JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — It may take three years before the Amtrak station in Missouri’s state capital returns to the historic Union Hotel. The Jefferson City News Tribune reports that, while state legislators have appropriated $14.3 million to repair the building, the project faces 10 to 12 months of design work, followed by another 18 […]
Railroad: Amtrak
Full passenger service to San Diego not expected until April
SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. — Costs and delays continue to increase for the work to restore daily passenger service between Los Angeles and San Diego. The San Diego Union-Tribune reports weekday service is now not expected to resume until sometime in April, while the cost to stabilize a hillside in San Clemente has risen to at […]
Altoona museum adds PRR baggage car to K4s restoration project
ALTOONA, Pa. — The Railroaders Memorial Museum has acquired a former Pennsylvania Railroad baggage car for use in a planned exhibit train to accompany K4s No. 1361, currently undergoing restoration. In a post on its Facebook page, the museum reports the car — a model B60b baggage car built in the 1920s — was donated […]
Ohio to pursue funding to study Amtrak expansion
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has directed the Ohio Rail Development Commission to apply for federal funding to study adding Amtrak service on two corridors serving the state, the commission announced. The commission will seek $500,000 from the Federal Railroad Administration for studies of each corridor, a Cleveland-Columbus-Dayton-Cincinnati route, and Cleveland-Toledo-Detroit service. Those […]
Wednesday Auto Trains cancelled after late Tuesday arrival in Florida
SANFORD, Fla. — Both Amtrak Auto Trains scheduled to run later today (Wednesday, Feb. 8) have been cancelled after the Monday southbound departure from Lorton, Va., arrived at its destination in Sanford some 12 hours late on Tuesday. The cancellations reflect the domino effect of significantly delayed arrivals, and come at the end of a […]
Amtrak argues against mediation in Sunset Limited case, asks STB to begin investigation
WASHINGTON — Responding to filings from the host railroads involved, Amtrak has argued against “adversarial, party-driven litigation” or mediation in its request for the Surface Transportation Board to investigate poor timekeeping by the Sunset Limited, and urged the board to open that investigation immediately. In a Feb. 3 filing, the passenger carrier argues that such […]
Amtrak to begin crew qualification runs for Gulf Coast service
MOBILE, Ala. — The start for Amtrak Gulf Coast service remains to be determined, but Amtrak trains will begin operating on the route between Mobile, Ala., and New Orleans this week. Beginning Wednesday, Feb. 8, crew-training runs with Amtrak locomotives and cars will begin, with the first crew set to mark up in Mobile at […]
Michigan seeks federal funds to upgrade Amtrak route
LANSING, Mich. — Michigan’s Transportation Department will seek $20 million to $25 million in federal grants to repair bridges on a state-owned line used by Amtrak services. Capital News Service reports the funds would be used to repair four bridges between Ann Arbor and Kalamazoo, according to Peter Anastor, director of the transportation department’s Office […]
Amtrak Chicago departure delays mount
CHICAGO — Lack of standby equipment and the inability of Amtrak mechanical forces to sufficiently prepare cars and locomotives for service led to the cancellation of one pair of Chicago-based trains and departure delays to 11 others on Thursday, Feb. 2. The cancellation of one Chicago-Milwaukee Hiawatha round trip, and the cumulative delays to the […]
California agency awards more than $2.5 billion for transit projects
SACRAMENTO — A $600 million award to L.A. Metro for its East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Corridor project heads the more than $2.5 billion in funding announced this week by the California State Transportation Agency for transit projects, most of them rail-related. The awards are to 16 projects, including funding announced earlier this […]
Minnesota governor’s budget calls for funding second Chicago-Twin Cities train
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has included more than $5 million in funding for a second Chicago-Twin Cities passenger train in his recommendations for the state’s 2024-24 budgets. The La Crosse Tribune reports the recommendations include increases in the state funding in capital projects to reflect inflation, as well as funds to […]
Equipment issues, derailment lead to Wolverine cancellations (updated)
CHICAGO — Citing “ongoing equipment issues,” Amtrak has cancelled one round trip of Wolverine service between Chicago and Detroit on Thursday, following similar cancellations today (Wednesday, Feb. 1), as well as other disruptions because of a Canadian National derailment Tuesday night in Detroit. Equipment problems are also being cited for a series of delays on […]