WASHINGTON — The Senate Budget Committee has unanimously voted to advance a bill that would permanently exempt railroad workers’ unemployment and sickness insurance benefits from sequestration cuts, and end current cuts. Industry and labor groups had jointly written members of the committee earlier this week asking for support for S.1274, the Railroad Employee Equity and […]
CHICAGO — Beginning today (Wednesday, March 6) Amtrak’s westbound California Zephyr will depart Chicago for California for the first time the Feb. 27 departure encountered freight congestion and weather obstacles that resulted in arrival into Emeryville, Calif., 10 hours, 35 minutes late. Those cars and locomotives, stranded for more than a week at Amtrak’s Oakland […]
STOCKTON, Calif. — The operating agency for Amtrak’s San Joaquins and the California Department of Transportation officially launched San Joaquins service using Siemens Venture equipment on Tuesday, March 5, with ceremonies featuring Caltrans director Tony Taveres, state Secretary of Transportation Toks Omishakin, and other officials. The first Venture cars debuted in San Joaquins service without […]
BOONTON, N.J. — The United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey continues to expand offerings of its Hudson River Rail Excursions, this year scheduling more than 50 day trips beginning and ending in New York City, as well as six overnight trips between New York and Chicago. Tickets for the 2024 trips go on sale […]
PHILADELPHIA — A contractor on the project to restore Amtrak’s 30th Street Station in Philadelphia is facing a federal bribery charge after allegedly providing more than $300,000 in gifts and favors for an Amtrak employee, who altered a contract to nearly double the value of the contractor’s contract, KYW Radio reports. A court document says […]
SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. — Two daily Pacific Surfliner round trips will resume through the San Clemente area as of Wednesday, March 6, providing through service between San Diego and Los Angeles for the first time since a Jan. 24 landslide at Mariposa Point. The Orange County Transportation Authority announced today (Tuesday, March 5) that Metrolink […]
WASHINGTON — Canadian National says Canadian Pacific Kansas City missed two deadlines when it asked federal regulators to give CN’s proposed acquisition of Iowa Northern Railway a more thorough review. The Surface Transportation Board on Feb. 29 designated the acquisition as a minor transaction. CPKC on March 1 asked the board to consider the $230 […]
ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern and Florida East Coast have announced further expansion of their international and domestic interline service, with logistics, marine, and energy company Crowley using the two railroads’ Florida Express service to move textile products to and from Charlotte, N.C., for garment and apparel manufacturing. “We are focused on providing reliable service and […]
The John Emery Rail Heritage Trust has selected 18 applicants to receive a total of $250,000 in awards for its 2024 grants. The awards were selected from 31 applications requestion almost $850,000. They come from the trust created by Emery, a long-time Chicago resident and rail enthusiast who wanted to help preserve rail equipment and […]
WASHINGTON — A rare coalition of rail industry and labor groups have asked the Senate Budget Committee to approve legislation which would permanently exempt railroad unemployment and sickness benefits from sequestration budget cuts. The bill in question, S.1274, the Railroad Employee Equity and Fairness Act, or REEF Act, was introduced by Sen. Deb. Fischer (R-Neb.); […]
BONNERS FERRY, Idaho — One crew member was taken to the hospital with a wrist injury after a low-speed, head-on collision between two Union Pacific trains on Monday, the Bonners Ferry Herald reports. The trains collided at an estimated 17 mph shortly before noon, Boundary County public information officer Andrew O’Neel told the newspaper. One […]
MILTON, Ontario — A Canadian court has blocked Canadian National Railway’s plans for its Milton Logistics Hub, a $250 million intermodal project first proposed in 2015 and approved by the federal government in 2021. While the government attached 325 environmental conditions to the approval [see “Canadian National’s proposed Toronto-area intermodal terminal …,” Trains News Wire, […]
