Amtrak CEO Flynn makes statement on Montana derailment

Head shot of gray-haired man in suit

WASHINGTON — Amtrak CEO Bill Flynn has issued a statement on Saturday’s fatal derailment of the Empire Builder in Montana. “We are in mourning today for the people who lost their lives due to the derailment of the Empire Builder train Saturday, near Joplin, Montana, on the BNSF Railway, as well as the many others […]

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NTSB investigators arrive on scene at Montana Amtrak derailment

National Transportation Safety Board logo

GREAT FALLS, Mont. — Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board have arrived at the site of Saturday’s derailment of Amtrak’s Empire Builder passenger train near Joplin, about 50 miles west of Havre. The NTSB is the lead agency in the investigation of the derailment, which occurred at about 3:55 p.m. Saturday in a remote […]

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Amtrak confirms three fatalities in Montana derailment

Rail passenger car askew on tracks

HAVRE, Mont. – Amtrak confirms three deaths in the Saturday derailment of the westbound Empire Builder near Joplin, about 50 miles west of Havre. The train, which originated in Chicago on Friday, had 141 passengers and 16 crew members onboard. The train consisted of two locomotives and 10 cars, with eight of those cars derailing, […]

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Federal judge sides with Union Pacific in Metra commuter dispute

Passenger train passes brick interlocking tower

CHICAGO – Union Pacific has won a key legal ruling in its long-running dispute with Metra regarding operations of three commuter routes. A federal judge on Thursday ruled that UP has no common carrier obligation to provide commuter service on the UP North, UP West, and UP Northwest Lines. Metra had sought to show that UP […]

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Federal regulator says railroads must improve service to grow

Man in suit in front of U.S. flag

PORTLAND, Maine — Surface Transportation Board Vice Chairman Robert Primus says railroads need to improve service in order to regain traffic lost to trucks over the years. “One of the biggest areas of concern that I have … is in the area of service,” Primus told the North East Association of Rail Shippers on Thursday. […]

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US Sugar to run steam locomotive on freight move Oct. 1

Steam locomotive in sugar cane fields with company logo

CLEWISTON, Fla. – On October 1, Sugar Express 4-6-2 steam locomotive No. 148 will power the first cane train of the season, signaling the official start of the sugarcane harvest. The train will depart 1st Avenue and Florida Avenue NW in Moore Haven at about 9:30 a.m., and pull south through Clewiston over U.S. 27 […]

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BNSF offers weekend container incentive for LA-Long Beach

BNSF Railway logo

LOS ANGELES — In an effort to help kick start the Port of Los Angeles’ and Long Beach’s recently announced Accelerate Cargo initiative to expedite freight flows from the Long Beach/Los Angeles port complexes, BNSF Railway will offer a new weekend in-gate incentive at its Los Angeles Hobart and Commerce Intermodal Facilities. Ocean carrier customers […]

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Union Pacific, CSX looking at Rail Pulse tracing system

Rail Pulse car tracking system

PORTLAND, Maine – Union Pacific is considering joining the Rail Pulse joint venture that is developing a GPS-based, real-time tracking system for freight cars wherever they are on the North American rail network. “Rail Pulse is interesting. We’ve got to make a decision on Rail Pulse pretty soon,” Kenny Rocker, UP’s executive vice president of marketing […]

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Lunch hall fire truncates Cumbres & Toltec Scenic trains

Wooden structures in mountain valley

OSIER, Colo. — Steam excursion trains of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic turned back early today after a fire in the lunch hall at the mid-point of the railroad in Osier, Colo. C&TS Interim President Scott Gibbs says that damage was confined to the bakery portion of the kitchen. He says the railroad turned Thursday’s […]

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Amtrak requires mandatory employee vaccinations

People in glass-covered passenger rail car

WASHINGTON — Aligning its health policies with newly established federal mandates, Amtrak is eliminating the ability for employees to opt for weekly COVID-19 testing in lieu of vaccinations, effective Nov. 22. In an Employee Advisory issued this week, Amtrak CEO Bill Flynn outlined how the company will help facilitate its vaccination requirements and ways in […]

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West Virginia autumn excursion postponed

Passenger train dome cars pass signals among colorful trees

HUNTINGTON,  W.Va. – The 2021 Autumn Colors Express railroad passenger excursions in the New River Gorge have been postponed. “An overwhelming number of customers have expressed concern about this year’s event. The current surge in COVID-19 cases in West Virginia has local hospitals operating at emergency levels, making postponement our best and only option this […]

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Dining car access to be extended to ‘Coast Starlight’ business class

Passengers walk beside bilevel passenger car

WASHINGTON — During a presentation to the Rail Passengers Association this week, Amtrak’s Chief Marketing and Revenue Officer, Roger Harris, revealed that beginning some time in October, business class passengers on the Seattle-Los Angeles Coast Starlight will be permitted to purchase food in the train’s dining car. But he also said restoring coach and sleeping […]

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