SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After a year’s delay caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and an uprising in the California Legislature, the head of the state’s financially strapped high-speed rail project unveiled a “revised draft business plan” today restating an initial operating segment between Merced and Bakersfield as the project’s priority. The California High-Speed Rail Authority Board voted unanimously […]
More Tuesday morning rail news: Charlotte seeks to stoke interest in commuter rail Red Line opposed by Norfolk Southern The city of Charlotte is attempting to revive interest in a commuter rail project to Mt. Mourne, N.C., but Norfolk Southern remains opposed to the project, which would use its line north of the city. WSOC-TV reports that […]
The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District recently agreed to lease surplus gallery cars from Metra’s Electric District to meet the South Shore Line’s expanded service plans once its Double Track and West Lake extension projects are complete. [See “Digest: South Shore to lease gallery cars …,” Trains News Wire, Jan. 26, 2021]. In the wake of that decision, […]
More Monday afternoon rail news: News report says transit to receive $30 billion under House COVID relief plan Transit agencies will receive $30 billion and Amtrak $1.5 billion under the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief proposal expected to be released Monday by House Democrats, Reuters reports. The news service, citing sources briefed on the matter and documents […]
Monday morning rail news: Start pushed back, cost estimate increased for Valley segment of California high speed route The California High-Speed Rail Authority has again reset the completion date and increased the estimated cost of the project. The Associated Press reports authority CEO Brian Kelly now says the 119-mile segment between Bakersfield and Madera in the Central […]
WASHINGTON — In response to a question last week from MSNBC interviewer Joy Reid — “How long is it going to take before I get my high speed rail?” — newly confirmed U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg didn’t answer directly. “As you know, the president is a big believer in passenger rail,” Buttigieg says. “Look, […]
Saturday morning rail news: South Shore to replace trains with buses on part of route through at least Monday The South Shore Line will substitute bus service for trains between South Bend, Ind., and the Michigan City Carroll Avenue station beginning this evening, and continuing through at least Sunday and Monday because of forecasts of […]
Friday afternoon rail news: Work at East Broad Top uncovers, removes decayed dynamite Stabilization work on a building at the East Broad Top Railroad took an unexpected turn this week with the discovery of five cases of material labeled as explosives. After work halted, analysis determined the material was probably decayed dynamite, estimated to be […]
Wednesday morning rail news: Vancouver rail line averts strike with labor agreement The Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Line of the SkyTrain rail transit system has averted a strike after workers reached a tentative contract agreement with operator Protrans BC. Global News reports the BC Government & Service Employees Union said the agreement came after more than 40 […]
Wednesday afternoon rail news: LA Metro CEO Phillip Washington to step down in May CEO Phillip A. Washington will step down in May after six years leading the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, LA Metro board chair Eric Garcetti announced. Washington recently informed the board he would not seek a new contract or extend […]
Additional Wedesday morning rail news: Chaffee County, Colo., joins group sharing legal fees over Tennessee Pass fight Chaffee County, Colo., has agreed to join a group which will split legal fees resulting from an effort to block reactivation of Union Pacific’s Tennessee Pass rail line. The Vail Daily reports Chaffee County commissioners voted Tuesday to join […]
More Wednesday morning rail news: Rail service continues to dig out from Northeast storm Rail systems continue to recover from Monday’s major snowstorm in the Northeast. Amtrak will continue modified Acela, Northeast Regional, and Keystone Service today on the Northeast Corridor;. see Amtrak.com, the Amtrak app, and the Amtrak Alerts and NEC Alerts Twitter feeds for more information. Most NJ […]
