WASHINGTON — Amtrak is trying to gain control of Washington Union Station, the southern terminus for most of its Northeast Corridor operations, saying the move is necessary to expand and modernize the second-busiest station on the passenger operator’s network. The Washington Post reports Amtrak has moved to use eminent domain to gain control the facility, […]
Railroad: Amtrak
Amtrak unveils new locomotive paint scheme (corrected)
WASHINGTON — Amtrak has unveiled the new paint scheme to be worn by the remainder of its fleet of Siemens ALC42 locomotives, a two-tone blue design with a splash of red and white trim. The “Phase VII” scheme — the seventh standard design in Amtrak’s 50-year history — debuts on Charger No. 309, the 10th […]
Spring blizzard causes ‘Empire Builder’ cancellations
CHICAGO — Due to forecast blizzard conditions in North Dakota and Montana this week, Amtrak has terminated its Empire Builder service between St. Paul and Spokane, Wash. The eastbound Empire Builder from Seattle ran with its full set of equipment on April 11 and 12 from Seattle to Spokane, where it terminated. On the same […]
CDC extends TSA mask mandate for travel by two weeks
WASHINGTON — The Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) federal mask mandate for travel on all rail systems, airplanes, in airports, and on buses will be extended through May 3, 15 days after it had been set to expire amid a new coronavirus surge fueled by the BA.2 variant. The two-week extension is from an order by […]
Amtrak, PennDOT to add Keystone Service
PHILADELPHIA – Beginning April 25, Amtrak and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation will operate additional Keystone Service trains between New York, Philadelphia, and Harrisburg, Pa. Two new weekday trains will be added, and all pre-pandemic weekend service will be restored. “After a long period of reduced schedules, PennDOT is pleased that Amtrak has been able […]
STB Gulf Coast hearing scrutinizes details of traffic modeling: Analysis
WASHINGTON — Last week’s fourth day of testimony at the Surface Transportation Board’s hearing on Amtrak Gulf Coast service focused on two questions: — “Where did the data used for traffic modeling come from?” — “What constitutes a train that can cause ‘unreasonable impairment’ to freight operations” if two passenger round trips are introduced between […]
Alstom explains latest delay for new Acela deployment (updated)
HORNELL, N.Y. — Testing of Amtrak’s next-generation Acela trainsets on the Northeast Corridor has shown that further modifications will be necessary, pushing back the date the equipment will be placed in service because additional testing will be necessary. Amtrak revealed last week at a Philadelphia media event that the first of the 28 nine-unit trainsets […]
STB Gulf Coast hearing Day 3: NS testimony focuses on limitations of connection in New Orleans
WASHINGTON — Norfolk Southern’s view of the impact of potential Amtrak service was a focal point of Wednesday’s third day of hearings on the passenger carrier’s effort to launch two daily round trips between New Orleans and Mobile, Ala. Testifying in the Surface Transportation Board’s online hearing, Randall Hunt, the railroad’s senior director of interline […]
Capital Corridor agency files suit over Oakland ballpark
OAKLAND, Calif. — The Capital Corridor Joint Powers Authority, the agency overseeing state-supported Amtrak service between San Jose and Auburn, Calif., has filed its own suit over the plans for a new Oakland Athletics ballpark. The suit joins one previously filed by Union Pacific [see “Union Pacific files suit over Oakland ballpark plan,” Trains News […]
STB Gulf Coast hearing, Day 2: Testimony explains CSX train movements (updated)
WASHINGTON — The slow pace of the Surface Transportation Board hearing on Amtrak Gulf Coast service continued Tuesday, the proceeding’s second day, when just one additional witness testified and was questioned. But the appearance of that witness, CSX Senior Vice President of Mechanical and Engineering Ricky Johnson, provided significant insight into how CSX operates on […]
Passenger awarded $8 million for injuries from Amtrak Cascades derailment
TACOMA, Wash. — A federal jury has awarded $8 million in damages to a woman injured in the fatal 2017 derailment of an Amtrak Cascades train in DuPont, Wash., the latest in a series of large jury awards resulting from the accident that killed three people. The Seattle Times reports the jury awarded $2.5 million […]
Report cautions Amtrak of challenges with funding windfall
WASHINGTON — The unprecedented funding windfall available to Amtrak under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will challenge the company’s ability to manage projects related to the new funds while continuing to oversee current operations, the Amtrak Office of Inspector General says in a new report. The challenges will come in four areas, the report […]