Senators seek more details on Amtrak service, job cuts

WASHINGTON — Sixteen U.S. Senators have pushed back against Amtrak’s plan to reduce 12 daily long-distance trains to triweekly departures and cut its workforce by 20%. In three separate letters to President and CEO William Flynn sent late last week, the lawmakers strongly hinted they were unwilling to grant the company’s request for an additional […]

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Amtrak to resume ‘Pere Marquette’ service

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More Wednesday morning rail news in brief: Amtrak ‘Pere Marquette’ to resume operation Amtrak will resume operation of the Chicago-Grand Rapids, Mich., Pere Marquette next week, with the first Chicago-Grand Rapids train on Monday, June 29, and trains operating in both directions on Tuesday, June 30. Departures from Chicago for train No 370 are at […]

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Illinois trip on ‘Texas Eagle’ provides look at passenger travel during pandemic, illustrates challenges of reduced consists

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NORMAL, Ill. — “It’s definitely getting better,” Amtrak conductor Keith Inglesby says, considering ridership during a recent trip aboard the Texas Eagle. “A month ago, if we had, say, 50 people scheduled, maybe 37 would actually make it,” he says. In contrast, Inglesby counted only five no-shows in addition to the 90 ticketed passengers booked […]

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Amtrak halts New Orleans service because of storm

Friday evening rail news in brief: Amtrak suspends service to, from New Orleans because of Cristobal Amtrak will suspend service to and from New Orleans for several days because of the forecast landfall of Tropical Storm Cristobal along the Gulf Coast, cancelling the City of New Orleans while abbreviating service on the routes of the […]

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Amtrak asks STB to settle dispute with Metra over Chicago Union Station, seeks more than $17 million annually (updated)

Chicago Union Station exterior

The dispute between Amtrak and Metra over Chicago Union Station is back before the Surface Transportation Board. TRAINS: David Lassen WASHINGTON — Amtrak has filed a petition with the Surface Transportation Board asking the agency to settle its ongoing dispute with Metra over terms and compensation for Chicago commuter railroad’s use of the Amtrak-owned Chicago […]

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News photo: New Acela makes test run in Pennsylvania

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PHILADELPHIA — Amtrak’s next-generation Acela made its first test on Amtrak trackage on Thursday, with the second Alstom-built trainset making a round trip from Penn Coach Yard in Philadelphia to Thorndale, Pa., some 35 miles West of Philadelphia on the line to Harrisburg, Pa. The first Acela trainset continues to test at the Transportation Technology […]

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