Dallas - Man killed by DART train

A man was killed Wednesday night when he was struck by a DART train near Skillman Street and LBJ Freeway.

The northbound train struck the man on the track about 9:30 p.m., a few hundred yards south of the LBJ/Skillman station, said Morgan Lyons, spokesman for Dallas Area Rapid Transit.

The man's name had not been released, but he is believed to be in his 20s. The train's operator said she saw the man on the track with his legs crossed but was unable to stop the train in time.

Mr. Lyons said Wednesday night that it was too early to tell whether the death was a suicide or an accident. No one on the train was injured.

Source:
The Dallas Morning News

Just in the past week I've reported transit related deaths in cities including Washington D.C., Bradley Beach (New Jersey), and now Dallas. Passenger and worker deaths are more common on transit systems than I would have ever believed. However their passing does not really receive much attention in the national and international news. I do not list these stories simply for sensationalism. I feel these deaths need to be reported with more accuracy and proficiency, not only out of respect for those who lost their lives, but also as a reminder to readers of the dangers and challenges involved maintaining rapid transit systems. Thank you for understanding.

Vietnam - Britain/Japan Help Plan Massive Metrorail

In a nice example of international cooperation, both Britain and Japan are assisting Vietnam in the design and funding of a new rail system for the capital, Ho Chi Minh City. The project will cost an estimated 5 billion dollars with six lines and 60 percent underground, Vietnam is very fortunate to have the kind of support Britain and Japan are offering. Japan is spending $2.7 million on design and technical assistance through grants while Britain has promised $450 million over the next five years and another $7 million when Vietnam joins the World Trade Organization.

Source: ICON international Construction Review

D.C. - Two Struck by train, One Dead

Two Metro track walkers were struck by a four-car Yellow Line train on an elevated track between the Huntington and Eisenhower Ave Metrorail stations at 9:30 a.m. today, Nov. 30. One employee was killed, and the second person is in critical condition and has been transported to a local hospital.

The 29-year veteran employee who died was conducting routine track inspection along the rail line at the time of his death. The injured worker has been a Metro employee since April 2006. The accident is under investigation.

The Yellow Line train involved in the incident was leaving the Huntington station and heading into the Alexandria rail yard. There were no passengers aboard the train because it was not in service. The train operator, a Metro employee since 1999, was taken for routine drug and alcohol testing.

The Huntington and Eisenhower Ave stations are closed as emergency personnel investigate the incident. Yellow Line trains are terminating at the Braddock Road Metrorail station. Free shuttle bus service has been established between the Braddock Road, King Street, Eisenhower Ave and Huntington stations.

The Metro Transit Police and emergency personnel are on the scene. An internal investigation continues, and the National Transportation Safety Board is also investigating the accident.

This is the second employee fatality this year. On May 14, an automatic train control technician was hit and killed by a Red Line train at the Dupont Circle Metrorail station. Fourteen Metro employees have died on the job in the agency’s 30-year history.

Source:
WMATA Press Release

NYC Transit Makes Plans for Tree Lighting Tonight

Christmas Tree Lighting at Rockefeller Center 5pm - 9pm with the Radio City Rockettes and world-class ice skaters. Busses serving the Rockefeller Center area will be rerouted during the tree lighting ceremony to avoid congestion.

Source:
MTA NYC Transit

New York - Record Use for Manhattan Subways

Average weekday subway ridership rose to 5.076 million in September, the highest level since transit officials began making monthly calculations in 1970, New York City Transit said yesterday. It was the first time since 1970 that the average weekday figure passed 5 million on the subway. Combined subway and bus ridership in September was 7.61 million on an average weekday. That was the highest combined figure since December 1970, when it was 7.627 million.

Source:
NY Times

New Zealand - Monorail Plans for Capital

SkyCabs International, a New Zealand company based in Auckland, New Zealand, has announced that it is planning to build a monorail in New Zealand's capital, Wellington for about NZ$300 million.

SkyCabs International's plans are to build a monorail service that starts in Johnsonville which then travels into the central business district (cbd) and then finally goes to Wellington International Airport.

The chief executive of SkyCabs, Hugh Chapman, said that it could be "...economically feasible." And that the monorail would be "a real opportunity." The monorail would also be environmentally friendly, according to Mr Chapman.

"SkyCabs' cabs could run in opposite directions on both sides of the beam - instead of on the top as standard monorails do - at speeds of up to 80kmh and carrying 4800 people an hour in each direction. A monorail around Evans Bay and Oriental Bay would blow tourists' minds," said Mr Chapman.

