Maryland in talks to keep Purple Line contractors at work NEWSWIRE

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Saturday rail news in brief: Maryland official negotiating to keep Purple Line contractors at work Maryland Secretary of Transportation Greg Slater says he is in daily negotiations with the contractors building the troubled Purple Line light rail project, trying to keep them quitting in the midst of the project. Slater revealed the negotiations in a […]

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Brightline to remain shut down for months NEWSWIRE

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A Brightline train departs West Palm Beach, Fla., in January 2019. The passenger operator, shut down since late March, says service will remain suspended for “the coming months.” TRAINS: David Lassen Virgin Trains USA says its Brightline passenger service in Florida will remain suspended for months, giving no indication when service might resume. In a […]

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CN announces new short-haul intermodal service in Nova Scotia NEWSWIRE

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More Friday rail news in brief: CN to offer Halifax-Moncton intermodal service Canadian National has announced a new short-haul intermodal service designed to decrease truck traffic in the Halifax, Nova Scotia, area. In conjunction with the Halifax Port Authority, ocean carriers, and customers, the railroad will add service between its Moncton, N.B., intermodal ramp and […]

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New Acela reaches 165 mph in tests (with video)

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PUEBLO, Colo. — Amtrak’s next-generation Acela has achieved a testing milestone, reaching speeds up to 165 mph in testing at the Association of American Railroads’ Transportation Technology Center Inc. near Pueblo. That is faster than the equipment’s planned top operating speed of 160 mph. Amtrak has posted video of the train in operation courtesy of […]

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UP lays off workers at Bailey Yard NEWSWIRE

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More Friday rail news in brief: Union Pacific lays off workers at North Platte, Neb. Union Pacific has laid off an undisclosed number of mechanical-department workers based at its massive Bailey Yard in North Platte, Neb. The North Platte Telegraph quotes UP spokeswoman Raquel Espinoza as saying that with the decline in volume because of […]

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Amtrak re-starting ‘Pennsylvanian’; adding frequency to ‘Keystone’ service NEWSWIRE

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PHILADELPHIA — In coordination with state partners at the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, beginning June 1, Amtrak is fully restoring Pennsylvanian service (New York – Philadelphia – Pittsburgh) frequencies and Keystone Service (New York – Philadelphia – Harrisburg) trains will begin operating again on a modified schedule in response to anticipated increased demand. Modified Keystone […]

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