A New Haven-bound Metro-North train arrives in Westport, Conn., in August 2019. Metro-North reported an almost 50 percent drop in ridership during Thursday’s morning commute. TRAINS: David Lassen Friday morning rail news related to the coronavirus outbreak: — Some commuter rail agencies are seeing reduced ridership in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, with significant […]
A northbound Amtrak Acela Express passes through Elizabeth, N.J., in August 2019. Amtrak has cut some Acela service between Washington and New York, and warns other service could be reduced because of a sharp downturn in travel. TRAINS: David Lassen Warning that it may lose “several hundred million dollars” because of reduced travel related to […]
Tuesday morning rail news: — A passenger who traveled on a Chicago-St. Louis train last week has recorded a “presumptive positive” test for the Covid-19 virus, leading Amtrak to remove the trainset for disinfecting and cancel one round trip on Sunday. The State Journal-Register reports that the train in question was the Wednesday, March 4, […]
Monday morning rail news: — Amtrak is suspending its non-stop Acela Express service between New York and Washington, D.C., reflecting decreasing travel because of concerns over the Covid-19 coronavirus. The service will be suspended as of Tuesday, March 10, until Tuesday, May 26. “We are making temporary adjustments to our schedule, such as removing train […]
More Friday morning rail news: — Legislation introduced Thursday in Congress would end Amtrak’s forced arbitration policy, which bars passengers and their families from suing the passenger carrier if they injured or killed in crashes. The Washington Post reports the legislation, introduced in both houses, would do away with the policy introduced last year which […]
WASHINGTON — Witnesses told a U.S. House of Representatives hearing Wednesday that investment in America’s rail infrastructure needs to be sharply increased. Six witnesses addressed the House Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee hearing titled, “Funding a Robust Freight and Passenger Rail Network,” addressing the upcoming surface transportation reauthorization. Video of the nearly 2½-hour hearing […]
More Tuesday rail news: — Following the lead of several airlines, Amtrak says it will waive ticket-change fees for travelers wishing to change plans because of concerns over the coronavirus that has killed six people in the U.S. In a statement on its website, the passenger railroad says it will waive the fees on new […]
Rail news to begin your week: — Amtrak is working on plans to increase maintenance work on its century-old tunnels under the Hudson River, work which is likely to lead to disruptions in service for Amtrak and commuter-rail passengers. Amtrak executive Stephen Gardner told the Associated Press that the railroad is “trying to balance what […]
William Flynn, chairman and former CEO of Atlas Air Worldwide and a former CSX executive, will succeed Richard Anderson as Amtrak CEO. Following a New York Times report earlier today, Amtrak confirmed the hiring with a press release late Monday morning. The passenger railroad says Flynn will take over as CEO on April 15, with […]
A Gulf Coast inspection train pauses at Bay St. Louis, Miss., on Feb. 18, 2016. Four years after the trip hosted by the Southern Rail Commission and Amtrak, there is still no firm cost estimate for what CSX Transportation will require to allow service to be reinstated. Bob Johnston WASHINGTON — Each year following the […]
Amtrak and real-estate firm Related Companies will pursue funds from the Department of Transportation for the next phase in the development of Manhattan’s Hudson Yards. TRAINS: David Lassen More Tuesday morning rail news: — Related Companies, the real estate firm which led the building of the first part of Manhattan’s Hudson Yards development, has signed […]
More Monday morning rail news: — In response to an increase in onboard crime, Amtrak is moving many of its police officers out of stations and onto trains. The Washington Post reports. Amtrak had reportedly planned to reduce its police force last year [see “Union official tells paper Amtrak plans 20-percent cut to police force,” […]
