WASHINGTON — Former Amtrak president David Gunn believes the company’s plans to cut most long-distance trains to triweekly operation beginning in October will lead to a permanent reduction in serviceable rolling stock, and cost the company employees with the expertise necessary to run the system in the future. “If you want to preserve the network, […]
Amtrak will furlough approximately 1,950 of its unionized workers as part of cutbacks for fiscal 2021, according to a message sent to workers today and obtained by Trains News Wire. Additionally, approximately 100 managerial positions will be eliminated. The largest portion of those, 698 employees, will come from on-board staff represented by the Amtrak Service […]
CHICAGO — Amtrak’s plan to restore daily service on long-distance routes following cuts to triweekly service set for October is based, in part, on advance reservations for spring and summer travel as of February 2021. But spot checks of sellout trends on several routes, as well as Amtrak analyses of daily and weekly patronage obtained […]
Monday morning rail news: Amtrak Talgo sets moved to Beech Grove for storage Two Amtrak-owned Talgo Series VI trainsets moved from Washington state to Amtrak’s Beech Grove, Ind., shop complex this weekend for storage following their retirement from use in Amtrak Cascades service in the Pacific Northwest. Ultimate disposition of the Mt. Hood and Mt. […]
CHICAGO — Two key documents released by Amtrak last week — the schedule for triweekly operation of long-distance trains to take effect in October, and the benchmarks for restoration of those trains to daily operation — can, taken together, show how difficult it will be for trains to achieve the measurements necessary to increase service. […]
More Monday morning rail news: Amtrak seeks to close troublesome Newark lift bridge Amtrak is seeking to permanently close an 85-year-old New Jersey lift bridge adjacent to Newark Penn Station that sometimes fails to close properly, delaying its trains as well as those of NJ Transit and PATH. NJ.com reports the railroad has applied to […]
WASHINGTON — Amtrak’s top managers contend cutting long-distance operation to triweekly is a valid short-term money saving solution in the reduced ridership environment created by the COVID-19 pandemic, but also admit the company does not have specific plans to maintain daily operation if directed to do so by Congress. In an Aug. 6 Trains News […]
GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. — Amtrak’s California Zephyrs were again detoured through Wyoming on Thursday as traffic remains shut down on Union Pacific’s ex-Denver & Rio Grande line between Denver and Grand Junction, Colo., because of a fire near Glenwood Springs. As of Thursday, UP was reporting the Grizzly Creek Fire was threatening a bridge 9 […]
Amtrak will phase in triweekly operation of its long-distance trains over a three-week period beginning Oct. 5, according to a message to employees obtained by Trains News Wire. Trains moving to triweekly schedules as of Oct. 5 are the California Zephyr, Capitol Limited, City of New Orleans, and Crescent. The Coast Starlight, Lake Shore Limited, […]
Wednesday morning rail news: Amtrak updates website, app to show how full a train will be Amtrak has updated its website and smartphone app to provide real-time information on a train’s capacity. Searches for train information when booking will now display an icon indicating how full the train will be (for example, 50% full). Ticket […]
Amtrak has released information on the measurements it will use to determine restoration of long-distance service after the service is cut to triweekly, which is currently planned for Oct. 1. The three metrics to be used are: — Public health: COVID-19 hospitalizations must be stable or declining as of Feb. 15, 2021. — Future demand: […]
WASHINGTON – Amtrak has released renderings of the first new Siemens ALC-42 locomotives that will replace the GE P40 and P42 fleet on its national network, including all long distance and many state-sponsored routes. Five of the first six locomotives will have this version of the current Phase VI paint scheme, and one will be […]
