Prototype News

Railcar pooling company TTX has signed on with RailPulse, the coalition established in late 2020 “to advance the use of GPS and sensor technology on railcars; deliver near real-time data through a common platform; and foster a more responsive, transparent and data-driven freight rail network.”

It becomes the 12th member of the coalition that comprises founding members Norfolk Southern (NS), GATX Corporation, Genesee & Wyoming Inc., TrinityRail, and Watco, which cumulatively own nearly 20% of the North American railcar fleet; plus The Greenbrier Companies, Union Pacific (UP), Railroad Development Corporation, Bunge, CSX, and Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC). TTX has a fleet of 177,000-plus railcars and is privately-owned by BNSF, CN, CPKC, CSX, Ferromex, NS and UP.

RailPulse last fall officially launched its technology infrastructure, which it noted “provides near real-time data and insights across the North American freight railcar fleet. The platform leverages GPS and other telematics technologies to monitor the location, condition and health of railcars, aiming to enhance safety, efficiency and visibility for rail shippers, railroads and railcar owners.”

“The RailPulse Platform aggregates, enriches and securely stores data from sensors and other sources, delivering it to users through a web portal and application programming interfaces (APIs),” the coalition explained. “The platform accommodates a wide variety of railcar sensors, including those for location, movement, load, handbrake, door/hatch status, impact, and more. Owners get all data on their railcars, while approved data is securely shared with authorized users. Users can also set up alerts, geofences, and reports to manage their railcar fleets and shipments more effectively.”

TTX and RailPulse on Aug. 25, 2025, reported that TTX’s entry into RailPulse “brings a powerful new dimension to the coalition’s mission adding the scale, operational expertise and fleet management capabilities of North America’s leading shared railcar provider.”

Since RailPulse’s formation, they noted, the number of telematics-equipped railcars in North America has doubled, and with TTX’s participation, “RailPulse now captures data from the majority of these railcars.”

TTX’s participation, they added, strengthens the coalition’s ability to achieve several key objectives:

• “Improved Customer Experience: With greater visibility into car location, condition and performance, railroads and shippers gain access to more reliable ETAs, enhanced service transparency and actionable supply chain insights.
• “Standardized, Open Data: RailPulse’s neutral platform ensures consistent, high-quality data that can be accessed and leveraged across the industry, aligning with TTX’s mission to support all railroads through shared infrastructure and collaborative efficiency.
• “Smarter Asset Deployment: Near real-time GPS and sensor data from RailPulse enables TTX to improve the precision of car distribution and fleet allocation, reducing empty miles, dwell time and repositioning costs.
• “Predictive Maintenance at Scale: By shifting from scheduled to condition-based maintenance, TTX can improve car availability, extend asset life and reduce service interruptions, benefiting all railroads and customers using its fleet.”

“I’m grateful to those that offered support in TTX joining RailPulse,” TTX Executive Vice President Marty Thomas said. “Joining RailPulse underscores our dedication to driving innovation and ensuring the long-term strength of the freight rail industry. We envision a future where real-time data enhances everything from maintenance operations to the customer experience and we’re proud to help lead that evolution in collaboration with RailPulse.”

“The integration of TTX’s shared fleet model with RailPulse’s telematics platform is a game changer,” commented David Shannon, General Manager of RailPulse. “Together, we can align operational scale with data intelligence, accelerating our vision of a modernized, customer-centric rail network that is safer, more efficient and competitive.”

“Welcome to the RailPulse Coalition, TTX Company!” UP reported in an Aug. 25 LinkedIn post. “By working together as an industry, we’re driving innovation, visibility and efficiency across North America’s freight rail network.”

• Wabtec Approved as a ‘RailPulse Certified Telematics Vendor’
• ARH Enrolls in RailPulse
• RailPulse Offers ‘Grandfathering Incentive’
• RailPulse Certifies ZTR’s Pivot
• Amsted Recognized as ‘RailPulse Certified Vendor’
• TTX to Deploy Telematics Hardware on Railcars

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A month after Union Pacific announced its plan to acquire Norfolk Southern, the man who controls UP’s main rival in the West says his railroad has no plans to pursue NS or CSX Transportation. 

Warren Buffett, the billionaire investor and CEO of BNSF Railway’s owner Berkshire Hathaway, told CNBC on Monday that his company does not intend to go after CSX or make a competing bid for NS. It was the first time anyone close to BNSF had made public comments about its own plans after the July 29 announcement that UP was merging with NS. However, sources close to BNSF reported in recent weeks that executives had been telling employees they were focused on their own railroad and not on taking over another one. 

