More Wednesday morning rail news: BNSF ends nighttime operations on Aurora, Ill., spur as neighbors complain about noise BNSF Railway has ended nighttime operations on an Aurora, Ill., spur that had led to complaints from neighbors about noise from train horns. Kane County Connects reports the railroad is resuming first-shift operations on the Nifa Spur […]
Wednesday midday rail news: MTA budget calls for 50% cut in commuter rail service, 40% cut for subways Massive service cuts, layoffs, and a $1 fare increase are all part of a Metropolitan Transportation Authority budget presented at an MTA board meeting on Wednesday as the agency faces its need to address the revenue loss […]
Wednesday morning rail news: Report: MTA will present budget with dramatic service cuts, almost 10,000 layoffs A report says New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority will present a budget to its board of directors Wednesday (today) calling for dramatic subway and bus service cuts, as well as the layoff of almost 10,000 workers. NY1.com reports sources […]
Still more Wednesday morning rail news: Transit agencies combine with Amtrak to form regional ‘Mask Force’ A group of transit agencies in New York and Philadelphia areas have joined with Amtrak to create a regional ‘Mask Force’ to encourage mask compliance on public transit. New York’s MTA, NJ Transit, the Port Authority of New York […]
WASHINGTON — NJ Transit is now considered the only railroad at risk of not meeting the Dec. 31, 2020, deadline for positive train control implementation, according to the latest assessment of PTC progress from the Federal Railroad Administration. The FRA’s third-quarter report, based on information received from railroads by Oct. 31, indicates that just 223 […]
Monday afternoon rail news: With new state rules in effect, South Shore ends ‘mask optional’ cars South Shore Line commuter trains have done away with their “mask optional” car after Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb issued an executive order on Friday on mask rules to try to help slow the state’s surge in COVID-19 cases. The […]
WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration has issued its final rule establishing metrics and a minimum standard to measure on-time performance and service quality for Amtrak trains, a rule hailed by the passenger railroad as “a victory for Amtrak customers.” The rule requires Amtrak and host railroads to certify Amtrak schedules, sets an on-time minimum […]
Friday midday rail news: Transit district’s report sets goals for expanded commuter, passenger, freight service in San Diego Coaster commuter train and Amtrak Pacific Surfliner service would be extended southward from their current endpoint at San Diego’s Santa Fe Depot, and more slots would be created for freight trains, under the San Diego Pathing Study […]
Friday morning rail news: As deadline nears, NJ Transit says it has 80% of PTC work done NJ Transit has about 80% of its positive train control implementation process complete with seven weeks to go to meet the Dec. 31 deadline, and officials from the transit agency and its primary contractor said again at a […]
Thursday midday rail news: Decatur & Eastern Illinois conductor killed in switching accident A Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad conductor was killed during a switching accident on the grounds of Cabot Corp.’s silica plant in Ficklin, Ill., on Wednesday morning. The Douglas County Sheriff was called to the scene at 9:44 a.m. Wednesday where officers found the […]
MONTREAL — Canadian National is closely watching autonomous truck developments but says the long hauls of its intermodal network should help protect the railway from much of the competitive challenge posed by lower-cost driverless trucks. “We’re blessed with a long length of haul,” Chief Financial Officer Ghislain Houle says, noting that the typical international container […]
MONTREAL — VIA Rail Canada sees no prospect for restoring a third full Toronto-Vancouver round trip of its flagship long-distance train, the Canadian, and says the train’s current business model is “no longer sustainable,” although it does not indicate plans to discontinue service. Those assessments are part of the summary for the passenger carrier’s 2020-24 corporate […]
