USA: July 25 saw the opening of the first phase of the B Line in Denver. The electrified commuter route links Union Station with Westminster to the northwest, sharing the corridor with Union Pacific.

Built under Denver Regional Transportation District’s FasTracks programme, the 9·6 km route is the initial section of a planned 66 km route that would eventually link central Denver to Longmont. Denver Transit Partners built the line under a design, build, finance, operate, maintain PPP concession that includes 28 years of operations and maintenance. The joint venture is led by Fluor and includes John Laing, Aberdeen Infrastructure Investments, Balfour Beatty Infrastructure, Alternative Concepts Ames Construction, Hyundai Rotem and HDR.

Services run every 30 min in the peaks and every 60 min off-peak. As on the other commuter lines being developed under FasTracks, they use electric multiple-units supplied by Hyundai Rotem from its Philadelphia plant.

The B Line is the second FasTracks commuter rail line to open, following the A Line, which entered passenger service in April. The G Line is due to open later this year.