In late July, as rumors started to spread that UP was considering NS, a story surfaced that BNSF was planning to merge with CSX. But Buffett quickly denied those rumors. 

However, last week, those rumors resurfaced when BNSF and CSX announced a new partnership to launch coast-to-coast intermodal services. One of the services would connect Southern California with Charlotte, N.C., and Jacksonville, Fla.; another would link Phoenix with Atlanta; and a third would connect the Port of New York and New Jersey and Norfolk, Va., with Kansas City. 

In Monday’s interview, Buffett confirmed that he met directly with CSX CEO Joe Hinrichs earlier this month. Buffett said he did not want his railroad to merge with CSX but preferred the two railroads to collaborate more. The new intermodal services seem to be a result of that conversation. 

The news that BNSF has no plans to merge with CSX comes as Hinrichs faces increasing pressure from shareholders to make a deal. Last week, Ancora Holdings Group, a major CSX shareholder, announced that Hinrichs needed to make a merger move or be removed himself. Ancora said that if BNSF was not an option, then CSX should pursue CPKC. 

—Justin Franz 

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Effective Sept. 18, Tina Vaz will become Director of MTA Arts & Design, responsible for leading the agency’s range of visual and performing arts programs. Her oversight will include Poetry in Motion, MTA Music, digital art, photography, and the Permanent Art Program, which comprises work commissioned by more than 400 established and emerging artists and has distinguished New York’s transit system with one of the world’s largest and most diverse collections of site-specific contemporary art, according to the agency.

Vaz served most recently as Deputy Director, Chief Brand and Communications Officer for the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation, leading communications, marketing, design, digital, and external affairs for Guggenheim New York while overseeing brand strategy for the Guggenheim’s international constellation of museums in Bilbao, Venice, and Abu Dhabi. Under her leadership, the Guggenheim established its first true logo: a bold, dynamic “G” symbol based on the museums’ architectural forms. Vaz initially joined the Guggenheim in 2011 and led communications strategy for a range of Guggenheim global initiatives until 2019.

From 2019 to 2023, Vaz led Meta’s Open Arts program, which commissioned contemporary artists, collaborated with cultural institutions, and integrated art into Meta’s physical spaces and digital platforms. During her tenure, the program delivered more than 600 physical and digital commissions, programmed 13 million square feet of physical space, including the James A. Farley Building in New York City, and reached 8 million Meta users through digital artwork and strategic communications supporting company initiatives on vaccine awareness and voting.

Vaz serves on the Boards of The Municipal Art Society of New York and Williamstown Theatre Festival and is a member of the Finnish Cultural Institute in New York. She holds a degree in journalism from Boston University.

“For 40 years, MTA Arts & Design has been bringing world-class art, musical performance and poetry to millions of transit riders,” MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said. “We are excited to have Tina’s creative expertise to help us reach even more New Yorkers and visitors with art that reflects the dynamism of New York and the transit system.”

“I am thrilled to have Tina join the MTA,” MTA Chief of Staff & Strategic Planning Juliette Michaelson said. “Her vision and leadership align with our mission at the MTA to connect with riders in new and inspiring ways.”

“Art has the power to transform everyday experiences, and I can’t imagine a more extraordinary canvas than the transit system, where millions of New Yorkers and visitors live out their daily stories,” Tina Vaz commented. “I’m honored to become part of the MTA, an organization central to the culture of New York and recognized around the world. I look forward to collaborating with our talented team, artists, and communities to create work that resonates with riders and reflects the energy and diversity of New York.”

David Malinas is the new President of OPW, a supplier of fluid-handling solutions, including loading and unloading systems for high-value hazardous and non-hazardous bulk products; railcar and transport tank-truck valves, gauging devices and tank-monitoring systems; automated storage-terminal controls and systems; and regulators, fittings, valves, vaporizers, vacuum-jacketed piping and gas-handling systems for the safe handling and distribution of cryogenics and industrial gases. He succeeds Kevin Long, who spent 11 years with Dover, parent company of OPW, including serving as President of OPW since 2017.

Malinas brings more than 20 years of operational leadership experience to his new role. He was most recently Chief Operating Officer of Duravant, a global automation equipment company headquartered in Chicago. He has also served as President of the Industrial Process segment at ITT, and held senior executive roles at Thermo Fisher Scientific and Danaher Corporation.

Malina first joined Dover in 2019 as Senior Vice President of Operations, a role he held for nearly four years. During that time, he led the development and execution of Dover’s manufacturing strategy, with a strong focus on footprint optimization, continuous improvement, supply chain efficiency, and quality enhancement. His efforts were instrumental in driving profitable growth across Dover’s operating companies. He holds a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering and a Master of Science in manufacturing engineering from Case Western Reserve University, as well as a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School.

