KEYTESVILLE, Mo. — Arguments in federal court over an arbitration requirement included in Amtrak ticket purchases remain a sticking point in state court suits from June’s fatal derailment of the Southwest Chief near Mendon, Mo., KMBC-TV reports. In Thursday arguments in Chariton County Circuit Court, BNSF and Amtrak argued that passengers agreed to settle […]
MONROE, La. — Officials and other interested parties from Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, and Alabama met Thursday in Monroe to discuss funding efforts needed to launch service I-20 Corridor Passenger Rail Service, a proposal for an Amtrak route linking Atlanta and Dallas-Fort Worth, as well as existing Texas Eagle, City of New Orleans, and Crescent operations, […]
WASHINGTON — Republican members of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure have asked Amtrak board chairman Tony Coscia for a briefing to explain “six-figure bonuses to top executives paid largely from taxpayer funds, even while the company experienced historic financial and ridership losses.” A letter released by Missouri Rep. Sam Graves, ranking member of […]
WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation board has granted the request for more mediation in the Amtrak Gulf Coast case — but not to delay its scheduled hearings on the matter. At least, not yet. In a decision issued Wednesday evening, Nov. 2, the board calls for further mediation, to extend through Dec. 1, as requested […]
RAVENNA TOWNSHIP, Ohio — Approximately 18 cars of a Norfolk Southern train derailed Tuesday evening in northeast Ohio, WKYC-TV reports. A railroad representative told the station that no injuries were reported and no hazardous materials were involved. The Portage County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management reported on its Facebook page that the derailment […]
SCRANTON, Pa. — Pennsylvania will provide $3.7 million for track improvements needed for a possible Scranton-New York City Amtrak route, the Pocono Record reports. The grant through the state’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program has been awarded to the Monroe County Industrial Development Authority. It will provide half the funding for 43,000 new crossties on a […]
WASHINGTON — The parties involved in the fight over Amtrak Gulf Coast service want to make one more effort to settle the matter without resuming their hearing before the Surface Transportation Board. Just five days after the STB issued its schedule for additional hearings, and indicated it could vote on a resolution as soon as […]
WASHINGTON —The Federal Railroad Administration has launched a website for comments leading to an evaluation of long-distance service Amtrak had previously discontinued, as well as its two current triweekly routes, the New Orleans-Los Angeles Sunset Limited and the New York-Washington-Cincinnati-Indianapolis-Chicago Cardinal. The “Amtrak Daily Long-distance Service Study” site, which began operation Oct. 28, now only […]
WASHINGTON — Clearly displaying frustration that it is still dealing with the matter, the Surface Transportation Board has asked Amtrak and Canadian National to address errors and omissions in filings on their long-running dispute over a new operating agreement. The disagreement dates to 2013, but its most recent history includes a 2019 interim decision sending […]
CHICAGO — “A shortage of available train equipment” is being blamed for the ongoing cancellation of the Illinois-sponsored service between Chicago and St. Louis scheduled to provide a 10 a.m. arrival into Chicago and 5:15 p.m. departure out of the Windy City. Lincoln Service train Nos. 300 and 305 originally had been scheduled to resume […]
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A jury on Friday awarded $28.6 million to a man who lost his legs when hit by an Amtrak train while laying on railroad tracks in Marysville, Calif, in 2016, finding varying degrees of negligence by Amtrak, a hospital, and a doctor who released him before the accident, as well as the […]
NORTHAMPTON, Mass. — Valley Flyer service between New Haven, Conn., and Greenfield, Mass., will be made permanent, Massachusetts Department of Transportation and Amtrak officials announced Friday. The extension of New Haven-Springfield service to Greenfield was launched as a two-year pilot program on Aug. 30, 2019 [see “‘Valley Flyer’ shuttles … to being Aug. 30,” Trains […]
