BNSF CEO Farmer nominated for American Airlines board

Blonde woman in dark clothing speaking

FORT WORTH, Texas — American Airlines has nominated BNSF Railway CEO Katie Farmer for election to the airline’s board of directors. The board will be elected at the annual meeting of stockholders on June 11. If elected, she will serve on the board’s finance and safety committees. “We are very pleased to nominate Katie to […]

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Texas funding for Heartland Flyer on hold: Analysis

Passenger train arrives at station with brick platform

AUSTIN, Texas — Continuing operation of the Oklahoma City-Fort Worth, Tex., Heartland Flyer past June 30, 2025, could depend on whether the Texas legislature renews financial support it has contributed annually since 2006. But the train is also at risk because a yearly stipend from Oklahoma hasn’t changed since 2003, while Amtrak charges have risen […]

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FRA rescinds grant for Texas high speed project (updated)

Birds eye view of a rail line passing over a complex highway interchange.

WASHINGTON — Saying the Federal Railroad Administration and Amtrak agree the project “is a waste of taxpayer funds,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced today (April 14, 2025) that the government is rescinding a $63.9 million grant for the proposed high-speed rail line between Dallas and Houston. “The Texas Central Railway project was proposed as […]

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Amtrak’s Floridians cancelled by plane crash

People examining debris on railroad track

BOCA RATON, Fla. — Many events can affect Amtrak service, but a Florida tragedy illustrates that some are far from the passenger operator’s control. A fatal private plane crash Friday, April 11, on tracks used by Tri-Rail and Amtrak trains caused cancellation of the day’s northbound Floridian and its counterpart east from Chicago today (Sunday, […]

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Amtrak announces more storm-related cancellations

CHICAGO — Storm-related cancellations will continue today (Monday, April 7) for Amtrak’s Texas Eagle and City of New Orleans, the fourth such day for such disruptions. In posts on the Amtrak Alerts social media feed late Sunday night, the company said today’s departures of the City of New Orleans from Chicago and New Orleans would […]

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Weather leads to Amtrak cancellations in Midwest (updated)

City of New Orleans hurries through Matteson, Ill., on May 21, 2020

CHICAGO — A major, slow-moving storm has led to a flurry of Amtrak cancellations today (Friday, April 4) in the Midwest. Cancellations today, according to the Amtrak Alerts social media feed, include: — Both directions of the Texas Eagle between St. Louis and Marshall, Texas; — Both directions of the City of New Orleans; — […]

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Texas lawmakers subpoena Texas Central for corporate information

Illustration of high speed train at station

AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Central is once again the subject of unwelcome attention from Texas legislators. The state House Transportation Committee on Thursday (April 3) voted to subpoena financial documents from the company, KBTX-TV reports, saying a Texas Central representative did not sufficiently answer questions about finances, management, and foreign backing for the proposed Dallas-Houston […]

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Texas Senate passes grade crossing separation bill

Aerial view of high school and rail line

AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas state Senate this week passed a bill to provide $350 million for grade crossing separation projects, as well as a related resolution calling on the city of Houston to build a pedestrian bridge at the site where a high school student was killed last December. Senate Bill 1555, introduced in […]

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E5 diesels on the Texas Zephyr

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Colorado & Southern’s Denver–Dallas Texas Zephyr, led by a pair of rakish E5s from parent Burlington Route, speeds southward through Colorado foothill country in July 1965. The train will cross a corner of New Mexico and then switch to Fort Worth & Denver rails at Texline on the Texas/New Mexico state line. Roger Meade photo […]

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Amtrak deals with Cascades mechanical woes, snowbound California Zephyr

SEATTLE — Amtrak maintenance issues that caused cancellation of Sounder commuter service spilled over into Cascades intercity departures, with buses substituting for Seattle-Eugene, Ore., service because of a shortage of serviceable equipment. Meanwhile, Amtrak’s eastbound California Zephyr tried to fight its way through a dangerous Nebraska blizzard — and lost. Those were among the operational […]

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UP train derails in West Texas

Six-photo montage of train derailment

  KENT, Texas — Approximately 33 cars of a Union Pacific manifest freight train derailed Friday in near the Culberson County community of Kent, KWES-TV reports. The derailment occurred about 5 a.m., a UP representative told the station. No one was injured and no hazardous materials were involved. The incident occurred near Interstate 10 about […]

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