“OPW has always represented innovation, quality, and a commitment to operational excellence,” Malinas said. “I’m thrilled to rejoin the Dover organization and work alongside our talented OPW team, building on this strong foundation to accelerate growth, drive performance, and deliver long-term value for our customers.”

Binu Panicker is the new Chief Technology Officer at RPM, a service aggregator for finished vehicle logistics and value-add interconnected services that offers clients a sophisticated network covering over-the-road, rail, port, and sea. He brings 26-plus years of technology and executive leadership experience to the role, including time at Covisint, Dassault, and a significant tenure as Chief Technology Officer at FreightVerify.

Panicker will lead the product and engineering teams to ensure the seamless integration of innovative technology solutions across all business verticals for RPM’s accelerated business growth strategy.

“Binu’s leadership and deep expertise in scalable cloud architecture and AI are crucial as we expand our technological capabilities,” said John Perkovich, President of RPM North America. “His strategic vision will ensure we continue to provide our partners with unparalleled logistics solutions that are both data-driven and forward looking. We are excited to see him join the leadership team, enhancing RPM’s market position as a leader in automotive logistics.“

“RPM has a fantastic reputation for its innovative culture and cutting-edge technology platform,“ Binu Panicker said. “Their commitment to digitizing the automotive logistics domain sets them apart from a typical 3PL. The logistics industry is undergoing a massive digital transformation, and RPM is perfectly positioned to lead that change. I’m grateful to join such a forward-thinking company and leverage my broader industry expertise in AI and scalable cloud-platforms to build the future of mobility.“

HDR Global Transit Director Matt Tucker has been named to the Board of Trustees for the Mineta Transportation Institute for a three-year term. 

Founded in 1991 by former Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta, MTI is a university transportation center funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation, the California Department of Transportation, and public and private grants. MTI is well known and respected in the transportation industry as a leading research center that advances transportation innovation and provides practical solutions for transportation officials and practitioners. It emphasizes policy and management research, particularly in the fields of project financing, intermodal connectivity, safety, sustainability, pedestrian issues, land use and transportation planning. 

The research institute seeks to increase mobility for all by improving the safety, efficiency, accessibility and convenience of the U.S. transportation system. It is affiliated with San Jose State University’s Lucas College and Graduate School of Business.

Tucker joins a group of 24 nationally recognized transportation leaders in helping to steer the future of MTI. Among the institute’s trustees are the president or executive director of many leading industry groups, including the leaders of the Association of American Railroads, American Public Transportation Association, Conference of Minority Transportation Officials, and American Association of State Highways and Transportation Officials. 

As a Board Member, Tucker will help shape MTI’s research portfolio, guide the institute’s education curriculum, and participate in workforce development events. He will draw on his executive-level public sector experience advising transit agencies on industry trends and best practices to enhance transit service, safety, and operation.

“I have really enjoyed my career journey and love the rail and transit industry,” Tucker said. “I value opportunities that allow me to continue to contribute to the industry, especially in support of workforce development and research. I look forward to collaborating with the other members of the Board of Trustees to share insights and perspectives on what is happening within the industry.”

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Leaders from Illinois’ Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) on Aug. 21 shifted millions of dollars from Metra and Pace “to help forestall 40% Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) service reductions” as the agency faces an imminent fiscal crisis, according to a Daily Herald report.

According to the report, RTA directors also discussed fare increases and caps on a “popular but over-budget rideshare program for passengers with disabilities—amid objections.”

A $771 million shortfall dubbed the “fiscal cliff” is projected next year when COVID-19 funding dries up, although that number is “fluid,” the Daily Herald reports. “Without a bailout, the RTA warns 40% systemwide reductions will occur; the CTA would be the first agency to run out of cash, followed by Metra and Pace.”

According to the report, about $73 million including discretionary sales tax revenues and Innovation, Coordination and Enhancement grants will be transferred from Metra and Pace to the CTA, which will last into the second quarter.

All agencies will see their RTA funding increase in 2026, staff said, although the CTA will get “the lion’s share,” according to the Daily Herald report.

“The transit system is intertwined and major cuts to one agency impact the whole,” RTA Chairman Kirk Dillard of Hinsdale noted.

“If you have a Pace bus show up at a Metra station and there’s no Metra train, that’s a problem,” he said. “We’re one region—all three service boards (need) to be working as one system, more today than ever.”

