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All about the community of model railroading and rail enthusiasm

COWCATCHER MAGAZINE

Passenger Rail


Amtrak marks highest annual ridership total since operations began in 1971

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 …

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Recent passing of federal funding bill ‘sets up’ Texas, U.S. light rail for the future

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 …

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DART dedicates Orange Line extension to Irving Convention Center

 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 …

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DCTA gets waiver to run GTAs

By Tim Blackwell / Cowcatcher Magazine DCTA began running the first of two four-car sets of its Stadler GTW diesel-electric cars on June 16, less than two weeks after being granted an alternative design waiver by the Federal Railroad Administration to start operating the cars …

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DART marks 250,000,000 light rail passenger trips in June

DALLAS, TX — Don Johnson wasn’t quite sure what to expect when a small group of people and a gaggle of news cameras converged on him as he got off the Red Line at Union Station on an early June Monday morning. What he soon …

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Final upgrades under way on Illinois high-speed route

Improvements are under way on the final phase of 2012 upgrades to the Chicago-to-St. Louis high-speed route that will be used by Amtrak to run up to speeds of 110 mph. Installing premium rail with concrete ties and stone ballast are among planned upgrades in …

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