Still more Thursday rail news: — The trade organization for U.S. transit agencies is asking for more than $12 billion in federal emergency aid to help agencies deal with the increased costs and dramatic drop in ridership revenue stemming from the COVID-19 virus. In a “Call to Action” message to its members, the American Public […]
Thursday morning rail news: — A magnitude 5.7 earthquake near Salt Lake City shut down light rail service and disrupted FrontRunner commuter service Wednesday, but service has resumed today with some residual delays, the Utah Transit Authority reports. The earthquake, which struck at 7:09 a.m., caused widespread damage, but no serious injuries were reported, the […]
A look at Thursday news on the Union Pacific Railroad: — The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit has turned down a Union Pacific challenge to a U.S. Department of Transportation rule requiring railroads to share information with states and Native American groups about trains carrying flammable materials. Reuters reports the 2-1 ruling […]
A Thursday morning update on COVID-19-related transit and commuter rail changes in California: — The Altamont Corridor Express has suspended its pilot program offering Saturday service, is reducing train size as of today, and will suspend westbound Train 07 and eastbound Train 10 as of Monday. Details are available here. With much of the San […]
A northbound Amtrak Hiawatha passes through Northbrook, Ill., on Feb. 23, 2020. Service frequency is being reduced for the Hiawatha and other Midwest trains. TRAINS: David Lassen CHICAGO — As part of its continuing response to coronavirus-related drops in ridership, Amtrak has made the first cuts to its Midwestern service, cancelling the Chicago-Grand Rapids, Mich., […]
An eastbound BNSF intermodal train rolls through Western Springs, Ill., on March 7, 2020. A lull in international intermodal traffic is expected to last another four to six weeks. TRAINS: David Lassen Railroad traffic is expected to take a hit from the economic fallout surrounding the coronavirus pandemic. International intermodal volumes have declined since China […]
Metro-North trains meet near the 125th Street station in Harlem. Metro-North’s parent, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, is seeking $4 billion in aid because of reduced ridership. TRAINS: David Lassen More coronavirus-related rail news for Wednesday morning: — New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority is asking for $4 billion in federal aid in the wake of a […]
Florida’s Brightline has joined the list of rail operators reducing service because of the coronavirus outbreak. TRAINS: David Lassen Wednesday afternoon rail news: — U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski, chairman of the House Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials, has been defeated in the Democratic primary for Illinois’ 3rd Congressional District. Lipinski was defeated by […]
WASHINGTON – The Surface Transportation Board has rejected real estate moguls’ effort to force Union Pacific to sell its mothballed Tennessee Pass line in Colorado. But the board’s ruling leaves open the possibility that KCVN and Colorado Pacific, which proposed buying the Tennessee Pass line and restoring it to service to haul agricultural and mining […]
A Wednesday morning update on rail service changes in response to the COVID-19 outbreak: — After introducing reduced service on Tuesday, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has made some adjustments beginning today, reflecting Tuesday usage. The agency will add morning Blue Line service, additional Green Line E branch service — in part to support workforce […]
Association of American Railroads WASHINGTON — The Association of American Railroads today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending March 14, 2020. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 463,017 carloads and intermodal units, down 7.6% compared with the same week last year. Total carloads for the week ending March 14 were […]
Passengers board the Missouri River Runner at Kirkwood, Mo., in 2014. A state house committee has voted to overturn a plan which would cut the service from two round trips to one. Bob Johnston More Tuesday morning rail news: — Amtrak says it and its state partners will need $1 billion in assistance as a […]
