From: ed@wente.llnl.gov (Ed Suranyi)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Passenger Rail News
Keywords: Security, Morrison-Knudsen, Tri-Rail, Manchester Metrolink
Date: 9 Apr 92 15:58:38 GMT
Article-I.D.: lll-wink.122070
Organization: UC Davis Dept of Applied Science at LLNL

Once again, I've been asked to post something for Dharm.  Reply to
him, not to me.

-------------------------------------------------------------

The following was gleamed from the pages of the March 30th. and April  
12th. issues of Passenger Transport.

M-K wins order from BART - BART awarded a 141.6 million dollar  
block-buster contract for 80 new high speed rapid transit cars to  
Boise, Idaho based Morrison Knudsen.  The contract was the  
culmination of a negotiated bid contract, with M-K beating out two  
Japanese consortiums of C. Itoh/Kinki Sharyo and Mitsui/Kawasaki  
Heavy Industries.  The final two lowest bids were within .6% of each  
other.  As Frank J. Wilson, General Manager of BART said "Choosing  
Morrison-Knudsen to build BART's new fleet of high tech, high speed  
cars to serve the San-Fransisco-Oakland Bay Area was like hitting a  
grand slam in the bottom of the ninth in the last game of the world  
series."  He also said, "With one smooth, powerful swing of the bat,  
we proved that a newly developed process of "competetive  
negotiations" can work to the public's benefits and reduce costs.   
And while sweeping the bases, we delivered on the heretofore hollow  
promise of "jobs, jobs, jobs" and are helping to propel the rail  
transit renaissance in the United States".  Some details about how  
the order.  First M-K has promissed that 80% of each car will be  
American made.  And 21% of that domestic content, will go to  
subcontractors that are Disadvantaged Business Enterprises.  Also M-K  
has announced it will open a 150,000-square-foot assembly plant in  
one of the BART member counties, which will employ more than 300  
people.  The plant will also build 88 new double decker cars for  
Caltrans already on order.  I have to agree with Mr. Wilson, that  
BART did "clean up" with this new order.

Caltrans looking for railcars NOW -  Caltrans is advertising in  
Passenger Transport for Intercity passenger cars.  The agency which  
has 40+ double decker California cars is looking to buy or lease cars  
that meed Amtrak standards and ADA requirements.  Obviously Caltrans  
would like to expand service before the new California Cars arrive.

NYCTA looking for turnkey light rail -  NYCTA is looking for  
expressions of interest for it's LONG planned LRT line in Manhatten  
that would run from the United Nations to the Jacob Javits convention  
center.  The NYCTA is looking for a "super-turnkey" supplier to  
finance, design, construct, operate, and maintain the proposed line.

Tri-County Commuter Rail ridership up 20% -  Tri-Rail reported record  
breaking ridership records during a week in February.  Ridership  
increased 20% to more than 10,000 weekday riders and 9,000 on  
Saturday (does anybody find the high number of Saturday riders  
unusual especially since they run fewer trains).  Tri-Rail set a  
daily ridership rconrd on Feb. 14th. with 9,123 riders, which was  
then broken on Feb. 17 when 10,677 people rode, since then ridership  
has remained above 10,000.  TCRA Board Chairman and Broward County  
Commissioner Ed Kennedy said "Even with a good portion of the I-95  
widening work completed, drivers are finding that I-95 is becoming  
overcrowded again.  The community has accepted the fact that the  
roadways will not get better.  That the alternative is using mass  
transportation."

MBTA adds 33 new cops -  Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority  
has added 33 new police officers to it's force bringing the level up  
179 officers.  Many of the new officers have been laid off the police  
forces of local police department in the Boston area.  Crime on the T  
has gone down 12% in the past 12 months and since last may the level  
has dropped 21%.  MBTA General Manager John J. Haley said in the  
swearing in ceremony "When I assumed this job, I vowed to improve the  
quality of life for our passengers, ... Nothing makes riders feel  
safer than uniformed officers on the trains.  They serve as a  
deterrent to crime, and send the public a clear messagethat we are in  
control of the system."  Haley also added "We know are system is safe  
-- statistics show it, .... But our customers want clean, well lit  
stations, with no graffiti or trash.  That's why we're working to  
improve lighting, get rid of graffiti quickly, and make our stations  
more attractive -- as well as beefing up our force.  Those are  
concrete, everyday things that make people feel safe whenever the  
enter the T."

