CHICAGO — As of today, top speeds are rising from 79 to 90 mph on much of Amtrak’s Chicago-St. Louis Lincoln Service corridor. With signal system testing complete and certified for reliability by the Federal Railroad Administration, the higher speed will be allowed between Laraway Road, south of Joliet, Ill., and CP Wann, two miles […]
WASHINGTON — Amtrak and Siemens Mobility have reached agreement on contracts for 73 to 83 new trainsets to replace Amfleet I and related equipment on Northeast Corridor and state-supported services. A press release from Siemens characterizes the deal as worth $3.4 billion, while Amtrak says the agreement is for $7.3 billion, including a long […]
WASHINGTON — Responding to comments made to the Surface Transportation Board on their voting trust proposal, Canadian National and Kansas City Southern have made their final case for approval of a voting trust while the CN-KCS merger is being considered by regulators, rebutting at length claims made by rival Canadian Pacific. The Tuesday filing, available […]
TROIS-RIVIÉRES, Quebec — Canada’s Transport Minister, Omar Alghabra, announced Tuesday that the government was taking the first steps in a long-discussed plan to build a “high-frequency” rail line serving the Toronto-Quebec City corridor, steps which could see procurements begin this fall for the proposed passenger-only trackage in part of the corridor. In advance of a […]
LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Brightline has purchased 110 acres at the south end of the Las Vegas strip for the terminal for its planned high speed rail line to Southern California, the company has announced. “Today’s announcement represents another important milestone for the project and is tangible evidence of our commitment and progress,” Brightline Holdings […]
Postwar ‘El Cap’ A Santa Fe publicity photo shows the inside the postwar El Capitan. In 1956, the all-coach train was re-equipped with innovative new “Hi-Level” double-deck cars. Santa Fe photo […]
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX Transportation on Friday filed an amended version of its application to acquire Pan Am Railways with the Surface Transportation Board, addressing additional information requested by the regulatory body. The STB had rejected the initial application in May, saying it failed to “include all of the information needed” for the required […]
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Despite increasing public frustration at the lack of service, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority light rail operations remain halted in the wake of a May 26 mass shooting, and the agency has not offered any estimate when it may return. The San Jose Spotlight reports that a VTA representative said the […]
KAMLOOPS, British Columbia — VIA Rail Canada’s Canadian, luxury cruise train Rocky Mountaineer, and Amtrak’s Coast Starlight have had their operations disrupted by western wildfires, with trains running over only part of their routes because of fire damage. The wildfire that decimated the town of Lytton, B.C., halted last week’s westbound Canadian about 100 miles […]
Oakland Pier The California Zephyr’s signature sleeper-observation-dome car, complete with neon tail sign, gleams in Southern Pacific’s Oakland Pier station 10 minutes before departure on June 15, 1958. John C. Illman photo […]
Scenic views Curved windows along the edge of the roof give the Santa Fe El Capitan’s Hi-Level lounges a bright, airy feeling; a smaller lounge-buffet is below. Budd Co. photo […]
SAN JOSE, Calif. — The State of California is planning to provide $20 million to the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority to help the agency recover from the May shooting in which nine VTA light rail workers were killed by another employee. The San Jose Spotlight reports the funding — included in budget bills making […]
