A northbound Amtrak Hiawatha passes through Northbrook, Ill., on Feb. 23, 2020. Service frequency is being reduced for the Hiawatha and other Midwest trains. TRAINS: David Lassen CHICAGO — As part of its continuing response to coronavirus-related drops in ridership, Amtrak has made the first cuts to its Midwestern service, cancelling the Chicago-Grand Rapids, Mich., […]
Passengers board the Missouri River Runner at Kirkwood, Mo., in 2014. A state house committee has voted to overturn a plan which would cut the service from two round trips to one. Bob Johnston More Tuesday morning rail news: — Amtrak says it and its state partners will need $1 billion in assistance as a […]
Intercity, commuter, and local passenger rail systems contine to adjust to the COVID-19 outbreak. Here are the latest service changes as of Tuesday morning: — Amtrak has announced further reductions. Because Amtrak continues to adjust schedules, check Amtrak.com or Amtrak smartphone apps for the latest status. Here are changes as of Monday evening: – Effective […]
Amtrak’s Auto Train prepares to leave Lorton, Va., on January 29, 2020. Bob Johnston WASHINGTON — As Amtrak reduces frequencies in the Northeast and consults with its state partners about reductions on regional corridors, the country’s coronavirus situation is leading to atypical traffic on the Auto Train route, and having at least a temporary impact […]
Passengers board a Missouri River Runner at Kirkwood, Mo., in 2014. The train could be cut from two round trips to one under a Missouri budget proposal. Bob Johnston More Monday morning rail news: — Service on Amtrak’s Missouri River Runner between St. Louis and Kansas City, Mo., could be cut from two round trips […]
Monday morning news on passenger and commuter rail systems affected by the coronavirus outbreak: — Amtrak has further reduced operations on the Northeast Corridor, leaving about 40% of the normal weekday schedule in operation, the passenger railroad said Sunday afternoon. Also, in its first schedule change outside of the eastern U.S., Amtrak has cancelled the […]
A northbound Amtrak Hartford Line train arrives in Wallingford, Conn., in August 2019. The Hartford Line is one of those which will see service reductions effective Monday. TRAINS: David Lassen — Amtrak has made more adjustments to its schedules in the Northeast. In addition to the previously announced Northeast Corridor changes [see “Trains News Wire […]
A Saturday update on rail developments stemming from the coronavirus pandemic: — Amtrak will introduce significant cuts to Northeast Corridor service effective Monday, March 16, operating on its Saturday schedule seven days a week through at least March 29, the company has announced. As an example of the degree of cuts involved, the regular weekday […]
U.S. Rep. Lipinski has introduced the Improving the Metra Commuter Experience Act of 2020 (H.R. 6226) to transfer ownership of Chicago Union Station from Amtrak to Metra. David Lassen Note: revises and updates previous version A bill introduced by U.S. Rep Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.) would transfer Chicago Union Station from Amtrak to Metra ownership — […]
A New Haven-bound Metro-North train arrives in Westport, Conn., in August 2019. Metro-North reported an almost 50 percent drop in ridership during Thursday’s morning commute. TRAINS: David Lassen Friday morning rail news related to the coronavirus outbreak: — Some commuter rail agencies are seeing reduced ridership in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, with significant […]
A northbound Amtrak Acela Express passes through Elizabeth, N.J., in August 2019. Amtrak has cut some Acela service between Washington and New York, and warns other service could be reduced because of a sharp downturn in travel. TRAINS: David Lassen Warning that it may lose “several hundred million dollars” because of reduced travel related to […]
Tuesday morning rail news: — A passenger who traveled on a Chicago-St. Louis train last week has recorded a “presumptive positive” test for the Covid-19 virus, leading Amtrak to remove the trainset for disinfecting and cancel one round trip on Sunday. The State Journal-Register reports that the train in question was the Wednesday, March 4, […]
