New York MTA capital plan rejected by state legislative leaders

EMU trainsets with city skyline as backdrop and maintenance crew on one of four tracks

ALBANY, N.Y. — New York state legislative leaders have rejected a $65 billion capital plan for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, citing a major funding shortfall. The website Gothamist reports that State Senate Majority leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie notified MTA CEO Jannon Lieber of the rejection in a Christmas Eve letter. The […]

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Pittsburgh transit agency victim of ransomware attack

Gray light rail trainset

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Regional Transit is investigating a ransomware attack on its operations that slowed light rail operations last week — a problem originally believed to be a computer glitch. The agency announced on Monday, Dec. 23, 2024, that it has “launched an investigation, activated its Cyber Incident Response Team, notified law enforcement, and engaged […]

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Amtrak service restored on Northeast Corridor

Long-distance passenger train behind elecric locomotive on S curve

NEW YORK — Amtrak says service has been fully restored between New York’s Penn Station and Philadelphia. The company said “all services are operating” in a post shortly before 8 a.m. ET today (Dec. 24, 2024) on its Northeast Corridor alerts feed on X.com. However, Amtrak also reports that Acelas No. 2154 (a 7 a.m. […]

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MBTA completes work to remove slow orders

Maintenance crew working in tunnels of transit system

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has completed its massive Track Improvement Program, announced late last year, which has addressed more than 200 slow orders plaguing the MBTA’s rail transit network. In a ceremony at North Station on Monday, Dec. 23, MBTA CEO Phillip Eng, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, and […]

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Amtrak Northeast Corridor issues continue (updated)

Streamlined high speed train passing brick tower

NEW YORK — Operating issues continue for Amtrak on the Northeast Corridor today (Dec. 23), well over 24 hours after disruptions began because of downed overhead power lines near Philadelphia. The signal issues reported reported an an Amtrak advisory at 4:30 a.m. today have now been resolved, the company says in a 2:30 p.m. ET […]

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Getting the shot: Bob Krug

steam train going down on steep tracks

Photographer Bob Krug Bob Krug’s visit to the Mount Washington Cog Railway in New Hampshire certainly fits the description of going the extra step to creating a great railroad image. With Mountain Washington transitioning primarily to biodiesel locomotives for motive power, Krug wanted to take advantage of an opportunity to photograph one of its two […]

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Three holiday trains involved in minor mishaps

The Santa train season is nearing its end — which may be just as well, considering a weekend with minor mishaps involving three such trains, from one side of the country to the other. On Friday, the Polar Express operated by the California State Railroad Museum from its station in Old Sacramento was involved in […]

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Senate confirms four for Amtrak board (updated)

Amtrak logo.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate has confirmed four nominees for the Amtrak board of directors, the first time the legislative body has confirmed a majority of the 10-member board in almost a decade. Senate records indicate David Capozzi, Elaine Clegg, Ronald Batory, and Lanhee Chen were confirmed by voice vote during a Friday session that […]

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Amtrak awards contracts for New Jersey’s Sawtooth Bridges project

Aerial view of rail bridge across other rail lines

KEARNY, N.J. — Amtrak has awarded contracts for another major Northeast Corridor project, the Sawtooth Bridge replacement, the company announced Thursday, Dec. 19. A Skansa, Walsh & Herzog joint venture received the contract for pre-construction activities, with future contract opportunities for the project’s full construction. A joint venture of AECOM and STV also received a […]

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