Monday afternoon rail news in brief:

Lac-Megantic inaugurates memorial
Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, on Monday inaugurated its memorial to victims of the July 6, 2013, derailment and fire that killed 47 people, although the site is not complete because the COVID-19 pandemic has slowed. The Montreal Gazette reports the Espace Mémoire, designed by architects Pierre Thibault and Jerome Lapierre, consists of granite benches with the silhouettes of the victims and stones, some with engraved messages, recovered from the blast site. The memorial is at the site of the Musi-Café, where many of the victims died when the runaway oil train derailed and caught fire. It is meant to represent both mourning and moving forward, Lapierre said. Canadian Pacific, which now owns the line through the community, ran no trains through Lac-Mégantic on Monday out of respect for the anniversary and event.

Ontario government wants to fast-track highway, transit projects to revive economy
Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced Monday that his government is proposing legislation that would fast-track construction of highways and transit systems to help the province recover from the impact of COVID-19. The CBC reports Ford said the C$2.6 billion plan would put tens of thousands to work. Associate Minister of Transportation Kinga Surma said the greater Toronto area would be a priority, and that agreements are in place to fast-track four major Toronto-area transit projects: a new light rail line, mostly underground,to ease downtown congestion; extension of two existing subway lines, and extension of the Eglinton West light rail line.

Steamtown access to increase as of Wednesday
Access to Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton, Pa., will increase beginning Wednesday, July 8, in response to guidance from the White House and Pennsylvania’s plan for reopening the economy after the state's COVID-19 stay-at-home order. The park grounds, roundhouse, steam locomotive cutaway exhibit, and outdoor locomotive and rolling stock static exhibits will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily; the park store will be open Wednesday through Sunday. Other exhibits remain closed and train rides are not being offered. For more information, visit the Steamtown website.