First rebuilt Amtrak train wash facilities ready soon: report

Two men with squeegees cleaning windows on bilevel passenger car.

WASHINGTON — The Rail Passengers Association has learned from Amtrak that construction of four new or refurbished facilities to wash trains at originating terminals will finally become operational this summer and fall. The building at New Orleans will be activated before the end of July, and the facility at Boston’s Southampton Street yard is set […]

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Amtrak National Limited service through the years

Streamlined diesel locomotives on Amtrak National Limited service with city skyline

Amtrak National Limited service began operation on May 1, 1971, linking New York City and Washington, D.C., with Kansas City. It carried Nos. 30-31. The route roughly paralleled that of Interstate 70, which links Baltimore and Kansas City. The name was a nod to a Baltimore & Ohio train serving Washington and St. Louis, but […]

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A look at Amtrak’s Northeast day-trip services

Gray and blue high-speed train at station.

More than any other region in the United States, the Northeast arguably provides the best experiences and opportunities for intercity travel by rail. Travelers can avoid heavy traffic congestion as well as the hassle of air travel, plus Amtrak offers multiple daily frequencies between key cities in the New England and Mid-Atlantic states. Whether you’re […]

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Amtrak awards contract for East River Tunnel repairs

Inside two-bore tunnel

NEW YORK — Amtrak has awarded a construction contract for major rehabilitation of the East River Tunnel, the connection between Manhattan and Queens that sustained major damage from floodwaters during 2012’s Hurricane Sandy. The East River Tunnel Rehabilitation Project will demolish all existing tunnel system down to the liner before completely restoring the two tubes […]

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First look: Midwest states’ Venture coach-café debut

Close-up of silver passenger car with blue window stripe and red and white trim

CHICAGO — The first of 17 Venture coach-café cars built by Siemens for Midwest States has finally debuted on one daily Chicago-St. Louis Lincoln Service round-trip. Trains News Wire sampled the new entry out of Chicago to Bloomington-Normal, Ill., last week on train No. 305, a 5:20 p.m. departure. The trainset returns the next morning […]

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New York begins work to replace aging Albany rail bridge

Steel girder bridge over river

ALBANY, N.Y. — New York state has begun work on a new rail bridge across the Hudson River in Albany to replace a structure with portions dating to 1865, and also awarded funding to tear down a deteriorating, vacant warehouse that led to interruptions of rail service in 2022, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced today. The […]

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Significant delays, cancellations disrupt Amtrak’s network

Passenger train at grade crossing

CHICAGO — Amtrak’s stretched-thin and aging fleet is encountering significant challenges to reliability across the entire system this week as national network trains remain sold out for many segments. Sunset cancelled With Tropical Storm Beryl causing widespread flooding in the Houston area early in the week, Amtrak truncated the eastbound Sunset Limited at San Antonio, […]

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Amtrak may be planning to combine Capitol Limited and Silver Star: Analysis (updated)

WASHINGTON — Circumstantial evidence gleaned from Amtrak’s booking site portends mid-November changes to the operation of the Chicago-Washington, D.C. Capitol Limited and the New York-Miami Silver Star. A Trains News Wire review of ticketing availabilities on the two trains indicates tentative plans to combine their operation as a single-level Chicago-Miami train. Doing so would allow […]

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Officials sign off on $6.88 billion grant for Gateway Tunnel

Large group of people with oversized check for $6.88 billion

NEW YORK — Officials signed off on a $6.88 billion federal grant Monday for the Northeast Corridor’s Gateway Tunnel project — the largest single federal grant ever for a transit infrastructure project, and part of $11 billion in federal money for the $16 billion project to build two new bores under the Hudson River between […]

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