OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific is touting service improvements in an update to customers. “We know that delivering consistent and reliable service is what you expect, and we continue to make improvements to our service product. I’m pleased with the progress that we have sustained over the past few months,” Kenny Rocker, executive vice president […]
Train Topic: Rail Industry
Spanish high-speed line under mountains opens after 20 years of construction
MADRID — The King of Spain, King Felipe VI, and his top government ministers have officially opened a new railway line linking the northern province of Asturias to the rest of the Spanish high-speed network, traveling on Nov. 29 in a specially operated high speed train between Madrid and Gijon on the northern coast of […]
Amtrak roomette sale offers free companion travel
WASHINGTON — Amtrak has launched a “free companion” sale for roomettes on its long-distance routes, allowing two people to travel in one of the two-bed sleeping-car accommodations for the price of one. The sale began Thursday, Nov. 30, and runs through Friday, Dec. 8, and is good for travel between Wednesday, Jan. 3, and Wednesday, […]
Metra SD70MACHs begin revenue service
Metra’s new six-axle power CHICAGO — Metra has used one of its SD70MACH locomotives to lead a revenue service train for the first time, with locomotive No. 507 powering train No. 2135 on the evening of Wednesday, Nov. 29, from Chicago Union Station to Fox Lake on the Milwaukee District North line. Metra F59PHI No. […]
Amtrak cites major ridership increase in fiscal year-end report
WASHINGTON — More than 28 million passengers rode Amtrak in its 2023 fiscal year, the company today in announcing results for the year that ended Sept. 30. “Amtrak ridership continues to set post-pandemic records thanks to our customers who were anxious to travel again and attracted to the many benefits of train travel,” CEO Stephen […]
NTSB to investigate death of NYC Transit track worker
NEW YORK — The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate a Wednesday accident in the New York Subway system that killed a track worker, the agency said in a social media post. Hiliarian Joseph, 57, was serving as the flagger at a track project near the 34th Street-Herald Square subway station when he was struck […]
OmniTRAX to begin operation of South Branch Valley Railroad on Friday
MOOREFIELD, W.Va. — OmniTRAX will take over management of West Virginia’s South Branch Valley Railroad this Friday, Dec. 1, the company has announced. The transportation affiliate of The Broe Group said Wednesday that it had entered into “a definitive agreement with the West Virginia Deparment of Transportation to operate and grow” the 52.4-mile railroad, a […]
Weekly U.S. rail traffic again up
WASHINGTON — Weekly U.S. rail traffic again was up for the week ending Nov. 25, the third straight week with a volume increase over the same week in 2022. According to statistics from the Association of American Railroads, total traffic was 415,332 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.4%. That included 195,948 carloads, down 2.5%, and […]
Texas mayor vocal about need for passenger rail at House hearing: Analysis
WASHINGTON — Austin, Texas, Mayor Kirk Watson expressed strong support for expanded rail service in the San Antonio-Dallas-Houston “Texas Triangle” at a hearing of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s rail subcommittee in Washington today (Wednesday, Nov. 29). The session, however, primarily provided a platform for critics of the California High-Speed Rail Authority to […]
Union Pacific to open new international intermodal terminal in Phoenix
OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific will open an intermodal terminal in Phoenix early next year to handle international traffic moving to and from the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. The terminal will be located in UP’s downtown yard, which has capacity to allow expansion of the terminal as demand warrants, UP said today. […]
Railroads push back on the low bar regulators want to set for service standards: Analysis
All of the Class I railroad CEOs say that providing more reliable and consistent service is the key to volume growth. So did they applaud when federal regulators proposed minimum service standards that railroads would have to meet in order to avoid potential reciprocal switching orders? Not exactly. In a nutshell, the Association of American […]
Union Pacific to expand international intermodal service from Port Houston
OMAHA, Neb. – Union Pacific will expand its international intermodal service from Port Houston to four additional markets beginning Dec. 1. The service will link the on-dock Barbours Cut Container Terminal with UP terminals in Chicago; Kansas City; Marion, Ark.; and Port Laredo, Texas, UP announced Tuesday (Nov. 28). The addition of the four lanes […]