Caltrain
Caltrain on Nov. 15 reported that the municipality of Lima in Peru will pay more than $6 million to acquire all its retired gallery cars (90) and diesel locomotives (19) for a new east-west commuter rail project, which will run on an existing standard-gauge railway. The equipment was built between 1985 and 1987.
The transaction was facilitated by the U.S. Departments of State and Commerce and “will provide efficient public transit, save the city of Lima millions of dollars, and generate up to $500 million in U.S. exports of rail, track material, signaling systems, and protection equipment for crossings,” according to the White House, which recently released a fact sheet on the United States’ partnership with Peru that will celebrate 200 years in 2026. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District also supported the agreement.
In September, Caltrain fully launched its electrified service, transforming the 160-year-old San Francisco-to-San Jose rail corridor from diesel to electric power. Caltrain is currently running 23 Stadler Rail-built KISS bilevel EMUs (electric multiple-units). In October, the first full month of electrified service, Caltrain carried 753,000 passengers, marking a 54% increase in ridership over October 2023.
“This agreement will help Peru embrace a more sustainable future while also bringing millions of dollars to help us keep Caltrain running,” Caltrain Executive Director Michelle Bouchard said.
“These trains have a long and proud legacy of service that we’re proud to pass along to the people of Peru,” added Caltrain Board Chair Dev Davis. “The F40s hold a special place in the heart of train enthusiasts, and there’s no better task for them than to keep helping people get where they need to go.”
Amtrak
Amtrak on Nov. 18 reported joining Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation Mike Carroll, Pennsylvania State Representative Tom Jones (R-District 98) and other partners to celebrate the full restoration of weekday Keystone Service following the conclusion earlier this month of the Harrisburg Line Track Renewal Project.
While the work was estimated to take approximately two years, Amtrak said it developed an “accelerated approach” that allowed it to complete the project in eight months by using a combination of single- and full-track outages to improve work efficiencies. Amtrak crews replaced more than 43 miles of track and installed 113,000 concrete ties on Amtrak-owned tracks between Lancaster and Harrisburg, Pa. “America’s Railroad” provided replacement bus transportation at all affected stations and preserved midday Pennsylvanian train service through the area. The project also involved coordination with Norfolk Southern and freight shippers who use these same tracks.
“Thank you to our customers for your patience as we expedited this important infrastructure investment between Lancaster and Harrisburg, benefitting Amtrak customers and the freight community for decades to come,” Amtrak Executive Vice President of Capital Delivery Laura Mason said. “Amtrak’s in-house construction crews achieved significant efficiency improvements compared with previous years, increasing production by 87% and reducing injuries by more than 80% from 2023. I am grateful to PennDOT, Norfolk Southern, and our shared customers for their support, cooperation, and patience as we invested in the future of passenger rail in Pennsylvania.”
“Passenger rail is a crucial part of Pennsylvania’s transportation network,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. “PennDOT is proud to support passenger rail through our state investments, and we’re pleased that Amtrak riders will enjoy the benefits of an improved Keystone line.”
Further Reading:
- Amtrak Harrisburg Line Track Renewal Work Advances Ahead of Schedule
- Amtrak Vice President, State Supported Services Discusses Harrisburg Line Track Renewal Project With Pennsylvania’s NPR affiliate
LACMTA
LACMTA on Nov. 15 joined East Los Angeles Community Corporation (ELACC) and BRIDGE Housing Corporation (BRIDGE) in a dedication ceremony to mark the completion of construction of Los Lirios, a transit-oriented, mixed-use housing development for low- and moderate-income households. Los Lirios was built on LACMTA-owned property adjacent to the Metro E Line Soto station at 1st and Soto streets in the Boyle Heights neighborhood in Los Angeles. Los Angeles County Supervisor and LACMTA Board Member Hilda L. Solis and LACMTA Chief Planning Officer Ray Sosa joined representatives from ELACC and BRIDGE in celebrating the ribbon cutting.
The new five-story apartment building features 64 income-restricted homes above 2,400 square feet of community serving retail space on the 0.67-acre site, which was previously used by LACMTA to support construction of the adjacent E Line Station. Los Lirios offers studios, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments to families earning 30%-50% of Area Median Income (AMI) with 20 apartments set aside for formerly unhoused individuals that are supported by Project-Based Section 8 Vouchers. Residential amenities include on-site offices for management and service providers, a workout room, on-site laundry, a community room, a children’s play area, and an outdoor courtyard. ELACC provides resident services and PATH Ventures provides case management and supportive services for formerly homeless households.
LACMTA’s Vision 2028 Strategic Plan encourages the development of affordable housing near transit to give more people, especially in low-income communities, better access to transit, according to the transit agency. In 2021, the Board established a goal of expanding LACMTA’s housing portfolio through the Joint Development program to 10,000 homes by 2031, with 5,000 of the apartments to be restricted at affordable rents for lower and moderate-income households. To meet that goal, the transit agency said it has partnered with local developers to increase the supply of “high-quality” housing on its properties, especially income-restricted apartments.
“In Boyle Heights, as well as many neighborhoods in the First District, the need for affordable housing for low- and middle-income families has never been more urgent,” Hilda L. Solis said. “Many of our residents also rely on public transportation or alternative means of travel in order to get to school and work. Over a decade in the making, the development and opening of Los Lirios demonstrates the positive impact Metro’s Joint Development program will have on a better quality of life for our County, especially for those in our most vulnerable communities.”
“At BRIDGE Housing, we are committed to creating transformative change for people and families by providing access to safe, accessible, and affordable housing,” BRIDGE Housing President and CEO Ken Lombard commented. “We are delighted to celebrate our first partnership with LA Metro and ELACC and proud to deliver this beautiful, transit-friendly affordable housing community for Boyle Heights.”
“Metro’s [LACMTA’s] approach to Transit Oriented Communities and Joint Development starts with a basic principle: Communities are stronger when people have a diverse range of housing options, jobs, and services located near fast and frequent transit lines,” LACMTA CEO Stephanie Wiggins said. “Los Lirios is one of dozens of developments Metro will build in the coming years on land left over from our construction projects, and we’re doing our part to ease the housing shortage in LA County and make this region a more affordable, vibrant, and sustainable place to live.”
Los Lirios is LACMTA’s second Joint Development housing project to open this year. The first was La Veranda, a mixed-use housing development for low- and moderate-income households on LACMTA-owned property in Boyle Heights, which was celebrated in a dedication ceremony on June 18, 2024. Following La Veranda and Los Lirios, LACMTA said it plans to open two more affordable housing communities in 2025: Vermont/Santa Monica Apartments, which will include 187 apartments and community serving commercial and social service space at the Vermont/Santa Monica Metro station, and Lorena Plaza, a 49-unit community located at the intersection of 1st and Lorena Streets in Boyle Heights.
