Prototype News

The Heber Valley Railroad in Utah has added two stainless steel dome cars to its growing fleet of passenger cars. In late October, the tourist railroad moved two domes — Chicago, Burlington & Quincy “Silver Scene” and Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 503 — from storage near Salt Lake City to Heber City, where one was about to enter regular service as of this writing. At the same time, the railroad also moved a recently acquired buffet-lounge car, Denver & Rio Grande Western 1291 “Royal Gorge.”

The three cars join a growing fleet of passenger equipment on the Utah tourist railroad, with 20 cars presently in service and another 15 waiting in the wings. Over the last few years, the railroad has put together an impressive fleet of passenger equipment to meet the demands of growing ridership. 

The two dome cars are a first for the Heber Valley, which runs on a former Rio Grande branch in the Wasatch Mountains southeast of Salt Lake City. The “Silver Scene” was once used on the California Zephyr. The car was last used on the Montana Daylight and was recently refurbished in St. Louis. Santa Fe 503 was once used on the Super Chief and has spent the last few decades in private car service across the United States. The car was most recently based in California along with the “Royal Gorge.”

Heber Valley Chief Mechanical Officer Michael Manwiller said the two domes will serve the railroad well as it increases its premium excursion offerings. In recent years, the railroad has acquired several stainless steel cars and painted a few of them into a Rio Grande-inspired livery, giving the railroad a modern-day version of the D&RGW’s Prospector. 

—Justin Franz 

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by Justin Franz/photos as noted

If any railroad was going to exploit the scenic splendor of Moab, Utah, it would have been Denver & Rio Grande Western. After all, it was the Rio Grande that brought us icons like the Silverton, the Ski Train, and the Zephyr. But despite the awe-inspiring arches, deep canyons, and red rock spires it winds through, the Cane Creek Subdivision had never once seen a regularly scheduled passenger train.

That is, until now, thanks to a Canadian company that over the past 35 years has ricocheted from the edge of bankruptcy to the top of the pack, becoming one of the most successful luxury railroad tour operators in North American history.

While some in the railroad world might dismiss it as “just another tour train,” the numbers prove that to be a mistaken view. After all, any railroad operating in two countries with more than 100 pieces of rolling stock, 1,000 employees, more than 2,000 route miles, and nearly 2.4 million satisfied passengers since its first season in 1990 is not just another tour train. In short, Rocky Mountaineer is in a league of its own. Which is why I find myself in Moab on a scorching August day. Inside the modern Hoodoo Hotel, a few blocks off Moab’s main drag, Rocky Mountaineer employees help check in last-minute arrivals. Before long, we’re gathered up to board a motorcoach for the short ride north of town to catch our train, the Rockies to the Red Rocks, which will take us east across the former Rio Grande to Denver — though, because we’re going from west to east, “Red Rocks to the Rockies” might be a more accurate moniker.

ABOVE: Sometimes, host railroads Canadian Pacific and Canadian National would have to lend a hand to the upstart Rocky Mountaineer. On September 17, 1995, the westbound First Passage to the West is seen with an RMRX B36-7 and a borrowed CP Rail GP38-2 at Ottertail, B.C., on CP’s Mountain Subdivision. —Steven J. Brown photo

Cruising through town along U.S. Route 191, our host (a Moab-based employee who will not be joining us on the rail portion of the journey) provides insightful commentary about the landscape and its cultural history. It’s a glimpse of the next 27 hours in the care of Rocky Mountaineer.

A few minutes later, a thin blue and white line appears against the red landscape. After arriving from Glenwood Springs, where the train had overnighted, the appropriately named Rockies to the Red Rocks discharged its passengers before its two GP40-3 locomotives (of Baltimore & Ohio and Seaboard Air Line heritage) ran around the consist in preparation for its eastbound trip. Our motorcoach pulls right up to the train, and we’re greeted as we walk across a red carpet embroidered with the name “Rocky Mountaineer” and onto the waiting train.

As I settle into seat 44 — checking out the food and drink menu and a newspaper that describes the journey ahead — a glass of champagne is placed on the seatback tray in front of me. After more than a decade in railroad journalism, having crawled around oily diesel shops and ridden filthy freight locomotives, I can safely say this is a first. With boarding complete, the train starts to roll north for the 21.3-mile trip to Brendel, where we’ll join the former Rio Grande (now Union Pacific) main line. As we depart, we’re introduced to the onboard crew — Train Manager Zach, Car Hosts Joey and Paul, Bartender Leigh, and Chef Carol — who lead us in a toast to the journey ahead. It’s a near-flawless introduction to how Rocky Mountaineer does business.

ABOVE: On August 29, 2024, Rocky Mountaineer’s Rainforest to Gold Rush exits a tunnel and crosses a bridge deep within in the Cheakamus Canyon at mile 55.70 on Canadian National’s Squamish Subdivision. The section of railroad was once operated by BC Rail. With CN planning to cease operations on this scenic part of its railroad in the coming years, the future of the train between Vancouver and Jasper via Prince George is uncertain. —Julien Boily photo

Big Scenery, Bigger Bet
But it wasn’t always this flawless. Rocky Mountaineer’s early years were marked by mismatched equipment, unpaid bills, and a hope that it would all work out. Luckily for the company and its backers, they had access to one of the most scenic pieces of railroad on earth.

Not long after completing the first transcontinental railroad across Canada, Canadian Pacific Railway realized it had more than just a connection to the West in its main line across the mountains of Alberta and British Columbia; it also had a way to bring people into the breathtaking beauty of the Canadian Rockies. The railroad quickly sought to exploit the scenery through which it traveled, building various amenities for tourists, most notably, the Banff Springs Hotel in 1888. In later years, the government-backed Canadian National Railway also contributed to the development of areas farther north near Jasper. Both railroads promoted their transcontinental trains as the best way to access the mountains. On CP, the most popular train was the Mountaineer, which traversed the most scenic parts of the railroad in daylight.

However, by the 1960s, as CP and CN started cutting back on their passenger services, the railroad’s remaining transcontinental trains traveled through the mountains of Alberta and British Columbia at night. This practice continued after VIA Rail took over passenger train services north of the border. In an effort to attract some of the passengers who had turned to scenic motorcoach tours, VIA launched a new train in 1988 called Canadian Rockies by Daylight. The train would depart from Vancouver in the morning and spend the night in Kamloops, where passengers would stay in a local hotel before continuing to either Banff on CP or Jasper on CN. The first train left Vancouver on June 5, 1988. Among the guests on that inaugural run was a young businessman named Peter Armstrong, who had the contract to bus passengers to and from their Vancouver hotels. No one knew then that it wouldn’t be the last time Armstrong would ride the train. In fact, as former Rocky Mountaineer executive and author Rick Antonson later wrote in his book Train Beyond the Mountain, “VIA’s management may have soon regretted the invitation.”

ABOVE: RMRX GP40-3s 8021 and 8020 lead the eastbound Rockies to the Red Rocks out of Tunnel 29 just east of Pinecliffe, Colo., on May 2, 2025. On this portion of the former Rio Grande, the train will pass through two dozen tunnels in just 13 miles. —Joe McMillan photo

The train usually consisted of an F40PH-2 and ex-CN coaches, running from June through October. In 1989, it was rebranded as Rocky Mountaineer, a tribute to the former CP train that was discontinued in the 1960s. While the weekly service did bring some passengers back to the rails, it couldn’t withstand the changing political landscape in Ottawa. In 1990, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney’s Conservative government cut VIA’s subsidies in half, resulting in the elimination of several trains, including the famous Canadian. The name of the former CP train would live on, running on the more northern CN route, but destinations like Banff and Lake Louise no longer had regular passenger service. Another casualty was the Rocky Mountaineer. However, instead of simply discontinuing the train, which had found a small but viable market, VIA chose to sell it.

Among the bidders was the Vancouver businessman who had taken the inaugural run a few years earlier. Armstrong told friends that he enjoyed the ride but saw many ways to improve the service. He also had experience running former government-operated services, having previously privatized a public bus system. In early 1990, Armstrong left the bus company and founded Mountain Vistas Railtour Services to bid on the train route. While multiple bidders threw their hats into the ring, Armstrong’s team emerged victorious. In April of that year, he acquired the rights to operate the train, the Rocky Mountaineer brand, two baggage cars, and a dozen ex-CN/VIA coaches. The new railroad, soon renamed Great Canadian Railtour Company, was just getting its feet under itself when it had to operate a previously scheduled media train in late April. The company had hardly any employees or motive power, but the train operated as planned, using borrowed VIA F40PH-2s, and Armstrong and his friends dressed in rented tuxedos as car hosts. They also supplied a well-stocked bar to compensate for any shortcomings of the hastily organized trip.

On May 27 and 28, 1990, Rocky Mountaineer launched its inaugural season with weekly trips from Vancouver to Calgary through Banff, called First Passage to the West, and Jasper, named Journey Through the Clouds. Similar to the VIA era, the train operated as one from Vancouver to the overnight stop in Kamloops, then split into two to continue to their respective destinations. For the first few years, the motive power consisted of a pair of leased ex-Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe B23-7 locomotives. During the initial season, the two locomotives (numbers 7488 and 7498) kept their previous owner’s “bluebonnet” livery before being repainted into a blue and white scheme with Rocky Mountaineer’s goat logo prominently displayed on the nose.

