RALEIGH, N.C. – After reporting a record-breaking month in September, North Carolina’s state-sponsored intercity passenger service achieved another monthly high for ridership in October. The Carolinian and Piedmont trains carried 55,493 passengers in October, beating September’s record of 48,488 passengers by over 14%. “What a fantastic accomplishment for the traveling public,” state Transportation Secretary Eric […]
NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. – R.J. Corman Railroad Co., has reached an agreement to purchase a 43-mile branch line and lease another 20-mile branch in North Carolina from Norfolk Southern. This will be the 19th railroad operated by Corman. The sale is subject to customary regulatory approvals. The newly created Raleigh & Fayetteville Railroad, LLC (RFCC) […]
MIAMI – The South Florida Regional Transportation Authority, which oversees commuter railroad Tri-Rail, has signed an agreement with Florida East Coast Railway and Brightline, that allows SFRTA personnel to begin training and testing on Brightline/FEC’s route into MiamiCentral Station. The agreement is part of ongoing negotiations to operate Tri-Rail trains on the eight-mile portion of […]
ORLANDO, Fla. — Brightline will resume 110-mph testing of its passenger trains in Florida’s Martin and St. Lucie counties beginning this Friday, Nov. 18, the company has announced. Testing is scheduled Friday through Sunday, Nov. 20, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Flaggers and law enforcement officers will be present at five grade crossings during […]
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The Florida Department of Transportation will provide up to $74.25 million to Broward County for capital improvements to establish commuter rail service on the the Florida East Coast Railway/Brightline corridor to Fort Lauderdale, Broward County Mayor Michael Udine said this week. In a Twitter post, Udine provided a copy of a […]
MIAMI — Tri-Rail commuter operations resumed this morning (Friday, Nov. 11) after being suspended Wednesday evening and Thursday because of Hurricane Nicole. In the Orlando area, SunRail remains shut down. Tri-Rail crews spent much of Thursday inspecting the right-of-way for the 73.4-mile, 18-station system and reinstalling crossing gates, the operator said on its Twitter feed. […]
WASHINGTON — Having been told there is a “substantial probability” the parties involved can reach an agreement through mediation, the Surface Transportation Board has agreed to postpone the final two days of hearings over Amtrak’s efforts to launch Gulf Coast passenger service until Nov. 30 and Dec. 1. The hearings had been scheduled for Nov. […]
ORLANDO, Fla. — SunRail, the Orlando-area commuter operation that suffered significant damage on part of its route from the recent Hurricane Ian, has once again halted operations because of an approaching storm. Miami-area operator Tri-Rail, meanwhile, is also preparing to shut down. SunRail announced Tuesday afternoon it would halt operations today (Wednesday, Nov. 9) for […]
WASHINGTON — Amtrak has announced a series of changes and cancellations for Silver Star, Silver Meteor, and Auto Train departures scheduled for today (Tuesday, Nov. 8) through Friday, Nov. 11, because of the approach of Tropical Storm Nicole, which is being forecast to reach hurricane status by the time it arrives in Florida. The first […]
ST. JAMES PARISH, La. — Two lawsuits have been filed in state court by residents evacuated because of an acid spill from a Canadian National derailment on Wednesday — even before the evacuation order for the rural community of Paulina had been lifted. Nola.com reports CN or related corporations are the sole defendant in the […]
ST. JAMES PARISH, La. — Residents of all but two homes evacuated after leak of hydrochloric acid were cleared to return home Thursday, a day after a Canadian National derailment that breached a tank car carrying 20,000 gallons of the hazardous material, the Advocate newspaper reports. And the evacuation is expected to be lifted for […]
MONROE, La. — Officials and other interested parties from Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, and Alabama met Thursday in Monroe to discuss funding efforts needed to launch service I-20 Corridor Passenger Rail Service, a proposal for an Amtrak route linking Atlanta and Dallas-Fort Worth, as well as existing Texas Eagle, City of New Orleans, and Crescent operations, […]