SkyCabs is currently trying to raise $31.2 million so it can built a 600 metre track in Auckland to show investors and the public what the monorail will look like and how it will work as their technology is so far unproven and untested. The possible site is Rainbows End, a theme park in Auckland.

"Potentially, if we can prove it works, the market is about $25.4 billion a year," Mr Chapman said.

Andrew Cutler, spokesman for the greater Wellington regional council, said: "SkyCabs had briefed some council staff on its ideas. However, given the council and Government recently committed to a $50 million upgrade of the Johnsonville rail line, SkyCabs would certainly not be constructing a Johnsonville-to-city monorail."

Source:
Wikinews, Newswire, The Dominion Post,

Seattle - The Reach for Rail

Cities seek funding for potential transit











Seattle's proposed light-rail rapid transit system had been merely hopes and dreams before today. Almost canceled for lack of support and funding, Seattle lawmakers got a big boost from the federal government today when the Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters told city and state officials that the Federal Transit Administration (DOT) has signed off on the final designs for the Puget Sound transportation project and has given the plan a "high" rating meaning it is on the FTA's "spending priorities" list. According to the Seattle Times:

" Sound Transit's 3.1 mile underground extension to the University of Washington will cost about $1.7 billion; Seattle hopes to secure a funding grant from the federal government for up to $750 million of the total."

This leaves a big hole to fill in funding, but with the FTA on board, Seattle's hopes for advanced transit have gone from the cancellation of the Seattle Monorail Project to a very real possibility of a basic light rail system.

Seattle is one of the biggest cities in the country without a light-rail transit system. Known for its minimalist approach to major city projects (see: new arena rejected), Seattle has held back from rushed and image-driven designs such as the poorly planned transit system run by the Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority. Other American cities seriously considering or already working on new transit systems are Phoenix, Charlotte, Kansas City, Louisville, and Tampa Bay:


Phoenix's Valley Metro system, which has a very well developed bus system, is catching on in which the idea of "circulators" or buses which go out into neighborhoods (The new strategy has met with resounding approval of the public and will be implemented through the next two years). Phoenix is far ahead of other cities preparing their rail system. Deep in the middle of construction, the Phoenix Metro Light Rail system is "on time and on budget" to be completed by December, 2008.

Charlotte is also in construction mode working on a 15-station, 10 mile long system with 7 "park-and-ride" locations.

Kansas City's proposed system, while well structured and with voter approved special-option taxes, has not gone before the FTA yet.

Louisville is in a very heated debate on the issue with strong opinions on both sides of the issue. Even the Sierra Club and the Coalition for the Advancement of Regional Transportation have jumped on the bandwagon to get the ball rolling on a new federally assisted transit system.

Tampa Bay passed a resolution last week to focus on transit, however the resolution "does not call for a specific solution to our transportation issues, it (only) indicates a need to address these issues and examine all opportunities."


Many cities like Tampa Bay will posture and present vague open-ended goals for a future transit system to show they are "forward thinkers" while more progressive cities like Phoenix and Charlotte have already committed their resources and plan to take their rapid-transit projects responsibly and seriously. The most important cities to focus on are going to be those with the will and the voter support, yet still lack the funding to complete their systems. These cities, including Seattle and especially Louisville, need extra attention and support from outside resources if their plans are ever going to be realized.

Sources:
Charlotte News Observer, Kansas City Business Journal, Tampa Bay Business Journal, KVOA News 4, Tuscon, AZ, The (Louisville) Courier Journal, American Society of Civil Engineers, Urbanrail.net

Britain - Network Rail makes first profit

Network Rail, which runs Britain's railway tracks and signals, is expected to announce it has made a profit for the first time in its history. Financial results for the six months to September show a profit of £747m, which the not-for-profit firm is to spend on improving the rail network. This comes after the company cut costs by more than £1bn and the beginning of delayed payments from the government. In May, Network Rail announced a pre-tax loss of £232m for 2005-6.

Network Rail Chairman Ian McAllister said improved train safety and punctuality had turned Britain's railways into a success, but that new and greater challenges lay ahead. With more passengers, Network Rail had to find ways of easing overcrowding and boosting the capacity of the rail system, he said. The company said last year's losses were largely down to paying interest on money it had borrowed to fix the railway network. Network Rail replaced private firm Railtrack in 2002.

Global Perspective:
Cutting costs and overhead is always a quick way to turn a profit. Hopefully Network Rail will show a consistent profit rather than this single spike in improvement.

