LOS ANGELES — After two days of disruptions, train service interrupted by downed power lines between Los Angeles and the City of Commerce is set to resume. Amtrak is showing that the eastbound Southwest Chief departing LA today (Jan. 28) will serve its stops at Fullerton and Riverside, Calif., after two days in which trains […]
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Transportation’s rail-related spending — including billions of dollars in funding for Amtrak — appears to be affected by President Donald Trump’s order freezing spending on thousands of federal assistance programs. However, the freeze itself is now on hold following a ruling from a federal judge staying the order while […]
Recent rail union news: — Amtrak dining car stewards represented by the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers-Transportation Division (SMART-TD) unanimously ratified a new agreement, retroactive to July 1, 2022 and running through Dec. 1, 2028, that will provide a compounded raise of 40.21% over the life of the contract. Other […]
WASHINGTON — Norfolk Southern today asked a federal court to dismiss the Justice Department’s lawsuit over the railroad’s handling of Amtrak’s Crescent, arguing that the government’s “extreme” interpretation of passenger train right of preference doesn’t hold water. NS says the Justice Department “complaint depends on the idea that freight railroads must totally clear their tracks […]
BOONTON, N.J. – Construction work in Amtrak’s East River Tunnels will indefinitely sideline the United Railroad Historical Society’s Hudson River Rail Excursions after trips scheduled for February and March with the group’s former New York Central lounge cars. The historical society will operate “Farewell (For Now) Excursions” from New York Penn Station to Albany-Rensselaer, N.Y., […]
NEWARK, N.J. — An Amtrak employee has pleaded guilty to participation in a health-care scheme that defrauded the passenger operator’s health plan of more than $11 million. Rodolfo Rivera, 41, of Clayton, Del., pleaded guilty to an indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of […]
WASHINGTON — While Amtrak’s string of weather-related cancellations in the Midwest is officially over, the company continues to deal with a pattern of equipment issues on the Northeast Corridor. Six Acela trains have been cancelled to begin today (Jan. 24, 2025) because of “equipment unavailability,” while a seventh has been scrubbed because of mechanical issues. […]
CHICAGO — Amtrak’s cold-weather cancellations in the Midwest continue to mount, with the cancellations now extending into Thursday, Jan. 23 — seven days after the first trains were cancelled. The newest cancellations, according to an update at 4:20 p.m. ET today (Jan. 21, 2025); an update on Thursday, Jan. 23 has added new information on […]
Editor’s note: Trains News Wire asked Amtrak last week to comment on the extensive number of train cancellations in the Midwest and on some long-distance routes that began on Friday, Jan. 17, and are currently scheduled to continue through Wednesday, Jan. 22. At the peak on Monday, Jan. 20, at least 27 trains were cancelled […]
WASHINGTON — A Houston-New York route received the highest preliminary ranking in the Federal Railroad Administration’s newly released Long-Distance Service Study final report, which considers 15 previously identified routes for new or restored Amtrak service. However, the report says the rankings “do not reflect prioritization for implementation funding,” but may “provide guidance on future priorities […]
Amtrak’s Pioneer began as an Amfleet-only train. By June 1981 it had become a hybrid of Amfleet, Superliner, and heritage equipment, as seen here in Pendleton, Ore. Bob Johnston photo […]
CHICAGO — Amtrak’s list of Midwest train cancellations because of extreme cold weather continues to expand. Added to the list in an updated advisory issued at 1 a.m. ET today (Monday, Jan. 20) are the following trains that were scheduled to operate today: — Combined Missouri River Runner/Lincoln Service train No. 318 , the 8:40 […]
