Wednesday afternoon rail news: LA Metro CEO Phillip Washington to step down in May CEO Phillip A. Washington will step down in May after six years leading the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, LA Metro board chair Eric Garcetti announced. Washington recently informed the board he would not seek a new contract or extend […]
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Digest: Second Colorado County joins agreement on legal fees for Tennessee Pass fight
Additional Wedesday morning rail news: Chaffee County, Colo., joins group sharing legal fees over Tennessee Pass fight Chaffee County, Colo., has agreed to join a group which will split legal fees resulting from an effort to block reactivation of Union Pacific’s Tennessee Pass rail line. The Vail Daily reports Chaffee County commissioners voted Tuesday to join […]
Digest: Amtrak, NJ Transit remain on modified schedules after storm
More Wednesday morning rail news: Rail service continues to dig out from Northeast storm Rail systems continue to recover from Monday’s major snowstorm in the Northeast. Amtrak will continue modified Acela, Northeast Regional, and Keystone Service today on the Northeast Corridor;. see Amtrak.com, the Amtrak app, and the Amtrak Alerts and NEC Alerts Twitter feeds for more information. Most NJ […]
U.S. railroads end January with 5.3% increase in traffic
WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic in January showed a 5.3% increase over the same month in 2020, while traffic in the week’s final month was up 2.1%, according to the latest figures from the Association of American Railroads. “We are encouraged by rail volumes in January,” AAR Senior Vice President John T.Gray said in a […]
Ohio rail group floats new effort for state rail service
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Rail advocacy group All Aboard Ohio has begun a public information campaign calling for a series of multi-frequency passenger rail routes throughout the state, plus additional round-trips over existing Amtrak routes between Cincinnati and Chicago as well as Cleveland to Detroit and New York via both Pittsburgh and Buffalo. Although some Ohio […]
Digest: TSB of Canada investigation of fatal CP derailment enters final phase
More Tuesday morning rail news: TSB investigation of fatal CP derailment enters final phase The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has entered the report phase of its investigation of the fatal Feb. 4, 2019, runaway and derailment of a Canadian Pacific grain train near Field, B.C., the final stage in the investigative process. In a notice […]
East Broad Top sets ‘Winter Spectacular’ for Feb. 20
ROCKHILL FURNACE, Pa. — The narrow gauge East Broad Top Railroad has announced details for a one-day revival of its “Winter Spectacular” on Saturday, Feb. 20. The Winter Spectacular was an annual railfan event in south-central Pennsylvania from 1966 to 1981, held each President’s Day weekend. It started with the 1927 gas-electric car No. M-1 […]
Digest: Oregon commuter rail operation costs $108 per passenger, news report says
Still more Tuesday morning rail news: News report says Oregon’s WES commuter rail now costs $108 per passenger to operate Portland, Ore.,-area commuter rail operation Westside Express Service, with already low ridership hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, now costs nearly $108 per passenger to operate — more than 10 times the figures for transit […]
Amtrak, AAR, short line and transit groups congratulate Buttigieg on confirmation as transportation secretary (updated)
WASHINGTON — Amtrak, the Association of American Railroads, American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association, and American Public Transportation Association issued statements Tuesday congratulating former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg on his confirmation Tuesday as U.S. Secretary of Transportation. Amtrak CEO Bill Flynn said the passenger railroad “applauds” Buttigieg’s confirmation, adding, As a mayor […]
Biden administration pipeline restrictions may benefit crude by rail
The Biden administration’s efforts to kill key oil pipeline projects may boost crude by rail volumes, railroad officials say. President Joe Biden last month revoked a permit for the Keystone XL pipeline that was under construction to carry oil sands crude from Canada to refineries in the U.S. “The pipeline was not going to be […]
Digest: Canadian short line train derails after reported runaway
Tuesday morning rail news: Ontario short line train derails, demolishing vehicles, shed A reported runaway situation led to the derailment of a Goderich-Exeter Railway train on Monday in Goderich, Ontario, CTV News reports, demolishing a tractor-trailer, pickup truck, and shed before coming to a halt. An officer of the Ontario Provincial Police told the news […]
Digest: South Carolina port agency seeks funds to improve rail access to Port of Charleston
Tuesday midday rail news: S.C. Ports Authority seeks funds to improve rail access to Port of Charleston The South Carolina Ports Authority is seeking $550 million in funding from state legislators to improve rail and barge access to the Port of Charleston, the only major East Coast port without near-dock rail access. The State newspaper reports the […]