A shortage of workers is leading Amtrak to limit California Zephyr service to the Chicago-Denver portion of its route, effective today. The Zephyr becomes the first of Amtrak’s long distance trains to see a change in service because of the coronavirus outbreak. An email to Amtrak employees says a worker on the route has tested […]
Sunday morning rail news: — Canada is restricting domestic travel by passengers showing signs of the COVID-19 virus, such as fever, coughing, or difficulty breathing. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the rules Saturday; they go into effect Monday at noon. The Canadian Press reports that under the order issued by Transport Canada, VIA Rail Canada, […]
Some significant rail news for Saturday morning: — The $2 trillion coronavirus relief package passed by the House of Representatives and signed by President Trump on Friday includes expansion of railroad unemployment benefits, in addition to the previously reported financial aid for Amtrak and transit agencies [see “Trains News Wire Digest for Thursday, March 26”]. […]
A Saturday morning update of rail operation changes because of the COVID-19 outbreak: — San Francisco’s Muni is shutting down all light rail service as of Monday, March 30, replacing the service with buses. Subway stations will be closed, except for those also used by Bay Area Rapid Transit trains. Closure of the Muni Metro […]
— One crewman suffered a foot injury when nine auto racks of Amtrak’s northbound Auto Train derailed Thursday afternoon near DeLand, Fla. None of the train’s passenger cars derailed and no passengers were injured, according to the Daytona Beach News-Journal, which attributed the derailment to “a problem with the track.” The passenger portion of the […]
Friday afternoon rail news: — The National Transportation Safety Board will make the performance of DOT-111A, DOT-117, and DOT-117R tank cars one of the focal points in its investigation of a Feb. 13 derailment of a CSX train in Draffin, Ky. The preliminary report on the accident, released Thursday, also indicates the agency will look […]
NEW YORK — A subway operator has died and 17 were injured in an early morning subway fire, the New York Times reports. The fire was reported as a No. 2 train (Wakefield-241st St., Bronx, to Flatbush Ave.-Brooklyn College, Brooklyn) pulled into the 110th Street-Central Park North station at about 3:18 a.m. An off-duty transit […]
A southbound Amtrak Cascades train stops at the station at Olympia-Lacey, Wash., in June 2018. The Cascades service has trimmed another round trip from its schedule and closed the volunteer-staffed Olympia-Lacey station. TRAINS: David Lassen A Friday morning update on cuts to rail service related to the coronavirus pandemic: — As of Thursday, Amtrak Cascades […]
A northbound Canadian National merchandise train overtakes a local near Byron, Wis., in July 2019. With carloads down 6% this year, CN has currently furloughed 7% of its workforce. TRAINS: David Lassen MONTREAL — Canadian National will cut costs as carload volume falls amid the coronavirus pandemic, but the railway expects bulk and domestic intermodal […]
GUELPH, Ontario — Coming off the heels of a record year for carloadings, the Guelph Junction Railway is seeking a new operator for the line. A record 5,192 carloads were moved by current operator Ontario Southland Railway in 2019, a 12% increase over 2018 levels and 8% more than the last record year in 2017. […]
More Thursday morning rail news: — The San Jose, Calif., area’s Valley Transportation Authority has suspended light rail service indefinitely after a VTA employee tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, the East Bay Times reports. In a letter to employees posted by their union on its Facebook page, VTA general manager and CEO Nuria I. […]
A westbound Norfolk Southern intermodal train passes through Goshen, Ind., in March 2018. Norfolk Southern stock has dropped 45% since Feb. 19 as part of the general market selloff triggered by the coronavirus pandemic. TRAINS: David Lassen Railroads should brace for sharp traffic and revenue declines this year as the coronavirus pandemic plunges the global […]
