NEW YORK — Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul provided a preview of Long Island Rail Road service to Grand Central Terminal on Sunday, riding a test train for the East Side Access connection into Grand Central. The new route and station deep beneath Grand Central are scheduled to open in […]
WASHINGTON — The Federal Transit Administration has issued a safety advisory recommending that rail transit operators inspect wheelsets for “out of tolerance wheel gauges” and to submit records of any railcars that have experienced loosened or shifted wheels. The Washington Post reports the move comes as a result of the derailment and subsequent discovery of […]
PHILADELPHIA — The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority reached agreement with its largest union on Friday, averting a strike that could have begun today. Philly Voice reports Transport Workers Union Local 234, which represents 5,000 workers, agreed to a deal including a 3% raise; pandemic bonus of up to $2,200, based on hours worked between March […]
Train 4 Pere Marquette’s unnamed Grand Rapids–Detroit train 4 rolls through Trowbridge, Mich., in 1940. Locomotive 712 is one of 12 class SP-3 4-6-2 Pacifics built by Alco’s Brooks works in January 1921. Classic Trains collection […]
In the not-too-distant past, Amtrak provided route guides and timetables with a wealth of information about not only sights and points of interest along its routes, but also what to expect on each train: Is there checked baggage service? Are pillows available for coach passengers? What kind of dining options are offered? Through 2017, Amtrak […]
Lionel’s Phantom train is on the rails! We’ve all seen Lionel, MTH, and American Flyer model train sets running under the Christmas tree, but what about for Halloween? CTT editor Hal Miller builds a small layout he calls the Chaos, Tragedy & Terror RR. It captures the spirit of the season with accessories from Woodland […]
Lionel’s Phantom train is on the rails! We’ve all seen Lionel, MTH, and American Flyer model train sets running under the Christmas tree, but what about for Halloween? CTT editor Hal Miller builds a small layout he calls the Chaos, Tragedy & Terror RR. It captures the spirit of the season with accessories from Woodland […]
WASHINGTON — Amtrak will begin introducing new ticket kiosk at three Northeast Corridor stations, the beginning of a rollout that will eventually cover more than 150 stations and more than 200 kiosks. Amtrak describes the machines as having “an updated user interface consistent with other Amtrak digital channels that allows for a minimum-touch experience for […]
NEW YORK — Amtrak and a major construction trade union have signed an agreement to provide a work force for projects that will be part of the passenger railroad’s expansion plans. The Memorandum of Understanding between Amtrak and North America’s Building Trades Union (NABTU), which represents more than 3 million construction workers, will help ensure […]
WASHINGTON — DC Metrorail service will remain at reduced levels through at least Nov. 15, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority announced at a Thursday board meeting, although the agency will work to increase the number of available cars. WMATA had previously said the reduced service would continue through at least Oct. 31. Under the […]
Camelback Comet Jersey Central Camelback 592 (now preserved in Baltimore) pinch-hits for a regularly assigned 4-6-2 on the Blue Comet at Hammonton, N.J., in the 1930s. With drivers up to 86 inches, Atlantics ruled on fast trains in the 1890s and 1900s before Pacifics superseded them. Granville Thomas photo […]
WASHINGTON — Amtrak has extended the deadline for its workers to receive COVID-19 vaccinations to Dec. 8, CEO Bill Flynn said today in a message to employees — and is preparing for possible service reductions if workers leave the company rather than receiving the vaccination. The new date aligns Amtrak’s deadline, which previously had been […]
