First Transit Wins First Rail Contract in North America
First Transit announced that it signed its first rail contract in North America to provide operations and maintenance services for the Denton County Transportation Authority’s (DCTA) A-train commuter rail line. First Transit and DCTA’s new contract agreement, which covers a period of 9 years with an additional 5-year option, will go into effect October 1, 2016. The scope of work includes the operations, dispatch and maintenance for DCTA’s A-train commuter rail service.
The A-train is a 21-mile regional rail system connecting Denton and Dallas Counties. DCTA has five A-train stations; two in Denton and three in Lewisville. The A-train also connects with the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) at their Trinity Mills Station in Carrollton where passengers can transfer to the DART Green Line and gain access to the Dallas-Fort Worth area. DCTA’s A-train carries more than 500,000 passengers per year.
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Progress Rail Unveils First EMD F125 Passenger Locomotive
Progress Rail has released its first EMD F125 passenger locomotive, produced at its Muncie, Indiana, facility to the Southern California Regional Rail Authority’s (SCRRA) commuter rail line, Metrolink. The new diesel-electric locomotive, which meets U.S. EPA Tier 4 standards, is the first of 40 125 mph passenger locomotives to be sold to Metrolink and delivered in the world.
Metrolink became the first commuter rail agency to purchase the new locomotives in May of 2013. The EMD F125 also meets the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act (PRIIA) Section 305 specifications. Powered by a Cat C175 engine rated at 4,700 horsepower, the locomotives will substantially replace the aging Metrolink fleet, improving reliability, while reducing particulate matter and nitrogen oxide emissions by up to 85 percent.
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ABB has been awarded orders totaling more than $16 million by Transports Publics Genevois (TPG), Geneva’s public transport operator, and Swiss bus manufacturer HESS, to provide flash charging and on-board electric vehicle technology for 12 TOSA (Trolleybus Optimisation Système Alimentation) fully electric buses.
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ZF recently announced that it has acquired a 40 percent stake in Ibeo Automotive Systems GmbH.
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Bombardier Transportation announced Metrolinx exercised options for the purchase of an additional 125 next-generation Bombardier BiLevel commuter rail cars for service with GO Transit in Toronto.
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The Central Ohio Transit Authority hosted a groundbreaking celebration for their CMAX Cleveland Avenue BRT line, which will launch in 2018.
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The Sound Transit Board of Directors selected HDR Engineering Inc. to provide final design services for the Tacoma Link Expansion and an expanded maintenance facility.
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Nomad Digital has signed a 5-year service management extension for the delivery of its Wi-Fi and media and entertainment platform with Canada’s national rail operator, VIA Rail.
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Quester Tangent announced a contract with China Railway Rolling Stock Corp. Limited to deliver Train Monitoring and Diagnostic Systems, Networks and Engineering Services for Chicago Transit Authority’s new 7000 Series rail vehicles.
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PEOPLE IN THE NEWS
Jennifer Mitchell
Department of Rail and Public Transportation
Jennifer Mitchell, Director of the Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT), was named Woman of the Year by the Central Virginia Chapter of the Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS).
In her role as director of DRPT, she has contributed to the development of a number of significant transportation initiatives that have historic implications for transportation in the Commonwealth, including passenger rail service to Roanoke underway to begin in 2017 and the Commonwealth selected for a $165 million federal grant to unlock Northern Virginia through the Atlantic Gateway project.
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Tangee Mobley
Charlotte Area Transit System
Charlotte Area Transit System selected Tangee Mobley to be the general manager of Bus Operations. She will be responsible for managing all aspects of bus operations including fixed route service, Special Transportation Service (paratransit), bus maintenance and vanpool. Her most recent position was with Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority in Orlando, Florida, where she was director of Transportation and Maintenance. Prior to this position, she worked with the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County as the senior director of Transportation.
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Dwight Ferrell
Cincinnati Metro
Cincinnati Metro CEO & General Manager Dwight Ferrell was awarded the Thomas G. Neusom Founders' Leadership Award by the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO). The Thomas G. Neusom Founders' Leadership Award honors public and private transportation executives and policymakers responsible for the direction and operation of their agency or organization and who, through their affiliation with COMTO, have made outstanding contributions toward the growth and development of people of color within the transportation industry and have given continued and outstanding service and leadership to the organization.
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