Lamy, N.M. — In honor of the 150th anniversary of the Golden Spike, Altiplano Rail is chartering four private railroad cars. The westbound Golden Spike Rail Tour, which began on May 2, 2019, will travel from Chicago to Los Angeles on Amtrak Southwest Chief, go north to Oakland, Calif., on the Coast Starlight, and then […]
SANTA ROSA, Calif. — Expansion of Northern California’s SMART commuter rail into Napa and Solano counties, allowing a connection to Amtrak, would take six years and about $1 billion, the Santa Rosa Press Democrat reports. The figure comes from a study funded by the state of California into the possibility of a link from the […]
NEW YORK — Amtrak will cut its police force by 20% over the next three years, the New York Post reports, a move its union president says “will jeopardize the safety and security for the passengers and employees.” William Gonzalez, president of Amtrak’s Fraternal Order of Police, told the Post that Amtrak police chief Neil […]
NEW YORK — Calling the project “a matter of national security and economic stability,” New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy pushed Friday for funding for the Gateway Project, which includes a new tunnel between New Jersey and New York as part of a series of infrastructure upgrades to Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor line. Murphy, in testimony at […]
NEW YORK — The chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure has vowed to get a new rail tunnel built to connect New York and New Jersey, the Associated Press reports. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) made the pledge in comments at New York’s Penn Station as he and other members of his committee prepared […]
Trainmen uncouple the Hoosier State’s three car consist from the eastbound Cardinal at Indianapolis on April 23, 2019. The Hoosier trainset deadheads westbound on Mondays and eastbound on Tuesday to position equipment, and earns no revenue on Thursdays and Saturdays. Bob Johnston Amtrak operations guru Chris Jagodzinski uses an inspection trip for local leaders on […]
SACRAMENTO — California’s High Speed Rail Authority created more questions than answers with the project update submitted Wednesday to the state legislature. While upping the projected cost for the much-discussed 119-mile Central Valley segment to $12.4 billion [see “Report: Cost for California high speed rail segment rises by another $1.8 billion,” Trains News Wire, May 2, […]
Falling concrete closed three tracks at Chicago Union Station on Wednesday. TRAINS: David Lassen CHICAGO — Falling concrete led to the shutdown of three tracks at Chicago Union Station on Wednesday, interfering with some morning commuter operations. Emergency repairs had two of the tracks reopened in time for the afternoon commute. The Chicago Sun-Times reports […]
A Metro-North Harlem Line M7A EMU train leaves the Botanical Garden Station in the Bronx on its way north to North White Plains. A report on 30-year ridership trends on the Metro-North shows intermediate-station traffic has driven growth. Ralph Spielman NEW YORK — Intermediate-station traffic, not that to and from New York’s Grand Central Terminal, […]
An NJT train tiptoes through “A” Interlocking’s work zone on the west end of Penn Station on June 20, 2017. This summer “JO” Interlocking on the east end of the station will be rebuilt. Bob Johnston NEW YORK — Continued infrastructure work at New York’s Penn Station will lead to changes in service this […]
F40PH-2C No. 1054 pushes an inbound train from Worcester as it departs Ashland, Mass., in April 2015. The MBTA has expanded an overhaul program to include all 37 of its F40s. Scott A. Hartley BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority will overhaul 27 additional F40 locomotives for its commuter rail fleet, exercising an option […]
SACRAMENTO — The cost of completing the under-construction segment of California’s high speed rail line in the Central Valley is projected to increase by $1.8 billion, bringing the total cost to $12.4 billion, the Los Angeles Times reports. The Times cites the draft of an internal report by the state’s high speed rail authority, to […]
