Houston-New York service gets highest ranking in FRA long-distance report

Map showing 15 proposed long-distance routes from FRA study

WASHINGTON — A Houston-New York route received the highest preliminary ranking in the Federal Railroad Administration’s newly released Long-Distance Service Study final report, which considers 15 previously identified routes for new or restored Amtrak service. However, the report says the rankings “do not reflect prioritization for implementation funding,” but may “provide guidance on future priorities […]

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Cleanup continuing after CSX derailment near Monon, Ind.

CSX logo

MONON, Ind. — Cleanup is continuing after 15 cars of a CSX train derailed near Monon on Saturday morning, disrupting operation of Amtrak’s Cardinal both into and out of Chicago. The derailment occurred about 7:10 a.m. at the West Pass siding northwest of Monon. As a result, the westbound Cardinal due to arrive in Chicago […]

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House subcommittee schedules hearing on freight and passenger rail

Trains Washington Watch logo

WASHINGTON — The House Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials has announced plans to hold a hearing on freight and passenger rail issues and the state of the railroad industry this Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. The hearing, entitled “America Builds: Examining America’s Freight and Passenger Rail Network,” is set for 10 a.m. ET in […]

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Budd streamliners

A streamlined passenger train in a mountainous setting

  Prior to the time of the streamliners, North American passenger trains were not particularly colorful. Most sleeping cars were Pullman green, although there were exceptions; both the Pennsylvania and Canadian Pacific utilized shades of red on their passenger equipment, for example.   With the arrival of streamlined lightweight equipment as of the late 1930s, […]

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MTA, NJ Transit prepare for winter weather

NEW YORK — New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority and NJ Transit are advising passengers to be prepared for service changes as a winter storm moves into the area on Sunday, Jan. 19. In a press release on statewide storm preparations, the MTA says it is closely monitoring the weather but currently has no changes to […]

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Former MTA CEO to head Gateway commission

Man speaking at podium

NEW YORK — Former Metropolitan Transportation Authority CEO Thomas Prendergast has been named as CEO and president of the Gateway Development Commission, the bi-state agency overseeing construction of the new rail tunnel between New Jersey and Manhattan, as well as other Northeast Corridor projects. Prendergast succeeds Kris Kolluri, the original commission CEO who is now […]

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Builder selected for second portion of Potomac Long Bridge project

Rendering of twin two-track railroad bridges and pedestrian bridge

RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority on Thursday announced it has selected a construction consortium for the second part of the Long Bridge Project, the new two-track bridge across the Potomac River between Washington, D.C., and Arlington, Va. Long Bridge Rail Partners — a joint venture of Trumbull Corp., Fay, S&B USA Construction, […]

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