ST. PAUL, Minn. — A proposed audit of the most expensive public works project in Minnesota history — a light-rail extension that could end up $750 million over budget and four years late — is in the hands of the state Senate after being approved by the state House of Representatives last week. The Minneapolis […]
WASHINGTON — Amtrak will resume normal operations on the Northeast Corridor as of Monday morning, March 7, the passenger railroad said in a Sunday evening announcement. Also, Maryland commuter rail agency MARC said it expected to operate a normal schedule on its route north of Baltimore to Perryville, Md. Amtrak operations between Washington, D.C., and […]
WASHINGTON — Amtrak service remains disrupted today (Sunday, March 6) on the Northeast Corridor as cleanup continues from the Saturday morning derailment of a Norfolk Southern coal train at Perryman, Md. As was the case Saturday, the passenger railroad is offering limited Acela service between New York and Washington, D.C., and limited Northeast Regional service […]
KYIV, Ukraine — The invasion of Ukraine by Russia has led to millions of civilians, most women and children (men aged 18-60 can’t leave) fleeing bombarded cities — some to the west of the country, with well over a million crossing into neighboring European nations since the war began Feb. 24. The railway system in […]
ABERDEEN, Md. — Twenty cars of a Norfolk Southern coal train have derailed near Aberdeen, disrupting Amtrak service on the Northeast Corridor. As of 8 a.m. EST, Amtrak said in an advisory that service had been temporarily suspended between Washington D.C. and Philadelphia, and it would be operating a modified schedule between New York and […]
WASHINGTON — Amtrak management is blaming “staffing and hiring shortages for skilled technical employees caused by the pandemic” for the continuation of five-day-a-week service on seven long-distance routes after March 27, when it originally said full schedules would be restored. The cutbacks began in mid-January. Only the Chicago-Washington Capitol Limited; Chicago-San Antonio, Tex., Texas Eagle; […]
PHILADELPHIA — Amtrak engineer Brandon Bostian has been found not guilty of all charges stemming from the fatal May 12, 2015, derailment of Northeast Regional train 188. CBS News reports the jury returned its verdict after a little more than an hour of deliberations. The 38-year-old Bostian was tried on charges of causing a catastrophe, […]
PRINCETON, N.J. — The nation’s shortest scheduled commuter rail line now has a 50-50 chance of remaining as it is. The Daily Princetonian reports that a study of possible options to replace “Princeton Dinky,” the 2.7-mile electrified NJ Transit line connecting the Princeton University campus to the Northeast Corridor, has reduced four potential options to […]
PHILADELPHIA — The trial of engineer Brandon Bostian, at the controls for the fatal derailment of Amtrak train 188 in 2015, is slated to go to the jury today (Friday, March 4) after the prosecution and defense presented closing arguments on Thursday — although the judge indicated skepticism that the evidence supports the prosecution’s case. […]
SAN CARLOS, Calif. — Bay Area commuter operator Caltrain will begin three weeks of reduced weekday service on March 14 to accommodate electrification of the service’s route between San Francisco and San Jose. Work at the Broadway, Burlingame, San Mateo, Hayward Park, and Hillsdale stations will require single-tracking, which in turn necessitates the schedule reductions. […]
WASHINGTON — Travelers already booked on some Amtrak long-distance trains in April and May are being advised today (Thursday, March 3) to rebook their trips as the passenger carrier extends its frequency reductions on seven routes. Amtrak had cut service from daily to five days a week on most of its long-distance routes in January, […]
WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board has set a schedule for submission of evidence and arguments in a long-running disagreement between Amtrak and Canadian National over Amtrak operations on CN routes. The case dates to a July 20, 2013, filing by Amtrak asking the board to establish terms and compensation for use of CN’s rail […]
