Santa Fe’s Kansas City Chief, the top overnight train to its namesake city, awaits departure time at Chicago’s Dearborn Station in the mid-1960s. Jim Boyd photo […]
Kansas City Chief at Dearborn
Type of Train: Passenger/Transit
Biden budget would provide almost $4 billion for 14 major transit projects
WASHINGTON — Fourteen major transit projects in 11 states would receive almost $4 billion under President Joe Biden’s fiscal 2025 budget request to Congress, according to recommendations from Transportation Pete Buttigieg. Primary funding would come under the Capital Investment Grants and Expedited Project Delivery Pilot programs. “FTA looks forward to working with these communities to […]
Santa Clara VTA awards contract for light rail extension
SAN JOSE, Calif. — The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority has awarded a contract for construction of a 2.4-mile extension of its light rail system in East San Jose, despite a contract more than one-third higher than the agency’s original estimate. The VTA’s board last week unanimously approved the extension from the Alum Rock station […]
Long-Haul Luxury Coach Trains
U.S. railroads introduced long-haul luxury coach trains in the 20th century to attract a more budget-conscious traveler. In the late 1930s and early 1940s, the worst of the Great Depression in the U.S. was over, and railroads began to invest in new passenger equipment; both new diesel motive power, and a radical new […]
Inside a CN “Skyview” obs car
Passengers on Canadian National’s Scotian between Montreal and Halifax, Nova Scotia, enjoy the view from one of CN’s “Skyview” sleeper-observation cars in September 1967. Built by Pullman-Standard for the Milwaukee Road’s Olympian Hiawatha, the six “Skytop” cars, as MILW called them, were sold to CN after the Olympian Hi was discontinued. George G. Weiss photo […]
No injuries reported as MBTA Green Line train derails
BOSTON — No injuries were reported when a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Green Line B Branch light rail train derailed today (Saturday, March 9) just west of Kenmore Station. The incident occurred hours after the line reopened after an 18-day shutdown for track maintenance. WCVB-TV reports the derailment occurred about 8:55 a.m. and led to […]
STB passenger advisory committee has no shortage of nominees
WASHINGTON — When the Surface Transportation Board names the members of its first Rail Passenger Advisory Committee, it will be worth remembering that the competition for places among the panels 18 voting members was fiercer for some seats than for others. As outlined in the January call for nominations, the panel has a very specific […]
Northstar commuter service to Twins games to return
MINNEAPOLIS — Metro Transit will resume Northstar commuter train service for 38 Minnesota Twins home games this season, the transit agency announced Friday, March 8. Trains will run for the Twins’ home opener April 4, for all Saturday and Sunday games, week day day games, and on Memorial Day and July 4. A complete game […]
Union opposes nomination of Metro-North executive for STB’s passenger advisory committee
WASHINGTON — An official from the Transport Workers Union of America has written the Surface Transportation Board to oppose the nomination of a Metro-North Railroad executive for the STB’s new Passenger Rail Advisory Committee, citing the state of union relationships with Metro-North. In a March 6 letter to STB Chair Martin J. Oberman, John Feltz, […]
Metra station at Homewood, Ill., set for 50-day closure
HOMEWOOD, Ill. — The Homewood station on Metra’s Electric District will close from April 1 to May 20 to replace the single stairway leading to the station platform, Metra has announced. The station has been undergoing a $20.7 million reconstruction since May 2023, and has remained open during the project, but must close during this […]
Colorado officials ride inspection train from Denver to Longmont
LONGMONT, Colo. — Using the idle equipment from Amtrak’s Winter Park Express, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, state legislators, and local officials rode an inspection train from Denver to Longmont today (Thursday, March 7). The 44-mile, 90-minute trip used the BNSF Railway route via Boulder that is proposed for passenger service that would continue north to […]
Despite inauguration, latest section of Maya Train not operating
CANCUN, Mexico — When is a route inauguration not really the start of service? With Mexico’s Maya Train, the answer, apparently, is when a political deadline is involved. Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obardor was among the officials on board Feb. 29 for a trip to inaugurate a new section of the Maya Train, a […]