ABOVE: Host Joey Torres gives commentary about the history, geography, and geology of eastern Utah and western Colorado as the eastbound Rockies to the Red Rocks rolls through Ruby Canyon on the former Rio Grande Fifth Subdivision. Today, it’s Union Pacific’s Green River Subdivision. —Justin Franz photo

That first season was widely praised as a success, which was enough for the company to announce plans to expand its service for the 1991 season. However, inside Rocky Mountaineer, things were not going smoothly. When Armstrong bid on the train, VIA had claimed it already had advance bookings for 17,000 passengers during the 1990 season. But when Armstrong and his team actually got their hands on the books, it turned out to be only 7,500 passengers. Although Rocky Mountaineer was able to sell additional tickets, the numbers were still far below the company’s initial estimates. The company lost $1 million in its first year. Its troubles worsened when a two-part documentary series titled Last Train Across Canada aired on PBS in late 1990, highlighting the cuts to VIA Rail service, including the transcontinental Canadian. Suddenly, Rocky Mountaineer representatives had to reassure American travel agents that, despite the documentary’s title, passenger trains still operated in Canada.

The following year, the company lost $2.9 million, and by the end of its third season in 1992, the railroad was more than $7 million in the red. Hotels and other contractors were demanding full payment, and the outlook was bleak. “We’d leave the office wondering if creditors would have the doors locked up when we came to work the next morning,” an employee later said…

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Jack Stryker/photos by the author

It’s 7:15am on a quiet July morning in Detroit. While the city is still getting its day started, at the Roger Penske Technical Center (RPTC), the morning operations supervisor (acting as dispatcher for the day) is getting things in motion as the first streetcar pulls out of the terminal. The streetcar operator radios the dispatcher for clearance out of the wash bay out to the battery charge bar located at the intersection of Woodward Avenue and Lothrop Street, confirming tracks are aligned, doors are open, and flaggers are in place.

Minutes later, at exactly 7:30am, SC 287 pulls down to West Grand Boulevard at the official north end of the QLine main line and boards passengers. “Carmen,” the automated female voice that does the PA announcements, greets the boarding passengers — “Grand Boulevard… Welcome to the QLine.”

Origins and Construction
The first street railways appeared in Detroit following an 1862 city ordinance allowing lines to be built along the main routes of the city including East Jefferson, Woodward, Michigan, Gratiot, Grand River, and West Fort. After a number of mergers and consolidations creating Detroit United Railway, the city took control in 1922 and formed Detroit Department of Street Railways (DSR). During the postwar era, the city began converting streetcar lines to bus operation as ridership declined. The formal end of streetcar operation in Detroit was marked with a special parade along Woodward Avenue on April 8, 1956. The slow-moving PCC streetcars all carried banners advertising the new bus service that would replace them.

ABOVE: QLine car 291 rests at one of the five parking setups in the storage yard behind the Roger Penske Technical Center in August 2021.

Trolleys made a brief return in 1976 with the opening of the Detroit Downtown Trolley. Originally planned to be a standard gauge line, the tracks were ultimately built to narrow gauge to take advantage of vintage cars available from Lisbon. Built along Washington Boulevard, the three-quarter-mile line was operated by Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT). In 1980, the line was extended another quarter mile to connect to the new Renaissance Center. By 2001, only one car out of seven remained in service, which resulted in slower hourly service; the trolley line closed in 2003.

In 2006, DDOT conducted a study of expanding mass transit options for Woodward Avenue. Meanwhile, a group of business leaders decided to provide matching private funds to develop a $125 million, 3.3-mile line through downtown Detroit that would be called the “M-1 Rail Line.” After extensive discussion between the investors and DDOT, the two groups adapted DDOT’s plan for a 9.3-mile line connecting the Rosa Parks Transit Center and Eight Mile Road where the State Fairgrounds are, using the Woodward Avenue route.
There would have been 19 stops served by 10 trains, with each train envisioned having two cars to carry up to 150 passengers. The trains would operate in a dedicated right-of-way in the median of Woodward Avenue between Adams Street at the north edge of Grand Circus Park north to Eight Mile Road. South of Adams Street, the trains would run with traffic along the sides of Woodward Avenue through the rest of downtown.

To cover the roughly $500 million projected cost, The Kresge Foundation provided $35 million in March 2009, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) would provide $25 million in February 2010, and Detroit City Council approved the sale of $125 million in bonds on April 11, 2011. The Federal Transit Administration and the city of Detroit signed the environmental impact statement on July 1, 2011; the record of decision was signed on August 31, giving the project the green light.

ABOVE: With the ad-wrap color palette matching the sky above almost perfectly, streetcar 288 passes in front of the Detroit Institute of the Arts in the Midtown District in May 2025.

However, in December 2011, the federal government withdrew its support of the line in favor of a bus rapid transit system to serve the city and suburbs. Coupled with economic damage the recession had inflicted on Detroit and its industries, a determined group of corporate and philanthropic leaders stated it would continue developing the 3.3-mile line under their nonprofit M-1 RAIL Consortium.

With the new Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan created in 2012, the USDOT released the $25 million to M-1 RAIL. The project received its final environmental clearance from the federal government on April 26, 2013, with the construction contract awarded to Stacy & Witbeck on July 31 of the same year. Construction officially started on July 28, 2014, with USDOT kicking in an additional $12.2 million to complete the financing of the project.

At the same time right-of-way infrastructure construction was taking place, work began February 15, 2015, on the $6.9 million, 20,000-square-foot RPTC, which would be the center of operations and maintenance for the M-1 RAIL system. The system was later renamed “QLine” after Quicken Loans purchased the naming rights for $5 million on March 24, 2016; the actual operating organization would still be called M-1 RAIL, however, with Transdev North America hired under a five-year, $15.5 million contract on June 30, 2016, to handle the actual day-to-day functions of the streetcar system, including hiring and training of staff, managing and dispatching streetcar operations, maintenance of both vehicle and infrastructure, and more…

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This month, we join Scott Lothes on his journey to northern Japan, on the island of Hokkaido (page 44). At first blush, this may seem like a trip to someplace wildly different. From a North American perspective, Japan may seem to be a dense, deeply urban place, simultaneously futuristic yet ancient. To bring this to a more railfan-centric perspective, Japan is also knit together with a network of high-speed “bullet trains,” the likes of which we can only envy. Yet, as I think Scott’s story helps show, there are many ways that the Japanese railway landscape is surprisingly familiar.

One thing we must keep in mind is that Japan’s railways were heavily influenced by North American practice. Early Japanese railway projects were designed with the assistance of foreign consultants, most of whom came from either the United Kingdom or the U.S. The result is that the Japanese system exhibits certain telltale signs of both railway traditions, from the predominance of 42-inch gauge (typical of British colonies) but also of a dense, weblike network of lightly built branches more typical of North America. Early equipment was UK-built, but by the turn of the 20th century, the most powerful locomotives in the country had been built by America’s Baldwin. Later, domestically built equipment showed such hybrid roots, with proportions and aesthetics that recalled British equipment, but other spotting features — such as tenders, cylinders, and couplers — being distinctly North American.

Nor are these influences found only in the past. Today’s Japanese rail network in many ways echoes our own, especially at the margins. Like our continent, Japan experienced a wave of so-called “deindustrialization” starting in the 1970s, with industrial modernization and increased global trade radically changing the nature of the economy. As in the American “rust belt,” many steel mills, coal mines, and power plants shut down, and rural populations steadily relocated into larger cities. The northern island of Hokkaido, for example, was once one of the world’s most important coal-mining regions, but much like the Appalachian region of the U.S., it is a place that seems more and more hollowed out, steadily emptying of traffic and of life.

For the railways that served such regions, the options were few but also familiar. Many lines that once belonged to Japanese National Railways or its privatized successors were, in essence, “spun off” into what Japan calls “third-sector railways” — what we might label “short lines.” Some of those companies have survived by reducing service, cutting overhead costs, and chasing new markets, much as our own short lines do, and likewise, not all of them have met with sustained success. It is not unusual, for example, for a small third-sector railway to turn to tourism as a means to generate traffic, and it is not at all unusual to find dinner trains, beer trains, scenery-viewing trains, and sometimes even steam locomotives to attract those tourists to the rails.

And then there’s the railfan world. If you go to YouTube, and search for “Japanese train videos,” you will find plenty of results. One of the more amusing aspects is to watch, say, a beautiful shot of a distant steam-hauled train, and then hear the distinctive click-click-click of a camera motor drive from some other railfan standing just out of view. If anything, there are probably more railfans in Japan than in North America, and yet many of their conventions are ours, too — from the “photo line” to spotter’s guides to rare-mileage trips. Perhaps Japan is an ocean away, and certainly it has its own distinct geography, culture, and history, and yet the more I have learned about its railways, the more I am impressed not by the differences, but by what we share.

—Alexander Benjamin Craghead is a transportation historian, photographer, artist, and author.

