NEW YORK — Seven track inspectors for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority were suspended for allegedly failing to conduct inspections and falsifying reports, while the agency was criticized for its oversight of the inspectors, according to a report from the MTA’s Inspector General. The suspensions followed an 11-month investigation following incidents in which track debris fell […]
Legislation to create Front Range Passenger Rail District passes Colorado House The effort to create a special district to help fund proposed passenger rail service along Colorado’s Front Range neared success on Thursday as the state’s House of Representatives passed the bill on Thursday. Colorado Public Radio reports the state Senate has already approved its […]
Intermodal is having a moment in the sun thanks to the impact of the pandemic. Consumers are buying goods faster than retailers can refill their shelves and warehouses, so imports are surging and ports are clogged. Parcel shipments are soaring as a decade’s worth of e-commerce growth was crammed into the past year. U.S. […]
CSX Transportation remains confident that it will receive regulatory approval to acquire New England regional Pan Am Railways despite two setbacks at the Surface Transportation Board. “We’re just in the early stages of seeking authority to complete the transaction from the Surface Transportation Board,” CEO Jim Foote told an investor webcast today. “And I’m confident […]
ASLRRA honors 346 railroads for safety with Jake Awards The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association has honored 346 member railroads with its “Jake Awards,” recognizing safety performance above the industry average in 2020. Of those, 316 will be honored “with distinction” for injury-free performance based on Federal Railroad Administration standards. The honorees include […]
WASHINGTON — Amtrak will restore traditional dining-car service for sleeping-car passengers on its western long-distance routes as of June 23, with chef-prepared meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. In a Wednesday press release, the passenger railroad promises “a redesigned menu,” new appetizers, and table service with glassware, cutlery and linen tablecloths, with ceramic dishware to […]
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Debut of Amtrak’s next-generation Acela trains will be delayed by a year because of modifications needed to make the train compatible with Northeast Corridor infrastructure, the Washington Post reports. The first of the 28 new Alstom trainsets had been expected to enter service this year, but the debut is now projected for […]
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Problems with lead in restroom water supplies have delayed the introduction of new Siemens passenger cars for state-supported Amtrak service in California and the Midwest, but Siemens says it has a solution to the problem. The Sacramento Bee reports the issue was discovered during routine testing last November, according to Caltrans spokesman […]
Capitol Corridor increases service for the first time since June 2020 California’s Capitol Corridor Amtrak service will increase as of Monday, June 7, with San Jose-Sacramento service going from 16 to 22 trips daily, while Oakland-San Jose service will return to the pre-pandemic level of 14 trips daily. Also, the Richmond Standard reports, Café Car […]
The owner of private car Hollywood Beach, a 1956 Seaboard Air Line observation car, is offering three trips open to the public this summer and fall that will feature guides from Midwest Rail Rangers, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization offering onboard educational programs in the Midwest. Trips on tap are: St. Louis-Kansas City, Mo., and return, […]
WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic in May saw carload traffic at its highest level in more than 18 months, based on weekly averages, according to the latest press release from the Association of American Railroads. Overall, carload traffic in May 2021 was up 30.4% over the same month in 2020, while intermodal traffic was up […]
IRVINE, Calif. — The structure used to be a grain elevator served by Santa Fe locals. After the concrete silos outlived their original function, the complex next to the tracks at Irvine’s Sand Canyon Road was converted into a La Quinta Inn and Suites, a great place to watch passenger trains during a stay. There […]
