Florida’s Brightline set to restart service Nov. 8

Pasenger train passes tall buildings

MIAMI — Ending a hiatus that began in March 2020 during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, Brightline is finally restoring its Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, Fla., service on Nov. 8. Sixteen weekday round trips and 12 on both weekend days will begin on that date, following essentially the same schedule in effect when […]

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STB sets new schedule for Amtrak Gulf Coast case

Surface Transportation Board logo

WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board has granted a new extension for the process of addressing Amtrak’s request to require CSX and Norfolk Southern to allow passenger service between New Orleans and Mobile, Ala. — while cautioning that it will not look favorably on further efforts to delay the process. Amtrak filed the request in […]

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Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum celebrates 60 years

Steam engine pulling passenger train

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.—One of the senior organizations in American railway preservation, the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum in Chattanooga, is celebrating its 60th anniversary the weekends of Oct. 16-17 and Oct. 23-24. Plans include rides featuring the museum’s two operational steam engines, as well as steam- and diesel-themed night photo sessions, as the non-profit looks ahead with […]

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New Brightline trainset arrives in South Florida (video)

Aerial view of passenger train pulled by blue freight locomotive

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The first of Brightline’s new trainsets for expansion of service to Orlando has arrived at the passenger operator’s West Palm Beach maintenance facility. A video provided by Brightline shows the trainset — the first of two five new two-locomotive, four-car trains — completing its trip from Sacramento, Calif. Service to […]

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News photo: New Brightline equipment en route to Florida

Aerial view of passenger equipment being pulled by freight locomotive

HOPKINSVILLE, Ky. — Brightline’s newest equipment is making its way to Florida. On Friday, Oct. 8, Union Pacific ET44AH No. 2603 leads a new trainset, operating as CSX train CSX W989 on the Henderson Subdivision at CSX Casky yard in Hopkinsville, Ky. The new equipment — to be used as service is expanded to Orlando, […]

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Southern Rail Commission awards grants for stations

Logo of the Southern Rail Commission

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Birmingham and three Mississippi communities will receive Federal Railroad Administration funds from the Southern Rail Commission for station work in preparation for the resumption of Amtrak service between New Orleans and Mobile, Ala. Birmingham will receive $250,000, while Gulfport, Miss., will receive $246,500; Bay St. Louis, Miss., will receive $270,000; and Pascagoula, […]

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‘City of New Orleans’ returns to its namesake city

Bilevel passenger train on concrete trestle with construction crane behind it

NEW ORLEANS — After first being turned back to Chicago at Memphis, Tenn., and later at Jackson, Miss., Amtrak’s City of New Orleans will finally make its grand entrance to the Crescent City one month after Hurricane Ida slammed into Louisiana with torrential rains and strong winds. The southbound train departing Chicago today and its […]

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