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The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has finalized guidance (download below) for its Capital Investment Grants (CIG) program, described as “the largest federal discretionary grant program for transit capital investments, including heavy rail, commuter rail, light rail, streetcars and bus rapid transit.”

FTA said it will revert to a previously used methodology that relies on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) designation, based on the city in which a transit project is located. This approach eliminates social cost of carbon criteria calculations.

The update amends FTA’s CIG Policy Guidance published in December 2024 and includes feedback FTA received when it published its Proposed CIG Policy Guidance for public comment in August. Among 16 respondents providing comments were “transit agencies, interest groups, policy organizations and individuals,” FTA noted. The agency said it will use this guidance for the CIG program’s FY2026 Annual Report ratings, available on the FTA website. 

For more information, visit the CIG Regulations and Guidance webpage.

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Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) on Nov. 13 it has reached a new tentative five-year collective agreement with the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET).

The tentative agreement, CPKC said, provides increased wages and more flexible work rules for approximately 300 locomotive engineers on the Soo Line property operating trains in Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin. CPKC previously announced a series of 13 tentative five-year collective agreements with various unions representing approximately 360 employees across the U.S. All the tentative agreements announced are pending ratification by the unions’ membership.

“We are very pleased to have reached this latest tentative collective agreement benefiting approximately 300 of our railroaders in the U.S.,” said Keith Creel, CPKC President and CEO. “Thank you to the leadership of the BLET. With this agreement and 13 others reached at the bargaining table with our unions across the United States in recent days, CPKC will continue to safely and efficiently deliver for our customers for years to come in support of American business and economic growth.”

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Retired Michigan State Center for Railway Research & Education Director Nick Little will once again serve as judge for the awards program, which was established in 2016 recognizing 10 individuals under 40. In 2021, the number of honorees was increased to 20, due to a growing number of entries and outstanding candidates. And in 2022, the number of honorees was again increased to 25.

“One of railroading’s most valuable assets is the vast amount of institutional knowledge held by its people,” says Little. “Each year, it is heartening to see how our awards program nominees are contributing to it. These diverse young leaders show breadth of knowledge, experience and achievement coupled with application, commitment and agility in their field of expertise, yet also are giving back to both the industry and society. I look forward to the challenge of choosing honorees for 2026.”

ELIGIBILITY:

• The nominee must be located in the United States, Canada and/or Mexico.
• The nominee must be under the age of 40 as of January 1, 2026.
• There is no limit on the number of entries each firm or person can submit, and there is no entry fee.
• Candidates may nominate themselves.

JUDGING CRITERIA:

• Industry experience and education.
• Leadership skills.
• Industry contributions.
• Community service involvement.

DEADLINE: Jan. 8, 2026, 5 p.m. EST.

PHOTOS: We will require honorees to submit a high-resolution (minimum 300 dpi or higher) headshot.

COMPLETE THIS FORM TO ENTER.

Entries are final. Please have your responses fully prepared before submitting.

Railway Age’s 2025 “Fast Trackers” 25 Under 40 Honorees
Railway Age’s 2024 “Fast Trackers” 25 Under 40 Honorees
Railway Age’s 2023 “Fast Trackers” 25 Under 40 Honorees
Railway Age’s 2022 “Fast Trackers” 25 Under 40 Honorees
Railway Age’s 2021 “Fast Trackers” 20 Under 40 Honorees
Railway Age’s 2020 “Fast Trackers” 10 Under 40 Honorees
Railway Age’s 2019 “Fast Trackers” 10 Under 40 Honorees
Railway Age’s 2018 “Fast Trackers” 10 Under 40 Honorees
Railway Age’s 2017 “Fast Trackers” 10 Under 40 Honorees

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“Today we’re pleased to announce a new development partnership between Brightline Trains and Sotereon.AI—bringing together cutting-edge LiDAR perception technology and next-generation AI to transform how rail infrastructure is monitored and maintained,” Tampa, Fla.-based Sotereon.AI reported via social media on Nov. 13.

The goal is to “enhance the inspection and maintenance process by creating a real-time digital replica of the Brightline corridor, one that is continuously updated throughout the operational day,” according to a joint announcement by the companies. Sensors will be mounted to two Brightline locomotives and Sotereon.AI will employ its Overwatch perception platform.

“Brightline’s commitment to innovation aligns seamlessly with our mission at Soterion.AI,” said Greg Moya, Chief Operating Officer of Soterion.AI. “By listening to our customers and applying transformative AI to rail infrastructure, we are jointly pioneering LiDAR perception analytics in a way that’s never been done before—establishing a new standard for intelligent corridor monitoring.”

“This technology has the potential to transform the way railroads monitor and inspect their corridors” added Michael Lefevre, Vice President of Operations at Brightline.

Sotereon Overwatch is described as “a cloud or on-premise software platform that combines LiDAR-based perception, AI-driven analytics and behavioral modeling to detect real-time movement of people and things.” It is said to allow for the “identification of suspicious behavior; crowd density monitoring; vehicular movements and patterns; and predictive analytics for threat prevention.”

Brightline covers 235 miles between Miami and Orlando (see map above). It launched the first phase of its South Florida operations in 2018, connecting Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. Stations in Boca Raton and Aventura opened in 2022. Construction of its 170-mile, $6 billion phase two extension from West Palm Beach to Orlando began in 2019 and service launched in September 2023.

Railway Age Contributing Editor David Peter Alan recently reported on Brightline’s finances and examined some of the challenges that now face the railroad company, which is cutting service between its South Florida stations and the Orlando airport and is seeing costs skyrocket for its project to build a high-speed railroad between Southern California and Las Vegas.

The $4 billion investment in Valley Metro light rail since 2008 is paying off, according to a FOX10 report. Transit agency executives at a recent Phoenix City council meeting “pointed to a $20 billion return on investment, attributing it to a massive wave of development that has reshaped the corridor across the three member cities: Phoenix, Tempe, and Mesa,” the media outlet reported Nov. 12.

Light rail ridership has returned to pre-pandemic levels, “increasing 21% year over year to 45,000 daily weekday riders,” FOX10 said. In a survey, the “vast majority” of riders “reported feeling safe on the system, citing more visible security officers and cleaner stations,” it noted. “Unsafe situations on the light rail dropped by more than 50% over the last year.”

“I’ve seen downtown change leaps and bounds,” said Adrian Ruiz, Chief Safety and Security for Valley Metro, according to FOX10. “It was a ghost town down here 25 years ago after 5 o’clock, no one here. I even wondered, ‘Really? There’s going to be people who want to live here?’ Absolutely!”

Now, Valley Metro’s goal is expansion, the media outlet said. Valley Metro and the City of Phoenix are seeking community feedback on how transit will reach west Phoenix. The public is invited to provide input on route options for the Capitol Extension (CAPEX) light rail project and its connection to the I-10 West (10WEST) light rail extension project (see map below). These projects would extend light rail service from downtown Phoenix to the Arizona State Capitol area and ultimately to the Desert Sky Transit Center.

The Phoenix City Council is expected to act on both projects in January 2026. The Council will either adopt an updated CAPEX route as the first step to extend light rail to west Phoenix and connect the 10WEST Extension or re-evaluate high-capacity transit alternatives to serve west Phoenix, with or without the Capitol Extension.

Caltrain will receive $500,000 from the San Mateo County Transportation Authority to “help more San Mateo County colleges and employers offer GoPasses, making it easier and cheaper for people to take the train instead of driving,” SMCTA reported Nov. 12. GoPass is Caltrain’s deeply discounted, annual, unlimited-ride fare product for organizations; it offers unlimited travel across all zones, seven days a week for qualifying participants.

Caltrain’s GoPass program expansion is one of 17 projects that will share nearly $6.8 million in funding through the 2025 Cycle 3 Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Call for Projects; the TDM Program is said to support projects that “help reduce traffic, improve air quality, and give people more choices for how they travel” and the funding comes from voter-approved Measure A and Measure W tax revenues, which help pay for transportation improvements in San Mateo County. The other projects include bus stop upgrades, vanpool and e-bike programs, traffic signal improvements, and crosswalk additions for school safety.

Separately, Caltrain recently outlined “significant service cuts and operational impacts,” including the potential elimination of weekend service and of half-hourly trains, “to reduce budget shortfalls” if the proposed regional transit funding measure fails in November 2026 and no new external funding is available.

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Railinc, MineHub says, serves as the “digital backbone” of the North American freight rail network, processing more than 300 million daily transactions related to rail movements, including waybills and car movements. It monitors more than 11 million railcar movement events each day across more than 600 rail carriers throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico. These events capture individual railcar location changes, which may occur multiple times per journey. “As the trusted hub for waybill data, Railinc provides the accuracy and reliability critical for seamless rail logistics connecting thousands of supply chain stakeholders.”

This integration, the company says, “marks a significant advancement in MineHub’s ongoing commitment to deliver innovative, data-driven solutions that optimize supply chain operations.” The partnership with Railinc offers several key benefits:

• “Direct access to comprehensive tracking updates from Railinc’s authoritative rail event network, reducing reliance on supplier-provided data and ensuring more accurate and reliable information.
• “A richer and more complete dataset, including waybill details, estimated interchange times, and trip-level insights, allowing customers to make better-informed decisions and optimize their supply chain operations.
• “Faster, more accurate tracking updates with lower latency and a reduced risk of duplicate or erroneous events, contributing to increased operational efficiency and potential cost reductions for MineHub’s customers.
• “Visibility across both inbound and outbound rail shipments through a single authorization process, streamlining the tracking experience and saving time for users.
• “A foundation for future feature development aimed at further streamlining operations and delivering measurable time and cost savings for MineHub customers, supporting the company’s position in the industry.”

