Transit Briefs: Ontario’s Northlander, CTA/Metra, BART, DEN/Alstom
Ontario Northland
More than C$100 million in rail infrastructure work supporting the return of Northlander service is nearing completion, the Ontario government reported Jan. 30. Joint elimination, curve adjustments, and improvements at rail crossings (adding warning systems, updating signage at crossings, and adding gates to existing crossings) are taking place along the approximately 460-mile (740-kilometer) corridor (see map below). Remcan Ltd. and X-Rail were selected in 2024 for track work and warning system upgrades, respectively.
Northlander service, which was discontinued in 2012 and replaced by buses, will run between Toronto and Timmins, with a rail connection to Cochrane, by provincially owned Ontario Northland. It is slated to “enhance Ontario’s integrated transportation network and advance work on the province’s Draft Transportation Plan for the North,” according to the Ontario government.
The government in April 2022 reported that it would invest C$75 million to reinstate the service and released an Updated Initial Business Case. Later that year, it awarded a C$139.5 million contract to Siemens Mobility for three trainsets (each comprising one locomotive and three passenger cars) to support it.
The first trainset is now undergoing testing and commissioning, according to the government’s Jan. 8, 2026, announcement. Testing will “ensure all systems function correctly and meet safety, performance, and operating requirements,” it said.
The government awarded EllisDon a contract in 2024 to begin platform reconstruction at stops in North Bay, Temagami, Temiskaming Shores, Englehart, Kirkland Lake, Matheson, and Cochrane, and another contract in 2025 to reconstruct platforms and install pre-manufactured shelters at train stops from South River to Washago. Enseicom Inc. landed a contract for the design and manufacture of nine new station shelters.
According to the Ontario government, 2025 saw the start of construction on the Timmins-Porcupine Station and the completion of the North Bay Rail Bypass, which connects the CN Newmarket subdivision to the Ontario Northland main line on the Temagami Subdivision and is slated to cut travel times by 15 minutes.
“Our government is protecting Ontario by bringing back the Northlander and connecting thousands of people in northeastern Ontario to health care, education and economic opportunities,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation on Jan. 30. “The rail work under way will help reduce travel times and deliver a smoother and more comfortable ride for passengers.”
The Northlander is expected to start running this spring, according to CTV News. The Ontario Northland website says it will operate four to seven days per week, based on seasonal travel demands.
Further Reading:
- Ontario’s Northlander Service Revival Advances
- Northlander Service Revival Advances With Contract Award, Train Design Unveiling
- North Bay Rail Bypass Construction is Completed
Chicago RTA
“Ridership across the Chicago region’s transit system continued to increase throughout 2025, according to the latest data from CTA, Metra and Pace,” reported Chicago Regional Transportation Authority (RTA), the unit of local government created to oversee finances, secure funding, and conduct transit planning for the three transit systems serving the Northeast Illinois counties of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will. The region’s fixed route system finished out the year with a total of 373.5 million rides, up 12.3 million rides over 2024, it said Jan. 30.
“This momentum is only expected to continue with the signing of the Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA) Act in December, providing an estimated $1.2 billion in new annual operating funding for transit service and an additional estimated $180 million annually for capital projects,” Chicago RTA said.
In 2025, CTA rapid transit (rail) provided 135.2 million rides, up 6% from 2024. CTA buses provided 184 million rides, a year-over-year increase of 1% and the highest post-pandemic recovery rate of all modes at 78% of pre-pandemic levels, according to Chicago RTA. Overall CTA ridership for 2025 reached 319.2 million, a 3% increase from 2024. Accessible rail stations, including those opened as part of the Red and Purple Modernization Project, had 368,000 more rides or a 22% increase from the previous year for the months of August through December, Chicago RTA added.
Metra commuter rail saw a year-over-year ridership increase of 8% in 2025, providing nearly 38 million rides “as it settled into a simplified fare structure launched in 2024 and continued to work toward a regional rail vision,” which calls for providing “more consistent, predictable service outside of peak work commute times,” according to Chicago RTA. In 2025, Metra also completed multiple station renovations and added service to lines including UP-North, UP-West, and BNSF, and it extended the Access Pilot Program in partnership with the Chicago RTA and Cook County, offering reduced fares to riders “experiencing low incomes.”
In 2025, Pace bus ridership fell 3%, providing 16.4 million rides, “though overall recovery from the pandemic remains strong at 67%,” according to Chicago RTA.
Chicago RTA, CTA, Metra and Pace launched a Regional Day Pass in 2025 that allows unlimited rides on all three agencies in a single day, streamlining how people move across the Chicago region, Chicago RTA said. The agencies also extended free rides on fixed-route transit to all ADA Paratransit certified riders.
