COLORADO

Regional Transportation District of Denver (RTD)

Created in 1969, RTD serves a 2,400-square-mile area and a population of 2.8 million people. RTD has five light-rail lines and more than 140 local, express and regional bus routes. RTD's FasTracks program will build 122 miles of new rail lines, and create parking space at rail and bus stations.

Light-rail service launched: 1994
Route miles: 48 miles
Rolling stock: 172 LRVs, average age 9 years; 12 SD160 LRVs on order, manfactured by Siemens. Expected delivery: January 2018
Annual ridership: 27 million (2014)
Annual operating cost: $53 million (light rail, 2013)
Annual capital cost: NA
Number of stations: 46

Lines currently under design or construction:
• East Rail A Line: 22.8 miles of commuter rail with seven stations. Total cost is $1.53 billion; contractor is Denver Transit Partners (DTP); anticipated revenue service is May 2016.
• Northwest Rail B Line: 6.2-mile commuter rail with one new station. Total cost is $562 million; contractor is DTP; anticipated revenue ready date is July 2016.
• Gold G Line: 11.2-mile commuter-rail line with seven new stations. Total cost is $195 million; major contractor is DTP; and anticipated revenue ready date is October 2016.
• North Metro: 12.5-mile commuter rail with six new stations. Total cost is $708 million; major contractor is Regional Rail Partners; and anticipated revenue service date is September 2018.
• I-225 Rail: a 10.5-mile light rail with eight new stations. Total cost is $687 million; major contractor is Kiewit Infrastructure Co.; and anticipated revenue service is December 2016.
• South East Extension: a 2.3-mile light rail with three new stations. Total cost is $207 million; major contractor is Balfour Beatty Infrastructure Inc.; and anticipated revenue service date is March 2019.

FLORIDA

SunRail

The Florida Department of Transportation is charged with constructing, operating and maintaining SunRail, a commuter-rail service operating in Central Florida. The first phase of SunRail opened for revenue service in May 2014, with 12 stations spanning 32 miles and three counties. A second phase, adding five more stations and extending service south into Osceola County and north to DeLand in Volusia County, is expected to open for service in late 2017. After seven years, the operation and maintenance of SunRail and all associated costs will revert to local government partners in Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Volusia counties and the city of Orlando.

Route miles: 32 (Phase I)
Rolling stock: 10 locomotives rebuilt in 2013; 20 rail cars, average age 2 years
Annual ridership: 1 million
Annual operating cost: $34.4 million
Annual capital cost: NA
Number of stations: 12
Construction is expected to begin in late 2015 on a 17.2-mile, $187 million southern extension of SunRail into Osceola County (four additional stations). A $70 million, 12-mile northern extension to DeLand in Volusia County (one additional station) is expected to start construction in 2016. When fully built, SunRail will span 61.5 miles. The total project capital cost for Phase I, Phase II North and Phase II South is $615 million.

GEORGIA

Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA)

MARTA is the principal rapid-transit system in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The agency operates almost exclusively in Fulton, Clayton and DeKalb counties, with bus service to two destinations in Cobb County and a single rail station in Clayton County at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

Service launched: Heavy-rail service launched in 1979
Route miles: 48, heavy rail
Rolling stock: three locomotives, 318 rail cars, average age 25 years
Annual rail ridership: 72,536,510
Annual rail operating cost: $96,285,351
Annual capital cost: $28,597,000 (includes $15.6 million for maintenance of way)
Number of rail stations: 38

Capital projects ongoing or scheduled for this year:
• Rail-car truck modification. This project will resolve the truck transom tube issue, recognizing an ongoing review of other truck issues. It involves correcting weld defects and installation of cone designed on the transom tube. Cost: $7.9 million.
• Video security camera installation. The project provides cameras and a digital video recorder on each of the authority’s revenue service vehicles to capture video images and audio for live viewing over a dedicated Wi-Fi network, and to archive the images. Cost: $5.7 million.

Projects with contracts yet to be let as of Sept. 3:
• Track renovation Phase IV. This project replaces switch steel and fasteners at 46 turnouts (direct fixation, ballasted, double and diamond crossovers). It also includes replacement of special trackwork , concrete ties, friction buffers, contact rail, 50,000 fasteners and 190,000 linear feet of running rail througout the mainline. Estimated cost: $163 million. The project is in design phase.
• Ready reserve storage tracks. The project will install signaling system equipment to accommodate ready reserve train storage in the tail tracks of North Springs, Airport and Indian Creek stations; and installation of signaling equipment for call-on function to allow trains to be moved into occupied platforms at Airport, Doraville & HE Holmes stations. Cost is $3,531,416. Contractor is Clevelend Electric.

Part 1: Progressive Railroading's Passenger Rail at a Glance 2015: Preface

Part 2: Progressive Railroading's Passenger Rail at a Glance 2015: Amtrak and transit agencies in Arizona & California

Part 3: Progressive Railroading's Passenger Rail at a Glance 2015: Colorado, Florida and Georgia

Part 4: Progressive Railroading's Passenger Rail at a Glance 2015: Illinois and Missouri

Part 5: Progressive Railroading's Passenger Rail at a Glance 2015: New Jersey, New York, and Ohio

Part 6: Progressive Railroading's Passenger Rail at a Glance 2015: Oregon and Pennsylvania

Part 7: Progressive Railroading's Passenger Rail at a Glance 2015: Texas