“We are thrilled to partner with Railinc and offer our customers unparalleled visibility into their rail shipments,” said MineHub CEO Andrea Aranguren. “This integration is a testament to our commitment to providing the most comprehensive and reliable supply chain solutions for the commodity markets.”

By leveraging Railinc’s extensive data network, MineHub says it “continues to revolutionize the digital supply chain landscape, empowering customers with the insights and tools they need to optimize their operations and drive success in an increasingly competitive market.”

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“This budget builds upon the tremendous progress we’ve made over the past year, and sets us on a path towards continued growth,” said CTA Acting President Nora Leerhsen. “Getting to this point is the culmination of our commitment to delivering the kind of transformational public transit service that our region has never experienced before. I want to thank our dedicated workforce, our community of riders and transit advocates, and state and local elected officials for their support, and I look forward to working together as we chart a vibrant transit future in the years to come.”

Due to the funding uncertainty earlier this fall, CTA developed and proposed three funding scenarios:

• “Budget A: Baseline or simply filling the funding gap budget assumed typical state funding levels that solely address the existing structural funding gap.
• “Budget B: Growth budget that fixes the funding disparity and allows CTA to close its budget gap, plus make significant investments to deliver services being requested by riders.
• “Budget C: Reduced budget that has no additional funding to address the structural funding gap, resulting in a significant cut to service.

These scenarios, the agency says, were developed based on the potential funding CTA could receive pending the outcome of ongoing legislative efforts in Springfield last month. With the passage of SB2111, and with guidance from the Regional Transit Authority (RTA), CTA passed the Budget A or the Baseline budget, which fills the current operating budget gap in 2026. “CTA is seeking an amended budget for all service boards in the region to recognize the additional funding from SB2111 and enable transit in the region to begin delivering now on the key investments riders have been seeking.”

According to the agency, “the budget passed includes measurable progress on key investments and reflects feedback CTA received from thousands of riders who took part in new agency outreach events including more than a dozen ‘CTA Chats’ pop-up events this summer, three Budget Town Hall meetings this fall, the 2026 budget hearing, plus multiple surveys.”

Among the projects and initiatives CTA riders can expect in 2026 with the current budget include:

• “Service Enhancements: Ongoing service adjustments to better align and connect bus and rail services to offer more one-seat rides and enhanced transit connections.
• “Strengthened Security: CTA will increase the amount budgeted for CPD to further increase police resources assigned to work on the system. CTA will also launch new Safe Ride Ambassador models to pilot that were created with input from law enforcement, other security experts, transit advocates, mental health and social service professionals, and community-based organizations. These response models will be designed to assist people on CTA in visible crisis with support services and de-escalate potentially troubling situations.
• “Enhanced Customer Experience: Refresh & Renew: The cyclical CTA facility improvement program will include some additional customer-friendly improvements such as landscaping, benches designed for children and more station art.
• “Enhanced Customer Experience: ChatBot Phase 2: Reporting non-emergency matters and accessing real-time information via the CTA Chatbot will be easier and more personalized through additional AI investments that will enable the Chatbot to more readily understand customer reports, requiring fewer follow-up questions. It would also collect more details about incidents to increase resolution rates and provide more details and information on service.
• “Enhanced Cleaning Measures: Building on the expansion of cleaning personnel added the last couple years, in 2026 CTA will be piloting the deployment of mid-line railcar cleaning to address cleanliness issues that occur after trains have been in service for several hours. This will complement an already robust cleaning regimen that includes daily cleanings of every vehicle and station, plus monthly deep cleans and power-washing.
• “Expanded Accessibility Initiatives and Outreach: To further expand initiatives that increase accessibility to transit and the experience of riders with disabilities, CTA will add a position to focus on this important work, including expansion of front-line employee training on accessibility and supporting disabled riders; strengthening existing partnerships and building new ones among disability community advocates.
• “Focus on ETOD and Transit Policy: To aid efforts in redefining CTA’s role in driving more large-scale, Equitable Transit Orientated Development (ETOD) around transit hubs, CTA will create two new positions focused solely on driving strategy for critical cross-agency transit policy strategies, initiatives, and community-based partnerships that promote and leverage transit to connect people to opportunities that improve their lives.”

With an amended budget recognizing the additional transit funding for the region, CTA says it plans to build on all these investments, plus it will also make immediate service enhancements, including additional 24/7 rail service and expanding the Frequent Bus Network.

Also approved by the Chicago Transit Board was the agency’s $6.75 billion five-year (2026-2030) Capital Improvement Program (CIP), which prioritizes projects that focus on improving safety, reliability, accessibility, equity and meeting regulatory requirements. This includes the following projects and initiatives:

• Red Line Extension: Start of work to extend the line from 95th to 130th Street.
• All Stations Accessibility Plan (ASAP): Design and construction for the next series of rail stations to enhance accessibility.
• Elevator and Escalator Replacements: Upgrading aged elevators and escalators throughout the system.
• Rail Heavy Maintenance Facility Renovations: Upgrades to enhance facilities where heavy repair and overhaul work is performed on CTA series railcars.
• New Vehicle Purchases: Acquisition of up to 446 new railcars as planned under options for the 7000-Series railcar contract. The purchase of over 200 new buses, electric or other zero emission buses.
• Fleet Overhauls: Overhauling approximately half of the existing rail fleet and over a quarter of the bus fleet.
• Replacement of Heavy-Duty Vehicles and Equipment: Replacing over-age heavy-duty vehicles and shop equipment used for transit operations support.

Part of the capital program will also include the creation of a new Blue Line Forest Park Modernization Program Office that will be tasked with working in partnership with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) through the joint I-290 Eisenhower Expressway/Blue Line Corridor Development Office “to create a strategic vision and infrastructure plan for the 13-mile long corridor along I-290 expressway and the Forest Park Blue Line branch.” The goal, CTA says, is to advance planning efforts and have various aspects of this work shovel ready as funding opportunities become available.

The post Chicago Transit Board Approves 2026 CTA Budget appeared first on Railway Age.

Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) will lease 10 railcars to alleviate pressure on its Regional Rail service, as it performs federally mandated safety inspections and makes repairs to Silverliner IV cars, following five separate fires on that equipment this year, according to local media outlets.

The 10 railcars will come from MARC in Maryland. “It will cost $22,000 a month to lease each of the [non-powered] coaches from the MARC Train Service—or about $2.6 million over the one-year term of the agreement, SEPTA spokesperson Andrew Busch said,” according to The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Nov. 12 report, which noted that the cars can be used with SEPTA’s 15 locomotives.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has allowed SEPTA to use capital funds for the lease, which “will be accounted for in the 2026-27 fiscal year budget,” the newspaper said.

The cars will start service in mid-December, according to NBC10 in Philadelphia.

Additionally, SEPTA “issued a request for proposals last week to solicit bids from manufacturers for new railcars,” the Inquirer reported; the deadline is April 10.

On Oct. 1, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released an investigative report and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) issued an Emergency Order in response to the Silverliner IV train fires. As part of SEPTA’s compliance with the FRA Emergency Order, Silverliner IVs have been rotated from service for inspections, testing, and safety upgrades, which has led to train delays, overcrowding and cancellations; and the transit authority has said operations staff will continue to remove from service all railcars that raise safety concerns.

Designed and built by General Electric, the Silverliner IV is the fourth-generation EMU (electric multiple unit) in the Silverliner family and was delivered in batches between 1973 and 1976. The Silverliner IVs were operated by the Reading Company until Reading’s absorption into Conrail in 1976. SEPTA took over commuter rail operations and the Silverliner IV fleet from Conrail in 1983. Silverliner IVs now represent approximately 225 of the 390 passenger-carrying railcars (which include passenger coaches, cab cars, and self-propelled units) in SEPTA’s Regional Rail operations fleet, according to the NTSB. “The Silverliner IV fleet has not been refurbished since its original deployment,” according to the government agency.

FRA Emergency Order No. 34 requires SEPTA to take 15 specific actions including operator and mechanical personnel training, installation of new thermal detectors, daily maintenance quality control inspections, and a point-to-point inspection of every Silverliner IV railcar “following an aggressive FRA-approved schedule,” according to SEPTA.

In response to the FRA’s Emergency Order and the NTSB’s report, SEPTA said it added the following measures:

• “In-person inspectors are now present on all trains passing through Center City stations to conduct safety checks and respond quickly to any equipment issues.
• “Mid-run inspections have been added to review fault indicator lights and other critical systems while trains are in operation, supplementing existing pre- and post-run inspections.
• “Live video monitoring allows SEPTA’s Control Center supervisors to view train interiors in real time to check indicator lights and system alerts, ensuring quicker response to any potential issues.
• “Expanded maintenance staffing ensures that inspection and repair work can be completed more quickly and around the clock to meet the FRA’s deadlines.
• “Enhanced employee safety briefings and trainings are being conducted to ensure all operators, mechanics, and inspectors understand new reporting and inspection protocols.
• “Improved documentation and data sharing have been implemented so that all inspection results, repairs, and follow-up actions are logged, tracked, and reported directly to FRA for review.
• “Public communication measures are in place to keep riders informed about safety progress, expected service adjustments, and ongoing compliance updates.”

