Northbound Amtrak ‘Acela Express’ train No. 2164 overtakes NJ Transit train No. 2154, which has stopped at the Metuchen, N.J. station. Upgrades will speed passenger journeys soon for both operators from Trenton, N.J., to New York City. Ralph Spielman NEW YORK – Amtrak and NJ Transit will spend $31 million along the Northeast Corridor in […]
CHICAGO – Metra will schedule a new train during morning and evening rushes on its busy BNSF Line to address overcrowding issues that developed as a result of positive train control implementation, CEO and Executive Director Jim Derwinski says. Both trains will be included in a new BNSF Line schedule to be unveiled in June, […]
PHILADELPHIA – The Port Authority Transit Corp., which operates PATCO transit service between Philadelphia and Lindenwold, N.J., is rolling back a proposal to modify overnight service. “PATCO continues to study security concerns during the owl hours and I am creating a special task force led by Delaware River Port Authority Police Captain George Bollendorf to […]
Trails and Rails volunteer Andy Selden describes wildlife along the Mississippi River on the ‘Empire Builder’ in 2014. Bob Johnston WASHINGTON – Amtrak’s decision to no longer furnish meals or lodging for “Trails and Rails” program volunteers continues to curtail commentary on rail routes that used to have it. However, a new five-year agreement between […]
Talgo-SYSTRA will rebuild at least 50, and as many as 121, Bombardier coaches — the white cars in this consist — for Metrolink at Talgo’s factory in Milwaukee. TRAINS: David Lassen MILWAUKEE — Talgo-SYSTRA will rebuild at least 50 passenger cars for Los Angeles-area commuter operator Metrolink, with the potential of rebuilding a total of […]
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Bowing to opposition from the communities of Glenview and Lake Forest, the Illinois Department of Transportation will no longer support plans for two sidings that are part of a plan to increase Amtrak Hiawatha service between Chicago and Milwaukee. Patch.com reports that acting IDOT Secretary Omer Osman said in a letter, released […]
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — Months later than originally promised, but almost two weeks ahead of a more recent estimate, NJ Transit resumed rail service on its Atlantic City line on Sunday. But the service returned with a new schedule drawing some criticism. The route was shut down last Sept. 5 to allow for installation of […]
Amtrak’s Freighthouse Square station in Tacoma is awaiting the return of trains to the Point Defiance Bypass. The release of the NTSB’s report on a 2017 derailment could hasten that process. TRAINS: David Lassen WASHINGTON — The National Transportation Safety Board will release its report on the December 2017 derailment of an Amtrak Cascades passenger […]
SEATTLE — A Sound Transit committee has recommended removing the site of a recently opened hamburger restaurant from consideration as the site of a new maintenance facility. By a 5-0 vote last week, the System Expansion Committee recommended that the site of a Dick’s Drive-In and Lowe’s home improvement center in Kent, Wash., be dropped […]
Visitors look at models of CRRC equipment at InnoTrans in Berlin during the 2016 trade show. CRRC plans to bid for a Washington Metro equipment contract despite opposition from lawmakers. TRAINS: David Lassen WASHINGTON, D.C. — Chinese rail equipment manufacturer CRRC plans to bid on a contract for new equipment for the DC Metro rail […]
CHICAGO – Metra and other public transportation agencies are being confronted with funding needs that government cannot satisfy and more private investment is needed if these agencies are to survive, the head of Chicago’s commuter rail agency says. Norman Carlson, the chairman of Metra’s board, says that if transportation agencies like his are to be […]
NEW YORK – MTA New York City Transit has completed the implementation of “Automatic Train Operation” this week, a technology that helps enable faster and more reliable service, on the Flushing 7 Line in Queens. It is the second such line in the system, after the L Line. The news comes just months after the introduction […]
