HOUSTON — Houston’s Metropolitan Transit Authority has shut down 15 miles of light rail operations, affecting three routes, to deal with a “wire fatigue” problem that could put bystanders at risk of contact with a live electrical line. The Houston Chronicle reports that the closure of all of the Green and Purple lines, as well […]
NEW YORK — The Long Island Rail Road will debut its new Kawasaki M9 electric multiple unit railcars this month, the first new equipment on the commuter railroad in almost 20 years. Newsday reports equipment from the initial 92-car order will gradually be placed in service from later in May until next January. New York’s […]
North Carolina Department of Transportation Chief Deputy Secretary David Howard and Rail Division Director Jason Orthner shake hands in a photo taken at Raleigh’s Capital Yard on May 3, 2019, promoting the $1 Piedmont fare sale for trips Friday and Saturday. All trips are now sold out. North Carolina Department of Transportation RALEIGH, N. C. […]
CHICAGO — An Illinois legislator has proposed lowering fares on Metra’s Electric District, and the commuter railroad says it’s willing to discuss the proposal. The Chicago Tribune reports State Rep. Marcus Evans Jr.’s bill would make rail service more affordable for South Side residents by lowering Metra Electric trips within Chicago to rates equal to […]
TORONTO — The Government of Ontario introduced legislation last week to transfer ownership of four subway projects to the provincial government, a move it says will speed up construction of the projects. The Getting Ontario Moving Act was introduced on May 2. Minister of Transportation Jeff Yurek said in a press release that, if passed […]
A plant grows out of a heavily-damaged dining car at Amtrak’s Beech Grove, Ind., shops on Dec. 14, 2018. The car, out of service since 2002, is not among those included in Amtrak’s latest list of equipment for sale. Bob Johnston WASHINGTON — Superliners and Amfleet cars are among the latest batch of inactive rolling […]
Lamy, N.M. — In honor of the 150th anniversary of the Golden Spike, Altiplano Rail is chartering four private railroad cars. The westbound Golden Spike Rail Tour, which began on May 2, 2019, will travel from Chicago to Los Angeles on Amtrak Southwest Chief, go north to Oakland, Calif., on the Coast Starlight, and then […]
SANTA ROSA, Calif. — Expansion of Northern California’s SMART commuter rail into Napa and Solano counties, allowing a connection to Amtrak, would take six years and about $1 billion, the Santa Rosa Press Democrat reports. The figure comes from a study funded by the state of California into the possibility of a link from the […]
NEW YORK — Amtrak will cut its police force by 20% over the next three years, the New York Post reports, a move its union president says “will jeopardize the safety and security for the passengers and employees.” William Gonzalez, president of Amtrak’s Fraternal Order of Police, told the Post that Amtrak police chief Neil […]
NEW YORK — Calling the project “a matter of national security and economic stability,” New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy pushed Friday for funding for the Gateway Project, which includes a new tunnel between New Jersey and New York as part of a series of infrastructure upgrades to Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor line. Murphy, in testimony at […]
NEW YORK — The chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure has vowed to get a new rail tunnel built to connect New York and New Jersey, the Associated Press reports. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) made the pledge in comments at New York’s Penn Station as he and other members of his committee prepared […]
Trainmen uncouple the Hoosier State’s three car consist from the eastbound Cardinal at Indianapolis on April 23, 2019. The Hoosier trainset deadheads westbound on Mondays and eastbound on Tuesday to position equipment, and earns no revenue on Thursdays and Saturdays. Bob Johnston Amtrak operations guru Chris Jagodzinski uses an inspection trip for local leaders on […]