Dublin - traffic plan begins tomorrow

The Operation Freeflow traffic management plan for Dublin will swing into action at 6.30am tomorrow. Dozens of dedicated traffic gardai will be backed by an extra 163 student officers for the six-week initiative to ease gridlock during Christmas and the New Year.

Trouble spots such as Quality Bus Corridors, major traffic junctions, Luas interchanges and Nitelink services will be targeted for special attention by officers.

Deputy Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy briefed officers this weekend on the operation and promised rigorous enforcement of the Road Traffic Act. "Traffic disruption will be kept to a minimum for users of both public and private transport," he said.

Specialist Garda services also being deployed between tomorrow and Friday, January 5 include the Air Support Unit, the Garda Mountain Bike Unit, the Garda Regional Traffic Division, the Garda Mounted Unit and Garda Communications.

"Gardai on motorcycle, car and on foot patrol will also have specific duties to target and tackle any problems that may arise," Deputy Commissioner Murphy said. Further information on the plan is available at www.freeflow.ie and on Live Drive 103.2 FM.

Global Perspective:
Dublin, Ireland is not known for having a major rapid-transit system - rather, they are known for congested traffic. However, they are showing great initiative in tackling the underlying problems that rapid transit systems strives to solve. It's good to see a city making transit issues a priority and finding efficient ways to ease commuter woes.

Source: The Irish Times

New York - Public transit not wheelchair-friendly

New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), Boston's Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), and the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) have all come under fire for severe negligence in meeting handicap codes. All are facing lawsuits or have already settled. Read about the problems facing handicapped commuters and the transit agencies striving to meet minimum standards.

Source: Associated Press Article by David Caruso

New York - System Down for Internet Upgrade

DISRUPTION OF SERVICE
A major system upgrade to NYCT's Internet access capabilities is scheduled for the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend. The web servers will be out of service for an extended time beginning at 5:00 PM, Wednesday, November 22nd. Normal Internet service will resume at latest by Monday, November 27, 2006.We appreciate your patience and cooperation as we implement this necessary upgrade.

D.C. - Weekend Delays On WMATA

Weekend track work to impact portions of Green and Yellow lines

Train car testing and maintenance work on the Green and Yellow Lines this weekend (Nov. 25 and 26) will cause moderate delays on those lines as inbound and outbound trains take turns sharing the same tracks. Inbound and outbound trains between Greenbelt and College Park will share tracks while new trains will be tested along the Green Line this Saturday, Nov. 25, and Sunday, Nov. 26, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Inbound and outbound trains between Mt. Vernon Sq./7th St.-Convention Center and Navy Yard along the Green and Yellow lines will also share the same track while Metro conducts track maintenance on Saturday, Nov. 25, from 7 to 10 a.m. and from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. Delays are expected to be between 15 and 20 minutes.

Source: WMATA Press Release

Santa Express Kicks Off Holidays Today

Several transit systems across the country are celebrating the official beginning of the Holiday Season today with their version of the Santa Express with the Big Guy in Red arriving on a train rather than a sleigh. Here's a sampling of the various Santa Expresses planned for today and this weekend.

Philadelphia - SEPTA’s popular Santa Express trains return on BIG Friday, November 24th. Join the fun and enjoy a train ride into Center City with clowns, musicians and face painters, before meeting the big man himself – Santa Claus – at the Gallery at Market East. There will be two Regional Rail Santa Express Trains making all local stops – one departing Paoli (R5) at 9:10 a.m. and one departing Chestnut Hill West (R8) at 9:30 a.m. Santa Express El trains will also depart from Frankford Transportation Center, 69th Street Terminal, and Broad Street Subway Fern Rock Station at 10:00 a.m. Look for flyers and information at stations.

Anne-Arbor - ... see the Jolly Old Elf on the Santa Express, an excursion train running from Howell to the "North Pole'' (aka ... Byron) and back every weekend until Christmas, starting this weekend... This year's ride, with four departure times each Saturday and Sunday through Dec. 24, will include Christmas songs and refreshments on the journey north. There are four departures each day from Howell's Depot Museum at 128 Wetmore St. in the downtown area...
The train consists of comfortable, climate-controlled passenger cars built in the 1950s and pulled by vintage GP-35 diesel locomotives, built in 1964 for the Ann Arbor Railroad and owned now by the Great Lakes Central Railroad. Unfortunately, because of the historic nature of the equipment, the train is not handicapped accessible. One note: Several of those who have taken the tour, including Haleck, mentioned that the passenger cars can sometimes get a bit chilly, so it's advisable to dress warmly, in layers, for the trip. The trip takes about 90 minutes and costs $25 for adults and $20 for children under age 12 and seniors.