“SEPTA is committed to fully complying with the FRA Emergency Order, and we are confident that full compliance will also achieve the goal of the NTSB report recommendations,” it has said. All of the actions taken, the transit authority noted, will “strengthen SEPTA’s safety culture, modernize oversight of the Silverliner IV fleet, and ensure that every possible precaution is taken to protect riders, employees, and the region’s rail system.”

According to the Inquirer, SEPTA is “on track” to finish inspections by the Nov. 14 deadline; as of Nov. 12, “inspections were finished on 210 Silverliner IVs, or 94% of the fleet, and 73 of the cars have been returned to Regional Rail service.”

From Nov. 10 through Nov. 24, SEPTA cancelled 22 trains each day on the Airport, Chestnut Hill West, Fox Chase and Warminster lines.

“By the end of the year, we’ll be in a much better position to return to some semblance of normalcy on the system,” SEPTA General Manager Scott A. Sauer told the Inquirer, which noted that “[h]e said customers should see gradual improvement throughout November.”

“Next ‘we’re going to put a plan together to overhaul [Silverliner IV] cars,’” Sauer said. “We need to make them last another six to 10 years.”

By then, the Inquirer said, the “new vehicles should be arriving in Philadelphia.”

SEPTA has said it will continue to work closely with the FRA and share progress on its website to keep the public informed.

Meanwhile, “[t]he Fiscal Cliff that has been haunting the transit industry in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and changes in ridership and revenue that it caused has placed SEPTA and many other providers in difficult financial straits,” according to a recent article by Railway Age Contributing Editor David Peter Alan. Read more of his SEPTA articles by clicking here and here.

The post Report: SEPTA Working to Boost Regional Rail Capacity appeared first on Railway Age.

New Jersey Transit’s 429 Alstom (originally Bombardier)-built Multilevel I and II railcars are approaching 20 years of service and due for a recommended mid-life overhaul. NJT on Nov. 12 proceeded with its fleet modernization efforts as the agency’s Board of Directors authorized $917 million to overhaul the fleet.

Funding not to exceed $917,058,512.41, plus 10% for contingencies, was authorized to overhaul NJT’s fleet of 329 first-generation Multilevel I vehicles, delivered between 2006-2009, and 100 Multilevel II vehicles, delivered between 2012-2013. An Expression of Interest (EOI) process “will be used to identify qualified rail vehicle overhaul contractors with proven experience in large-scale commuter railcar mid-life overhaul programs,” the agency said. “The EOI process will invite contractors to submit their qualifications, capabilities, and relevant project experience. Based on the evaluation of EOIs received, NJT will develop a list of contractors that will be invited to participate in the final procurement and contract award stage.”

The scope of work, includes, but is not limited to:

• “Ensuring the cars are in a state of good repair and improving the systems to ensure their reliability, and compatibility and interoperability with new Multilevel III vehicles, supplied by Alstom.
• “Enhancing passenger comfort with upgraded amenities and features to match Multilevel III vehicles such as USB charging ports.
• “Promoting sustainability with energy-efficient systems and materials where feasible.”

The contract award will be made in early 2026, said NJ Transit President and CEO Kris Kolluri, according to a NJ.com report; the rebuilds will take 10 years, with an estimated 2036 completion, he noted.

NJT is currently taking delivery of 374 Multilevel III railcars, which will replace the agency’s fleet of single-level cars including the oldest and “least reliable Arrow III electric multiple-unit cars.” In addition to increased mechanical reliability, the new cars will provide additional seating capacity and accessibility, higher top speeds of up to 110 mph and enhanced onboard amenities for customers including USB charging ports. The Multilevel IIIs on order include self-powered (AC catenary) cars—a new design—non-powered cab (control) cars and trailers.

NJT in December 2018 placed its first Multilevel III order with Bombardier Transit Corp. (now Alstom), supplier of the Multilevel Is and IIs; the contract was for 113 cars. In February 2022, the agency exercised an option for an additional 25. In July 2024, NJT exercised a third option for 36, and in September 2025, it exercised options worth $1.26 billion for an additional 200 powered and non-powered Multilevel IIIs and 12 ALP45-DP (dual-power, diesel/catenary-electric) locomotives.

“Modernizing our fleet isn’t just about adding new vehicles—it’s also about keeping our current ones in a state of good repair for the people who ride them every day,” said Kris Kolluri in a Nov. 12 statement. “This overhaul is part of our broader effort to fully modernize our rail and bus fleets by 2031, ensuring safe, reliable, and modern service for our customers systemwide.”

According to NJ.com, Kolluri said “he will leave the agency as planned in early 2026 and not seek reappointment in the Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill administration.” Appointed by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, Kolluri took the throttle at NJT earlier this year, following the resignation of Kevin S. Corbett.

• NJT Previews ML III Hybrid EMUs
• NJT Releases RFQ for Northern Rail MOW Facility
• NJT Sets FY26 Ops Budget, Authorizes Capex Funding
• NJT to Overhaul Mulitilevel II Trucks

Railway Age Executive Editor Marybeth Luczak contributed to this report.

The post NJT Slates $917MM Multilevel I, II Overhaul appeared first on Railway Age.

The Senate Commerce Committee will meet in executive session Wednesday, Nov. 19, to vote on whether to recommend for Senate confirmation numerous POTUS 47 nominees, including Republican Michelle A. Schultz, who is seeking a second five-year term on the STB. Although Republican nominee Richard Kloster is not on the list, sources tell Railway Age his omission is related to “paperwork delays outside of his control.”

Both faced a Commerce Committee qualifications hearing Nov. 6. While partisan politics was on display by Democrats, concerned that the Republican nominees are under White House pressure to vote in favor of a Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger (an application that has not been formally presented to the agency), there was no indication either’s nomination is in jeopardy before the Commerce Committee. Each insisted they are under no political pressure and would follow the facts and law on every case brought before the STB.

A vote by a Commerce Committee majority to “recommend,” advances the nominee’s name to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.Dak.), who determines if and when to present the nomination for a Senate floor vote—the final step toward confirmation.

Neither Schultz nor Kloster are nominated to the seat occupied byDemocrat Robert E. Primus prior to his firing in August by POTUS 47. Primus is challenging in federal district court his firing, terming it “illegal”—contending the STB is a regulatory agency independent of the Executive Branch, that his Senate-confirmed term does not expire until Dec. 31, 2027, and the STB statute limits removal to a showing of inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office, none of which is alleged.

A similar firing by POTUS 47 of a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Democrat—Rebecca Slaughter—has reached the Supreme Court on appeal after a federal appellate court found her ouster illegal, as it was not for “cause.” The Supreme Court issued a stay of the lower court’s decision, keeping Slaughter off the FTC pending resolution of the case. Oral argument in that case is scheduled for Dec. 7. A SCOTUS decision—timing unknown—may determine Primus’ fate.

Although Schultz’s first term expires Jan. 1, 2026, the STB statute allows members to remain for 12 additional months pending reconfirmation to a second term or Senate confirmation of a successor. If confirmed, Schultz’s second and final (by statute) term would run through 2030. Kloster’s term, if he is confirmed, will run only through Dec. 31, 2028, as he was nominated to complete an unexpired term of former STB Democratic member Martin J. Oberman, who retired in 2024.

Also serving on the five-member STB are Republican Chairperson Patrick J. Fuchs, whose second term expires Jan. 14, 2029; and Democrat Karen J. Hedlund, whose first term expires this Dec. 31. While Hedlund has not been nominated for a second term, neither has POTUS 47 indicated he will nominate a successor.

The post STB UPDATE: Schultz, Not Yet Kloster appeared first on Railway Age.

After a successful service expansion last year, Amtrak’s Winter Park Express is back for another big season, beginning on December 19, and making 57 roundtrips through March 29. 

The train is set to run December 19-21, 26-28 and January 2-4, before regular service begins on January 8, with four weekly roundtrips (Thursday through Sunday). Tickets start at $9. Last year, Amtrak worked with the Colorado Department of Transportation to lower ticket prices and the train saw a 150 percent ridership increase.

Like last year, passengers will be able to ride the train all the way to Fraser, just west of Winter Park (previously, the train laid over in Fraser during the day, but passengers had to get off at the ski area). 

The train departs Denver at 7 a.m. and arrives at the resort at 9:11 a.m. and in Fraser at 9:41 a.m. The return trip departs Fraser at 4:05 p.m. and Winter Park Resort at 4:35 p.m. and arrives in Denver at 7:05 p.m.

The ski train to Winter Park has been a Colorado institution since the early 20th century. The original train was canceled in 2009, but Amtrak brought it back as the Winter Park Express in 2017. 

—Justin Franz 

The post ‘Winter Park Express’ Returns for 2025-2026 Season appeared first on Railfan & Railroad Magazine.

