Pittsburgh Transit Stations Getting Renovations

The Port Authority of Allegheny County has stepped up the rehabilitation of stations along its Red Line rail line in Pittsburgh.

The agency began the project at the Fallowfield Station in the Beechview neighborhood.

A temporary closure of the rail line enabled the port authority to speed up its schedule of station repairs, agency officials said.

The work includes repairing concrete platforms and metal railings, replacing tactile pads, refurbishing overhead canopies, and painting.

Station repair is expected to cost $10.8 million and includes work at 18 high-platform stations.

Until the Red Line was knocked out of service by a bridge closure, the port authority had been planning to launch the station rehabilitation project in the spring.

A shift in the deck of a bridge over Saw Mill Run Boulevard led the port authority to close the Red Line on Feb. 4.

Engineers determined the bridge shifted after water penetrated a concrete portion of the bridge and froze during a winter storm.

Port authority officials have not said when the bridge will be repaired and reopened.

Pittsburgh Light Rail Station Reopens

A Pittsburgh light rail station damaged by a Norfolk Southern derailment has reopened.

The derailment on Aug. 5 forced the closing of the Station Square station.

On Thursday, the Port Authority of Allegheny County reopened the station for outbound riders.

Inbound passengers will continue to be detoured through the Allentown neighborhood until tests are completed of the new track.

The Port Authority hopes to restore full service this weekend.

The NS derailment sent containers from a Chicago-bound double-stack train down an embankment and into the station, damaging 1,600 feet of track and 4,000 feet of power lines.

Sections of sidewalk, drainage inlets and a concrete wall also had to be repaired.

Pittsburgh Light Rail Line Damaged by NS Derailment Not Expected to Reopen for 3-4 Weeks

A Pittsburgh light rail line station knocked out of service by a Norfolk Southern derailment is not expected to reopen for another three to four weeks.

The Port Authority of Allegheny County said on Monday it has hired consultants and contractors to repair track and equipment damaged by the Aug. 5 derailment of an NS stack train on the Mon Line at the Station Square light rail station.

The T stop at Station Square has been closed since the derailment.

Inspectors found that 1,600 feet of track sustained extensive damage and will need to be replaced.

Also needing replacement is about 4,000 feet of overhead electrical line and the supports for the overhead.

The derailment also shut down the NS Mon Line for three days. The derailment occurred a few minutes after a light-rail train had passed.

One lane of East Carson Street remains closed to allow workers access to the light rail tracks.

A Port Authority spokesman said a cost estimate to repair the damages has not yet been calculated but the agency will seek reimbursement from NS or through insurance.

Although not directly connected to the NS derailment, the Port Authority said hiring contractors to repair the Station Square damage will enable workers to continue to work on the Blue Line in Library where flooding earlier this summer caused significant damage.

That route was expected to open on Sept. 1, but now authorities say that will likely be pushed back because of the NS derailment.

The Port Authority said it will review the NS accident after track and infrastructure repairs are complete to determine if additional safety measures are needed to protect the T station and system in the event of a future freight train derailment.

Wi-Fi Now on at 7 Pittsburgh Light Rail Stations

Wi-Fi is now available at the seven busiest light rail stations served by the Port Authority of Allegheny County.

The service is being provided by Comcast which last January received a seven-year, nonexclusive agreement to provide wireless hotspots at the Station Square, First Avenue, Steel Plaza, Wood Street, Gateway, North Side and Allegheny stations.

In a news release, the Port Authority said the agreement came at no cost to it.

“We see this [Wi-Fi] as an invaluable tool, especially once we roll out real-time tracking of our light rail vehicles, which is currently in a testing phase,” said Port Authority Interim Chief Executive Officer David Donahoe.

Comcast also provides Wi-Fi service for transit riders in Philadelphia, Boston and southern New Jersey.

PAT Delays New Ticket System

Implementation of a new fare collection system on the light rail network in Pittsburgh has been delayed.

The Port Authority of Allegheny County had planned to implement a cashless, proof-of-payment system but has put that off because, among reasons, it has not yet received all of its ConnectCard machines that dispense the new fare cards and tickets at stations.

Once the system is operational, PAT trains will no longer accept cash payments. Passengers will instead use pre-purchased ConnectCards that are validated on the platform before boarding.

The transit agency said the new system will speed up boarding by enabling doors to be opened at more locations.

Originally expected to be in place by June, the additional card machines will not arrive until October.

Another factor has been software performance problems on existing ConnectCard machines and issues with the validators that are part of the new system.

“The goal of the policy is to make the customer experience better, but in order to make that happen, all of the equipment must be available, functional and reliable,” said David Donahoe, the Port Authority’s interim chief executive officer, in a statement.

“Because these items will take time to resolve, I’m not prepared to announce a new start date until I see the results of the work now underway, including field testing.”

Wi-Fi Coming to Pittsburgh Light Rail System

The light rail network in Pittsburg is getting Wi-Fi connections as a result of a recent agreement between the Port Authority of Allegheny County and Comcast.

The seven-year contract calls for Comcast to install free Wi-Fi hotspots at seven Pittsburgh region light-rail stations.

Light rail passengers will be able to go online from their smart phones or other electronic devices.

The agency said the project comes at not cost to it. Comcast currently provides Wi-Fi service for transit users in Philadelphia, Boston and southern New Jersey.

“We’re excited to be able to provide this amenity to our riders,” said Port Authority Chief Executive Officer Ellen McLean. “This is yet another step in our ongoing effort to enhance the public transit experience, and will be invaluable once we roll out real-time tracking on our light rail vehicles.”