First hearing on future of Chicago transit set for Tuesday

Commuter train passes under signal bridge

CHICAGO — A series of hearings to consider the future of public transit in the Chicago area — including a proposal to merge the four boards overseeing three transit systems and the umbrella agency overseeing them — is set to begin Tuesday in Chicago. The six hearings of the Illinois Senate Transportation Committee have been […]

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Amtrak service between New York, Boston restored

Amtrak logo.

NEW YORK — Amtrak service on the Northeast Corridor between Boston and New York City was restored as of about 9 p.m. Saturday night, the passenger operator announced late Saturday evening. The company says the preliminary cause is a lightning strike that disrupted power. Normal operations are planned for today except for three early trains […]

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Amtrak NEC service halted between New York, Boston

Amtrak high speed train meets Metro-North electric multiple-unit trainset

NEW YORK — Amtrak service between New York City and Boston was cancelled for the remainder of today (Saturday, July 6) as of mid-afternoon because of “an ongoing electric power issue,” the passenger operator said in a service alert on its website posted at 5:50 p.m. ET. An earlier notification indicated that the problem was […]

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Rail labor opposes Amtrak request for waiver to deal with ‘loss of shunt’ until testing data is shared (updated)

Passenger train next to signal bungalow and signal worker's truck.

WASHINGTON — Three labor organizations have opposed Amtrak’s request for a waiver allowing installation of a device the company claims will prevent incidents where trains fail to trigger track circuits. As a result, a decades-old issue that recently has forced Amtrak to assign at least seven Superliners to trains operated over Canadian National’s Chicago-Carbondale, Ill., […]

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MBTA completes agreements with all 28 of its unions

Worker welding in subway tunnel

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has completed agreements with all 28 of its labor unions, an accomplishment covering 16 collective bargaining agreements, the agency announced today (Wednesday, July 3). The agency says this is the first time in 15 years it has had agreements in place with all its unions, and — with […]

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CAF lands contract for new Omaha streetcar line

Multicolored light rail vehicle on city street

OMAHA, Neb. — CAF will build the equipment for the new Omaha streetcar network, the Spanish firm has announced. The initial order for the Omaha Streetcar Authority, a partnership between the City of Omaha and Omaha Metro, will include six vehicles, along with parts and tools, along with an option to build up to 29 […]

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VIA Rail Canada solicits questions for annual public meeting

VIA Rail Canada logo

MONTREAL — VIA Rail Canada will air its annual public meeting — a pre-recorded session featuring the passenger operator’s top officials — on Wednesday, Aug. 7, the company has announced, and is soliciting questions to be answered during that meeting. Questions are being accepted beginning today (Wednesday, July 3), through Friday, July 5, at 11:59 […]

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MBTA Orange Line work removes six more speed restrictions

Equipment and men working on rail line under bridge

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority announced it eliminated six speed restrictions during the latest service shutdown on its rapid transit network, suspensions of Orange Line service between North Station and Oak Grove June 22-23 and between North Station and Wellington June 24-30. “We continue to accomplish long deferred maintenance, repairs, and full-depth track […]

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