The Reading & Northern Railroad (RBMN) on Nov. 11 unveiled a locomotive dressed in a patriotic scheme celebrating the forthcoming U.S. Semiquincentennial—the 250th anniversary of the United States of America—in 2026.

RBMN selected EMD SD40-2 3061 for repainting into the colors of the U.S. flag. Evan Kerr, a six-year veteran of railroad who serves as a conductor, engineer, and dispatcher, designed the scheme. “Taking advantage of the carbody length, the 3,000-hp locomotive’s long hood is dressed in red and white stripes to resemble the U.S. flag,” RBMN noted. “The cab is blue and adorned with 13 stars on the nose. It has been fittingly renumbered 1776. The SD40-2 is widely regarded as one of the most reliable and therefore best-selling diesel locomotives in history. Hence it is well-represented on the Reading & Northern roster, with 20 units. They can be seen all over the railroad, hauling everything from unit coal trains to general merchandise. As with SD40-2 1983, which was painted to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the railroad in 2023, 1776 is sure to be a popular sight among train enthusiasts and the public. With the passenger department already planning several special events centering around the Semiquincentennial, 1776 may even make appearances on excursion trains in 2026. Perhaps most fittingly, the locomotive was unveiled on Veterans Day.”

Paint Department Manager Zach Frye said, “This engine is one of the most beautiful and passionate projects ever taken on by the paint shop. Our crew of five people were able to turn this engine into a masterpiece in just one month’s time. We are very proud to introduce locomotive 1776 for all to see.”

The post RBMN Unveils ‘Semiquincentennial’ Locomotive appeared first on Railway Age.

LA Metro recently announced that it is resuming its TAP-to-Exit program at North Hollywood Station (B Line) and Union Station (B & D Lines) at the beginning of service on Monday, Nov. 17. At the same time, the agency is also launching TAP-to-Exit at the A Line’s Pomona North Station.

TAP-to-Exit was paused at North Hollywood and Union Station last spring for LA Metro to resolve technical issues with the Los Angeles Fire Department. TAP-to-Exit has been ongoing at the E Line’s Downtown Santa Monica Station.

Some stats that LA Metro collected on TAP-to-Exit:

• “We surveyed riders at North Hollywood in 2024, and 90% felt that the program made the station cleaner, and 86% felt safer. The numbers were even higher among women.
• “Reports to our Transit Watch app of crime and other issues (fights, drug use and graffiti) dropped by more than 40% on the B Line.
• “After TAP-to-Exit was launched at Downtown Santa Monica Station and paired with more fare enforcement on the E Line, incidents on the E Line dropped 55%.
• “In the first month of the program at North Hollywood, 15,000 unpaid rides were identified and paid for upon exit, amounting to an 11% increase in fare compliance. Overall, 120,000 fares were collected because of TAP-to-Exit, recovering over $130,000 in fare revenue that we can use to maintain and improve our system.”

The Jacobs and Kittelson and Associates, Inc. team has been selected by the MTA to continue their longstanding working relationship and assist with project planning efforts for a range of transit initiatives across the state. The contracts cover planning for bus, light rail, metro, commuter rail and mobility capital projects that aim to improve transit access, efficiency and sustainability.

As part of a joint venture, Jacobs and Kittelson will provide a full suite of planning services to support Maryland’s evolving transit infrastructure.

“From project development and environmental assessments to architecture, urban planning and engineering, we’re focused on creating positive outcomes for Maryland communities,” said Heather Murphy, Jacobs’ Client Account Manager and Senior Transportation Consultant. “Our planning approach centers on innovation and sustainability, expanding transit access for all residents. By enhancing accessibility and efficiency, we aim to reduce congestion, lower emissions and support a healthier environment.”

Planning services under the new contracts will help MTA:

• “Navigate a competitive and financially constrained environment.
• “Continue its leadership role in statewide transit planning and integration.
• “Respond to shifting travel patterns, including commuter-focused services such as commuter rail, commuter bus and paratransit.
• “Apply emerging technologies and tools to strengthen project design and federal funding competitiveness.”

“Our planning solutions are tailored to meet the specific needs of Maryland’s transit systems—from Maryland Area Rail Commuter and light rail to buses and statewide mobility,” added Murphy. “Together with Kittelson, we bring the experience and resources to help MTA meet today’s challenges and deliver a more connected, resilient future.”

The union representing maintenance workers with Montreal’s public transit authority announced it was suspending its month-long job action, “just hours before the province’s labor minister tabled new legislation that could have forced them back on the job,” according to a CBC News report.

In a news release sent late Tuesday night, the union said STM “remained inflexible despite significant movement on the union’s part.”

“Our union is not insensitive and it’s suspending the strike in order to continue negotiations while aiming for public transit to be financed in a fair way that can maintain good working conditions for the STM’s 2,400 maintenance workers,” stated the release from the Syndicat du transport de Montréal.

According to the CBC News report, the suspension of the strike, which had been ongoing since Oct. 31, was in effect as of 6 a.m. on Wednesday. Regular service will be gradually reintroduced throughout the day and will be fully restored Thursday, the STM says.

Speaking at a news conference at city hall Wednesday morning, incoming Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada said the union made the “right decision,” according to the CBC News report. “She also asked for predictability from bus drivers, Metro operators and station agents who are preparing to strike this weekend.”

According to the report, the labor tribunal is expected to issue a ruling this week on the service levels for Saturday and Sunday.

Further Reading:

• Transit Briefs: STM, CTA, CATS, Government of Canada
• Transit Briefs: LA Metro, STM, RTA
  
  

The post Transit Briefs: LA Metro, MTA, STM appeared first on Railway Age.

On Sept. 30, I reported on Brightline, the private-sector passenger railroad that currently operates in Florida and is building a high-speed railroad between Southern California and Las Vegas. I examined the company’s financial situation at that time, and it did not look good. There have been more indications of trouble for Brightline since then, including skyrocketing costs for building Brightline West in the Mojave Desert of Southern California and Brightline’s own action of slashing service between its South Florida stations and Orlando Airport.

Despite requesting comment from Brightline about the development I reported at the time, Brightline has not responded. I have asked again and continue to wait for the opportunity to report Brightline’s side of the story. In the meantime, I will examine some of the challenges that now face the nation’s only private-sector passenger railroad, which advocates for the private-sector business model, hoping to will revolutionize rail travel and provide an alternative to the now-dominant public-sector model.

Brightline introduced service between Miami Central Station in the city’s downtown core and Orlando International Airport on Sept. 22, 2023 with great fanfare, as reported by Railway Age Executive Editor Marybeth Luczak with comments by Publisher Jonathan Chalon, who was on board. The trip took about 3½ hours from end to end, and trains ran every hour during a 16-hour service day. There was hope that Brightline was starting something new and impressive. Other early coverage was also enthusiastic, as Editor-in-Chief William C. Vantuono noted in a commentary on Nov.22, which presented a video report by CBS reporter Kris Van Cleave. Brightline was still highly optimistic when I rode and later filed a trip report on April 8, 2024.

The hourly schedule did not last long. On Oct. 6, 2025, two years and two weeks after starting the service, the railroad cut twelve trains between Orlando Airport and the original South Florida part of its route, three-eighths of the prior service on its corridor-length route. Andy Hodges reported the reductions for the Sebastian Daily Oct. 10 in a story headlined: Brightline Reduces Long-Distance Service, Cutting 12 Trains Daily through Sebastian and Vero Beach, a region where it does not stop: “Brightline has slashed its schedule between Miami and Orlando, sending 12 fewer trains each day through Sebastian and Vero Beach as the private rail operator adjusts to rider demand. However, the changes—drawn from rider feedback and data crunching—include beefed-up schedules during busy times, more stops in Boca Raton, and longer trains to handle surging demand between South and Central Florida.” He quoted Brightline CEO Patrick Goddard as saying, “These changes reflect our commitment to delivering a predictable, reliable and comfortable travel experience. We’ve listened to our guests and studied ridership trends to ensure our network evolves with their needs.”

In its “Monthly Revenue and Ridership Report” on its website www.gobrightline.com, Brightline reported: “On Oct.6, we implemented our network planning changes, moving more capacity to higher demand lines through schedule and train length changes and increasing short-distance frequency at commuter times… In September, we temporarily reduced our departure schedule as we reconfigured our fleet for the October network changes, resulting in a 13% year-over-year train decrease in train departures in September”—all without specifically reporting that 6 out of 16 one-way frequencies (3 out of 8 round trips, 37.5%) had been (and remain) eliminated from the Orlando schedule.

It appears that Brightline is heading toward a “commuter rail” scheduling model. On its website, Brightline proclaims a new slogan: “Our Florida on Your Schedule.” The new schedules can be found at https://www.gobrightline.com/train-tickets/new-schedule/orlando-schedule, but they do not appear to comport with Brightline’s slogan.

Between Miami and West Palm Beach, there are 18 daily trains in each direction, with service concentrated in the hours generally considered “peak commuting periods,” with trains running less than hourly at other times, like midday and evening hours. In some instances, the interval between trains is two hours or more. To and from Orlando Airport, there are now only ten trains in each direction, and most of the intervals are 90 minutes or two hours, and the longest is 2:25. That is a significant service reduction, compared to the hourly service that ran for the first two years after Orlando service began.