According to the Daily Herald report, the RTA board “unanimously approved 2026 funding levels for the agencies including the redistribution. It also voted to amend Pace paratransit funding with the assumption that rides on the Taxi Access and Rideshare Access programs will be capped at 30 a month per passenger and fares will increase to $3.25 in October.”

Currently, passengers with disabilities can take up to eight rides a day on TAP and RAP. Numerous riders told the board the new limit would be “devastating,” and that traditional paratransit “can take hours,” according to the report.

TAP was created more than 20 years ago and covers Chicago; RAP, which uses Uber and UZURV, kicked off in 2024 regionwide and became hugely popular, the Daily Herald reports.

The two represent “one of the most flexible and subsidized programs” in the U.S., Dillard said. He added, “the state of Illinois drastically underfunds mandated ADA paratransit services,” and urged riders to contact legislators with their concerns.

According to the report, the programs let certified ADA/paratransit passengers pay the first $2 of any trip. Pace covers the remainder up to $30, with riders paying costs exceeding $30, plus tips and surcharges.

The higher fares and 30-ride limit would generate about $8 million but that still leaves a $45 million paratransit budget deficit, according to the Daily Herald report.

The RTA, according to the report,” intends to plug the hole with reserves and sales tax revenues but also will divert about $17 million in Innovation, Coordination and Enhancement grants notably from the CTA and Metra.”

RTA leaders also asked staff to work with Pace to see if exceptions to the caps could be allowed in the case of riders going to work, for example, according to the Daily Herald report.

On Aug. 13, more than 200 riders, advocates, and other stakeholders met virtually with the RTA for the eighth quarterly Transit in the Answer Coalition meeting and discussed the 2026 budget process, “how peer regions are addressing their fiscal cliffs, and HB 3438, the funding and reform bill that passed the Illinois Senate during the General Assembly’s spring legislative session but was not called for a vote in the House.”

RTA staff presented the feedback gathered at the Coalition meeting to the RTA Board at their Aug. 21 meeting.

RTA also launched the Regional Transit Fiscal Cliff Hub last month, which will be updated frequently with links, upcoming meetings, ways to get involved, and more. It also summarized the 2026 budget process.

Governor Pritzker and legislative leaders say they “intend to continue to work on transit funding and reform through the summer and into the fall, but a firm timeline has not been set for any future action.” The General Assembly’s fall veto session is set to be held October 14-16 and October 28-30.

More information is available here.

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Brooke Henderson on Aug. 24 captured her second CPKC Women’s Open champion title in Ontario, Canada, during which Canadian Pacific Kansas City presented the C$4.5 million it raised for cardiac healthcare to MacKids, the arm of Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation dedicated to fundraising for McMaster Children’s Hospital (C$4 million), and to Trillium Health Partners (C$502,000).

Congratulations to CPKC Ambassador @BrookeHenderson on her outstanding victory this weekend at the 2025 CPKC Women’s Open in Mississauga, Ontario. #LiveHistory @GolfCanada pic.twitter.com/s5jo9ZL5SY

The railroad since 2014 has helped raise more than C$27 million for children’s heart health as the title sponsor of the Women’s Open. Canadian Pacific sponsored the event prior to its merger with Kansas City Southern in 2023 to form CPKC, the first single-line, transnational railway connecting Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. Henderson in 2018 won the then-CP Women’s Open in Regina, Sask.

This year’s total donation is the result of several fundraising efforts of the CPKC Has Heart community investment program, which supports heart health initiatives across North America. Through CPKC Birdies for Heart, CPKC contributed for each birdie made by Mississaugua Golf and Country Club members prior to the tournament and $5,000 for each birdie made by LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) players on the 11th hole during championship tournament play (Aug. 20-24). CPKC also matched donations made during a MacKids campaign online this summer.

“We were thrilled to return to Ontario for a tremendous week of golf and giving culminating in a record C$4.5 million being raised for MacKids and Trillium Health Partners to support pediatric and cardiac health,” CPKC President and CEO Keith Creel said. “We’re proud to leave this legacy making a difference for the patients that need it the most. Thank you to everyone, from the amazing players to the volunteers to the thousands of passionate fans, who helped make this year’s tournament a resounding success. All of us at CPKC are honored to make a difference in the communities where we live, work and operate.

“Brooke Henderson delivered a spectacular performance over the last few days, adding another victory at home here in Canada. Congratulations to Brooke on her incredible win which left an entire nation cheering this weekend. Thank you to the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area community for hosting us, for turning out in big numbers to cheer on our Ontario champion, and for making this such a successful tournament.”

