The first cancellations of Amtrak service have been announced in advance of a winter storm expected to hit a large portion of the nation this weekend. Earlier today (Jan. 3, 2025), the eastbound Southwest Chief departure from Los Angeles, scheduled for 5:19 p.m. PT, for was cancelled because of the forecast of inclement weather, according […]
LOS ANGELES —Metrolink is offering 25% discounts on monthly passes this month and in February in the wake of recent operating issues, the Southern California commuter rail operator has announced. In an end-of-year message posted earlier this week, Metrolink CEO Darren Kettle noted that the agency’s Quality Service Pledge includes a provision for a one-month […]
It was described at groundbreaking as the start of the United States high-speed rail industry. But arguably, the Brightline West project is the best hope for establishing true U.S. high speed rail. The April 22, 2024, groundbreaking ceremony in Las Vegas — on a lot south of the Las Vegas strip, next to Interstate 15, […]
WASHINGTON — Five members of California’s congressional delegation have written U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, urging approval of a $536 million grant request by the California High-Speed Rail Authority for tunnel design work. U.S. Sens. Alex Pedilla and Adam Schiff, and U.S. Reps. Pete Aguilar, Jim Costa, and Zoe Lofgren — all Democrats — said […]
The switch to full electrification between San Francisco and San Jose came on Sept. 21 (San Jose-Gilroy service is still diesel powered), and ridership showed an immediate jump. In October, the first full month of electrified service, ridership increased 54% from the same month a year earlier. The average weekday ridership was up 38% at […]
CARSON, Calif. — No injuries were reported when four locomotives and five cars of a Union Pacific train derailed today (Monday, Dec. 23) on the Alameda Corridor route connecting UP and BNSF Railway to the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. The derailment occurred about 1 p.m. near the intersection of Carson and Alameda […]
The Santa train season is nearing its end — which may be just as well, considering a weekend with minor mishaps involving three such trains, from one side of the country to the other. On Friday, the Polar Express operated by the California State Railroad Museum from its station in Old Sacramento was involved in […]
ST. LOUIS — After attempting to rectify “ongoing mechanical issues” following the westbound Texas Eagle’s on-time arrival in St. Louis on Saturday evening, Dec. 21, Amtrak decided to cancel the train across the rest of its route to San Antonio, Tex., leaving Texas travelers with a lump of coal. An advisory at 11:50 p.m., more […]
When mourners gather Thursday for services at the Church of Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Auburn, Calif., it will mark a special occasion for anyone associated with the once-upon-a-time Southern Pacific Railroad: a moment to appreciate a true SP hero, James C. Mahon, known from Sacramento to San Antonio as “The Bear.” Railroaders in charge […]
Little more than a year ago, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority was battered by problems and criticism. Its rail system was riddled with slow orders. Delivery of new rolling stock from China’s CRRC was far behind schedule. And it was still trying to correct issues addressed in directives from the Federal Transit Authority in 2022. […]
Operation Toy Train, the annual series of train trips to collect toys for the Marine Corps Toys for Tots Foundation, set records for toys collected and toys collected in a day, the organization has announced. The expanded operation — with collection efforts on 10 railroads in five states, covering 52 stops in 48 cities — […]
DEL MAR, Calif. — Officials and residents of the San Diego County communities of Del Mar and Solana Beach continue to object to plans to relocate the Surf Line rail route along the Pacific Coast in their communities, a $4 billion proposal that would involve tunneling under the communities to move the tracks off the […]
