RIVERSIDE, Calif. — Members of California’s congressional delegation have joined the effort to save Amtrak’s reservation call center in Riverside, which employs about 500 workers. The Riverside Press-Enterprise reports that 37 of the state’s representatives in Congress have agreed to sign a letter asking Amtrak to change its plan to close the Riverside center on […]
Type of Train: Passenger/Transit
Metra will add new system to track trains, inform riders NEWSWIRE
A Metra SouthWest Service train arrives at the Larraway Road station in New Lenox, Ill. Metra has signed a contract for a new train-tracking system which should help get more reliable information about train status to riders. TRAINS: David Lassen A screenshot from Metra’s website shows the location of two trains on the Milwaukee North […]
NJ Transit orders new equipment from Bombardier NEWSWIRE
A rendering shows the new bilevel EMU equipment Bombardier will build for NJ Transit. NJ Transit NEWARK, N.J. — NJ Transit’s latest passenger equipment order has a new wrinkle on the agency’s equipment needs. The agency on Wednesday approved a 113-car, $669 million order for bilevel cars with Canadian builder Bombardier, with future options to […]
Philly Solari board may stay put afterall NEWSWIRE
PHILADELPHIA — A Philadelphia congressman may have persuaded Amtrak CEO Richard Anderson to keep the iconic Solari train annunciator board in place at 30th Street Station, according to reports in local media. It had been reported that the device would be retired and donated to the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. Rep. Brendan Boyle said he […]
Amtrak, NJ Transit ask for limits on Portal Bridge opening NEWSWIRE
NJ Transit trains meet at New Jersey’s Portal Bridge, a bottleneck on the Northeast Corridor. Amtrak and NJ Transit are asking the Coast Guard to change rules for opening the bridge. Russell Sullivan NEW YORK — Amtrak and NJ Transit have joined New Jersey officials in asking for limits on opening of the Portal Bridge, […]
Congressman: Metra, BNSF ‘failed all too often’ on commuter service NEWSWIRE
Metra CEO Jim Derwinski, left, and BNSF Railway Vice President DJ Mitchell address a public hearing in Chicago Tuesday. Richard Wronski CHICAGO — A key member of the House Transportation Committee publicly criticized BNSF Railway and Chicago’s Metra commuter rail line Tuesday for having “failed all too often” to provide reliable and acceptable service within the […]
NJ Transit uncertain when service will return on shut-down lines NEWSWIRE
TRENTON, N.J. — NJ Transit may not restore service on two routes and weekend service on another by January, as it had originally said when those services were interrupted to allow for installation of positive train control. The agency’s executive director, Kevin Corbett, told the state’s Senate Transportation Committee on Monday that service will be […]
Northstar to offer holiday service to St. Paul Union Depot NEWSWIRE
Northstar at St. Paul Union Depot in 2017. Steve Glischinski ST. PAUL, Minn. – For only the second time since it began service in 2009, a Northstar commuter train will provide revenue service to St. Paul Union Depot. The commuter trains normally operate over 40 miles of BNSF Railway track between Big Lake and Minneapolis. […]
Amtrak study on Virginia service delayed by NS NEWSWIRE
Amtrak service returned to Roanoke in October 2017. A study on extending service to the southwest, into the New River Valley, is on hold. Bob Johnston CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. — A study to determine what is needed to bring Amtrak service to Christiansburg and the New River Valley has been placed on hold because Norfolk Southern […]
San Diego seeks plan to connect airport, rail lines NEWSWIRE
A San Diego Trolley passes near the city’s airport in January 2016. The area’s association of governments is looking for a plan to connect rail transportation to the San Diego airport. TRAINS: David Lassen SAN DIEGO — San Diego-area officials have begun the process of better connecting transit to San Diego’s airport, with talk of […]
Winter storm leads to Amtrak cancellations in southeast NEWSWIRE
NEW YORK — Amtrak has cancelled or altered service on a number of trains in the Southeastern U.S. because of a severe winter storm, with some of the changes effective through Tuesday. The cancellations began Saturday. The following trains have been cancelled for today (Sunday, Dec. 9): — Auto Trains No. 52 and 53 between […]
FRA could shut down Denver airport line because of crossing-gate issues NEWSWIRE
An RTD A Line train from the Denver Airport decends the bridge across Interstate 70 and Airport Boulevard on its way to downtown. The A Line faces the threat of closure by the Federal Railroad Adminstration because of ongoing crossing-gate issues. TRAINS: David Lassen DENVER — Denver’s troubled A Line commuter rail service to Denver […]