“This incredible contribution from the CPKC Women’s Open will have a transformative impact on the lives of children and families who rely on McMaster Children’s Hospital,” commented Anissa Hilborn, CEO of Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation. “The funds raised will enable the creation of the Integrated Cardiac Health Initiative, which will revolutionize pediatric cardiac care through early diagnosis, advanced treatment and comprehensive support programs. On behalf of MacKids, I extend my gratitude to CPKC, the golf community and everyone who made this remarkable achievement possible.”

“We are so grateful to CPKC for generously raising $502,000 towards cardiac care at Trillium Health Partners,” noted Caroline Riseboro, President and CEO of Trillium Health Partners Foundation, the 2025 CPKC Women’s Open community partner. “Through matching donations dollar-for-dollar until Aug. 21, CPKC has allowed us to double the impact of all donations. These donations will help to enable things like the purchase of life-saving medical equipment that improves patient safety, diagnosis and long-term monitoring.”

“The wonderful impact of the CPKC Women’s Open on our host communities through CPKC Has Heart continues to be a point of pride for the championship,” Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum added. “The lasting benefit to pediatric heart health across the region is immense and we applaud our partners at CPKC for strengthening the philanthropic legacy of Canada’s National Women’s Open Championship.”

Thirteen-time LPGA Tour winner and the winningest golfer in Canadian history, Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., led a field of 156 golfers at the CPKC Women’s Open. Also included were current world no. 1 Nelly Korda, three-time CPKC Women’s Open champion and 2024 Olympic Gold medalist Lydia Ko (world no. 3), and Jeeno Thitikul (world no. 2). Other notables include Ruoning Yin (world no. 4), Haeran Ryu (world no. 5) and Hannah Green (world no. 8), along with rising stars Lilia Vu (world no. 11) and Rose Zhang (world no. 44). Minjee Lee (world no. 24) also competed; Lee recently won the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, earning her 11th career win and third major championship.

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Burkhardt, a third-generation railroader based out of Fairchild, Washington, continues a nearly century-long legacy of railroading in his family. His story is more than a career. It’s a tribute to fathers and sons, and the tracks they lay for each other. 

Robert Burkhardt’s grandfather, William Burkhardt Sr., worked as a section foreman for BNSF predecessor Northern Pacific (NP) in Cleveland, North Dakota. In 1922, after about 12 years of railroading, he bought 400 acres of land and transitioned to full-time farmer.  

But his work as a railroader had a lasting impact on his son, William Burkhardt Jr., who was fascinated by steam engines and began his railroading career in 1938 in Billings, Montana.

William Burkhardt Jr. found work at a Billings roundhouse, where he repaired and maintained steam engines. Son Robert Burkhardt recalls that as a kid, his father shared deep insights and knowledge of steam engines, claiming that all of them sound different.  

Later in his railroading career, William Burkhardt Jr. served as a fireman, keeping the fire hot on the steam locomotive, and as an engineer. But his fondness for his roundhouse days never wavered. During family vacations, Robert Burkhardt said his dad always planned a stop to see a roundhouse for a moment of nostalgia. 

Through the transition from steam to diesel, William Burkhardt Jr. remained an engineer, evolving with emerging technology. His son would often take train rides with him as a kid.  

When his father retired in June 1977, Robert Burkhardt followed a natural calling to railroading. In 1978, he was hired by BNSF predecessor Burlington Northern (BN) as a carman apprentice in Seattle repairing boxcars.

Robert Burkhardt also worked as a trainman before relocating to St. Paul, Minnesota, for training in 1980. It was the start of him replicating his father’s railroading experiences, and he vividly remembers the first day he became an engineer.  

“On my first solo ride, my dad saw me off,” he said. 

Today, Robert Burkhardt travels the same route from Everett to Auburn, Washington, that his father did all those years ago.

He also met his wife Debbie in 1988 while she was working as a clerk on the crew desk in Seattle.   

Today, his routes take him past the neighborhood beach he played on as a kid, where he watched many trains pass by.  

“The area has changed from when I grew up, but the tracks are the same,” he admits.

After 47 years, he is the No. 1 fireman and engineer on the roster and is the last engineer with fireman seniority. He also holds the highest seniority as a conductor in BNSF’s Northwest Division.

“I still enjoy going to work,” he shared. “At this point in my career, I just have fun looking back at the mile-long train behind me.”

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“Contingent on sufficient, long-term funding,” CHSRA said, the plan “will achieve commercial success at the earliest possible stage, ensuring the system begins generating compelling economic return and maximizing the value of California’s investment.”

