Category: Light Rail / Commuter

Houston METRORail received the first car in October of an order of 19 S70 LRV light-rail cars. METRO is updating its fleet for the first time since 2003. – Courtesy Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County

HOUSTON – METRORail received its first new rail car in nearly nine years when No. 201, an S70 light-rail vehicle manufactured by Siemens Industry, Inc., arrived in October at the agency’s Rail Operations Center.

The car, which is currently being tested, will roll into service as the first of new generation of Houston light-rail cars dubbed H2s.

METRO Board Chairman Gilbert Garcia and President and CEO George Greanias joined staff on Oct. 15 to unveil the 85-foot addition to its light-rail family.

“The new light-rail-vehicle (LRV) is not just a rail car. It represents a savings of nearly a year’s time in getting optimal service to rail passengers,” Garcia said. “These units will help us offer more timely and comfortable trips.”

Greanias said that the car is a welcome addition to a fleet that has supported more than 90 million boardings.

“The new units will take the strain off those already in service and provide more flexibility on our current system,” he said.

The delivery is part of an $83 million contract awarded to Siemens Industry, Inc. for 19 new S70 light-rail vehicles along with spare parts, training and manuals. The first order, delivered in 2003, included 18 LRVs. The vehicles are being manufactured at Siemens’ rail vehicle manufacturing plant in Sacramento, CA.

Nineteen of the H2s will join the current 18-member, 9-year-old METRORail LRVs over the next year and a half. The new units are similar to their older S70 siblings, only updated.

The S70 LRV is electrically powered from an overhead wire (catenary) system and, fully loaded, carries about 200 passengers per car. The units can be coupled – up to four together – for more efficient service during peak times.

Each new S70 unit is equipped with eight wide-opening, sliding doors all located in the low floor area, four on each side of the vehicle. The door spacing is optimal for passenger flow – the time necessary to enter and exit the vehicle – which can cause delays in the schedule.  The design of the interior maximizes passenger space, using a knee-to-back seating arrangement and a large standing area with extra hand straps and grab bars for passenger safety.

Ridership on Amtrak’s Texas Eagle was up 12 percent to nearly 338,000 passengers in the past fiscal year. – Tim Blackwell/Cowcatcher Magazine.

WASHINGTON – Amtrak transported more than 31.2 million passengers in fiscal year 2012 ending Sept. 30, marking the highest annual ridership total since the railroad started operations in 1971 and the ninth ridership record in the last 10 years.

A year-over-year comparison of 2012 to 2011 shows ridership grew 3.5 percent to a record 31,240,565 passengers and ticket revenue jumped 6.8 percent to a best-ever $2.02 billion. In addition, Amtrak system-wide on-time performance increased to 83 percent, up from 78.1 percent and its highest level in 12 years.

Amtrak set 12 consecutive monthly ridership records; July was the single best month in the history of the railroad. The Northeast Corridor had its best year with more than 11.4 million passengers.

All 15 Amtrak long-distance routes experienced an increase in passengers resulting in the best combined ridership numbers in 19 years. The Chicago-to-San Antonio Texas Eagle was up 12.8 percent to nearly 338,000; City of New Orleans (Chicago-to-New Orleans) was up 8.5 percent to more than 253,000.

“People are riding Amtrak trains in record numbers across the country because there is an undeniable demand to travel by rail,” said President and CEO Joe Boardman. “Ridership will continue to grow because of key investments made by Amtrak and our federal and state partners to improve on-time performance, reliability, capacity and train speeds.”

During FY 2012, ridership on the Northeast Corridor is up 4.8 percent to a record 11.4 million, state-supported and other short-distance routes is up 2.1 percent to a record 15.1 million and long-distance services is up 4.7 percent to their best showing in 19 years at 4.7 million.

Also, FY 2012 produced other ridership achievements including new records for 25 of 44 Amtrak services, and 12 consecutive monthly records with July being the single best month in the history of Amtrak. Since FY 2000, Amtrak ridership is up 49 percent.

Boardman said ridership numbers for FY 2013 will get an early boost this fall when the extension of Downeaster serviceto Freeport and Brunswick, Maine begins Nov. 1, and Amtrak Virginia Northeast Regional serviceis extended to Norfolk, Va., starting Dec.12.

From Staff Reports and News Releases

 Light rail and transit agencies in Texas and the U.S. rejoiced in July after the signing of a bi-partisan transportation law that is designed to provide stability, as well as develop, implement and maintain public transportation services for the future.

Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) authorizes $105 billion for spending on transportation projects nationwide over the next two years. The bill, signed by President Barack Obama on July 6, 2012, is the first in 27 months that provides long-term transportation funding.

Houston’s METRORail is using some $900 million in federal funds to expand three of its light rail lines by a total of 15 miles. Through July, about six miles of track had already been finished for the project, which targets a 2014 completion date. – Courtesy Houston Metro

In late June, Congress passed the bi-partisan bill with a 373-52 vote in the House and 74-19 margin in the Senate. MAP-21 includes a limited increase for federal transit programs, providing a total of $10.6 billion in authorized funding in FY 2013 and $10.7 billion in FY 2014.

Public transportation officials were worried in June at the American Public Transportation Association’s annual conference that a multi-year bill would not be passed. Since 2009, government funding for public transportation had been on life support with one temporary extension after another.

APTA President/CEO Michael Melaniphy, in Irving, TX last month for Dallas Area Rapid Transit’s Orange Line dedication, said the law couldn’t come at a better time as light rail agencies tout their value in urban development that provides jobs.

“We’re happy to have the bill,” Melaniphy said at the Irving Convention Center. “We’ve gone 1,010 days without a bill.  It restores certainties to long-term funding for public transportation and sets us up for the future. Why do I want to invest in public transportation when I don’t know what’s ahead? Now we know what’s ahead.”