Besides the quote from Goddard, Brightline touted all sorts of improvements in on Sept. 22: “Brightline, Florida’s higher-speed rail service connecting South Florida to Orlando, announced a series of operational changes designed to optimize the guest experience and respond to evolving ridership patterns. The updates follow two years of full-service operations across the state and are based on extensive guest feedback and data analysis.”

Brightline has touted capacity improvements that come from lengthening trains, making some consists as long as ten cars. Nonetheless, even increasing train consists from 7 to 10 cars, when the railroad places the recently ordered cars into service, would counterbalance more seats per train against fewer trains, running further apart. A quick and approximate calculation (not accounting for fewer seats in premium-class cars than in coaches) shows 43% more seats available on a ten-car consist than a seven-car train. On the other hand, the new schedule allows only 10 daily opportunities to travel between Brightline’s South Florida stations and Orlando Airport, where there had been 16. That means frequencies are reduced by 62.5%, so overall capacity has been reduced to approximately 89% of the amount that was offered during the first two years of service on the entire line, about an 11% loss.

It costs less to run fewer trains than to run more trains, and one resulting disadvantage to the riders is fewer departure times from which to choose. How many riders who have access to an automobile (as many Floridians do) will balk at the additional inconvenience under the new schedule and not bother to wait for more than an hour? That remains to be seen, and a severe service reduction sends a message implying financial difficulty, the impression that the railroad can no longer afford to run the prior level of service, whether that impression comports with the facts. In the present climate, where transit everywhere faces serious financial difficulties with severe service reductions threatened, riders might (and should) be concerned. That also holds for elected officials, investors and financial agencies.

Las Vegas, the mecca of gambling and glitz (and back in the day, organized crime), has not hosted a passenger train since 1997. That was when Amtrak’s Desert Wind, which ran on Union Pacific’s route of the historic City of Los Angeles and Imperial trains on a tri-weekly schedule during its last days, ran for the last time. Proposals to run passenger trains between L.A. and “Vegas” since then have not gotten anywhere. More recently, Desert Xpress, which became Xpress West, proposed high-speed trains running between a remote point in the Mojave Desert and Las Vegas on a new railroad to be built along Interstate 15.

Brightline picked up the proposed service, renamed it Brightline West, and added plans to extend it to Rancho Cucamonga on Metrolink’s San Bernardino Line (“Cuca-monga” as Mel Blank through the voices of Daffy Duck, Bugs Bunny, and the train caller at L.A.’s Union Station when Jack Benny was buying a ticket, called it). There is also a plan to extend service to Palmdale: (the High Desert Corridor) on Metrolink’s Antelope Valley Line and with a connection to the California High-Speed Rail (CAHSR) line, if it ever reaches there. While some commentators have criticized the plan for not going directly to L.A. Union Station, that criticism does not appear to have strong merit. If Brightline West can reach Cucamonga, Palmdale or both, it should be feasible for trains to continue to Union Station by agreements with Metrolink and the host railroads: BNSF for Cucamonga and UP for Palmdale. Even without through service to downtown Los Angeles, a two-seat ride with a component on Metrolink allows access by rail to Las Vegas and any intermediate stops that Brightline West chooses to establish. Unlike previous proposals to run only between Las Vegas and somewhere in the middle of the desert, Brightline West would allow the many non-motorists in the Los Angeles area (whose numbers have grown in recent decades on account of the expanding rail transit network on L.A. Metro and improved bus transit in and near the city), as well as motorists who choose to make the trip to “Vegas.” The issue now becomes whether Brightline West can “make the grade” both physically and financially.

High-speed rail (HSR) is common in Europe and parts of Asia, specifically China and Japan. It is currently not operating anywhere in the Western Hemisphere, although Brightline West proposes a genuine HSR operation. It would be the first such operation on the North American continent. True HSR is expensive to build, and the engineering required to provide the gentle curves and grades requires very close tolerances. Construction is also governed by similarly close tolerances, which makes it expensive, as well.

In Vantuono’s commentary cited above, he quoted Railway Age Contributing Editor Bruce E. Kelly as speculating: “After the go-ahead was recently announced for Brightline to build between Las Vegas and Rancho Cucamonga (some 50 miles east of Los Angeles) with the majority of the line being within the Interstate 15 right-of-way, I wondered how that would work through Cajon Pass, where a breach between the San Gabriel and San Bernardino Mountains provides steep but manageable rail and road passage from the Mojave Desert into the L.A. Basin and its surrounding suburbs. Of the existing BNSF and Union Pacific main tracks through Cajon Pass, three have maximum grades of approximately 2.2%, with a fourth line reaching 3%. But the steepest parts of I-15 are posted for 6%. Can high-speed rail (HSR) handle that? A quick, rudimentary check of the topographic contours surrounding the steepest stretch of I-15, where the east- and west-bound lanes separate just below Cajon Summit, suggests Brightline might be able to apply enough curvature to keep its maximum grade just below 4%. Some HSR lines in Europe are said to have maximum grades of 4%, and a section of the Chinese-built high-speed Quinghai-Tibet Railway is said to reach 5.2%.”

Even if Brightline West’s engineers can make the physical ruling grade on the new line, there remains the challenge of “making the grade” in a financial context. Vantuono’s Thanksgiving commentary include a map of the proposed line that bore the words “$12B EFFORT.” Can a company that reported a loss in excess of $500 million last year attract enough investors and persuade them to come up with that much money? Probably not. At the time Luczak reported on the groundbreaking for the project on April 22, 2024, the cost was still set at $12 billion: “In December 2023, the Brightline West, in partnership with the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT), was awarded a $3 billion grant from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) through the Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Grant program. Additionally, last June the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority received a $25 million RAISE program grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to fund the final design and construction of two Brightline West stations and associated facilities in Hesperia and in the Victor Valley of San Bernardino County. The rest of the project will be privately funded, according to Brightline West, which has received a total allocation of $3.5 billion in private activity bonds from the USDOT.” The numbers that Luczak reported do not add up to the $12 billion needed.

To make matters worse, inflation has raised the cost of building the line, a fact that even members of the public would know without having to research the numbers in the Producer Price Index. On Oct. 2 of this year, Railway Age Senior Editor Carolina Worrell reported that a Bloomberg report said that the cost to build the Brightline West project had risen to $21.5 billion and “according to the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) website, which lists Brightline West as a ‘loan applicant,’ and as reported by Bloomberg, the price tag for the private high-speed passenger railroad has swelled by nearly 35%. The higher cost has led the Fortress Investment Group-backed company to seek $6 billion from the POTUS 47 Administration…  “Brightline West’s 218-mile railroad from Southern California to Las Vegas will now cost $21.5 billion, $5.5 billion more than the initial projection of $16 billion, according to a Bloomberg report.”

According to Worrell, Brightline CEO Mike Reininger acknowledged that costs are rising, and is working on raising the needed funds. She reported: “According to the report, the federal loan ‘will take the place of a $6 billion bank facility on Brightline West’s original financing plan.’ The company, Reininger said, ‘plans to raise equity to cover most of the $5.5 billion increase in construction costs. It initially targeted an equity raise of $1 billion.’” Worrell also noted that U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy had bashed the CAHSR project.

Concerning the financing itself, Worrell reported: “Prices on Brightline West bonds issued by the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank ‘declined [Oct. 1] following the disclosure of the railroad’s rising costs. Bonds with a 9.5% coupon traded at an average of 87.3 cents down from 91.6 cents on Sept. 23, the last time the securities changed hands. The spread, or risk premium, on the bonds compared with AAA-rated municipal bonds widened to an average of about 900 basis points from 825 basis points,’ according to the report.”

I don’t know at this time whether Brightline West managers can raise the money to pay for building a line whose cost is now estimated at $21.5 billion, when it was previously estimated at $12 billion, an increase of 79% from levels cited only 19 months ago. It seems reasonable to expect that such a financial feat will not be easy.

The CBS report by Kris Van Cleave, included in Vantuono’s Nov. 22, 2023 report, contained a comment by Former USDOT/FRA NECIP (Northeast Corridor Improvement Project) Director and World Bank Railways Advisor Lou Thompson, who has been on the rail scene since before Amtrak was founded in 1971. Thompson, identified in the report as “California High Speed Rail Peer Review Group Chairman,” told CBS: “We will never see high-speed-rail without substantial public investment to build it, and we will never see it without a substantial public commitment to operate it.” The CBS report placed Thompson’s comment after remarks from Brightline Chair West Edens promoting the virtues of Brightline West and HSR generally. Brightline West remains far less expensive than the entire CAHSR project, but the question of whether Brightline West can raise the money to build the line remains unanswered.

Returning to the big picture, it does not appear to be a pretty one for Brightline generally. In the meantime, cautionary stories have appeared not only in conservative-leaning publications and the financial media, but also in local reporting from Florida. One example is a report by Steve Thomas on www.veronews.com, dated Aug. 7 and headlined: Brightline: Ridership Up, But Financials Way Off Track, which began: “It has been almost two years since Brightline’s sleek, brightly colored trains began flashing through Vero Beach, and the apocalypse Indian River County warned against in its unsuccessful multimillion-dollar fight to block the train has not materialized.” Indian River County, where Vero Beach is located, had sued Brightline over plans to extend service from the original northern terminal at West Palm Beach to Orlando Airport.

