi-level and single-level equipment.