STB won’t step in — yet — to resolve Chicago Union Station dispute NEWSWIRE

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WASHINGTON — Federal regulators are refusing at this time to step in and resolve a disagreement between Metra and Amtrak over use of Chicago Union Station, but are keeping the door open to intervene should Metra raise valid objections in the future. In a five-page decision released by the Surface Transportation Board on Aug. 22, […]

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BNSF executive pledges to fix Metra commuters’ woes NEWSWIRE

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A screen image capture from a video of D.J. Mitchell, BNSF Railway vice president of passenger operations, speaking before Metra’s board of directors on Wednesday. METRA CHICAGO — A top BNSF Railway executive assured Metra board members Wednesday that the railroad was serious about eliminating the causes of overheated and overcrowded coach cars that had […]

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Nippon Sharyo closing northern Illinois railcar plant NEWSWIRE

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Nippon Sharyo’s plant in Rochelle, Ill., is closed and is on the market. Avison Young ROCHELLE, Ill. — Eight years after opening to much fanfare, Nippon Sharyo’s passenger rail car manufacturing plant in Rochelle, Ill., is closing and up for sale. The company blamed the closing on its failure to complete a contract to deliver […]

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Agency seeks feedback on new look for Coaster trains NEWSWIRE

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North County Transit District OCEANSIDE, Calif. – The North County Transit District is seeking the public’s feedback on new branding and user interface options on multiple projects for the agency. These include a new paint scheme for the Coaster, a redesign of the agency’s website, and a fresh take on the NCTD logo. The NCTD […]

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Amtrak shows off images of new Acela interiors NEWSWIRE

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An artist’s rendering of what an Acela Express first class interior will look like in trainsets set to debut in 2021. Amtrak WASHINGTON — Amtrak today revealed the interiors on its new Acela Express fleet, which will redefine the customer experience on Amtrak’s premium Northeast Corridor service. The new trains, scheduled to enter service on […]

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Amtrak to buy new MoW equipment for the Northeast Corridor NEWSWIRE

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WASHINGTON — In the latest step for better service for Northeast Corridor passengers, Amtrak officials said in late July that they’ll spend $370 million on new maintenance-of-way equipment over an estimated three-year period. This capital expenditure will accelerate maintenance work, doubling Amtrak engineering work on the Boston to Washington line upon full implementation of the […]

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Comparing Amtrak’s ‘contemporary’ and traditional dining NEWSWIRE

In mid-July, Amtrak announced it had added a hot-meal option to the pre-packaged lunch and dinner service on the Lake Shore Limited and Capitol Limited, where it replaced full dining-car service. The original form of that service, as sampled on the Lake Shore, was examined in “Amtrak debuts cold ‘contemporary’ meals” [“Passenger, September 2018 Trains] […]

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Orlando’s SunRail opens ‘Southern Expansion’ NEWSWIRE

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A SunRail train heads north from downtown Orlando. SunRail opens a four-station extension to its route today. TRAINS: David Lassen ORLANDO, Fla. — SunRail, the Orlando-area commuter rail system, will open its four-station, 17.2-mile “Southern Extension” today, expanding the system to 48.9 miles and 16 stations. The four new stations are Poinciana, Kissimmee, Tupperware, and […]

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