News Photo: KCS derailment in Texas

Schools and residents within a 1-mile radius have been evacuated after a Kansas City Southern train derailed this morning near Mauriceville, Texas. The Beaumont Enterprise reports hazardous materials teams along with officers from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Public Safety. No injuries have been reported. The derailment was first reported about 10 a.m. […]

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Digest: Former MTA conductor charged for alleged disability fraud

MTA Logo

More Thursday morning rail news: Former NYC Transit conductor charged in disability case A former New York City Transit subway conductor has been accused of grand larceny and related charges for receiving $114,000 in disability funds while working at other jobs. WCBS Radio reports Giovanni Seminerio was facing firing in December 2015 for disciplinary charges, but claimed […]

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Digest: Capitol Corridor trains to require reservations during Thanksgiving period

Thursday morning rail news: Capitol Corridor to require reservations Nov. 23-30 Amtrak’s Capitol Corridor service in Northern California is, like Southern California’s Pacific Surfliner, instituting a temporary reservation requirement for travel during the Thanksgiving holiday period, Nov. 23-30. Reservations will be required to manage capacity and distancing. Those who use monthly, six-ride, or 10-ride tickets […]

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Amtrak introduces ‘next travel day’ booking feature

Passenger train in city

WASHINGTON — With all long-distance trains except Auto Train now running on less-than-daily schedules, Amtrak has finally introduced a booking feature on its website that automatically directs customers to the next available day when they request tickets on a day a train is not running. Downloadable and printable schedules that reflect days of service for each station on a long-distance […]

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Sound Transit names Wright as chief safety officer

Sound Transit has named David H. Wright as Chief Safety Officer, filling a position created as a result scrutiny stemming from the fatal December 2017 wreck of an Amtrak Cascades train on a rail line owned by the agency. His career includes 16 years in safety roles at the Chicago Transit Authority, including a key […]

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Intermodal still lifting overall U.S. rail traffic

WASHINGTON — Continuing recent trends, U.S. rail traffic for the week ending Oct. 24, 2020, showed an overall increase over the corresponding week in 2019 thanks to increased intermodal volume, while year-to-date traffic remains well below 2019 levels. Total traffic for the week was 522,653 carloads and intermodal units, a 1.9% increase over previous-year levels. […]

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Eleven passenger projects receive $291 million in FRA grants

WASHINGTON — Eleven projects in nine states have received grants totaling more than $291 million under the Federal Railroad Administration’s Federal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair Program. Awards were announced this morning. The program is intended to improve intercity passenger rail performance with repair or replacement of publicly owned assets; many of the projects receiving […]

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