WASHINGTON — Infrastructure improvements to accommodate a second daily round trip of Amtrak’s Pennsylvanian between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg, Pa., will receive more than $143 million in federal funding, the state’s two U.S. senators have announced, while the Pittsburgh-Philadelphia corridor is among those selected for the Corridor Identification and Development program for a study of increased […]
NEWINGTON, Conn. — Planned service cuts for Connecticut’s Shore Line East commuter service, which have been delayed during an Amtrak maintenance project, will take effect Dec. 18, the Connecticut Department of Transportation has announced. Previously, Shore Line East service had included 23 trains per day; under the new schedule it will see 16 trains per […]
Five routes in Wisconsin — including both the state’s existing Amtrak lines, which seek increased service — are among those selected for the Federal Railroad Administration’s Corridor Identification and Development Program, according to members of Congress across the country. Selection provides funding for studies that are a prelude to new or expanded Amtrak service. In […]
WASHINGTON — Chicago Union Station will receive a $93.6 million grant for modernization, part of the Chicago Hub Improvement Program outlined earlier this year by federal, state, local, and Amtrak officials. U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, and U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley (all D-Ill.), announced the funding today (Wednesday, Dec. 6). Money will come […]
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Transportation is set to award a $1 billion grant for development of a new passenger rail line between Raleigh, N.C., and Richmond, Va., using CSX Transportation’s partially abandoned S-Line freight route between the two cities, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) announced on Tuesday. Tillis called the project “a big win […]
WASHINGTON — Seven routes in North Carolina and four serving Ohio are among those to receive funding to study possible future Amtrak service under the Federal Railroad Administration’s Corridor Identification and Development Program, according to announcements today (Tuesday, Dec. 5) by members of Congress, as well as one mayor. At least 14 corridors have been […]
PORTLAND, Ore. — Amtrak has suspended service between Portland and Seattle through at least 8:30 a.m. on Thursday following a landslide today (Tuesday, Dec. 5) near Vancouver, Wash., according to a service alert posted by the passenger operator. The suspension of Amtrak Cascades and Coast Starlight service between the two cities follows a slide on […]
CROZET, Va. — “Surprise and delight” is language public-relations gurus routinely apply to whatever they are promoting, though you never know when it will actually occur while looking out the window of an Amtrak passenger train. Last Sunday, Dec. 3, it happened aboard the Chicago-bound Cardinal about 12 miles west of Charlottesville, Va., on the […]
One of Amtrak’s retired HHP8 electric locomotives, with both pantographs removed, is being tested for possible use as a cab car. Amtrak is reportedly looking to bolster or replace its aging fleet of ex-Metroliner cab cars in the Northeast until Siemens’ new Amtrak Airo equipment arrives. The 15 Bombardier-Alstom locomotives, delivered in 2001, were plagued […]
RICHMOND, Va. — Amtrak projects that it will surpass pre-pandemic figures for ridership and revenue in 2024, company officials said Friday as executives joined the board of directors for the company’s second annual public meeting, an event mandated by 2021’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law held this year at Richmond’s Main Street Station. This year’s gathering was […]
RICHMOND, Va. — Harking back to Amtrak’s yearly “National Train Day” events, the heads of various Amtrak departments and leaders of state passenger rail programs on Friday utilized the spacious halls of Richmond’s Main Street Station to explain capital investment, training, operations, and future goals. The “expo” was held in connection with Amtrak’s annual public […]
WASHINGTON — Amtrak has launched a “free companion” sale for roomettes on its long-distance routes, allowing two people to travel in one of the two-bed sleeping-car accommodations for the price of one. The sale began Thursday, Nov. 30, and runs through Friday, Dec. 8, and is good for travel between Wednesday, Jan. 3, and Wednesday, […]
