Friday morning rail transit and budget news: DC Metro approves budget with service cuts, buyout plan The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority board unanimously approved service cuts and a buyout plan intended to reduce layoffs as part of a budget addressing $176 million shortfall as a result of COVID-19. The Washington Post reports the agency […]
Amtrak says it needs to make urgent repairs to its existing Hudson River tunnels — a process that could cost hundreds of millions of dollars — to address the potential for catastrophic failure of the century-old passageways between New Jersey and New York’s Penn Station. The Associated Press reports it has reviewed a not-yet-completed Amtrak […]
Enjoy this freight trains photo gallery of the NYO&W, the November 2020 Railroad of the Month Freight trains Freight trains are the focus of this week’s Classic Trains’ salute to the New York, Ontario & Western Railway. The NYO&W is Classic Trains’ Railroad of the Month for November 2020. You might also enjoy an article […]
Wednesday midday rail news: MTA budget calls for 50% cut in commuter rail service, 40% cut for subways Massive service cuts, layoffs, and a $1 fare increase are all part of a Metropolitan Transportation Authority budget presented at an MTA board meeting on Wednesday as the agency faces its need to address the revenue loss […]
Wednesday morning rail news: Report: MTA will present budget with dramatic service cuts, almost 10,000 layoffs A report says New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority will present a budget to its board of directors Wednesday (today) calling for dramatic subway and bus service cuts, as well as the layoff of almost 10,000 workers. NY1.com reports sources […]
Still more Wednesday morning rail news: Transit agencies combine with Amtrak to form regional ‘Mask Force’ A group of transit agencies in New York and Philadelphia areas have joined with Amtrak to create a regional ‘Mask Force’ to encourage mask compliance on public transit. New York’s MTA, NJ Transit, the Port Authority of New York […]
WASHINGTON — NJ Transit is now considered the only railroad at risk of not meeting the Dec. 31, 2020, deadline for positive train control implementation, according to the latest assessment of PTC progress from the Federal Railroad Administration. The FRA’s third-quarter report, based on information received from railroads by Oct. 31, indicates that just 223 […]
More Monday morning rail news: Pennsylvania rail plan calls for second Pittsburgh-New York train The draft version of a new Pennsylvania state rail plan includes a goal of adding a second daily train between Pittsburgh and New York City, beginning in the 2023-24 fiscal year. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports the feasibility of the plan and […]
Wabtec’s FLXDrive battery-electric locomotive is reportedly set to leave the company’s Erie, Pa., locomotive plant to begin its trip to California, where the unit is scheduled to begin testing on the BNSF Railway. The locomotive was spotted outside the plant today, accompanied by two new BNSF diesels. Since its announcement in September 2019, plans have […]
Friday morning rail news: As deadline nears, NJ Transit says it has 80% of PTC work done NJ Transit has about 80% of its positive train control implementation process complete with seven weeks to go to meet the Dec. 31 deadline, and officials from the transit agency and its primary contractor said again at a […]
WASHINGTON — A precipitous decline in business travel during the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted an Amtrak “flash” sale celebrating the 20-year anniversary of Acela’s introduction with a $20 fare between any two Northeast Corridor stations served by the high speed train. Billed as the “The Deal of the Decade(s),” the tickets must be booked by […]
BOSTON — Significant cuts to commuter rail service — including an end to service after 9 p.m. and on weekends — are part of plans announced Monday by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority to address budget shortfalls resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Some peak and off-peak service would also be eliminated, cutting weekday trains from […]
