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WASHINGTON — The infrastructure bill signed into law in November opens the door for the possibility of more rail funding than Amtrak and states sponsoring intercity passenger service have ever received at one time. The challenge now will be to get money out that door and spend it wisely. How much funding? More than $66 […]
WASHINGTON — In filings that maintain if not elevate the level of acrimony between the two sides, CSX and Norfolk Southern have attacked almost every aspect of Amtrak’s response to their initial argument in the dispute over Gulf Coast passenger service that is before the Surface Transportation Board. The main document filed by the two […]
MOBILE, Ala. — Amtrak’s intention to begin two daily round trips between New Orleans and Mobile in 2022 has led to a Surface Transportation Board proceeding likely to determine the rights and obligations of host railroads in granting access over routes that currently don’t have passenger service. The case before the STB grows out of […]
NEW ORLEANS — A former Amtrak on-board services attendant has been charged with wire fraud for allegedly selling spaces on a non-existent New Orleans-New York City trip, and for allegedly submitting false sick benefit claims to the Railroad Retirement Board. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana says in a press release […]
Amtrak cited the COVID-19 pandemic as justification in October 2020 when it cut most long-distance train frequencies to triweekly, furloughed employees, and began sidelining cars and locomotives. But in 2021, as the market began signaling the services it sought — with business and commuter travel languishing while shorter consists on national-network trains continued to sell out. […]
NEW HAVEN, Conn. — A new 35-year agreement between New Haven, Connecticut, and the New Haven Parking Authority will renovate the century-old New Haven Union Station while adding parking and retail space. The New Haven Register reports the deal ensures the parking authority will continue to run the state-owned station, as it has since the […]
WASHINGTON — In a boost to efforts to reestablish Amtrak service along the former North Coast Hiawatha route, a bipartisan group of eight U.S. senators have asked the Federal Railroad Administration to establish a group to study additional passenger service in the Pacific Northwest. The Missoula Current reports the senators — Republicans Mitt Romney (Utah), […]
NEW YORK — Amtrak will spend about $150 million to repair its existing tunnels between New Jersey and New York’s Penn Station as it awaits construction of two new tunnels on the Northeast Corridor route. Bloomberg reports the plans for the North River Tunnel, built in 1910, are outlined in a report week outlining work […]
WASHINGTON — When outgoing CEO William Flynn joined the company in March 2020, a direction for Amtrak that de-emphasized long distance trains and national network investment had already been established under Amtrak Board Chairman Anthony Coscia. Stephen Gardner, hired by then-President and CEO Joseph Boardman, has been the primary confidant on strategy for two other […]
NEW YORK — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has approved a design-build contract for the Penn Station Access project, which will bring Metro-North service to Penn Station via the existing Amtrak Northeast Corridor route over Hell Gate Bridge. A joint venture of Halmar International and RailWorks has received the contract for the project, estimated to take […]
WASHINGTON — Bill Flynn will retire as Amtrak CEO as of Jan. 17, 2022, with Stephen Gardner, the company’s president, becoming both president and CEO, the company announced Wednesday. Flynn became CEO in April 2020, succeeding Richard Anderson. His retirement after 21 months comes as a surprise in light of comments from Amtrak board chairman […]
GREAT FALLS, Mont. — An Amtrak on-board service attendant injured in September’s derailment of the Empire Builder has become the latest to file suit over the accident. The Billings Gazette reports Tarrick Peyton filed suit in U.S. District Court in Great Falls against Amtrak and BNSF Railway for negligence in the Sept. 25 accident that killed […]
