NEWARK — Harsh realities have overtaken New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy’s second year at the helm of the nation’s most densely populated state, at least as far as the NJ Transit budget is concerned. The website NJspotlight.com reports that the practice of using capital funds to help pay for daily operations — a practice of […]
TORONTO — The province of Ontario has claimed costs for two major transit projects in Toronto have almost or more than doubled, a claim the city denies. The claim by the province, which wants to take over Toronto’s subway system, came in a letter to the city from an advisor on the takeover plan, the […]
Work continues on the first phase of LA Metro’s overhaul of its Blue Line, oldest in the light rail system. This work is near the Pacific Coast Highway station in Long Beach. LA Metro LA Metro’s overhaul of its Blue Line is taking place in two phases, each closing half the system. Work is scheduled […]
SEATTLE — Positive train control is now fully operational on the route of the Amtrak Cascades, the Washington state Department of Transportation has announced. However, there is still no date for returning Cascades trains to the Point Defiance bypass south of Tacoma, Wash. Seattle TV station KIRO reports PTC equipment is now in place from […]
WASHINGTON — While it is less than a definitive document, Amtrak has outlined its five-year plan for its equipment fleet, indicating the locomotives and cars it aims to replace or refurbish, as well as indications of how it would use that fleet. Amtrak’s “Five Year Equipment Asset Line Plan,” issued last week, is presented as […]
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has asked Amtrak about the possibility of leasing electric locomotives for testing on its commuter rail service, the Boston Globe reports. Joseph Aiello, chairman of the Fiscal and Management Control Board that oversees the MBTA, mentioned the request at recent event, but an MBTA spokesman said the discussion […]
Passengers board the southbound City of New Orleans at Greenwood, Miss., on Sept. 10, 2015. Rural and mid-sized communites could lose intercity passenger service under the corridor-focused plans put forward by the Trump administration and Amtrak. Bob Johnston WASHINGTON — More details have emerged from President Donald Trump’s proposed Amtrak cuts in the 2020 federal […]
PHOENIX — The Phoenix City Council voted this week to formally delay planning for the proposed West Phoenix Transit Corridor light rail line and divert $153 million to street repair instead. The West Phoenix line would extend from the existing Valley Metro line at Camelback Road and North 19th Avenue, but was already in doubt […]
HARTFORD, Conn. — Connecticut officials are encouraging visitors to NCAA basketball tournament games to ride the rails. On March 20, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont announced that additional late night return rail and bus services will be provided for the 1st and 2nd rounds of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournaments, which will be held in the […]
CHICAGO – Metra’s longstanding displeasure with Amtrak over problems at Chicago Union Station blew up into heated criticism – complete with some coarse language – as a result of a “human error” which shut down train operations last month. One by one, most of Metra’s board of directors took aim Wednesday at Amtrak, accusing the […]
CHICAGO — Only one month after approving a $71 million contract to purchase 15 remanufactured locomotives, Metra’s board has allocated $56 million to buy eight new locomotives that meet the latest Tier 4 federal emissions standards. Part of the money, $14 million, is coming from funds that Illinois is receiving as part of the $2 […]
Interested buyers examine a ‘Pacific Parlour Car’ at during a public inspection at Amtrak’s Beech Grove Heavy Maintenance Facility in December 2018. Bob Johnston OWOSSO, Mich. – Two Amtrak Pacific Parlour Cars will soon join Steam Railroading Institute’s passenger car fleet. The cars were built as Santa Fe Hi-level lounges by the Budd Co. in […]
