Slide activity extends Amtrak closure between Seattle, Portland

Amtrak logo.

SEATTLE — Amtrak service between Seattle and Portland, Ore., remains suspended following a second landslide on the route, KIRO-TV reports. Service had been slated to resume at 8:30 a.m. today (Thursday, Dec. 7), but additional slide activity now means that the closure has been extended through Saturday, Dec. 9, at 7:22 a.m., according to an […]

Read More…

Long Bridge, other Virginia passenger projects land $729 million grant

Rendering of twin two-track railroad bridges and pedestrian bridge

WASHINGTON — Construction of a new Long Bridge across the Potomac River will be the largest beneficiary of a $729 million grant for Virginia rail projects announced today by members of the state’s congressional delegation, the latest in a series of major awards nationally under the Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passsenger Rail grant program. U.S. […]

Read More…

Parallel Systems demonstrates autonomous freight car system in Australia

Parallel Systems, the Los Angeles-based startup that’s developing an autonomous, battery-electric, self-propelled intermodal freight car system, today demonstrated a prototype it developed for Australian railroad operator Arc Infrastructure. Arc, which manages and operates 3,400 miles of railroad in southwestern Australia, conducted the demonstration at its Kenwick Rail Freight Facility for government and industry officials, the […]

Read More…

Pittsburgh-Harrisburg route improvements to receive $143.6 million federal grant

Passenger train with blue and red locomotive passes freight train

WASHINGTON — Infrastructure improvements to accommodate a second daily round trip of Amtrak’s Pennsylvanian between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg, Pa., will receive more than $143 million in federal funding, the state’s two U.S. senators have announced, while the Pittsburgh-Philadelphia corridor is among those selected for the Corridor Identification and Development program for a study of increased […]

Read More…

MBTA completes Green Line work, eliminating 12 speed restrictions

Maintenence workers in tunnel

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has eliminated 12 speed restrictions on the rapid-transit Green Line following nine days of maintenance that began Nov. 27 and concluded on Tuesday, Dec. 5, the agency announced Wednesday. The total of 12 restrictions eliminated is two more than had been planned. Another two restrictions were reduced in […]

Read More…

Service cuts on Connecticut’s Shore Line East to begin Dec. 18

Electric trainset crosses bridge

NEWINGTON, Conn. — Planned service cuts for Connecticut’s Shore Line East commuter service, which have been delayed during an Amtrak maintenance project, will take effect Dec. 18, the Connecticut Department of Transportation has announced. Previously, Shore Line East service had included 23 trains per day; under the new schedule it will see 16 trains per […]

Read More…

U.S. rail traffic continues monthly, weekly gains

Weekly table showing U.S. rail traffic by commodity type, plus intermodal totals

WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic was up 2.6% in November over the same month in 2022, according to statistics from the Association of American Railroads. It was the third straight month of overall gains after increases of 1.5% in September and 1% in October. U.S. traffic for the week ending Dec. 2 was up 4.9%, […]

Read More…

Legislators announce selection of nine more passenger routes for FRA Corridor ID program (updated)

Passenger train crossing bridge

Five routes in Wisconsin — including both the state’s existing Amtrak lines, which seek increased service — are among those selected for the Federal Railroad Administration’s Corridor Identification and Development Program, according to members of Congress across the country. Selection provides funding for studies that are a prelude to new or expanded Amtrak service. In […]

Read More…

Canadian National to acquire Iowa Northern Railway

Freight train with seven red, gray, and yellow locomotives

  MONTREAL — Canadian National Railway will acquire Iowa Northern Railway, which operates approximately 253 route-miles and 275 track-miles, primarily between Cedar Rapids and Manly, Iowa, CN announced today. Iowa Northern was founded in 1984 on a portion of the former Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific. The Class III short line serves 19 counties in […]

Read More…