LIGHT RAIL, RAPID TRANSIT, AND COMMUTER RAIL NEWS
Projects Move Forward A post-recession population increase in
Two Dallas-Area
Texas has spurred public transportation agencies in the Dallas/Fort Worth area to move forward with expansion plans. In mid-December, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) presented an updated proposal to construct an additional light rail route through downtown Dallas. All four of DART’s routes currently
share a single pair of tracks between the West End and Pearl/Arts District stations. The expansion will move two of the routes onto the new tracks and will allow DART to run up to 36 trains at a time during peak hours, almost dou- ble the agency’s current total capacity. It will also give DART more flexibility to cope with high traffic during special events or delays caused by traffic acci- dents and other incidents occurring near the downtown light rail tracks. DART’s preferred route for the down-
town expansion runs partially under- ground and will include access to the Dal- las Convention Center and the proposed location of the downtown station for the privately funded Texas Central Railway high-speed rail project. Two possible alternatives have been identified. The
agency encourages members of the pub- lic to present any concerns or comments in writing or at the public meetings that will take place over the next two years. DART anticipates that construction could begin as early as 2017. The Fort Worth Transportation Agen-
cy (FWTA) secured trackage rights to operate the Texrail train, a proposed commuter rail line to connect Dallas/ Fort Worth Airport and downtown Fort Worth. Negotiating this complex agree- ment was one of the most challenging obstacles standing in the way of launch- ing the new service. Texrail’s proposed 27-mile route takes it over tracks leased from DART and through a freight yard owned by the Fort Worth & Western. On some portions of the route, the com- muter trains will share track space with freight trains operated by FWWR and Union Pacific. The agreement between the four agencies took six years to nego- tiate, but keeps the project on schedule to begin operations in 2018. The Texrail negotiations also shifted Amtrak’s Texas Eagle off of UP and onto tracks owned by the FWTA. The new routing does not change any Texas Eagle station stops. However, eliminating the need to travel through the heavy freight traffic around Tower 55 in Fort Worth is
expected to increase the train’s on-time performance. To move the Texrail project forward,
FWTA has recently put in an order for eight diesel multiple unit (DMU) cars from Stadler Bussnang AG and has ini- tiated the earliest stages of track con- struction. Considerations in regard to the most appropriate station designs and noise mitigation measures are ongoing. —HAYLEY ENOCH
Improvements to New York City Subway Routes
New York City enjoys one of the larg-
est and most comprehensive subway sys- tems in the world. On some days, it will move about six million riders. The far west side of Manhattan was one of the areas lacking coverage; that all changed on September 13, 2015, with the open- ing of the system’s 469th subway station at 34th Street near 11th Avenue. This area is largely industrial in nature, not very much like the remainder of the bor- ough of Manhattan. On opening day, the Javits Convention Center and the new Hudson Yards Development became full- fledged parts of New York City, connect- ed by the subway system to the rest of
Riding the Bell
Lehigh Valley Transit’s Liberty Bell Route By Ron Ruddell
In the newest Central Electric Railfans’ Association publication, author Ron Ruddell chronicles the history of Lehigh Valley Transit’s famed Liberty Bell Route interurban that ran between Philadelphia and Allentown. Known for its scenic line through southeastern Pennsylvania, LVT operated a fascinating variety of equipment from stately heavyweight interurbans to secondhand lightweight high-speed cars acquired from Ohio and Indiana. Portions of the line meandered alongside local roads or over city streets while other sections operated on private right-of-way with catenary and block signals on fast competitive schedules. A cut above many interurbans, the LVT even operated deluxe club car service on selected runs. Noted transit historian George Hilton called the LVT’s Liberty Bell Route the last “pure” interurban as it owed its existence exclusively to passenger traffic or express carried in interurban freight equipment. The reader will learn about the Liberty Bell Route’s development, operations, colorful equipment, and also about the people whose dedication and effort managed to keep the line in operation until 1951.
Riding the Bell: Lehigh Valley Transit’s Liberty Bell Route contains 264 pages with over 350 photos—80 of them in color—plus detailed color maps, car drawings, and a complete roster. Both informative and entertaining, Riding the Bell is a must read for both the serious transportation student and casual traction fan.
Central Electric Railfans’ Association
Dept RR, P.O. Box 503, Chicago, IL 60690 E-mail:
books@cera-chicago.org. Dealer inquiries invited.
18 FEBRUARY 2016 •
RAILFAN.COM
Order #B-147, RIDING THE BELL 224 pages, $65 postpaid. IL residents add $6.67 sales tax.
Visit
CERA-Chicago.org for credit card purchases, a free book catalog, membership, monthly meetings & events. schedule.
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