Could future Amtrak trains in the Northeast look something like this? A Brightline train awaits boarding in Miami on Jan. 11, 2019. Amtrak has issued a request for proposal for new single-level passenger cars; the Brightline cars, built by Siemens, are the newest intercity equipment in the U.S. and the basis for cars on order […]
A TEXRail train passes equipment of the Grapevine Vintage Railroad in Grapevine, Texas. After a big opening weekend, TEXRail has begun considering expansion. Lance Lassen FORT WORTH, Texas — The TEXRail commuter line carried more than 11,000 riders in its first weekend, prompting officials at its parent organization, Trinity Metro, to start talking about expanding […]
NEW YORK — In keeping with recent practice, Amtrak has cancelled some trains and modified schedules for others this Saturday and Sunday because of a forecast for a major winter storm. Service has been cancelled on Saturday and Sunday for three trains: the Chicago-Washington Capitol Limited; the Chicago-New York/Boston Lake Shore Limited, and the Indianapolis-New […]
An aging ex-Amtrak P40, minimally relettered for Shore Line East commuter service, leads a westbound train through Brook Interlocking in Old Saybrook, Conn., in September 2017. Some rail service on the route has been replaced by buses since April 2018, but restoration of those trains will begin Jan. 22. Scott A. Hartley HARTFORD, Conn. — […]
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Southern reported record results for the fourth quarter and full year, although executives said they were disappointed that the railroad’s service fell short of expectations in 2018. “We did not meet the expectations of our customers or shareowners, particularly in the areas of customer service and growth,” CEO Patrick […]
Pat Ottensmeyer, Kansas City Southern CEO TRAINS: David Lassen KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Southern has hired a veteran Canadian National executive as a consultant who will help lead its gradual shift to Precision Scheduled Railroading during the next two years. Sameh Famhy, who was senior vice president of engineering, mechanical and supply management […]
Trains editors discuss all the rail news that is fit to publish. This week, Digital Editor Steve Sweeney and Columnist Brian Solomon discuss BNSF Railway’s Matt Rose, Amtrak food, and topics for future columns and podcasts. Only from Trains! […]
Association of American Railroads Association of American Railroads WASHINGTON — The Association of American Railroads on Wednesday reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending Jan. 12. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 555,127 carloads and intermodal units, up 8.4 percent compared with the same week last year. Total carloads for the […]
James Foote, CSX Transportation CEO CSX Corp. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX Transportation set a record for the lowest U.S. Class I railroad operating ratio in 2018 and expects the key measure of efficiency to drop below 60 percent this year, a year ahead of schedule. “What an incredible year,” CEO Jim Foote said on the […]
Mark Wallace, CSX executive vice president of sales and marketing TRAINS: David Lassen LOMBARD, Ill. — Proclaiming that his railroad has gone “from worst to first” in just 20 months, CSX Transportation’s Mark Wallace offered a strongly positive view of Precision Scheduled Railroading Thursday at the Midwest Association of Rail Shippers conference. Wallace made his […]
Amtrak’s “Beef short rib” meal Bob Johnston WASHINGTON — Characterizing the change as an “evolution,” Amtrak says sleeping car passengers will have new meal options on the Chicago-New York/Boston Lake Shore Limited and Chicago-Washington, D. C., Capitol Limited starting this week. On June 1, 2018, Amtrak reduced dining car staffs on those trains from a […]
NEW YORK — New Yorkers are a hearty group; bad hurricanes, horrible weather, monster traffic delays, commuter transit nightmares and even local restaurant closings are usually dealt with mild invective and a shrug, but L-train reconstruction has riders using stronger invectives as involuntary changes re-shape their lives, possibly the next two years. There was an […]
