MINOT, N.D. — With winter storm warnings in effect across the northern plains from a windy, frigid blast that has already barreled through the Sierra Nevada and Colorado mountains, there is always the possibility that service on Amtrak’s long-distance network will be disrupted. As was the case during a blizzard last month [“Westbound Empire Builder […]
MOBILE, Ala. — Amtrak expects to begin operating passenger service between New Orleans and Mobile, Ala., sometime in 2023, but virtually all other details of the operation remain undisclosed after a meeting of the Southern Rail Commission, the Al.com news site reports. The commission held its quarterly meeting Friday in Mobile. The news site notes […]
Amtrak roomette tips The journey begins If you’ve taken a trip on Amtrak before, some of this may already resonate with you. But as a newcomer, I’ve not had the pleasure of traveling roundtrip via the Capitol Limited from Chicago to Cumberland, Md. before. After two completely different experiences (for me), Model Railroader Associate Editor […]
BRONX, N.Y.— New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and other officials held a groundbreaking ceremony Friday for the Penn Station Access project, which will allow trains from Metro-North’s New Haven Line to directly serve Penn Station while adding four new stations in the Bronx. Hochul said in a press release that the project “will not only […]
WASHINGTON — Amtrak has asked the Surface Transportation Board to investigate what it calls the “abysmal” on-time performance of the Sunset Limited, which it attributes largely to the operating practices of Union Pacific, and seeks “damages and other relief” from UP as a result of those practices. Amtrak lays out the details of its complaint […]
HARTFORD, Conn. — CTrail and Amtrak service on the Hartford Line will see schedule changes as of Monday, Dec. 12, with completion of second-stage work on the line’s rail replacement project, the Connecticut Department of Transportation has announced. Work in Meriden, and between Berlin and Hartford, had led to schedule adjustments of up to 35 […]
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — The Massachusetts Department of Transportation, Amtrak, and CSX Transportation are seeking $108 million in federal grants to improve the rail line between Springfield and Worcester, Mass., as part of the proposed East-West Rail project. The three entities announced the grant application Friday, MassLive.com reports, with the goal of adding two daily Amtrak […]
A single Siemens Venture car, part of the Amtrak Midwest operations, traveled over Canadian Pacific and Canadian National lines in Ontario on Saturday, Dec. 3., en route from Sacramento, Calif., to Canada’s National Research Uplands Campus in Ottawa for testing The special train, Union Pacific SD70ACe No. 8821 and the Siemens car, SIIX 4301, is […]
ST. LOUIS — The return date for the second round trip of Amtrak’s Missouri River Runner service between St. Louis and Kansas City, Mo., has been pushed back again, this time to Dec. 16. The train, which has been suspended since Oct. 24, was previously scheduled to resume Nov. 16 and today (Sunday, Dec. 4). […]
ST. LOUIS — Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner told attendees at a public Board of Directors meeting that no mechanical personnel were furloughed at the beginning of fiscal 2021, although positions remained unfilled as employees opted to retire or take other jobs. Current board members and Amtrak’s management team held the meeting at St. Louis’ Union […]
Rapido Electro-Motive Division E8 Amtrak No. 4316 Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: With dual-mode ESU LokSound sound decoder, $399.95 Era: 1971 Manufacturer: Rapido Trains Inc., 500 Alden Road, Unit 21, Markham, Ontario L3R 5H5 Canada; 905-474-3314; rapidotrains.com Electro-Motive Division E8 Amtrak No. 4316 features: Plastic and etched-metal details Unique nose with missing MU door Correct back ends, […]
WINTER PARK, Colo. — Tickets are on sale for the return of Amtrak’s Winter Park Express, the seasonal ski-train service between Denver Union Station and the Winter Park Resort that launches on Jan. 13, 2023. Service will be offered Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays beginning the weekend of Jan. 13-15 and continuing through the weekend of […]
