Amtrak hit by yet more weather cancellations

Train in the snow

CHICAGO — As subzero temperatures blanketed the country’s mid-section following blizzard conditions that postponed an NFL playoff game in Buffalo, N.Y., travelers counting on Amtrak to provide all-weather transportation scrambled to alter their plans. Additional trains have been added to previously reported cancellations [see “Amtrak announces another round …,” Trains News Wire, Jan. 10, 2024]. […]

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‘Lake Shore Limited’ dining car history, continued

Exterior of dining car at station platform

Lake Shore Limited dining car In profiling a train for Trains’ 1,000th issue whose New York and Boston sections average just under 1,000 miles, it isn’t possible to relate more than a fraction of what has made trips aboard the Lake Shore Limited so memorable through the years. [See “Lake Shore Limited: A Survivor,” Trains, […]

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New Acelas pass computer modeling test, New York Times reports

High speed trainsets in yard

WASHINGTON — Amtrak’s new Acela trainsets have finally cleared a computer-modeling hurdle that has stalled testing, the New York Times reports. The trains passed computer modeling tests on the 14th try and have been cleared by the Federal Railroad Administration to begin test runs between Washington and Boston, Amtrak officials told the Times on Friday. […]

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Amtrak announces another round of weather cancellations (corrected)

Passenger train leaves rooster tail of snow as it runs on three-track main line

CHICAGO — Amtrak has announced a significant number of cancellations beginning Thursday, Jan. 11, for long-distance and state-supported trains serving Chicago in anticipation of a major winter storm expected to hit the Midwest Friday and Saturday. The majority of cancellations are Friday and Saturday. Also affected are St. Louis-Kansas City trains and, on the West […]

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Amtrak corridors, Brightline offer winter fare sales (updated)

Passenger train passes next to small body of water

Discounts have been announced on regional corridors throughout the U.S. for winter coach-class rail travel. As expected, there are restrictions, and in certain cases booking codes need to be input to take advantage of lower fares. Such discounts help establish a ridership base on departures where demand is light, allowing carriers to raise prices as […]

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Amtrak’s move to Miami airport station still in limbo

Blocked-off platform at passenger station

MIAMI—South Florida commuter operator Tri-Rail will begin expanding its ridership base by initiating service to Brightline’s center-city Miami terminal next Saturday, Jan. 13, but Amtrak continues to delay moving its long-distance Silver Star and Silver Meteor from an isolated facility 80 blocks north of downtown at Hialeah to a modern Miami International Airport station that […]

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Survey launched for Chicago Union Station customers

People in concourse of railroad station

CHICAGO — Two architectural design companies and Amtrak are soliciting input from people who frequent Chicago Union Station before embarking on a renovation project at the busy facility. The outreach is part of a process to determine the latest round of improvements being funded in part by a recent Federal-State Partnership grant [see “Chicago Union […]

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