The cars are being rehabilitated by Alstom Transport in Hornell, N.Y. The improvements include the cars’ interiors (flip-up seating for wheelchairs and bicycles; new seats and slip-resistant floors; new lighting; new windows and HVAC systems) and exteriors and operating systems, including new braking systems that conserve energy by returning the power generated in braking to the cars’ power systems.
Federal and local representatives joined officials from the Delaware River Port Authority and Lindenwold, N.J.’s PATCO to “turn the key” on the first six railcars to re-enter service on PATCO’s High-Speed Line after extensive rehabilitation of the cars’ interiors and operating systems. All 120 of the cars in PATCO’s fleet will be upgraded over the course of the $194 million refurbishment.
The cars are being rehabilitated by Alstom Transport in Hornell, N.Y. The improvements include the cars’ interiors (flip-up seating for wheelchairs and bicycles; new seats and slip-resistant floors; new lighting; new windows and HVAC systems) and exteriors and operating systems, including new braking systems that conserve energy by returning the power generated in braking to the cars’ power systems.
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Additionally, there have been significant upgrades to communications and security systems. The new public address system has external speakers so announcements made on a train can be heard on platforms. Also, train operators can access the public address system from their hand-held radios, so they can make announcements from wherever they are, including off the train if necessary. There will also be better messaging for passengers in stations, including real-time “next-train” information via the new video infotainment and advertising system.
PATCO refurbished railcar interior
The six refurbished cars will be joined by six more this summer; after that, four a month will go to Alstom for refurbishing, according to John Rink, PATCO’s GM.
“Now that Alstom has resolved the issues we encountered before we could approve the prototype cars, we’re moving into production mode,” Rink said. “We anticipate having the entire fleet refurbished within the next 18 months.”
Combined, PATCO cars log about 4.3 million miles annually, running 24/7 on the 14.2-mile route between Lindenwold, N.J. and Center City Philadelphia.
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.
