» Senate High Speed Task Force Continues Engagement of Parsons Brinckerhoff

From the Albany Times-Union…

Contract with rail consultants extended...Parsons Brinckerhoff group to help Amtrak, other companies operate more efficiently

By CATHY WOODRUFF, Staff writer ; First published: Monday, February 27, 2006

ALBANY—The consultants who produced a rail improvement plan for the state Senate High Speed Rail Task Force will continue working with the group, focusing on talks with railroad officials about service changes that could be implemented quickly.

The Capital District Transportation Authority, which is providing administrative services for the task force staff, approved the $300,000 contract extension with the consultant team led by Parsons Brinckerhoff. The work of the task force and its consultants is funded by a $5 million state budget appropriation secured by state Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno.

The Parsons group was paid $1.2 million for the original study that was released in January, and another $100,000 has been spent on task force staff salaries, supplies, office space and other incidental expenses.

In the coming months, the consultants will do some preliminary design work on recommended projects and consult with railroads including Amtrak and Metro North about ways to operate more efficiently, reduce turnaround time and stay on schedule, said John Egan, who heads the task force. Topics will include possible introduction of express service between Rensselaer and New York City, he said.

“The big issue is to improve on the reliability of the existing system,” and the consultants have the expertise and the professional relationships needed to help the railroads do that, Egan said.