Amtrak North Coast Hiawatha service joined the Chicago to Seattle market as an unnamed, triweekly train on June 5, 1971. It obtained the North Coast Hiawatha name, a combination of Northern Pacific’s North Coast Limited and Milwaukee Road’s Hiawatha fleet, and Nos. 9-10, with the first Amtrak timetable issued on Nov. 14, 1971. It operated […]
WASHINGTON — The union representing Amtrak conductors and assistant conductors announced it had reached a new tentative agreement with the passenger operator for a seven-year contract covering more than 2,100 employees. The agreement with the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers-Transportation Division (SMART-TD) will include a “substantial general wage increase,” the […]
PORTLAND, Maine — Following a pair of community outreach sessions that began last April, the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority has settled on a site for a relocated Portland station that would eliminate the time-consuming backup move for Downeaster service that dates to its launch in December 2001. The agency is soliciting further public […]
WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board will wrap up the discovery portion of its investigation into the on-time performance of Amtrak’s Sunset Limited on Friday and has set a schedule for the remainder of the proceeding. In a decision issued yesterday, the STB also ordered Amtrak to provide an opening statement that addresses several key […]
LAMY, N.M. — The last segment of U.S. mainline railroad still using semaphore signals has gotten smaller. Railroad officials in New Mexico replaced five semaphores with modern day CTC signals on Saturday, Aug.17, on a stretch between Lamy and Cerrillos on a section of original Santa Fe now owned by the state of New Mexico. […]
NEW YORK — Amtrak service between New York and Philadelphia has resumed late this evening (Aug. 18) after being halted by flooding, while NJ Transit and Metro-North Railroad have also reported flood-related service suspensions. Amtrak, in a notice posted to its website at 10:25 p.m. ET, said it had “released the hold on all tracks” […]
WASHINGTON — Nearly four years after new federal on-time performance standards went into effect, Amtrak is nearing agreements with BNSF Railway and Union Pacific for certification of disputed train schedules. Some 95% of Amtrak train schedules have been certified under the federal Metrics and Minimum Standards for Intercity Passenger Service rule, according to the latest […]
An era of transition for Amtrak’s fleet is currently taking place. Since 2013, the intercity passenger railroad has been actively introducing new locomotives, rolling stock, and trainsets – and it shows no sign of slowing down with planned additions of the Avelia Liberty and Airo equipment. While we wait for both newcomers to hit the […]
Amtrak’s newest passenger equipment is now available in HO scale from Bachmann. Entering service in 2018, Siemens has already built more than 100 Venture cars for service with Amtrak, Brightline, and VIA Rail Canada. The company is also under contract to deliver more equipment to existing operators and Ontario Northland Ry. A modern prototype The […]
CHICAGO — Amtrak officials will meet with representatives of the city of Chicago after again voicing concerns about the prospect that the area adjacent to Chicago Union Station could be asked to serve as the temporary hub for Greyhound bus service. After Amtrak President Roger Harris sent a letter on Tuesday, Aug. 13, to Mayor […]
GLEN ROCK, N.J. — A New Jersey congressman wants Amtrak and NJ Transit passengers to receive full refunds for significantly late trains, as well as those that are canceled. U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-Bergen County) on Monday announced plans to introduce the “All Aboard Act.” It would include a Passenger Bill of Rights requiring automatic […]
CHICAGO — The city of Chicago wants Chicago Union Station to provide waiting-room space for Greyhound bus passengers after the expected closure of the city’s Greyhound station in mid-September, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. But Amtrak — Union Station’s owner — says it hasn’t been contacted about any such plan and has reservations about the area’s […]
