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FrontRunner South Commuter Rail
This page was last updated on April 30, 2011.
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Overview
From Salt Lake Central Station, south along the east side of UP's former D&RGW mainline to Sandy, where FrontRunner will cross over UP's line to the west side. Then continuing south along the west side of UP's line, through the Jordan Narrows, past the west side of the former Geneva Steel site at Vineyard to the former Lakota crossing in north Orem. At that point FrontRunner South enters the former UP mainline that is separate from the former D&RGW line, and continues south to Provo, ending near the University Avenue viaduct. (map at UTA's web site)
For the under-construction Frontrunner South service, UTA commissioned 10 Motive Power MPXpress locomotives, 10 Bombardier BiLevel cab cars and eight Bombardier BiLevel passenger cars for use on the FrontRunner South line. Additionally, 10 Comet single level passenger cars, refurbished by Bombardier, will also be used on the line.
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Timeline
[Most recent event listed first]
October 7, 2009
From Progressive Railroading:
Utah Transit Authority Obtains FTA Grant for Orem Intermodal Center
The Federal Transit Administration recently awarded a $250,000 grant to the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) for the design and engineering of an intermodal transit center in Orem. The funds are part of a discretionary grant awarded to UTA to develop transit centers along the Wasatch Front.
The authority will use proceeds to advance design work on the $10 million Orem Intermodal Center, which UTA plans to build prior to opening the FrontRunner South commuter-rail line between Provo and Salt Lake City in 2012 or 2013. The transit center will serve FrontRunner, UTA buses and a proposed bus rapid transit line between Utah Valley University, Brigham Young University and downtown Provo.
The center will feature a FrontRunner station and 14 bus bays, as well as shelters, benches, bike facilities, ticket vending machines and 400 parking stalls.
June 25, 2009
From Railway Age:
Crews laying groundwork for Provo, Utah, train
Nearly a quarter of the contract work to build FrontRunner commuter rail from Salt Lake City to Provo is complete, but there's plenty of heavy lifting to come, the Salt Lake Tribune reports. Specifically, the Utah Transit Authority still must shift Union Pacific freight tracks to the east through the Jordan River narrows near Bluffdale. And earthmovers are busy digging away at the hillside there just to make room for a second track.
There also is the matter of 30 bridges -- 28 more than UTA had to erect for FrontRunner north to Ogden.
"The north project was good practice," said FrontRunner South project manager Steve Meyer.
On June 24, UTA staffers and several board members toured the 44-mile construction zone for the $850-million project. Although Meyer said 22 percent of the work is done, much of that went toward creating a foundation for the tracks -- not installing the tracks themselves.
Crews have replaced utility lines and graded a path next to the Union Pacific track for FrontRunner's spur. Much of the continuously welded rail is in place next to the route, waiting for ballast rock and ties. At about 10000 South in Sandy, the concrete supports for a flyover bridge allowing UTA trains to cross the freight route are in place.
About 215 contractor and subcontractor workers are on the job. It's expected to be completed in late 2012, with passenger service starting in 2013.
Crews are digging into the east side of the narrows just to make room for a second set of tracks in the wind tunnel of a canyon that connects Utah and Salt Lake counties via the Jordan River. The tracks will traverse a section of the river that few see, well out of sight of Interstate 15 along some little rapids where construction workers say deer hang out.
"That'll be worth the trip just for the scenic view," UTA General Manager John Inglish said.
November 29, 2008:
From Railway Gazette International:
Citing the world economic crisis, Utah Transit Authority is to postpone the opening of its FrontRunner South commuter rail extension from Salt Lake City to Provo from mid-2012 to early 2013.
UTA will accelerate construction of two TRAX light rail lines; the Salt Lake City International Airport extension will open in 2013, a year early, and the Draper route should be ready in early 2012, two years ahead of schedule.
According to UTA General Manager John Inglish, the light rail lines have much lower operating costs. Inglish told a UTA budget committee meeting on October 8 that estimated sales tax revenues will grow just 1·5% next year, down from the projected 4·5%. That translates to $73m less income for operations between 2009 and 2015. Inglish said construction of the FrontRunner line will probably be completed on schedule but the trains would not start running until there was enough money to fund the operating budget. The delay could be reversed if the economy picked up.
A limited commuter rail service to Pleasant View began on September 29 following a ceremonial opening on September 27. This adds 8 km to the line from Salt Lake City, which opened as far as Ogden last April.
November 14, 2008
UTA to re-evaluate Draper/Bluffdale FrontRunner Station The Utah Transit Authority is holding two public hearings to give the public the opportunity to comment on a re-evaluation of the proposed location for the future Draper/Bluffdale FrontRunner commuter rail station site. UTA is re-evaluating four potential future commuter rail station sites on the south end of Salt Lake County. UTA will present the four locations, along with an evaluation of the benefits and environmental impacts at both public hearings. At the hearings, there will be opportunities for the public to get answers to their questions and to make official comments. UTA will consider these comments and then select the location of the future Draper/Bluffdale FrontRunner commuter rail station site. FrontRunner South commuter rail is a portion of the FrontLines 2015 project, which also includes Mid-Jordan, West Valley, Draper and Airport TRAX line. The entire project is expected to be complete by 2015. (Railway Age, November 14, 2008)
August 12, 2008
Groundbreaking for Frontrunner South was held on August 12, 2008, at the site of the future Lehi Station near Thanksgiving Point.
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