WASHINGTON — Communications issues within Amtrak have contributed to changes in equipment orders, costs increases, and schedule delays for Amtrak’s forthcoming Airo corridor equipment and the maintenance-facility changes planned to accommodate that equipment, the Amtrak Office of Inspector General in a report issued today (Tuesday, Dec. 27.) As an example of what it calls “early […]
CHICAGO — While sub-zero cold and blizzard conditions had begun to moderate somewhat across much of the Midwest toward the end of the holiday weekend, Amtrak has continued to cancel trains on less than 24 hours’ notice for “mechanical” and “manpower” issues, as well as the weather. A running list of trains not operating continues […]
MONTREAL — After two days of cancellations, VIA Rail Canada will resume service on the Toronto-Ottawa and Toronto-Montreal portions of its corridors today (Tuesday, Dec. 27), albeit with a modified schedule combining trains. All trains on those corridor routes were canceled both Dec. 25 and Dec. 26 because of the derailment of a Canadian National […]
ATLANTA, Ill. — Severe weather and equipment shortages sometimes lead to atypical events on the nation’s rail passenger operator. A case in point was Monday’s northbound Amtrak Texas Eagle, train No. 22, shown in Atlanta, Ill., about 20 miles southwest of Bloomington, with P32-7BWH No. 518 leading heritage-painted P42DC No. 161. The 518 was part […]
Today, we begin our countdown of the Trains News Wire Top 10 stories of 22, as determined by a vote of Trains editors, columnists, and masthead correspondents. Up today, stories Nos. 10 and 9. The railroad industry’s search for alternatives to diesel-electric power continued to move forward in 2022, with manufacturers and railroads making inroads […]
MONTREAL — For a second straight day, VIA Rail Canada has canceled all scheduled corridor service on its Toronto-Ottawa and Toronto-Montreal routes. An advisory on the VIA web page lists 29 trains as canceled today (Monday, Dec. 26) because of the “ongoing impact of the CN train derailment which occurred on Dec. 24.” The Toronto […]
AVENTURA, Fla. — After a three-day delay caused by inspection issues, Brightline’s new Aventura station opened on Dec. 24. The passenger operator had held a ribbon cutting ceremony for its new stations at Aventura and Boca Raton on Dec. 20, only to have the Aventura opening delayed by issues regarding its elevators [see “Opening delayed […]
CHICAGO — Metra would receive $1.5 million for its planned test of battery-electric locomotives on the Rock Island District under the Omnibus Appropriations bill passed by the U.S. Senate, the state’s two senators said in a press release. The bill now goes to the House of Representatives for action. The Metra funding are part of […]
Trains News Wire’s review of the top stories of 2022 continues. We’ll count down the Top 10 stories of the year, as voted on by Trains editors, columnists, and correspondents, beginning Monday, Dec. 26. Today, we asked our European correspondent, Keith Fender, to look at what he considers the year’s top international rail stories. At […]
MONTREAL — VIA Rail Canada has cancelled all 25 trains scheduled to operate on Christmas Day on its Toronto-Ottawa and Toronto-Montreal routes following a derailment earlier today (Dec. 24), the passenger operator has announced on its website. The derailment reportedly involved a Canadian National train, blocking all tracks in Kingston, Ontario, according to the Toronto […]
WASHINGTON — A new 13,500-foot bypass around CSX Transportation’s Gentilly Yard in New Orleans and four siding extensions — three in Mississippi and one in Alabama — are among the 12 projects that would be funded under a grant sought by Amtrak to upgrade the route between New Orleans and Mobile, Ala., for Gulf Coast […]
CHICAGO — South Shore Line commuter service is being suspended for the remainder of today (Friday, Dec. 23) because of mechanical and wire issues, as well as extreme cold, the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District announced this afternoon on its Twitter feed. At the time of the announcement, the last westbound train of the day, […]
