NEW ORLEANS — With track damage still being assessed and electric power to activate highway grade crossings out over much of the region, Amtrak has cancelled the City of New Orleans to Chicago and Crescent to New York scheduled to arrive or depart New Orleans through at least Friday, Sept. 3. Those trains will continue […]
Railroad: Amtrak
Amtrak asks federal regulators to impose conditions on CSX-Pan Am merger (updated)
WASHINGTON — Amtrak has urged federal regulators to impose conditions on CSX Transportation’s proposed acquisition of Pan Am Railways that would protect current and potential expansions of passenger service in New England. The CSX-Pan Am merger is the first before the Surface Transportation Board in which passenger trains account for the majority of traffic on […]
UP train derails near site of 1991 Northern California chemical spill
DUNSMUIR, Calif. — Twenty cars of a Union Pacific train derailed Friday in Northern California’s Siskiyou County near the site of a 1991 derailment that spilled chemicals into the Sacramento River, leading to a massive kill-off of fish and health problems for those who responded to the accident. The Sacramento Bee reports no spills were […]
Viewliner II sleeping cars headed to Lake Shore Limited’s New York section
WASHINGTON — As the last two of 25 Viewliner II sleeping cars departed carbuilder CAF USA’s Elmira Heights, N.Y., factory this week, an Amtrak official has confirmed that some of the new cars will replace original Viewliners on the New York section of the Lake Shore Limited after Labor Day. “I’m happy to share that […]
With hurricane approaching, Amtrak cancels service to, from New Orleans
NEW ORLEANS — Amtrak has cancelled all service in and out of New Orleans beginning early Saturday in advance of Hurricane Ida, which is expected to make landfall this Sunday. This is necessary so railroad flood gates adjacent to levees can be closed and sealed to prevent any possible storm surge from entering the city. […]
Man shot at Chicago Union Station was wanted for California murder four days earlier
CHICAGO — The man killed by Amtrak police in a shootout at Chicago Union Station on Tuesday had allegedly shot and killed a man in Oakland just four days before. Jamar Jason Taylor, 33, of San Leandro, Calif., died at Northwestern Memorial Hospital after being shot in an exchange of gunfire with police on a […]
FRA calls halt to work on new Ann Arbor, Mich., station
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The Federal Railroad Administration has halted work on a long-proposed new passenger station for Ann Arbor, citing high cost and unacceptable design features. MLive, the Ann Arbor News website, reports a letter from Jamie Rennert, director of the FRA’s Office of Infrastructure Development, told the city the agency would discontinue work […]
Amtrak passenger trains (14) help you see the U.S.
Amtrak passenger trains you can ride Amtrak offers 14 passenger trains in each direction serving end points that allow for overnight travel, most of them operating daily but some on a triweekly basis. In the east, the Lake Shore Limited offers nightly service between New York and Chicago, with a separate section serving the Boston-Chicago […]
Murder suspect shot, killed by police at Chicago Union Station
CHICAGO — A murder suspect who had just arrived on the California Zephyr was shot and killed at Chicago Union Station on Tuesday evening after opening fire on Amtrak police on a station platform. The Chicago Sun-Times reports Amtrak police were waiting on the platform when the train arrived, having been informed by California authorities […]
Shooting at Chicago Union Station brings halt to Amtrak service
CHICAGO — One person was shot and three others have been injured in an incident Tuesday evening at Chicago Union Station that halted Amtrak service in and out of the station for about an hour. The Chicago Tribune reports the man who was shot has been taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, about 1 ½ miles […]
Northeast rail service restored after Sunday cancellations
NEW YORK — Service has rapidly been restored in the Northeast after a series of rail transit and Amtrak cancellations Sunday because of the arrival of Tropical Storm Henri. New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority is operating full service today on both its commuter rail lines after suspending operations on parts of both railroads. The Long […]
Pullman National Monument grand opening to feature private-car tours
CHICAGO — Tours of three privately owned railcars built by the Pullman Co. or Pullman-Standard will be offered on Saturday, Sept. 4, and Sunday, Sept. 5, at Metra’s 111th Street/Pullman station as part of the gand opening weekend of the Pullman National Monument. Amtrak P42 locomotive No. 161, which wears the Phase I paint scheme […]