Amtrak hoping for another $5.4 billion from Congress
Amtrak is hoping President Biden is true to his nickname after the passenger service’s latest budget request.
Amtrak
Brightline CEO confirms Las Vegas construction in 2021, but Amtrak enters the scene as a competitor
Safe bets usually do not produce huge returns in Las Vegas, but it might be different in the case of high-speed rail.
Federal legislation proposes permanent funding for Amtrak
Amtrak will celebrate its 50th anniversary on May 1, 2021. For the entire time the agency has been operating, funding has come from annual congressional appropriations that rose and fell based largely on which political party was in power.
Biden announces huge infrastructure investment today
Most Americans, regardless of political party, have lamented America’s crumbling infrastructure for nearly two decades.
U.S. Department of Transportation details the American Rescue Plan’s benefits for transportation
Today the U.S. Department of Transportation highlights the transportation elements of the historic American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP).
Things looking brighter at Amtrak with passage of American Rescue Plan Act of 2021
As part of its COVID-19 recovery efforts, Amtrak announces full restoration of daily service for 12 long distance routes following pandemic-related schedule reductions in 2020.
Gateway Project rail tunnel cost escalates due to U.S. DOT delay
Sitting on the Gateway Project has given the task a swift kick in the rump.
Norfolk Southern suffers derailment in Pennsylvania
A Norfolk Southern train derailed on Monday evening in Pennsylvania. Amtrak tweeted that two of it’s trains that run on this line were canceled.
Amtrak locomotives return to deadly derailment site in state of Washington
Positive Train Control (PTC) could have prevented the Amtrak derailment over I-5 that killed three people in DuPont, Wash. The technology was not yet installed in 2017. It’s there now, and officials
Controversial Amtrak plan becomes more, well, controversial
In response to a plan that was openly criticized a few years ago, Amtrak is responding with a heavy closing statement. The passenger rail service re-issued a plan for fences and gates
Amtrak OIG: positive train control will be interoperable but could better measure system reliability
Amtrak has installed Positive Train Control technology on the tracks it owns and expects its systems to be interoperable with host and tenant railroads by year’s end, but it can take steps
New Portal North Bridge across Hackensack River one step closer to reality
Construction of a new Portal North Bridge has taken a big step forward following NJ Transit’s approval of a Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) with the Federal Transit Administration. The new span
Amtrak completes Delaware third track project
Amtrak, the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) and the Delaware Transit Corporation (DTC) recently completed a $71.2 million project to increase capacity between Wilmington and Newark, Del. on the Northeast Corridor. This
Amtrak names Stephen Gardner president; wins contract to operate Metrolink trains
The newsroom at Amtrak has been busy for the past couple of days. Yesterday, Amtrak CEO Bill Flynn announced that Stephen Gardner has been named president of the agency, effective today. Gardner’s
SEPTA, Amtrak, PennDOT to improve signaling on Harrisburg Line
Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), in conjunction with Amtrak and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), will upgrade the signaling and train control system between Paoli and Overbrook, along the Harrisburg, Pa.,
Rail agencies pledge readiness to work with President-Elect Biden
The Association of American Railroads, Amtrak, the American Public Transportation Association, and the Railway Supply Institute are among the agencies congratulating President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris and expressing enthusiasm
Alan S. Boyd, first Secretary of Transportation and railroad president, dies
Although no longer a familiar name to most of today’s railroaders, Alan S. Boyd was a transportation industry icon during the 1960s and ’70s. He died at the age of 98 yesterday
Look before you cut: Amtrak deploys GPR for ballast maintenance
Editor’s Note: This story appeared in the August issue of RT&S. The authors are Amanda Kessler, P.E., and Evan Whatley, EIT. Each fiscal year, Amtrak spends approximately $20-55 million undercutting between 25
Amtrak furloughing 2,000 employees
The Hill is reporting that Amtrak is going to furlough 2,000 employees over the next several weeks. The furloughs will affect about 1,950 agreement employees and 100 management positions. The reason for
Process has begun to permanently close railroad lift bridge in New Jersey
Amtrak wants to dock the Dock Bridge, which crosses the Passaic River in Harrison, N.J. The 85-year-old structure is a massive twin span lift bridge that carries six lines of tracks, and