A northbound Amtrak Acela Express passes through Elizabeth, N.J., in August 2019. Amtrak will resume some Acela service on the Northeast Corridor as of June 1. TRAINS: David Lassen WASHINGTON — Amtrak will begin restoration of Acela Express service on the Northeast Corridor as of June 1, with three Acela round trips between Washington and […]
A masked passenger waits on the North Concourse of Chicago Union Station on April 20, 2020. Beginning May 11, Amtrak will require passengers to wear facial coverings on trains and in stations. TRAINS: David Lassen WASHINGTON — Amtrak will begin requiring passengers to wear masks or other facial coverings as of May 11. The requirement […]
Workers from Amtrak’s Chicago Commissary deliver food to the King Majesty Ministries food bank, part of a nationwide effort by Amtrak to donate surplus food. King Majesty Ministries, via Amtrak More Tuesday afternoon rail news: — Amtrak is making donations to food banks across the U.S., offering help to those in need during the COVID-19 […]
Two passengers board a Metra North Central Service train at the Prairie Crossing station in Libertyville, Ill., on April 2. Metra will cut service on the North Central and two other routes as of Monday. TRAINS: David Lassen Still more Thursday morning rail news: — Reflecting the ongoing loss of ridership during the COVID-19 pandemic, […]
Monday morning rail news: — Reconstruction work on the New York subway L Train tunnel between Manhattan and Brooklyn is complete, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Sunday, and regular service will resume today — within the constraints of the current Essential Service Plan limiting Metropolitan Transportation Authority operations because of the COVID-19 virus. Work […]
Amtrak’s northbound Hiawatha arrives in Milwaukee on time on Thursday afternoon. It was the final trip for the Hiawatha before rail service was suspended; beginning today, bus service will replace the train between Chicago and Milwaukee for at least a month because of the COVID-19 outbreak. TRAINS: David Lassen WASHINGTON — Although Amtrak is in […]
A southbound Amtrak Hiawatha races through Lake Forest, Ill., on Feb. 2, 2020. Amtrak will replace the lone remaining Hiawatha round trip with buses as of Friday. TRAINS: David Lassen Wednesday afternoon rail news: — As of Friday, April 24, Amtrak will replace the remaining daily Hiawatha round trip between Chicago and Milwaukee with Thruway […]
Monday morning coronavirus-related rail news: — Effective today, Amtrak will require all customer-facing employees wear a facial covering of some kind — a mask if available— and strongly encourages all other employees and passengers to wear coverings. At Friday’s employee town hall, the first hosted by new CEO William Flynn, CEO asked employees to start […]
CHICAGO — Amtrak will introduce its pre-packaged “Flexible Dining” program on western long-distance trains beginning Friday, April 17, in response to the sharply reduced ridership resulting from the coronavirus pandemic. With the introduction of the program on trains west of Chicago and New Orleans, only the Lorton, Va.-Sanford, Fla., Auto Train will retain full dining […]
The Oklahoma Railway Museum is acquiring two coaches from short line railroad Farmrail. Oklahoma Railway Museum Tuesday afternoon rail news: — With William Flynn set to take over Wednesday as Amtrak president and CEO, outgoing CEO Richard Anderson sent a message to employees today thanking employees for their efforts during his tenure and in the […]
A Chicago-bound Illinois Zephyr passes through Downers Grove, Ill. Amtrak ridership has dropped from 100,000 passengers a day to about 4,000 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the passenger railroad’s CEO says. TRAINS: David Lassen Monday morning rail news: — Amtrak, which normally handles 100,000 passengers a day, is down to about 4,000 a day because […]
New ‘Railroad History’ editor Dan Cupper Railway & Locomotive Historical Society A Friday afternoon rail news update: — The agency which oversees Amtrak’s Downeaster has voted to suspend operation of the train between Boston and Brunswick, Maine, effective Monday. The Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority says the suspension will be in effect through at […]