At DART, federal funds are seeding part of a massive $3.4 billion light rail expansion, which includes the Orange Line, that officials say provides much-needed stimulus during the economic downturn. The Irving build-out received $61.2 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 funds because of its employment impact and ability to attract additional development, companies, employees and residents to Irving, the agency says.

The project produced more than 600 jobs at some 80 contractor companies in 14 states. Federal officials have closely monitored the project’s progress and cited the Orange Line as one of the top “Recovery Act Projects Changing America.”

Construction of the Orange Line adds to the largest electric light rail system in North America. The DART Rail System will reach nearly 90 miles at the completion of the current expansion in 2014, creating viable transit access to greater housing, employment, educational, medical and entertainment options throughout the Dallas area, says DART President/Executive Director Gary Thomas.

“With the opening of the Orange Line, thousands of people now can reach one of the region’s densest employment centers via public transit,” he said. “That makes it easier for people to not only find jobs, but also pursue careers.”

In Houston, METRORail is expanding its Green, Red and Purple lines with help from $900 million in federal funds that were appropriated late last year. Expansion includes three miles on the East End Green Line, five miles on the North Red Line and six miles on the Southeast Purple Line.

In May, more than 1,000 workers had logged 193,000 hours of labor to keep the project on schedule.

“We’ve achieved a noteworthy landmark on this major undertaking for Houston’s future,” Senior Vice President, Capital Programs David Couch, who is overseeing the METRORail expansion project, said in the spring.  “Light rail is transforming the city with economical, fast, safe and environmentally-friendly transit options. We are excited to see this progress.”

For Austin’s Capital Metro, which operates the 26-mile MetroRail light rail line, the law will provide needed funding to improve a growing transportation system but most money likely will be earmarked for capital projects for buses and bus facilities, according to the agency. Formula-based funding provided by the bus and bus facilities formula grants will assist in replacing and rehabilitating existing buses and purchasing new ones.

“Capital Metro is pleased that Congress came together in a bi-partisan effort to pass this transportation funding bill,” said Austin Capital Metro President/CEO Linda S. Watson. “Map-21 will further support Capital Metro’s strategic plan to provide a high-quality, modern transportation system that meets the needs of our growing region.”

The new transportation law also consolidates various programs such as New Freedom funding and Job Access and Reverse Commute grants, which amounts to $1.3 million in grant funding in FY2012 for Capital Metro’s service area. Capital Metro will be seeking guidance from the Federal Transit Administration to determine how these changes and others will specifically affect the region.

A special DART train with dignitaries and local officials heads in the Irving Convention Center Station before cutting the ribbon that marked the opening of the first phase of the Orange Line expansion that will eventually go to D/FW International Airport.

 By Tim Blackwell/Cowcatcher Magazine

 IRVING, TX — Dallas Area Rapid Transit debuted today the first phase of the 14.3-mile Orange Line expansion that will take light rail to D/FW International Airport during a dedication ceremony before local, state and federal officials at the Irving Convention Center.

 A special train loaded with dignitaries cut through a yellow ribbon at the Convention Center Station to mark completion of the 4.5-mile section of the $1.3 billion project. The section with three stations opens for revenue service on July 30 and will connect the University of Dallas and the Las Colinas Urban Center along the way. A public event is planned for Saturday.

Dignitaries that included U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and Congressman Kenny Marchant said the expansion will further embed North Texas on convention and cultural destination maps and change the face of Irving, which has waited for light rail since it began contributing sales tax in 1984. The Orange Line is scheduled to reach Terminal A at the airport by December 2014.

 Hutchison, who has long been a mass transit proponent on Capitol Hill and in 1973 passed the first bill in the Texas Legislature that allows formation of mass transit systems in Texas, said Irving’s patience will pay off in a few years.

 “Irving will not be the same city that it is today, because when that line opens in 2014, and you can come to DFW and get off the airplane and come into Las Colinas, Irving, Dallas and all through the system, we are going to be a convention magnet,” she said. “It’s going to be the most rapidly growing part of the North Texas area, mark my words.”

Construction on the second phase has already reached Belt Line Road and SH 161 on airport property. Testing began earlier in July and will run up to the scheduled Dec. 3 launch. A 5.2-mile stretch from Belt Line Station to Terminal A is currently under construction and will open Dec. 15, 2014.

On the eve of the Summer Olympics, DART President/Executive Director Gary Thomas compared the expansion to a gold medal sprint that should further solidify North Texas light rail in the U.S. With nearly five more miles of track, DART extends its distinction of being the country’s longest light rail network to 78 miles.

“When you talk about transit around the country, Dallas hasn’t always been the first place that pops into people’s minds, but it’s getting there,” Thomas said. “It’s getting there because of the reputation that we’ve developed with projects on time, bringing projects in under budget on a consistent basis.”

DART’s anticipated arrival to Irving has spurred construction of luxury apartment communities throughout the Urban Center, with more than 7,000 units existing or planned, and several transit-oriented developments already in the works. The Orange Line extension has under gone more than 12 years of land-use planning by DART, the city of Irving, the Las Colinas Association and the Dallas County Utilities Reclamation District.

When service begins, Irving will become the only city in DART’s service area to have light rail and commuter rail service. The Trinity Railway Express has operated in South Irving since December 1996 along the former Rock Island Railway line.

Developers see light rail as a catalyst for urban renewal and new residential and commercial opportunities. See Tim Blackwell’s story on Property Management Insider, a Carrollton, TX-based online publication that focuses on residential property management. – Cowcatcher Magazine