As part of the 2025 Supplemental Project Update Report’s “Letter from the CEO,” Ian Choudri wrote that over the past six months, CHSRA has “deliberated over input from stakeholders and the [California] Legislature and ha[s] systematically re-evaluated project design criteria requirements to right-size the program from the bottom up.” He noted that the Authority has “implemented difficult but necessary trade-off decisions to focus on the essential elements to deliver a high-quality, cost-effective rail system.” According to Choudri, the process included “[c]ompleting design reviews to minimize costs”; “[m]aking trade-off decisions for greater efficiency”; “[s]equencing construction and making funding go further”; and “[r]eviewing estimating methods for greater reliability (bottom-up).” (Download complete report below.)

In the 112-page report, CHSRA said that it has “$28.16 billion in capital funding, which includes an estimated $5.5 billion from Cap-and-Invest through 2030 and retention of federally awarded funds. The Governor’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 to 2026 budget proposal includes extending the Cap-and-Invest program through 2045 with at least $1.0 billion in annual funding for the Authority. This would provide at least $15 billion in additional funding for the program, bringing the Authority’s total capital funding to $43.16 billion … For purposes of this report, the Authority included the $4.0 billion in federal funding, currently the subject of litigation, as part of its total capital funding figures.”

This report proposes several potential scenarios to advance the high-speed rail program, including the work already under way in the Central Valley and beyond, to connect in the south to Northern Los Angeles County at Palmdale and in the north to the electrified Caltrain system via Gilroy. Cost estimates, funding needs, construction completion schedules, and ridership and revenue projections are included for each scenario: 

• Scenario 1: Merced – Bakersfield (project under way): The Authority said it would complete, as required by statute, the 171-mile Merced – Bakersfield early operating segment. This segment is now estimated to cost $36.75 billion. “Through resequencing work, refining design criteria, and adopting innovative engineering methods, the Authority was able to offset $14.28 billion in cost increases, which is approximately a 30% cost-savings,” CHSRA reported. “Without the program reassessment, scope increases, inflation (bringing prices from 2022 to 2024) and added cost and contingency for the Central Valley would have increased the Merced – Bakersfield segment costs to approximately $51 billion. Despite these management improvements, there are new risks impacting cost estimates, including ongoing tariff and trade wars. … The 2024 Business Plan estimated the cost to deliver the Merced – Bakersfield segment at $35.3 billion at a confidence level of 65%. It’s important to note the 2024 Business Plan carried over numbers from the 2023 PUR [Project Update Report] without any updates.” The Authority said it is set to complete the 119-mile Central Valley Segment (CVS) currently under construction and the Merced and Bakersfield extensions “within the original schedule envelope and prior to 2033, with an updated revenue service start date of Jan. 1, 2032.” Recent ridership and revenue modeling, it said, shows 1.6 million to 2.2 million in ridership annually based on eight round-trips per day of high-speed rail only service. According to CHSRA, this service would generate passenger revenue of $39.28 million to $55.6 million; ancillary revenue (e.g., parking, retail, advertising, and broadband) is projected to be approximately $16 million to $34 million. The Authority noted, however, the operation and maintenance costs are forecasted to be between $120.6 million and $122.1 million annually. “These estimates indicate that this specific scenario would not achieve a positive profitable outcome as it would result in a recovery ratio of 45% to 74% annually,” CHSRA reported. “Based on these projections, the Merced – Bakersfield corridor operating as a stand-alone high-speed rail line with transfer connections to other rail services would not be able to cover its total operational expenses. The Authority will continue to explore contracting for service by a third-party, such as the San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority, which provides service in the Central Valley, as an alternative option. Assuming a baseline of at least $1.0 billion per year in Cap-and-Invest program funding through 2045, as contained in the Governor’s proposal, the Merced – Bakersfield segment will no longer have a budgetary funding gap. However, the Authority will need to work with the [POTUS 47] Administration and Legislature to solve the timing of future cash receipts with capital expenses to maintain its proposed schedule.”

• Scenario 2: Connecting San Francisco to Bakersfield (Gilroy – Bakersfield): This segment is estimated to cost $54.4 billion and would be operational by early 2038. CHSRA said it would sequence construction to leverage Central Valley infrastructure while extending the high-speed rail system north and west to Gilroy. “High-speed trains would continue to San Francisco, utilizing existing Caltrain infrastructure and a coordinated state solution to connect to the section from San Jose to Gilroy,” the Authority reported. “Construction can be started on this extension while work on the section from the Central Valley Wye to Bakersfield is under way. Direct high-speed rail service to San Francisco will have substantial ridership and revenue impact, providing the opportunity for commercial success, and based on feedback through industry engagement, would be a transformative opportunity to engage the private sector through potential public-private partnership (P3) delivery models.” The Gilroy – Bakersfield scenario includes building high-speed rail infrastructure to Gilroy and Bakersfield. This scenario would also rely on improvements between Gilroy and San Jose and on Caltrain electrification to run hourly through service to San Francisco, according to the Authority. The Gilroy – Bakersfield scenario is expected to attract ridership ranging from 8.71 million to 11.83 million, which would bring in $623.72 million to $882.93 million in passenger revenue each year; ancillary revenue is projected to be around $89 million to $196 million. Based on operating and maintenance costs of $419.19 million to $435.47 million, CHSRA said, the recovery ratio is estimated to be between 164% and 257%. “To help fund this segment, the state could re-sequence the Merced extension,” CHSRA reported. “These savings could be reallocated toward building the system to Gilroy.”

