IRVINE, Calif. — The structure used to be a grain elevator served by Santa Fe locals. After the concrete silos outlived their original function, the complex next to the tracks at Irvine’s Sand Canyon Road was converted into a La Quinta Inn and Suites, a great place to watch passenger trains during a stay. There […]
Missouri River Runner gets second round trip for remainder of year as of July 19 Amtrak’s Missouri River Runner will restore its second daily round trip as of July 19. State funding and federal coronavirus relief funds will maintain the two-round-trip schedule between St. Louis and Kansas City through the remainder of 2021. “We appreciate […]
TACOMA, Wash. — The engineer who was at the controls for the fatal Amtrak Cascades derailment in 2017 says he’s still trying to get his operating license back, although admitting that’s unlikely, and says he relives the accident “all day” during his waking hours. Steven Brown, the 59-year-old engineer who was fired by Amtrak as […]
Transport Canada issues series of new rules on track maintenance Transport Canada issued new rules on track inspection and management on Monday updating the agency’s Rules Respecting Track Safety on a number of fronts, to be addressed in three stages. As outlined in a ministerial order, the first stage addresses training, verification, and record-keeping for […]
After being a ubiquitous part of American railroads for more than 150 years, they went away some 40 years ago. Today, you’ll find a rare and rusty handful on Class I railroads in use as lowly “shoving platforms,” with their windows and doors often welded shut. The lucky ones got away to museums, tourist railroads, […]
WASHINGTON — Transit projects would receive $13.5 billion and Amtrak would get $2.7 billion as part of $88 billion devoted to the U.S. Department of Transportation under the Biden Administration budget proposal submitted to Congress today. “This budget reflects our Administration’s priorities, and responds to our country’s needs,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a […]
Release of environmental report, Record of Decision allows Gateway tunnel project to move forward The Federal Railroad Administration and Federal Transit Administration have issued the final Final Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision on the Gateway tunnel project under the Hudson River, which clears the way for the project to receive federal funding. “This […]
WASHINGTON — Amtrak today released a report offering more details on the “Connect US” map it released earlier this year for service expansion. What the company is calling its “Corridor Vision” report calls for a $75 billion federal investment over 75 years to add 39 new routes and enhance service on 25 others, leading to […]
Pacific Surfliners to require reservations on four weekends; more could be added Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner will require reservations for travel on peak weekends this suffer, a move to manage capacity when more travelers are anticipated. Four weekends have been designated for the reservation requirement — Memorial Day weekend (May 28-June 1), Fourth of July weekend […]
UP train derails near Lordsburg, N.M., disrupting Sunset Limited No injuries were reported when about 50 cars of a Union Pacific intermodal train derailed Monday afternoon near Lordsburg, N.M. The Grant County Beat website reports the accident occurred about 3:30 p.m. local time. Sunset Limited service in both directions was disrupted, with trains holding in […]
Work under way to repair N&W No. 611 for trip to Strasburg The Virginia Museum of Transportation reported late last week that work was under way to identify and repair the problem with the stoker of N&W No. 611, an issue which has delayed the Class J’s planned trip to the Strasburg Rail Road. To […]
Full restoration of state-supported Amtrak routes in Illinois set for July 19 The state of Illinois announced plans to restore all service on its four state-supported Amtrak lines as of July 19 as part of the Rebuild Illinois capital plan. The restoration of full schedules on the Chicago-Quincy, Chicago-Carbondale, and Chicago-St. Louis routes in July […]
