KEARNY, N.J. — The first of three massive arches that are part of the new Portal North Bridge has arrived by barge and been lifted into place at the construction site on the Hackensack River, a significant advance in the project to replace the current structure, a long-time operational headache on the Northeast Corridor. Three […]
WASHINGTON — Jennifer Mitchell has been appointed as Amtrak’s executive vice president of strategy and planning, the company announced Tuesday (Nov. 26). Amtrak says Mitchell will be responsible for setting the company’s long-term strategic vision and managing planning, infrastructure access, state partner, network development, and host railroad duties. Her transportation career most recently includes serving […]
WASHINGTON — At least one locomotive appears to have suffered significant damage in a fire late Monday night at Amtrak’s Ivy City Maintenance Facility in Washington, D.C. DC Fire and EMS Department, in posts on X.com, reported responding with units including foam equipment to a fire possibly involving diesel fuel at the yard about 11:10 […]
WASHINGTON — The increases weren’t large compared to pre-pandemic 2019, but more Northeast Regional frequencies enabled Amtrak to capture enough travel demand to beat the company’s previous overall record ridership in fiscal 2024. Also, a 24% gain in ticket revenue from long-distance trains compared to 2019, in spite of constricted coach and sleeping car capacity, […]
MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. — A century-old coaling tower built by the Michigan Central Railroad will be torn down next year, leading to a disruption of Amtrak service for up to two weeks, WCOE and WLOI radio report. The massive concrete structure straddling the Amtrak-owned trackage, a local landmark dating to 1923 (some sources say 1924), […]
NEW YORK — Amtrak has agreed to restore most of the Empire Service between New York City and upstate New York through March 2 following requests from Gov. Kathy Hochul and part of the state’s congressional delegation, the passenger operator has announced. Beginning Dec. 2, the Adirondack and Maple Leaf will again operate as separate […]
NEW YORK – Here are notes, quotes, and quips from the annual RailTrends conference, held Nov. 14-15. CPKC plans to build more hydrogen fuel cell locomotives Canadian Pacific Kansas City CEO Keith Creel says the railway’s handful of hydrogen fuel cell locomotives are proving themselves in revenue service every day. There are a lot more […]
SILVANA, Wash. — The engineer was taken to a hospital and one of the two remaining Talgo trainsets in Amtrak Cascades service sustained significant damage Tuesday night, Nov. 19, when it hit a downed tree during a heavy storm in the Pacific Northwest. KGW-TV reports the accident occurred about 7:50 p.m. in Silvana, about 45 […]
NEWARK, N.J. — Amtrak and NJ Transit have issued an update on efforts to address service disruptions on the Northeast Corridor that led them to formulate a joint action plan earlier this year. The 12-page presentation details inspection and improvement efforts for Amtrak’s NEC infrastructure and rolling stock for both operators between July 6 and […]
WASHINGTON — Anything can, and generally does, happen to impede trains on Amtrak’s network. On Sunday, Nov. 17, for instance, Norfolk Southern emergency repairs to an elderly drawbridge south of Chicago delayed the Miami-bound Floridian (and two trains headed to Michigan) more than 2 hours, 20 minutes. The setback was typical of timekeeping hiccups the […]
HARRISBURG, Pa. — Amtrak marked the completion of major track reconstruction and restoration of full service on its Keystone Line on Monday, capping an eight-month project to replace more than 43 miles of track between Harrisburg and Lancaster, Pa. The work also included installation of more than 113,000 concrete ties. The $122 million project required […]
Amtrak trains during the holidays in 2024 are facing ridership demand comparable or even greater than 2019 before COVID-19’s dip in 2020. While autos jam highways where public transportation options are scarce, and airlines add flights to accommodate longer trips, Amtrak in the past also rose to the occasion by offering extra trains and expanded […]