• Scenario 3: Connecting  San Francisco to Los Angeles County via the Central Valley (Gilroy – Palmdale): The Gilroy – Palmdale scenario is estimated to cost $87.12 billion and would be operational in early 2038. “This scenario would increase the scale and impact of the system with a further extension of high-speed rail infrastructure to Palmdale,” CHSRA reported. “As with the second scenario, the Authority would leverage Central Valley infrastructure, extend the high-speed rail system to Gilroy, and rely on other improvements between Gilroy and San Francisco. Two hourly high-speed trains would operate from San Francisco to Palmdale, one as a limited-stop express. With the High Desert Corridor, one train per hour would continue to Victor Valley, where passengers could connect with Brightline West service to Rancho Cucamonga and Las Vegas. At Palmdale, trains could connect with a Metrolink/ Surfliner express service to Los Angeles and San Diego, transforming the system from a regional corridor into a truly statewide service.” With enhanced service and connectivity to both San Francisco and Los Angeles, CHSRA said modeling shows ridership would increase to 12.46 million to 17.94 million, “significantly increasing” passenger revenue to $1.1 billion to $1.6 billion annually; ancillary revenue is projected to be around $110 million to $254 million. The operating and maintenance costs would be between $602 million and $635 million, CHSRA said, resulting in a recovery ratio of 191% to 314%. “This revenue stream would be instrumental to the state’s efforts to fund and complete the full Phase 1 high-speed rail system,” the Authority noted. “To help fund this segment, the state could resequence the Merced extension. These savings could be reallocated toward building the system to Gilroy. In addition, there may also be opportunities to pursue mutually beneficial operational upgrades with existing rail operators—such as potential improvements along the Union Pacific corridor in the north and with Metrolink and LOSSAN services in Southern California—that could enhance current service for existing riders while creating infrastructure that the Authority could leverage in the future.”

CHSRA also generated financial outlooks for both Gilroy – Bakersfield and Gilroy – Palmdale that include construction of the full Merced extension. While ridership and revenue figures for each outlook are slightly higher, it noted, operating and maintenance costs increase more than revenue. With the delivery of the Merced extension under the Gilroy – Bakersfield scenario, the Authority reported that it expects ridership to range from 8.77 million to 11.91 million annually, which would result in similar passenger revenue of $626 million to $886 million; ancillary revenue is projected to be around $92 million to $202 million. Operation and maintenance costs, is said, increase to $441 million to $457 million, reducing the recovery ratio to between 157% and 246%. This segment is estimated to cost $58.1 billion and would be operational by early 2038. With the delivery of the Merced extension under the Gilroy – Palmdale scenario, the Authority said it expects ridership to range from 12.52 million to 18.02 million annually, resulting in similar passenger revenue of $1.1 billion to $1.6 billion; ancillary revenue is projected to be around $114 million to $260 million. According to CHSRA, the operation and maintenance costs increase to $625 million to $658 million, reducing the recovery ratio to between 186% to 304%. This segment is estimated to cost $90.85 billion and would be operational by early 2038.

The report outlines several opportunities for the State of California “to support the project, including stable, long-term funding, environmental streamlining, actions to address permitting and third-party coordination, and updates to state law to provide needed construction flexibility, among others,” according to CHSRA.

In the report’s conclusion, the Authority noted that it is “statutorily obligated to prioritize delivery of the Merced – Bakersfield segment and plans to do so unless otherwise directed by the Legislature.” Nonetheless, it said, “completing the Gilroy – Palmdale segment would provide statewide rail service to a majority of Californians and promises the highest return on investment for the state; and completing the Gilroy – Bakersfield scenario is a cost-effective way to achieve profitable commercial operations at the earliest possible opportunity with less additional funding needed.” The Gilroy – Bakersfield scenario, it said, ”would attract substantial ridership and generate positive net proceeds. A profitable operation could create considerable opportunities for engaging with the private sector through a P3 delivery model.”