Thomas reported a dichotomy at Brightline: “Its story remains very much a tale of two trains. On one hand, the company has managed against the odds to create a high-tech, high-speed commuter rail line along a major transportation corridor that transports millions of people a year who often give it good reviews. On the other, Brightline’s finances appear ever more dire, and the death toll along the South Florida stretch of its 235-mile route continues to grow.” Regarding the railroad’s financial picture, he said: “A burst of Brightline news in July highlighted the company’s split personality. On the plus side, the rail line reported a 22% increase in riders on the South Florida to Orlando route and a 12% jump in revenue in the first half of the year. At the same time, Brightline failed to pay interest on $1.2 billion in bonds and saw much of its debt downgraded to ‘junk’ status by S&P Global Ratings. That came on top of bond downgrades from Fitch and other rating agencies earlier in the year.” Thomas also went into detail about Brightline’s finances, especially on the debt side.

Two months after Thomas’s report, Brightline eliminated nearly 40% of its Orlando Airport runs. I have reported that Brightline is still doing what it can to improve its finances. Time will tell how successful those initiatives are, but a severe service cut is a yellow aspect at best, maybe leading to red.

“The numbers are coming out just as I simplistically modeled them many years ago,” comments an industry observer and investment expert. “Brightline is a first-class railroad, but it never had any equity. The same thing happened at Florida East Coast. It took Fortress Investment Group 11 years to get back to the profits it had before. Fortress cut costs and forgot service and on time performance—and never put any equity in after the financial crisis took away the investment. Fortress could have made 5x by replacing the equity and riding out the storm. With Brightline, Fortress is expert in real estate. The casino and the real estate were going to make it all work. Fortress has figured out it needs more stops and slower service. How ironic. Where is Brightline headed? To a prepackaged bankruptcy that wipes the debt out and gives the equity to the creditors—following distressed-debt negotiations.”

The post Brightline Financial Woes Continue appeared first on Railway Age.

NS on Nov. 11 reported reaching a five-year collective bargaining agreement with BRS, covering nearly 970 union members. The agreement provides for an 18.8% compounded wage increase over the next five years; offers railroaders more paid vacation earlier in their career; “makes impactful enhancements to an already robust suite of health and welfare benefits”; and offers several “local work-rule enhancements, providing improved travel-expense reimbursement and more flexible scheduling for signal construction,” according to the Class I railroad.  

“BRS and NS have established a positive working relationship through the collective efforts of our safety collaboration programs,” BRS President Michael Baldwin said. “We’ve built on this relationship to drive progress at the bargaining table, allowing the parties to reach wage, health care, and work-rule changes that address the items most important to our members.”

“Our railroaders are the backbone of Norfolk Southern, and I appreciate the collaboration with BRS on behalf of our signal employees,” NS President and CEO Mark George said. “Their expertise and dedication ensure our operations remain safe, fluid and efficient—day in and day out. This agreement brings us closer to completing our full slate of ratified union contracts, a milestone that underscores our deep commitment to our people and their future.”

With the BRS agreement, NS said it has reached ratified agreements with 12 of its 13 unions; a tentative agreement is pending ratification by the remaining union.

“This round of national bargaining has been unlike any in recent history,” BRS reported Nov. 11. “In September 2023, all Class I railroads opened negotiations directly with the 13 rail unions. Some carriers continued to bargain individually with the BRS while others, including NS, shifted their authority to the National Carriers’ Conference Committee (NCCC). Although carriers may take differing approaches, the BRS has remained the recognized bargaining representative for the signal craft under the Railway Labor Act. Pursuant to the BRS Constitution, affected members maintain the right to vote on agreements. For the first time in decades, the BRS was able to address local work rules within the broader national bargaining context. Historically, many railroads avoided these discussions by citing moratoriums or deferring to the NCCC. This year, those barriers did not stand in the way of progress. Previously, separate ratification ballots were held for members covered under BRS and NCCC bargaining. NS subsequently withdrew its proxy from the coalition. The BRS’s responsibility to its members remains unchanged, and the results of the NS ballot—where members approved the agreement by a decisive margin, will be ratified.”

Separately, Railway Age on Nov. 4 named NS Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer John Orr 2026 Railroader of the Year, the publication’s 63rd such award.

CSX on Nov. 12 reported that the 365-acre Westgate Super Site in Alabama has been designated as a Platinum CSX Select Site.

Select Sites are development-ready properties along the CSX network “where standard land use considerations and comprehensive due diligence items have been previously addressed,” according to the railroad, which established its Select Site program in 2012 “to better serve new and existing customers on its network and those of its short line partners.” CSX works with Austin Consulting to screen candidate sites and assist communities with the application and certification process. These properties can meet the needs of a wide variety of manufacturers, CSX said, “significantly reducing the time required to construct industrial facilities and ultimately bringing products to market.” A Platinum designation is given to those that meet “a rigorous list of criteria, including infrastructure and utility availability, environmental reviews, appropriate zoning and entitlement, air quality permitting, rail serviceability, proximity to highways or interstates, and other attributes,” according to CSX.

The Westgate Super Site is the fifth site in Alabama to have received the Platinum CSX Select Site designation, and one of 33 properties across the CSX network to receive it over the program’s history.

“Achieving Platinum CSX Select Site status is a tremendous milestone for Dothan and the State of Alabama,” said CSX Vice President of Real Estate and Industrial Development Christina Bottomley, one Railway Age’s Women in Rail Award honorees for 2025. “This region continues to emerge as one of the most competitive manufacturing corridors in the country—and the Westgate Super Site is now positioned to attract the kind of high-value industrial investment that strengthens domestic supply chains, creates quality jobs, and accelerates long-term economic growth.”

“It is uncommon to find such a large, attractive greenfield industrial site, which is both adjacent to the railroad right-of-way and within the city limits,” added Jonathan Gemmen, Senior Director at Austin Consulting. “The site is a gem.”

“We sincerely appreciate CSX for recognizing the potential of this site and for their partnership in helping us reach this important milestone,” Dothan, Ala. Mayor Mark Saliba said.

“This site will have a generational impact—bringing new opportunities, quality jobs, and lasting economic growth that will benefit families and businesses across our community for decades to come,” noted Houston County Commission Chairman Brandon Shoupe.

Earlier this year, CSX added 18 properties across 12 states to its CSX Select Site program. There are approximately 60 properties currently on the roster.

Meanwhile, in preparation for the 83rd running of the CSX Santa Train on Nov. 22, 2025, the Class I railroad’s employees in Jacksonville, Fla., packed more than 5,000 backpacks and toys to distribute to neighbors in need in 13 communities in Appalachia.

Along a 110-mile route spanning from Shelbiana, Ky., to Kingsport, Tenn., the Santa Train each year spreads holiday cheer and delivers toys, gifts, and winter essentials to thousands of families, according to CSX.

The tradition, begun in 1943, took on even greater meaning last year, as the train served a region recovering from devastating storms.

“CSX’s roots run deep in Appalachia,” according to the railroad. “After flooding from Hurricane Helene caused unprecedented devastation in Erwin, Tenn., the ONE CSX team knew our neighbors needed something special to raise their spirits. Our CSX Holiday Express event [in 2024], hosted as the preamble to the The Santa Train, brought heartfelt support and joyful fun to the residents of Erwin as we celebrated the resilience of this community [see video above].”

CSX’s 20th heritage locomotive, the Clinchfield #1902, led the 2024 Santa Train.

Separately, CSX ranks on Florida’s Best Employers list by Forbes and teams with Watco to deliver growth and value.

Nearly 50 firefighters, law enforcement, and military personnel in Fort Bliss, Tex., recently participated in UP’s hands-on “Railroad 101” program that covered how to identify hazardous materials, read railcar markings, and follow emergency recovery procedures, the Class I railroad reported Nov. 11.

UP offers the program networkwide to help first responders improve safety awareness and emergency readiness. This Fort Bliss session, it said, is part of a broader investment that trained more than 6,000 emergency personnel in 2024 alone.

“Railroad 101 training has significantly enhanced our operational readiness and safety awareness regarding railroad incidents,” said Sergio Sosa, Assistant Chief of Training for the U.S. Army Installation Management Command-Department of the Army. “The department is better prepared to mitigate potential hazards and minimize risks to personnel and the public.”

“I want our participants to feel confident that they have the support and knowledge to respond to any type of incident related to the rail industry,” UP Manager-Hazardous Materials Raymundo Vasquez said. “Fostering relationships with our first responders and community leaders creates a sense of unity through a shared purpose.”

“We train thousands of responders annually,” added Robert Bavier, Senior Director-Hazardous Materials. “I’m very proud of Ray and the entire team.”

Separately, UP recently recognized 16 customers and suppliers “for innovative sustainability initiatives,” and the railroad’s employees this fall raised $690,000 for the United Way.

The post Class I Briefs: NS, CSX, UP appeared first on Railway Age.