Atlanta - MARTA has held their own spectacular Santa Express in previous years. Hopefully it will be held this year as well, although information is not currently posted on their website.

SEPTA Restoring Full R2 Service Today

New R2 Warminster Schedules Effective (Today), Friday, Nov. 24

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Following the completion of a railroad maintenance project, SEPTA will restore midday train service on the R2 Warminster Regional Rail Line and operate with new schedules beginning (today), Friday, November 24th. The new schedules are available at Market East, Suburban and 30th Street Stations and SEPTA sales offices. Passengers may also view the schedules online at http://www.septa.org. Regular midday R2 Warminster train service will now operate between Warminster and Center City Philadelphia in time for the start of the holiday shopping season. SEPTA had been operating shuttle buses during the midday in place of trains along a portion of the route since early August due to the project. During the maintenance project SEPTA performed various procedures to improve reliability and provide more efficient service for riders including removing operating restricting vegetation, replacing railroad ties and resurfacing track.

Sources: SEPTA Press Release, National Railroad News

Crew’s Role Checked in Passenger Death

Bradley Beach, N.J. (NY Times) - A preliminary investigation into the death of a passenger on a New Jersey Transit train has found that an assistant conductor might not have been at her post, the railroad said yesterday. Her responsibility was to watch the platform, the railroad has said.

The passenger, John D’Agostino, 49, died after being dragged nearly 50 feet as the train left the Bradley Beach station. The assistant conductor, with the conductor and the train’s engineer, were suspended with pay pending the outcome of drug and alcohol tests, said Dan Stessel, a spokesman for New Jersey Transit. Mr. D’Agostino was traveling on a replacement train after his train struck Joan Kelly, 22, of East Brunswick.

Source: NY Times

Transit Security Funding Declared a Priority

Newly leading Democrats in both the House and Senate have placed funding for transit security on their list of priorities for homeland security.

In the House Representative Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., the incoming chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, said in an AP interview: "a real rail security plan doesn't exist. While between $8 and $9 is spent per air passenger on air security measures, only 2 cents to 3 cents per rail passenger is spent on rail security." Thompson wants to bring spending for mass transit and rail security more on a par with what is spent on security for air travel.

Senator Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., soon to take over the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, has made "more transit security funding" one of his top priorities. Other priorities include better information-sharing, homeland security grant distribution, more resources to state and local first responders, and interoperable communications equipment

Source: Associated Press

Turkeys Try to Catch Train Out of N.J.

RAMSEY, N.J. (AP) -- Some wild turkeys, it appears, were trying to get out of New Jersey before Thanksgiving Day. A spokesman for the NJ Transit said train officials reported a dozen or so wild turkeys waiting on a station platform in Ramsey (Ramsey Station), about 20 miles northwest of New York City, on Wednesday afternoon. The line travels to Suffern, N.Y.

''For a moment, it looked like the turkeys were waiting for the next outbound train,'' said Dan Stessel, a spokesman for NJ Transit. ''Clearly, they're trying to catch a train and escape their fate.''

Transit workers followed the bird's movements on surveillance cameras. ''I have no idea how they got there,'' Stessel said. New Jersey Transit released this security camera photo to the AP.

A Ramsey police dispatcher said the department had received three calls about the traveling turkeys who also were blamed for causing morning rush hour traffic problems on a roadway.

''From time to time, I've heard calls that there are turkeys on the loose,'' said Erik Endress, president of the Ramsey Rescue Squad, a volunteer group. ''Maybe they're trying to make a break.''

NJ Transit spokesman Dan Stessel says the turkeys flew away after this video image was taken and it is still unknown where they came from.

Source: Associated Press, NY Times, Midland Daily News,

Creative Advisories

Trains skipping stations are a not-so-common complaint amongst transit commuters. However, the problem does exist. Most authorities do not address this issue or put it off as conductor error, leaving some commuters baffled when their train slows down only to take off without ever stopping. SEPTA, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority actually address this issue. SEPTA gives a very creative and impressively well thought-out reason for the runaway trains involving a technical explanation of "Slippery Rail Season".

