Dallas Area Rapid Transit and other public transit agencies have aggressively expanded cleaning and safety protocols in response to the coronavirus. The American Public Transportation Association is seeking federal relief funding to cover mounting losses in revenue and an estimated $2 billion in upgraded cleaning costs. – DART
APTA leader says public transit agencies need immediate help
WASHINGTON– The public transportation industry is urging Congress to immediately provide $16 billion in direct emergency funding to public transit agencies to offset costs and revenue losses caused by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Public transit agencies are being massively impacted, and immediate measures need to be taken to ensure these agencies can continue to provide essential services to their communities now and in the future,” said Paul P. Skoutelas, American Public Transportation Association President and CEO in a statement. “It cannot be overstated – without these funds, the overwhelming majority of public transit agencies will be required to either drastically curtail services or suspend services altogether. The time to act is now.”
APTA is asking for legislation to fund essential public transportation services across the country, including providing paratransit services for individuals with disabilities; public transportation for health care workers, law enforcement, first responders and other safety personnel; and Medicaid recipients who receive medical transportation for kidney dialysis, cancer treatments, and other critical care.
The industry has experienced dramatic reductions in ridership due to the workplace restrictions, with an estimated $14 billion in losses expected in both fare and sales tax revenue, according to APTA. In addition, $2 billion is needed to cover upgraded cleaning.
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Sprucing Up
It’s easy to not see the forest for the trees on a model railroad, so the Colorado Model Railroad Museum won’t mind if visitors focus closely on the towering firs and glowing aspens on the Oregon, California & Eastern Railroad. A panoramic scan is most appropriate now that many of the 28,000 trees are getting a makeover. One of the country’s top model railroad museums, CMRM is refreshing scenery along its Pacific Northwest-based signature HO-scale layout with laborious help from staff and volunteers. For the past year, trees, ground cover and other scenery have been cleaned or replaced on the 15-year-old masterpiece inspired by museum founder David Trussell.
Railroad Structures
Freight stations and engine service facilities are the most common assets for railroads, and Gene Mangum's HO-scale Mystic Branch is no exception. In the first of a two-part series, Mangum details the many railroad-owned structures on the layout.
Seamless Railroad
Two years after Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern became North America’s first continuous north-south railroad, Union Pacific Railroad Co. and Norfolk Southern Railway Co. are working to stitch a seamless east-west transcontinental railroad. Leaders from UP and NS say a seamless railroad devoid of interchanges creates valuable synergies for shippers and the Union Pacific Transcontinental Railroad.
Plus
Pat Hiatte takes a ride from Chicago to Milwaukee on the Chicago, North Shore and Milwaukee Railway's Electroliner. Plus, Kadee Quality Products follows its successful run of the Nickel Plate Road AAR 50-ton flatcar with an undecorated model - see the review. Also, construction on BNSF's bridge over the Missouri River near Bismarck-Mandan, ND, is nearing the halfway point. And more!