Private cops on Miami Metrorail stem crime -  the Metro-Dade Transit  
authority is extremeley pleased after the first year of a security  
contract awarded to Wackenhut Corporation.  The Wackenhunt armed  
custom protection officers, replaced a two-tier system of private  
unarmed security guards and Metro-Dade police.  The officers who all  
have at least 3 years military of police service are thoroughly  
trained and highly paid have detained over 125 violaters, until  
police could arrive.  Robberies and purse snatchings dropped 62% in  
the first year, and all other major crimes dropped by at least half.   
The company recentley recieved a contract to provide security for  
Tri-Rail's 75 mile system.  Dade county Commissioner Charles Dusseau  
praised the officers attention to customer needs and the high level  
of professionalism as he said "If the system is not safe.  I don't  
care how many trains you run, no one will ride."

NYCTA subway rating UP - New Yorkers have rated their subway service  
higher as compared to previous years.  The survey rated subway  
service from 0 to 10, with 10 being perfect.  In 1991 reliability was  
rated 5.7 up from 4.1 in 1984, and the overall rating skyrocketed  
from 3.5 in 1984 to 5.4 in 1991.  Personal security rating also  
increased with rush hour security rising from 5 in 1990 to 6.1 in  
1991, and weekend security ratings going from 3.9 to 4.4.   
Unfortunatly nightime security (after 8) remained at 3.3.  MTA  
chairman Peter Stangl commented "The improvements in personal  
security rating comes at a time when crime in the subway is at a four  
year low, .... The 15% drop in serious crime last year is a tribute  
to the hard work and determination of are 2,300 strong Transit  
Police."


In other news:

Montrealler SAVED - Amtrak has deciced AGAINST axing the  
Washington-Montreal evening train.  Instead the train will be  
"pruned", losing checked baggage service except during the ski-season  
and 1 dining car and 1 sleeper.  It was feared Amtrak would eliminate  
the train and replace it is with a Boston-Montreal day train.

Manchester MetroLink - Streetcars have returned to the streets of  
England as Manchester MetroLink began operation between Bury and  
Victoria on March 23, with city-centre service begining 4 weeks  
later, and 4 weeks after that service to Altrincham.  Could one fo  
the newsgroup readers please comment further on the first light rail  
system in the U.K. including further details?

Baltimore Light Rail - It's pretty clear in limited baseball service  
that double tracking of the largely single track Baltimore Light Rail  
line will have to be undertaken soon.  Service between Timonium and  
Camden Yards continues to take 40-45 minutes about 10 minutes longer  
than the hoped for time.  Also the amount of parking provided will be  
grossly inadequate with ALL spaces used for the baseball service.   
Strangly the Light-Rail line uses a base fare system with no  
surcharges for zones.  Both the Metro and busses in Baltimore use a  
zone fare system, the low fares will undoubtedly ($1.10 and $1.20 w/  
transfer) help initial ridershp.  Also the number of fare machines at  
certain stations will probably be inadequate, especially since the  
low basic fare will discourage pass use.  The extension to BWI  
airport should begin as soon as a federal grant is approved.  The  
Baltimore Light Rail line from Dorsey Road/Ferndale to Timonium 22.5  
miles was constructed entireley with state and local government  
money.  Extensions to Hunt-Valley, Penn Station (Amtrak and MARC),  
and BWI Airport will be built largely with federal funds however.  On  
a related note 30% of fans on opening day used mass transit to reach  
Oriole Park at Camden Yards.  Metro ridership was 15,000 passengers  
higher than the normal weekday count of 55,000. 


Dharm Guruswamy
gurd@wam.umd.edu