BOSTON — The Federal Transit Administration has no plans to take over operations of the troubled Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez said during a Friday hearing that also saw sharp criticism of MBTA management by Massachusetts’ two U.S. senators. U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, both Democrats, took part in the […]
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PRINCETON, Iowa — The town of Princeton has become the latest in Iowa to formally oppose the Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern merger, citing concerns over blocked grade crossings, noise, and risks from derailments, among other concerns. The Quad Cities Times reports Mayor Kevin Kernan wrote in an emailed statement that “City officials understand that the […]
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ORLANDO, Fla. — Commuter rail service SunRail will resume full operation to all 16 of its stations this Monday, Oct. 17, following repairs to its route to address flooding in the Kissimmee, Fla., area caused by Hurricane Ian. The approach of the hurricane and its immediate aftermath shut down SunRail from Sept. 27 to Oct. […]
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CAMDEN, N.J. — Two construction workers were killed Friday night when stuck by a PATCO train on the Ben Franklin Bridge linking Philadelphia and Camden, the Camden Courier-Post reported. The workers were struck by a westbound train on the PATCO (Port Authority Transit Corp.) Speedline, which operates between Philadelphia and Lindenwold, N.J. A Delaware River […]
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MIAMI — With track damage caused by Hurricane Ian flooding in the Kissimmee, Fla., area repaired by CSX maintenance forces, Amtrak is restoring service beyond Jacksonville, Fla., to two New York-Florida trains this weekend. However, the addition of the second “Silver Service” train will result in a net loss of sleeping-car capacity. The Silver Meteor, […]
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The National Park Service has closed portions of the tracks used by Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad in Ohio due to significant erosion from the Cuyahoga River, the tourist railroad announced on Thursday. The closure will affect some of the CVSR’s excursion operations. For the weekend of Oct. 14, the Cleveland Dinner and Event Train will […]
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CHICAGO — Commuter rail operator Metra has released a proposed 2023 operating budget of $980 million that includes several options for continuing to discount monthly passes and simplifying other aspects of its fare structure, as well as plans for more than $500 million in capital spending. The agency is also soliciting comment on a newly […]
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WINNIPEG, Manitoba — The Canadian government on Thursday announced a series of steps to streamline shipping regulations and improve use of digital information in Canada’s supply chain, moves Transport Minister Omar Alghabra described as “a first step toward addressing recommendations by the National Supply Chain task force.” The moves announced Thursday, backed by a government […]
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TWIN FALLS, Idaho — Cleanup continued Thursday after about a dozen cars of an Eastern Idaho Railroad derailed Wednesday night, KMTV reports. No injuries or hazardous-materials situation were reported as a result of the accident, which blocked Hankins Road in the southern Idaho community. The Eastern Idaho Railroad, a Watco property, operates 385 route-miles in […]
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WASHINGTON – The Surface Transportation Board has created a passenger rail office that will be responsible for investigating and analyzing Amtrak on-time performance on host railroads. The Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 authorizes the STB to investigate the causes of substandard passenger rail on-time performance, to identify mitigating measures, and, under specified […]
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CHICAGO — BNSF Railway has been ordered to pay $228 million in a federal class-action lawsuit after a jury found that the railroad violated Illinois state law by collecting employee fingerprints without prior consent. The decision is the first in a case involving the state’s Biometric Information Privacy Act, the first law passed by a […]
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SEATTLE — More than 80% of U.S. transit agencies say their ability to provide service is being affected by a shortage of workers, an impact felt regardless of the size of the operation’s ridership, equipment fleet, or service-area population, according to a new report from the American Public Transportation Association. The APTA report, “Transit Workforce […]
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