Amtrak’s northbound Hiawatha arrives in Milwaukee on time on Thursday afternoon. It was the final trip for the Hiawatha before rail service was suspended; beginning today, bus service will replace the train between Chicago and Milwaukee for at least a month because of the COVID-19 outbreak. TRAINS: David Lassen WASHINGTON — Although Amtrak is in […]
CSX says it is “carefully developing plans” to allow employees to return to its headquarters in Jacksonville, Fla. TRAINS: Jim Wrinn As some states move toward lifting business restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, Class I railroads are in no rush to have their employees return to headquarters. Texas, Florida, and Georgia — home to […]
Friday morning rail news: — Utah’s legislature has again passed a law which would remove the exemption for locomotive fuel from the state’s fuel tax — a bill similar to one vetoed by Gov. Gary Hebert earlier this year. The Provo Daily Herald reports the funds from 4.85% tax is expected to generate about $2.6 […]
Association of American Railroads WASHINGTON — The Association of American Railroads this week reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending April 18, 2020. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 403,283 carloads and intermodal units, down 23.3% compared with the same week last year. Total carloads for the week ending April 18 […]
A UP intermodal train heads west through Glen Ellyn, Ill., on March 8, 2020. CEOs at UP and CSX see the potential for new business resulting from changes brought by the coronavirus pandemic. TRAINS: David Lassen Potential long-term changes wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic could present growth opportunities for railroads once the health crisis passes, […]
Thursday morning rail news: — Metropolitan Transportation Authority CEO Patrick J. Foye suggested in a Wednesday news conference that the “failings” of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention contributed to the spread of the COVID-19 virus, which has killed at least 83 MTA workers. Specifically, the New York Daily News reports, when asked if […]
More Thursday morning rail news: — Union members have called off today’s planned “job action” against the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, citing the involvement of Philadelphia mayor Jim Kenney. Willie Brown, president of Transport Workers Union Local 234 said he remained unsatisified with SEPTA’s measures to protect employees from the COVID-19 virus, but “when the […]
Still more Thursday rail news: — The Toronto Transit Commission will lay off 1,000 streetcar, subway, and bus operators as a result of falling revenue because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some 200 non-union employees will also be cut, while salary increases will be put on hold, overtime will be reduced, and non-essential capital projects will […]
OMAHA, Neb. – Union Pacific expects traffic to fall 25% in the second quarter due to the economic upheaval caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, has withdrawn its earnings guidance for the year, and suspended its share buyback program amid ongoing uncertainty. The railroad, which announced improved first quarter financial results on Thursday despite a 7% […]
A southbound Amtrak Hiawatha races through Lake Forest, Ill., on Feb. 2, 2020. Amtrak will replace the lone remaining Hiawatha round trip with buses as of Friday. TRAINS: David Lassen Wednesday afternoon rail news: — As of Friday, April 24, Amtrak will replace the remaining daily Hiawatha round trip between Chicago and Milwaukee with Thruway […]
A Metrolink train arrives at Burbank in January 2020. Metrolink and LA Metro have received $107 in state funding for improvements on the Antelope Valley Line. TRAINS: David Lassen SACRAMENTO — A $107.1 million award to Bay Area Rapid Transit, and another of $107.05 million to LA Metro and Metrolink, head the list of eight […]
Wednesday morning rail news: — The California High Speed Rail Authority has reached agreement with LA Metro on a preliminary funding plan for the Link Union Station project, which will make the landmark facility a through station for passenger trains rather than the current stub-end terminal. The memorandum of understanding reached on Tuesday to secure […]