With “more constrained state funding,” the Authority recommends the state “prioritize subsequent expansions to areas with greater population, ridership, and revenue potential—supporting long-term system sustainability.” CHSRA said its analysis “finds that extending the high-speed rail system northward to connect with the Bay Area offers comparative advantages—including strong origin-destination markets, significant potential to bolster ridership and revenue, and opportunities to capitalize on existing and planned infrastructure enhancements along the Caltrain corridor, including electrification, which has received substantial financial support from the Authority.” CHSRA efforts, it added, should “continue to build on strategic investments already made (Caltrain) while pursuing new, mutually beneficial opportunities with existing operators. This could include potential partnerships to advance Union Pacific corridor improvements in the north, as well as partnerships in Southern California with Metrolink and LOSSAN to support infrastructure upgrades that the Authority could utilize in the future. This approach benefits both the Authority and existing operators, along with the riders and communities they serve today, while laying the groundwork for future high-speed rail operations.”

“I see clearer now more than ever the potential for this transformational project, one that can reshape the state and our society for the better,” Ian Choudri said in the announcement of the report’s release. “I see a future—by 2038 to 2039—when operations are already connecting the Central Valley to population centers and innovation hubs, offering new career opportunities, economic mobility, affordable housing, and a cleaner environment. A system that is efficient, sustainable, and equitable. A system that connects us to each other and to the world around us.”

• FRA Revokes California High-Speed Rail Funding, CHSRA Fires Back
• CAHSR: ‘Building a Dream’ to Nightmare?
• CHSR: USDOT Drives Another Coffin Nail
• New York Times Editorial: There Is a Liberal Answer to the Trump-Musk Wrecking Ball
• CHSRA to Release RFEI for Potential Public Private Partnerships
• CHSRA Provides 2025 Project Update Report
• Whither (Wither?) California High-Speed Rail (Reprise)
• Will Duffy Deep-Six CHSR?
• 2025 Passenger Rail Outlook: ‘Murphy Was an Optimist!’

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Michigan-based Class II Lake State Railway Company (LSRC), Railway Age’s 2021 Regional of the Year and 2018 Short Line of the Year, has rolled out a locomotive in a heritage scheme inspired by the Pere Marquette Railway, one of its antecedents,

Redone at LSRC’s Saginaw shops, No. 6437, a former Union Pacific SD70M, was rechristened “Spirit of Pere Marquette” with a tribute livery conceived by second-generation LSRC railroader Travis Vongrey, former conductor, engineer, yardmaster and now supervisor of yard operations. Vongrey’s concept art was based on E7 locomotives that pulled the Pere Marquettes, streamlined passenger trains that made daily trips serving Detroit, Lansing and Grand Rapids. Vongrey’s designs were given to LSRC consultants who developed technical specifications based on historical research. Southern Pride Equipment Painting of Sharpsburg, Ga., performed the painting and detailing.

CEO Mike Stickel embraced Vongrey’s concept as a spirited tribute to LSRC’s history, remarking, “Travis has created something really special that reflects the pride and satisfaction all our people share in shaping the future of rail transportation in Michigan, while staying mindful of our rich heritage. We’re all thrilled to see his design come to life as part of our modern fleet.”

A significant portion of the LSRC network was built and operated by the Pere Marquette Railway, primarily segments of the original corridors between Saginaw, Midland and Ludington.

Established in 1992, LSRC operates on a route structure of approximately 375 track-miles with six connecting railroad interchanges. The company maintains headquarters and shop facilities in Saginaw and terminals in Plymouth, Flint, Midland, Bay City, Gaylord and Alpena. Annual freight volume is approximately 60,000 carloads and serves a diversified mix of end markets, including automotive, aggregates, cement, agriculture, forest products, metals, chemicals and others. Antin Infrastructure Partners, a private equity firm focused on infrastructure investments in Europe and North America with offices in New York, London and Paris, acquired LSRC in 2022.

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Canada’s Rocky Mountaineer will introduce a new limited service in 2026 called “Passage to the Peaks” that will link Jasper and Banff, Alberta, via Kamloops, B.C.

The service will operate in June and July of next year while the FIFA World Cup takes place in Vancouver, allowing passengers to seek a “quieter experience” away from the major sporting event. While Rocky Mountaineer offers this “new” service, its regular routes are expected to run as usual, including First Passage to the West (Vancouver to Banff), Journey Through the Clouds (Vancouver to Jasper), and Rainforest to Gold Rush (Vancouver to Jasper via the former BC Rail through Whistler). 

Visit Rocky Mountaineer’s website for more information. 

—Railfan & Railroad Staff

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