CHICAGO — Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker disclosed earlier this month that his administration seeks to commit almost $1 billion of planned 2026-2031 infrastructure spending to several languishing passenger rail initiatives in the state, but translating proposals into tangible results continues to be a challenge. Hanging over all new construction endeavors is the need for Illinois […]
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Communities represented by two regional commissions, along with the city of Ft. Wayne, Ind., have committed some $650,000 in funding for a proposed Amtrak service linking Chicago and Pittsburgh via Ft. Wayne and Columbus. The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission announced the funding, also including backing from the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, on Oct. […]
WASHINGTON —New York’s Gateway Tunnel project may be halted, based on a brief comment in a lengthy news conference by President Donald Trump on Wednesday, Oct. 15. While not identifying by name the project to add two tracks under the Hudson River between New Jersey and New York’s Penn Station, Trump suggested it was the […]
DETROIT — Michigan Central Station, the long-abandoned rail facility revived last year by Ford Motor Co. as the centerpiece of an innovation district, could see trains again under an agreement announced today (Oct. 15, 2025). The Michigan Department of Transportation, the city of Detroit, and Michigan Central, the company overseeing the innovation district, have agreed […]
WASHINGTON — Starting early next January, no freight or passenger trains will be scheduled to cross the Potomac River between Washington, D.C., and Alexandria, Va., during an 8:15 a.m.-to-1 p.m. window seven days a week for up to five years. This will accommodate construction on a $2.3 billion, four-track bridge being built to replace the […]
NEW ORLEANS — Amtrak will hold its annual board of directors meeting accommodating public attendance in New Orleans on Dec. 4, 2025, the company has announced. The meeting will be held from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CT at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans, 601 Loyola Ave. The public can attend in person or online; […]
CHICAGO — Amtrak’s Chicago train wash is now active, as evidenced by the cars and locomotive of the company’s New York-Chicago Cardinal, seen here backing into the facility after its run on Monday, Oct. 6. The Cardinal emerged sparkling from its 2-mph splash, though a departing Metra train prevented photos of the result. The trainset […]
NEW YORK — Metropolitan Transportation Authority CEO Janno Lieber has blasted Amtrak for a lack of cooperation on the Penn Access infrastructure project, saying the situation is “outrageous, and it’s been a problem from the start of that project.“ Amtrak, which initially called Lieber’s statements “misinformation,” updated its initial statement Tuesday afternoon with details on […]
CHICAGO — In a change from recent operations, Amtrak was able to put together a makeup trainset to prevent cancellation of the westbound Empire Builder that departed Chicago on Wednesday, Oct. 1. Significant long-distance train delays have often resulted in cascading cancellations for lack of equipment since Amtrak lost nearly complete Superliner sets to devastating […]
GUADALUPE, Calif. — The vehicle driver has died and three passengers were injured in a Wednesday (Oct. 1) collision between Amtrak’s northbound Coast Starlight and a tank truck carrying diesel fuel in rural Santa Barbara County The local website Noozhawk reports the incident occurred about 4:15 p.m., with Santa Barbara County Fire Capt. Scott Safechuck […]
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is halting reimbursements on nearly $18 billion in federal commitments to two of New York City’s largest infrastructure projects — the Hudson Tunnel and the Second Avenue Subway expansion — pending a review of contracting practices. White House budget director Russell Vought said on Wednesday the move is tied to […]
Amtrak push-pull cab control coach No. 9646, in fresh “Phase VII” paint, stops at Windsor Lock, Conn., leading Springfield, Mass.-New Haven train No. 465 on September 28, 2025. Built as Pennsylvania Railroad Metroliner coach No. 813 in 1967, and converted to its current unpowered cab control car configuration during the 1980s, No. 9646 is among […]
