Amtrak cleaning trains more frequently and waiving change fees due to coronavirus fears

Amtrak is cleaning its trains more frequently to help prevent or reduce the spread of coronavirus on its trains. In addition, it is waiving any fees usually incurred by changing an existing

New Amtrak CEO’s record on safety called into question

On Monday, RT&S reported that Amtrak has hired William J. Flynn to be its next CEO and president. Flynn is presently the CEO of Atlas Air Worldwide, which operates cargo aircraft and

Amtrak names new CEO

Amtrak announced that it has named William J. Flynn as its next Chief Executive Officer and President. Flynn, a seasoned business leader with four decades of transportation and logistics experience, will begin

Bells & Whistles—2/28/20

Railroad companies might have to deal with another wet spring. Atlanta board passes plan that includes $11 billion for rail transit. Judge removes himself from Purple Line case. Amtrak decides to repair

Gateway projects

Gateway Project dream results in heavy maintenance reality for North River Tunnels

With the Gateway Project still a pipe dream, Amtrak has decided it needs to fix the 110-year-old “pipes” that run under the Hudson River in New York.

Podcast: The destruction of Del Mar bluffs and SANDAG’s strategy to keep trains running

Missouri owes Amtrak millions of dollars

Amtrak, in conjunction with the state of Missouri, runs a train between St. Louis and Kansas City called the Missouri River Runner. During the last ten years, the Missouri state legislature has not

Amtrak train 501

Locomotive engineer of Amtrak Cascades train 501 suing Amtrak

The Amtrak Cascades passenger train, #501, that derailed near Dupont, Washington on December 18, 2017, was operated by engineer Steven Brown. Brown filed a lawsuit against Amtrak this week, citing physical and emotional

CSX Corporation

Virginia commits to passenger rail behind mega deal with CSX

The state of Virginia realizes that if it wants to expand passenger rail service in the region it needs to take ownership of the situation. Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced an agreement

Amtrak

Amtrak worker dies in electrical accident

The New York Daily News is reporting that an Amtrak employee was electrocuted and two people sustained minor injuries when an explosion occurred at a New York City power substation in Van Nest

Amtrak train 501

Report: Sound Transit top safety officer out

According to a report from The Seattle Times, Sound Transit CEO Peter Rogoff has removed Chief Executive Safety and Quality Officer Salah Al-Tamimi, as a result of the fatal Amtrak Cascades passenger

Amtrak’s binding arbitration policy under attack from Congress

Over the past several weeks, Railway Track & Structures has been reporting on the new language printed on Amtrak tickets that prevents customers from suing the railroad in the event of an

Bells & Whistles—Calif. wants cleaner air around railroads and railyards, and more

For the Port Authority settlement story, click here. For the STB demurrage story, click here. For the Amtrak passenger story, click here. For the CARB story, click here.

Amtrak

Congress pushing back on Amtrak forced arbitration policy

Earlier this week, RT&S reported that the agreement with Amtrak that every passenger enters when they purchase a ticket now contains an arbitration clause that says, essentially, the passenger cannot sue the railroad

Industrial accident kills Amtrak worker in Chicago

CBS Chicago 2 reports that an industrial accident on Saturday night killed an Amtrak mechanical worker at the company’s yard on 1600 S. Lumber St.

Amtrak train 501

Amtrak – You can’t sue us if we crash

Those who are generally disgruntled with Amtrak have another reason for wishing the rail passenger carrier would change for the better or simply go away.  The agreement with Amtrak that every passenger

Amtrak could be losing $42 million per year due to late trains

If Amtrak expects to reach its goal of breaking even by 2021, it must improve its on-time performance significantly. According to a report in Business Insider, the rail passenger carrier’s on-time performance

NTSB releases final report on 2018 Amtrak/CSX train collision in Cayce, S.C.

On Monday, September 30, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued its final report on the head-on collision of an Amtrak passenger train with a stopped CSX freight train in Cayce, S.C.

rail bridge

Rail bridge in Washington, D.C., needs help to accommodate increase in train traffic

Officials do not think the Long Bridge in the Washington, D.C., area needs to put on any more muscle. It just needs a companion.

Southern Rail Commission receives $4.36 million grant from U.S. DOT

U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Secretary Elaine L. Chao announced yesterday that DOT’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has awarded $4,360,000 to the Southern Rail Commission to help restore intercity passenger rail service

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