From SEPTA's Website:
"As you’re looking out your train or trolley window admiring the vivid colors of the autumn leaves, SEPTA rail maintenance personnel are also closely watching Mother Nature’s handiwork. While they appreciate the beauty of the season, they are more concerned about the effect on rail conditions when the leaves begin to fall. Known as “Slippery Rail Season”, every year information is posted ... reminding customers about this annual occurrence and the measures SEPTA takes to combat it.

What is Slippery Rail?
Slippery Rail is a condition that occurs when falling leaves, crushed by passing vehicles, deposit a residue on the tracks. This coating decreases the friction of a train’s wheels, creating slippery rails. When this happens, travel speeds are reduced to maintain safe operations, especially on inclines and declines and when vehicles approach the station platform.

How Does SEPTA Tackle Slippery Rail?
SEPTA has an aggressive maintenance program that employs a combination of water, gel, and sand to remove oily deposits on the tracks. Over the last several years, the Authority has invested in high pressure washing equipment, mounted on trains, to blast away the leaves and leaf residue. This action has proved to be effective in removing debris from the tracks, but, short of plucking every leaf from every tree, customers may still experience intermittent service delays caused by slippery rail.

Rider Tips
Getting you to your destination without delays or inconvenience is very important, but ensuring that your trip is safe always takes precedence. So please allow some extra time to complete your trip and be alert if trains “express” past selected stations. ... Thank you for your patience – we hope you will relax and enjoy the scenery."

This may sound costly and a bit too detail oriented, but capital funds have to be spent somewhere, and if leaf-blowers mounted to trains gets the job done, then more power to SEPTA. If this doesn't make commuters more complacent, I don't know what will.

New Jersey - 2 Killed on Transit Tracks

By: Associated Press
BRADLEY BEACH, N.J. (AP) -- A man was struck and killed early Tuesday by a commuter train sent to pick up passengers stranded after their first train hit and killed a woman, authorities said.

Two hundred passengers were aboard an NJ Transit train when it hit a woman in Matawan, 22 miles south of Newark, just before midnight Monday, agency spokesman Dan Stessel said.

A train was sent to pick up passengers from the first train while the death was being investigated, and the passengers continued south, Stessel said.

Around 2 a.m., the second train struck and killed a man in Bradley Beach, about 15 miles from Matawan. Stessel said crew members on the train did not know they had hit someone until they stopped in Spring Lake, about 4 miles away.

Authorities were investigating the deaths. NJ Transit said there were no significant delays for morning commuters.

The North Jersey Coast Line runs between New York's Penn Station and Bay Head, about 16 miles south of Asbury Park.

(SUBS last graf to correct train terminus to Penn Station sted Newark.)

Deeper Look:
According to NJTransit at 11:41 AM, trains have been unaffected and there are no delays:

"NJ TRANSIT asks all customers to be aware of their surroundings. If you see any suspicious activity or unattended packages, please call NJ TRANSIT Police at 1-888-TIPS-NJT.

"NEC #3835, the 10:29 AM departure from New York Penn Station, is operating up to 15 minutes late near Metropark.

"NJ TRANSIT buses, trains and light rail lines are operating on or close to schedule."

Sources:
Associated Press, NY Times, NJ Transit,

Switzerland - System Shut Down After Shoot Out

Basle, Switzerland - Trains, Trams, Cars and Buses ground to a halt on Monday after a shoot-out between 18:00 CET and 19:00 CET (2:00 - 3:00pm EST this afternoon) in the historical city of Basle. The first shots were fired at around 16:00 CET (12:00 Noon EST) according to the spokesperson of the Government. Special Police Forces were getting prepared to launch an assault against this building. The authors of the shoot-out are unknown as well as their target. Railway traffic was blocked off at around 18:00 CET (2:00pm EST), according to the Swiss Federal Railways' (SBB-CFF-FFS) spokesperson, Christian Kräuchi. At around 19:00 CET (3:00pm EST), railway traffic resumed.

Deeper Look:
Translated using worldlingo , TSR's website claims "nobody was wounded" and "the CF(?) stopped some 40 trains in the surrounding stations."

Global Perspective:
Rapid transit in Basle is overseen by the Basle Transport Authority (BVB) which is part of the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB-CFF-FFS) which provides both intercity and commuter rail as well as freight services for the country. SBB-CFF-FFS is the Swiss acronym for German-French-Italian, 3 of the principle languages of Switzerland.Located in north-western part of Switzerland, the city of Basle shares the border with Germany and France.

Source:
Wikinews, Télévison Suisse Romande (French TV), Radio Suisse Romande (French Radio in Switzerland)