In every issue News p. 4 Interview: NJ Transit CEO discusses successful effort to meet PTC deadline Bill Stephens p. 9 A house near the tracks: There’s no better place to learn to love trains Brian Solomon p. 10 Passenger and freight separation? Considering the effects of dividing railroad networks Preservation p. 44 Eight events to look forward to in 2021 Train-Watching p. […]
Senator, Congressman introduce bills to create dedicated funding source for Amtrak U.S. Sen. Richard Blumental (D-Conn.) and U.S. Rep Danny Davis (D-Ill.) have introduced legislation to provide permanent, dedicated funding for Amtrak. The Intercity Passenger Rail Trust Fund Act would create a fund providing approximately $5.4 billion annually for repairs, service improvements, fleet modernization and […]
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A violent storm Thursday damaged the shop facility where the Nashville Steam Preservation Society is restoring Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis locomotive No. 576, as well as the Tennessee Central Railway Museum. Nashville Steam reports there were no injuries, but high winds and debris destroyed a portion of the structure housing No. […]
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A year behind schedule because of three COVID-related delays, the board of California’s High-Speed Rail Authority voted 6-3 Thursday to send a business plan to the state legislature calling for an initial operating segment between Central Valley cities of Merced and Bakersfield, with the possibility of opening that segment as a single-track […]
STRASBURG, Pa. — After a year of being closed due to the Covid pandemic, the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg, Pa., will reopen on Friday, April 30. The new normal days and times of operation for the museum will be Fridays through Sundays, with hours 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, […]
MBTA Orange Line work after derailment extended to April 11 The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has extended its shutdown of a portion of the Orange Line by one week, through April 11. NBC-10 Boston reports the use of shuttle buses between the Oak Grove and Sullivan Square stations will continue as the agency continues infrastructure […]
WASHINGTON — A major shipper group plans to challenge the waiver that would permit Canadian Pacific’s proposed acquisition of Kansas City Southern to be reviewed under the Surface Transportation Board’s old, less restrictive merger rules. The National Industrial Transportation League said today that the CP-KCS deal would ultimately harm rail competition. “Based on the significant loss […]
LOCATION: Alexandria, Va.’s Union Station is located on King Street, and is about 8 miles south of Washington, D.C., on CSX Transportation’s main line between the Northeast and Florida. Passenger service is provided by both Amtrak and Virginia Railway Express. Highway access is provided by numerous surface streets including U.S. Route 1. The Washington-area Capital […]
WASHINGTON — CSX Transportation’s proposed acquisition of New England regional Pan Am Railways will get a more thorough review. The Surface Transportation Board has decided that the merger application will be treated as a significant transaction, not the minor deal that CSX and Pan Am had sought. The move, announced in a draft notice in the […]
Dallas City Council approves $1.7 billion ‘D2’ subway project The Dallas City Council has approved building a new light rail route through downtown including a subway section with three underground stations. WFAA-TV reports the council also said it would support Dallas Area Rapid Transit’s effort to obtain an $800 million Federal Transit Administration grant to […]
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Anticipating rail travel demand comes with dual challenges: incur costs running trains with initial low patronage, or risk not providing enough options to build revenue and transportation relevance. Amtrak will begin restoring daily departures for its long-distance trains in late May, after receiving directives and $1.7 billion from Congress [see “As Amtrak […]
Judge grants Cascades train 501 engineer partial summary judgment in suit against Amtrak A judge in Washington state has ruled that Amtrak is strictly liable for the fatal 2017 derailment of an Amtrak Cascades train in DuPont, Wash., meaning a trial later this year over a claim by the train’s engineer will only be to […]
