Bob Johnston NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Extending Illinois-sponsored trains from Carbondale, Ill., to Memphis, Tenn., and establishing a route between Nashville and Atlanta were ideas suggested by an Amtrak representiative to a Tennessee legislative committee this week. As first reported in the Nashville Tennessean, Amtrak Senior Director of Government Affairs Ray Lang’s appearance Tuesday before the […]
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Rail Excursion Management Co. announced Friday that it would again run its Autumn Colors Express through West Virginia’s New River Gorge in October. The Autumn Colors Express first ran in 2019 and was organized after the operators of the original New River Train, the Collis P. Huntington Chapter of the National Railroad […]
A New Haven-bound CTrail train passes the former station in Wallingford, Conn., in August 2018. The commuter line carried its millionth passenger in November. TRAINS: David Lassen HARTFORD, Conn. — The CTrail Hartford Line commuter service has carried more than 1 million riders since its debut in June 2018, well ahead of original ridership projections. […]
A Brightline train speeds through a multi-lane Fort Lauderdale highway crossing in 2018. Commissioners in Indian River County, Fla., are dropping their appeal of one suit regarding the passenger train operator’s use of private activity bonds, but are still pursuing a fight over grade crossings. Bob Johnston VERO BEACH, FLA — Indian River County commissioners […]
SANTA ROSA, Calif. — A single donor has contributed more than $500,000 to an effort to block a sales-tax extension to fund Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit service, and has indicated willingness to double that amount, the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat reports. Molly Gallaher Flater, daughter of Sonoma County developer Bill Gallaher, is funding the effort to […]
TRENTON — The New Jersey Senate voted unanimously on Monday to confirm four new board members of the NJ Transit board. Even with the confirmations, the board still has five seats to fill. NorthJersey.com reports that the new board members, nominated by Gov. Phil Murphy in March, are: — Retired Democratic state senator Bob Gordon, […]
LA Metro has cleared five teams for potential involvement in its Sepulveda Corridor project. Shown are possible routes for the project, which could be a monorail or heavy rail system. LA Metro LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced it has cleared five corporate teams to help develop its Sepulveda Transit […]
Austin Capital Metro has resumed Saturday commuter rail service. The Saturday service had been stopped to allow for construction and positive train control installation. TRAINS: David Lassen AUSTIN, Texas — Austin’s Capital Metro has resumed Saturday service on its 31-mile commuter rail line between downtown and Leander, Texas, six months after suspending the service. KVUE-TV […]
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed 2020-2021 budget would provide $4.2 billion for the state’s High Speed Rail Authority over five years. “The High Speed Rail Authority is continuing to construct the Central Valley segment completing electrified High Speed Rail from Merced to Bakersfield with Proposition 1A bonds, federal funds, and 25 percent of […]
Southbound Amtrak San Joaquin train 710, operating former New Jersey Transit Comet equipment on BNSF tracks, passes under the American Avenue overpass south of Fresno, where California High Speed Rail construction segment CP-2 begins. The high speed rail right-of-way west of those tracks has been cleared in the foreground. Bob Johnston Behind the trees on […]
An inbound Metrolink Ventura County Line train approaches the Corbin Avenue grade crossing in Northridge, Calif., on Jan. 10, 2020. Metrolink will end its operating contract with Amtrak, according to an Amtrak memo. TRAINS: David Lassen LOS ANGELES — Commuter railroad Metrolink will not renew its operating contract with Amtrak, Amtrak executive Stephen Gardner has […]
Amtrak Pacific Surfliner No. 785 heads north through Del Mar, Calif., just before sunset on Jan. 4, 2020. The San Diego Association of Governments is putting together a project to stabilize the slide-prone bluffs in Del Mar, but eventually wants to relocate the rail line inland. TRAINS: David Lassen CORONADO, Calif. — Transit agencies from San […]
