Kansas Senator places hold on Amtrak board nominees: Analysis

Short Amtrak special train with grain elevator in background

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen.Jerry Moran, (R-Kan.)  has placed a hold on the Amtrak Board of Directors nominees up for consideration by the full Senate, preventing their confirmation until Moran knows exactly all eight board members President Joe Biden intends to nominate. “The Biden administration has violated the law by failing to nominate a geographically diverse […]

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Connecticut finalizes commuter rail service cuts

Train pases through station with bridge over tracks

NEWINGTON, Conn. — The Connecticut Department of Transportation has finalized its plans for commuter rail cuts and fare increases, the New Haven Register reports, with only one significant change from the DOT’s original proposals. The changes will result in a total decrease of 21 trains per week on Metro-North’s New Haven, New Canaan, and Danbury […]

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Most Metro-North, Amtrak service to be restored Monday following mudslide

Earthmovers at work to clear mudslide on railroad tracks

NEW YORK — Metro-North Railroad says it will operate a “near-normal schedule” Monday following a mudslide in Scarborough, N.Y., that disrupted its services and those of Amtrak, while Amtrak has announced its operations between New York City and Albany, N.Y., will be “substantially restored.” Metro-North said service will resume between Tarrytown and Croton-Harmon on the […]

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Amtrak Twin Cities services through the years

Amtrak Twin Cities services passenger train on curve in snow

Amtrak Twin Cities services started on May 1, 1971, at the Burlington Northern (former Great Northern) station in Minneapolis. Service levels ebbed and flowed through the years as trains were added or subtracted.     Amtrak opened a new Twin Cities station on March 1, 1978, using a standard plan that was also built in […]

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Mudslide disrupts Metro-North, Amtrak operations along Hudson River

Aerial view of mudslide from just behind large house onto railroad tracks.

NEW YORK — A mudslide on Metro-North’s Hudson Line has disrupted Metro-North service and halted Amtrak operations between New York City and Albany, N.Y. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority says the slide occurred this morning (Saturday, Oct. 21) in the village of Briarcliff Manor, blocking all four tracks at the slide site. Metro-North is currently offering […]

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Light rail service to Portland, Ore., airport to resume Sunday

Aerial view of light rail station at airport

PORTLAND, Ore.— Light rail service to Portland International Airport will be restored on Sunday after a four-month hiatus, transit agency TriMet has announced. Service to the airport was halted in June as part of a $215 million project adding a second track on the MAX Red Line segment leading to the airport and rebuilding the […]

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MBTA shuts down Green Line extension because of power issue (updated)

Portion of Boston transit map showing lines to Medford and Union Square

BOSTON — In the latest embarrassment for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and its Green Line extension transit line, the agency shut down the extension this afternoon (Friday, Oct. 20) because of problems with the overhead power system, forcing some passengers to walk along the right-of-way on foot to evacuate from at least one stalled […]

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SMART approves contracts for new Petaluma, Calif., station

Map of Northern California commuter rail line

PETALUMA, Calif. — Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit is set to begin construction of a long-planned second station in the city of Petaluma. The SMART board this week approved a $32.5 million contract to build the Petaluma North station at Corona Road and McDowell Boulevard, about 3 miles northwest of the existing downtown station, the Marin […]

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Caltrain effort to shore up bridge stalled by permitting

Aerial view of bridge surrounded by trees

MENLO PARK, Calif. — Efforts by Caltrain to shore up a bridge on the commuter rail line threatened by erosion along a creek have been stalled by the complex gauntlet of governmental agencies that must approve the work, meaning repairs will not occur before another rainy season arrives with the potential of further erosion that […]

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Amtrak’s Chicago Metropolitan Lounge ends free use for business-class passengers

People in loosely organized line at railroad station

CHICAGO — Amtrak business-class passengers no longer receive free admission to Chicago Union Station’s Metropolitan Lounge, although a $35 day pass is available. Enlarged and reimagined at a new location within the sprawling facility in 2016, the Metropolitan Lounge’s primary function has been to serve transferring long-distance sleeping car passengers. It is a multi-level place […]

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Free begins tenure as acting president of Long Island Rail Road

Man speaking at podium

NEW YORK — Rob Free has taken over as acting president of the Long Island Railroad, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, ending Catherine Rinaldi’s tenure as both interim president of the LIRR and president of Metro-North Railroad. Free’s first full day in the position was Thursday, MTA CEO Janno Lieber said. He had been named to […]

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