‘Amtrak Cascades’ to add two round trips on May 24

Talgo trainset in Amtrak Cascades paint scheme

SEATTLE – After months of periodic sellouts at the 50% capacity limit on a single Seattle-Eugene, Ore., round trip — the only daily Cascades corridor service for more than a year — the Washington and Oregon Departments of Transportation plan to add two additional round trips on May 24. But because Talgo, Amtrak, and the […]

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Kickbacks

Tracks on coal transfer dock at night

Kickbacks Cars of coal are unloaded dockside by the Chesapeake & Ohio at this massive facility in Newport News, Va. Once unloaded, cars roll out of the dumper toward the camera, up a steep kickback track, and reverse direction down to the empties yard. Later they’ll head west for another load. Photo by W. A. […]

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Railroads take steps to ease intermodal congestion

Two container ships at port

Pockets of congestion and overall high volumes are slowing most railroads’ intermodal networks, prompting BNSF Railway, Union Pacific, and Norfolk Southern to take steps to manage capacity. BNSF, the largest intermodal carrier, announced several changes designed to ease congestion at key terminals beginning next week. BNSF will implement day-of-week in-gate windows at its Hobart terminal […]

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Weather and pandemic dent Kansas City Southern earnings

Kansas City Southern Lines logo

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Southern’s first-quarter earnings dipped as volume fell because of harsh winter weather and the ongoing computer chip shortage that has curbed auto production in Mexico. KCS reported today that its operating income declined 12%, to $253 million, as revenue decreased 4%, to $706 million. Earnings per share, adjusted for […]

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Digest: Survey says 20% of Chicago-area transit users may not return

Man walks down platform after getting off commuter train

Chicago RTA survey finds 20% of transit users may not return A survey by the Regional Transportation Authority, parent organization for Metra, the Chicago Transit Authority, and Pace bus service, indicates 20% of passengers who stopped using the Chicago area’s transit system during the COVID-19 pandemic may not return. Evanston Now reports the RTA surved […]

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Analysis: Coach sellouts, high sleeper prices continue on Amtrak long-distance network

People boarding bilevel Amtrak passenger car at night

CHICAGO — Amtrak’s announcement that it will lift capacity restrictions on coach seating can’t come soon enough for long-distance train passengers. They continue to face limited availability at the highest “flexible” fares, or outright sellouts on many routes, because otherwise-idle equipment has not been added to service with consistently strong patronage since triweekly operation began […]

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