MIAMI—Two weeks after the Florida Development Finance Corporation paved the way for the sale of $1.75 billion in private activity bonds, Virgin Trains USA announced today that the offering was fully subscribed. It attracted 67 different investors. “With the closing of the sale, Virgin Trains USA has the necessary funds to begin construction … of […]
An NJ Transit Atlantic City train arrives at Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station on March 13, 2018. Service on the Atlantic City line will resume in mid-May. Ralph Spielman ATLANTIC CITY — The long-awaited return of service on two NJ Transit lines won’t be awaited quite as long as had been anticipated. New Jersey Gov. Phil […]
BATON ROUGE — A poll has found strong support for creation of a passenger rail service between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. The poll, funded by business interest in the two cities, found about 75% of respondents were supportive of the idea after hearing the train would offer an alternative to driving between the cities. […]
Workers who built the first Transcontinental Railroad, by hand, in the late 1860s labored through grueling heat, biting winter cold, snow, attacks from Native American tribes, and long, long work days. Learn how they did it with this excerpt from one of Trains’ newest DVD’s, Journey To Promontory, available from the Kalmbach Hobby Store. […]
Amtrak’s Ray Lang speaks at Tuesday’s hearing in Chicago on commuter rail issues. To his left is Metra CEO Jim Derwinski. Others are Patricia Caslin of BNSF, John Friedmann of Norfolk Southern, and Mike Matteucci, regional director for Canadian National. Richard Wronski CHICAGO — Amtrak is rejecting a proposal to let Metra take over operations […]
WASHINGTON — Look no farther than positive train control to understand the motivation behind the formation of the Commuter Rail Coalition, an advocacy group for U.S. commuter rail agencies. The nation’s commuter railroads will spend $4.1 billion to implement PTC, an unfunded congressional mandate that has forced some transit agencies to delay needed repair or […]
INDIANAPOLIS — Odds of saving Amtrak’s Hoosier State continued to fade Tuesday as the Indiana Senate left funding for the train out of its version of the two-year state budget, the Lafayette (Ind.) Journal & Courier reports. State Sen. Ron Alting (R-Lafayette) had said he would offer an amendment to continue the state’s $3 million […]
CHICAGO — Metra’s board of directors on Wednesday approved contracts totaling $13.6 million to two consultants to assist the commuter rail agency in purchasing locomotives and coaches. One contract, for $10 million, was awarded to STV Inc. of Philadelphia, Pa., to provide quality assurance, engineering, and administrative assistance for Metra’s planned purchase of new commuter […]
An inbound Metra Union Pacific North train passes through the Rogers Park station on April 13, 2019. Metra announced it is receiving funding for two new stations in Chicago, one of them just south of Rogers Park on the UP North line. TRAINS: David Lassen CHICAGO — Metra announced today that funds from the state […]
NEW YORK — Metropolitan Transportation Authority Patrick Foye said Monday that installation of positive train control on the Metro-North and Long Island Rail Road is being delayed by “an appalling industrial performance” by a key vendor, setting up a grilling of representative of two vendors at the Metro-North and Long Island committee meeting. Almost 40 […]
WASHINGTON — Private varnish will become a rare sight at Washington Union Station for the foreseeable future as concourse modernization work limits the switching and layover of private railcars in the Nation’s Capital. Amtrak has already denied several private car trips originating in Washington Union Station as soon as early May, citing recent changes in […]
A screenshot of the new Metra COPS app. Metra CHICAGO — Metra has introduced a smartphone app to allow customers to quickly report crimes, suspicious activity, and other safety or security concerns. Metra says the Metra COPS app “is meant for the reporting of safety and security issues on Metra trains and facilities, such as […]
