MONTREAL — While Bombardier remains in “active talks” with French-based Alstom over a merger of the companies’ rail equipment manufacturing, the Canadian firm has also approached Japan’s Hitachi about a possible deal, Reuters reports. The Bombardier-Alstom talks were reported earlier this week by Bloomberg [see “Report: Bombardier, Alstom discussing combining rail units,” Trains News Wire, […]
Amtrak train strikes maintenance truck in Connecticut, six passenger injured NEWSWIRE
HARTFORD, Conn. – An Amtrak train has struck an engineering truck at Newington, about 5 miles southeast of Hartford on Friday. Six people onboard the train are injured. Two workers in the truck were able to escape before the impact, according to local media reports. Passengers were transferred to another train in the afternoon. According […]
DeMartino selected to head LOSSAN agency NEWSWIRE
New LOSSAN Executive Director Donna DeMartino. LOSSAN ORANGE, Calif. — Donna DeMartino has been named managing director of the Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo Rail Corridor Agency, effective Jan. 27. DeMartino will oversee management and operations of state-supported, Amtrak-operated Pacific Surfliner passenger trains along the LOSSAN corridor. She replaces Jennifer Berenger, who has led the […]
Oversight report says Amtrak at risk of missing deadline for new Acelas NEWSWIRE
A power car for one of Amtrak’s new Acela trainsets takes shape at Alstom’s Hornell, N.Y., plant in June 2019. Bob Johnston WASHINGTON — A day after Amtrak released a video of its new Acela trainset moving for the very first time, the passenger carrier’s Office of Inspector General released a report warning there is […]
Washington state passenger rail advocates call for Point Defiance Bypass opening ‘as soon as possible’ NEWSWIRE
SEATTLE — Rail-passenger advocacy group All Aboard Washington has issued a call for the Washington State Department of Transportation, Amtrak, and Sound Transit to reopen the Point Defiance Bypass and add Amtrak Cascades trains on the Seattle-Portland corridor “as soon as possible.” All Aboard Washington acknowledged it has a special interest in the subject, and […]
Trains News Wire Round-Up for the week of Jan 24. 2020 NEWSWIRE
Trains editors offer a round-up of the news that’s fit to publish. This week, Jim and Steve talk about SEPTA’s PCC cars; Union Pacific’s rising stock price, what will happen to an N&W Y6, and more! […]
AAR: All train traffic declined 8% for the week of Jan. 18 NEWSWIRE
Association of American Railroads WASHINGTON — The Association of American Railroads reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending Jan. 18, 2020, this week. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 499,732 carloads and intermodal units, down 8% compared with the same week last year. Total carloads for the week ending Jan. 18 […]
Engineer sues Amtrak over fatal ‘Cascades’ derailment NEWSWIRE
The engineer in the fatal December 2017 Amtrak Cascades derailment in suing Amtrak, alleging he was not properly trained. Steve Carter TACOMA, Wash. — The engineer at the controls of an Amtrak train involved in a fatal Washington state derailment in 2017 has sued the passenger railroad, alleging that he was not properly trained. On […]
Kansas Legislature committee discusses Amtrak ‘Heartland Flyer’ extension NEWSWIRE
Amtrak’s southbound Heartland Flyer arrives at Norman, Okla., on June 13, 2015 Bob Johnston The Ways and Means Committee of the Kansas Legislature meets to discuss the extension of Amtrak’s Heartland Flyer from Oklahoma City to Newton, Kan. Evan Stair TOPEKA, Kan. — The Ways and Means Committee of the Kansas State Legislature met Jan. […]
Mobile, Ala., support for Amtrak service remains uncertain
MOBILE, Ala. — Resistance to helping fund Gulf Coast Amtrak service remains among Mobile City Council members ahead of an expected Jan. 28 vote on a financial commitment by the city. Earlier this week, a three-member council finance committee failed to recommend support for a resolution which would commit the council to provide money toward […]
MTA approves study of passenger service on freight-only Long Island branch NEWSWIRE
New York & Atlantic Railway’s Fresh Pond Yard, as seen from a cab of an NY&A locomotive. The MTA is funding a study of passenger service on the current freight-only Bay Ridge branch served by the NY&A. That line uses the bridge at center. TRAINS: David Lassen The MTA will study the possibility of passenger […]
MTA committee updated on subway technology, construction NEWSWIRE
A New York City Transit R156 diesel-electric, an 800-hp locomotive built by MotivePower in 2013, leads a short work train at the Grand Central Terminal station for the 42nd Street Shuttle. Work continues on modernization of the shuttle route and adjacent subway stations. Ralph Spielman NEW YORK — New subway technology was in the spotlight […]