NEW YORK — Amtrak has agreed to restore most of the Empire Service between New York City and upstate New York through March 2 following requests from Gov. Kathy Hochul and part of the state’s congressional delegation, the passenger operator has announced. Beginning Dec. 2, the Adirondack and Maple Leaf will again operate as separate […]
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has released a new mobile app, MBTA Go, to provide real-time information on all fixed-route train and bus services and improve communications with riders, the agency announced. The initial release is only available for Apple iPhones; release of a version for Android devices is anticipated in February 2025. […]
SILVANA, Wash. — The engineer was taken to a hospital and one of the two remaining Talgo trainsets in Amtrak Cascades service sustained significant damage Tuesday night, Nov. 19, when it hit a downed tree during a heavy storm in the Pacific Northwest. KGW-TV reports the accident occurred about 7:50 p.m. in Silvana, about 45 […]
PHILADELPHIA — The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority has reached a tentative 1-year agreement with two unions representing train and bus operators, averting a potential strike. Transport Workers Union Local 234, which represents workers in Philadelphia, said in a notice to members that workers will receive a 5% raise effective Dec. 8, and a 5% pension […]
NEWARK, N.J. — Amtrak and NJ Transit have issued an update on efforts to address service disruptions on the Northeast Corridor that led them to formulate a joint action plan earlier this year. The 12-page presentation details inspection and improvement efforts for Amtrak’s NEC infrastructure and rolling stock for both operators between July 6 and […]
LIMA, Peru — A signing ceremony has transferred 19 F40PH-2 locomotives and 90 bilevel gallery cars from Caltrain to the transit authority in Lima, setting the stage for the launch of a new commuter rail operation serving Peru’s capital. The ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 16, was held at Monserrate rail station. It brought together U.S. […]
NEW YORK — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority board has approved the revised congestion tolling plan announced last week by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul. In a meeting on Monday, Nov. 18, the board approved a plan that will launch the toll plan for lower Manhattan with a basic peak-hours toll of $9, while raising it […]
WASHINGTON — Anything can, and generally does, happen to impede trains on Amtrak’s network. On Sunday, Nov. 17, for instance, Norfolk Southern emergency repairs to an elderly drawbridge south of Chicago delayed the Miami-bound Floridian (and two trains headed to Michigan) more than 2 hours, 20 minutes. The setback was typical of timekeeping hiccups the […]
HARRISBURG, Pa. — Amtrak marked the completion of major track reconstruction and restoration of full service on its Keystone Line on Monday, capping an eight-month project to replace more than 43 miles of track between Harrisburg and Lancaster, Pa. The work also included installation of more than 113,000 concrete ties. The $122 million project required […]
Amtrak trains during the holidays in 2024 are facing ridership demand comparable or even greater than 2019 before COVID-19’s dip in 2020. While autos jam highways where public transportation options are scarce, and airlines add flights to accommodate longer trips, Amtrak in the past also rose to the occasion by offering extra trains and expanded […]
NEW YORK — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority will offer free shuttle buses, a shuttle train service, and discounted Long Island Rail Road fares during an upcoming closure of the subway A train to the Rockaways under a plan announced this week. The MTA announced earlier this month that A trains would not run between Howard […]
The imposing size, look, and name of New York City’s Hell Gate Bridge fits perfectly in a metropolis where one must “dress to impress” and “go big or go home.” According to Victor Hand in Classic Trains’ Fall 2021 issue, the name can be composed of three separate bridges that are connected by two viaducts […]