“For the fourth year in a row, we have seen ridership increases in the millions across the regional transit system as CTA, Metra, and Pace continue to improve service and adapt to rider demand,” Chicago RTA Executive Director Leanne Redden said. “These improvements can continue and accelerate in 2026 and beyond thanks to additional funding and governance reform from the NITA Act, with the RTA beginning its transition to NITA this June.”
Further Reading:
- RTA Board Approves 2026 Regional Operating Budget and Capital Program
- Gov. Pritzker Signs NITA Act Into Law
- Chicagoland Transit Gets Reprieve
BART
BART on Feb. 2 reported that riders can now access free Wi-Fi 6E at five “heavily traveled” stations: San Francisco International Airport, West Oakland, Embarcadero, Civic Center, and Powell Street. The goal is to ensure “seamless connectivity,” particularly ahead of Super Bowl LX-related events. SFO and Powell Street stations were among those prioritized for Wi-Fi service, BART said, as Super Bowl fans will be flying into San Francisco for the festivities, and families will be using Powell Street Station to access the official Super Bowl Experience and San Francisco Fan Zone by the station.
The launch is part of a project that will bring Wi-Fi connectivity to all 50 BART stations, followed by onboard connectivity on all BART trains, according to the transit agency, which runs the 131-mile rapid transit system (see map below). BART plans to deploy Wi-Fi at the 16th Street, 24th Street, Balboa Park, Glen Park, and Daly City stations by June. Remaining stations are expected to be completed by early 2028.
The new Wi-Fi is powered by Boldyn Networks, a neutral host provider. BART riders can access the SSID network—named “BART Wi-Fi”—without a password or email. Sessions on the network will last 20 minutes; users will be required to confirm they are still actively using the network beyond 20 minutes.
According to BART, once users select to join the Wi-Fi network, their device will present an option to connect automatically. If that option is selected, their device will remember the SSID. When within the coverage area of the network, their device will automatically join the SSID, and a captive portal page will be presented to ensure they are still active on the network.
Offering Wi-Fi to riders comes at no cost to BART because of its Licensing Agreement with Boldyn Networks (formerly Mobilitie LLC) that was entered into in 2020. According to BART, the agreement allows Boldyn to use the transit agency’s property to deploy cellular and fiber-optic infrastructure to enable:
- 5G cellular coverage in the SFMTA (Muni) underground.
- New fiber-optic capacity through the Transbay Tube.
- Multiple cellular installations around the Bay Area.
The agreement also allows major service providers—like AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Comcast, and many others—to deliver the connectivity. BART said it receives a share of telecom revenue generated on BART property—estimated at approximately $200 million over 20 years—along with ownership of several new assets. One of those assets is station Wi-Fi, which is provided to BART at no cost. Boldyn is responsible for the full cost of installing, operating, and maintaining the Wi-Fi system, according to the transit agency.
Further Reading:
- For Bay Area Transit, a $590MM ‘Fiscal Bridge’ (UPDATED 2/3 With Commentary)
- BART Teams With Uber Transit on First Mile/Last Mile Planning and Payment (part of Transit Briefs)
- California Investing $97MM in Rail Transit Projects
DEN / Alstom
Alstom on Feb. 2 reported completing delivery of the base order of Innovia APM R vehicles to DEN. The cars are designed to modernize the Automated Guideway Transit System (AGTS) fleet and are allowing the airport to increase system capacity by approximately 1,700 people per hour and reduce the time between arriving trains, according to the manufacturer.
Alstom said the final vehicle received this week (week of Feb. 1) was part of an initial order for 26 Innovia APM R cars in 2018 (the builder, Bombardier Transportation, was subsequently acquired by Alstom in 2021). The first Innovia APM R cars entered service in 2024, and 24 vehicles are now in service. Last year, DEN ordered an additional 19 cars, which will replace all 31 original vehicles and expand the fleet to 45 cars, according to Alstom.
The vehicles were manufactured and tested at Alstom’s site in West Mifflin, Pa. Their lightweight aluminum car bodies, the supplier said, are assembled using recyclable materials and use a more efficient power supply that improves the airport’s energy consumption by more than 30%.
Alstom has continuously operated and maintained DEN’s AGTS since its opening in 1995 and employs 101 people there. In November 2024, the airport signed a new seven-year operations and maintenance contract with Alstom, covering the period from 2025 to 2032.
“These Innovia vehicles are an important part of Alstom’s commitment to the airport’s future, enabling DEN to enhance its transit capabilities and accommodate increasing passenger demand,” Alstom Americas CEO Michael Keroulle said. “While this delivery completes the base order of vehicles, Alstom is continuing its work to support DEN’s vision of creating a modern and efficient airport transportation network.”
“DEN’s train to the concourses serves more than 150,000 riders each day,” added DEN CEO Phil Washington, who previously served as CEO of both Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Denver Regional Transportation District. “As we continue to grow our operations, we are working diligently to ensure the airport can accommodate current and future passenger volume while maintaining these critical assets.”
