KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Kalamazoo will become the latest Michigan city to lose a staffed ticket office at its Amtrak station, WWMT-TV reports. The TV station reports the ticket office will close “at the beginning of 2020.” It follows similar moves East Lansing, Niles, Jackson, and Flint, which saw their ticket offices close in 2018 [see […]
NEW YORK — One Amtrak worker was killed and two others were injured in an accident at a power substation in the Bronx on Thursday, the New York Daily News reports. The newspaper reports the worker was electrocuted in an electrical explosion about 11:30 a.m. at Van Nest Yard, an electrical facility shared by Amtrak […]
A welder at the LB Steel factory in Harvey, Ill., works on a tilting transom for a new Acela trainset. Bob Johnston LB Steel Vice President David Abshire shows how the tilting transom sits on top of a trailer wheelset and connects it to the frame. Bob Johnston HARVEY, Ill. — How does a 35-year-old […]
WASHINGTON — A group of 13 U.S. Senators, all Democrats, have written Amtrak CEO Richard Anderson requesting that the passenger railroad do away with its recent move requiring passengers to accept arbitration rather than being able to sue — a request Anderson quickly turned down. In January, Amtrak changed the contract language accompanying its tickets […]
Amtrak Store website screen image WASHINGTON — You might be too late to grab a “Surprise and Delight” railfan gift box Amtrak offered for sale on Monday. A National Railroad Passenger Corp. representative confirmed to Trains on Monday afternoon that the railroad’s online store offered a limited set of 50 surprise boxes to customers — announcing […]
Passengers fill the Holland, Mich., station on Nov. 29, 2019, waiting for the sold-out Pere Marquette to Chicago. Bob Johnston NEW YORK — Once again, the nation’s TV viewers were treated to a steady diet of reporters doing obligatory stand-ups during the Thanksgiving holiday that bemoaned cancelled flights and snow-clogged highways from Denver through the […]
WASHINGTON — Amtrak is once again attempting to attract online bargain hunters by offering advance-purchase fares up to 35% off as part of its “Track Friday” sale, which runs through Monday, Dec. 2. The saving over the lowest available “saver” prices are good for travel from Dec. 9, 2019, to April 30, 2020, although discounts […]
The Northbound Saluki speeds through Buckley, Ill., before the 60 mph restriction was imposed by CN. Bob Johnston CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – U. S. Rep Rodney Davis, R–Ill., says legislation proposed by U.S. Sen Dick Durbin, D–Ill., is “a premature step right now,” the Champaign News Gazette is reporting. The comments came at a news conference […]
The southbound Saluki is running an hour late passing through Farina, Ill., on May 5, 2018. Poor on-time performance on the route has led U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin to introduce a bill allowing Amtrak to sue host railroads over delays. Bob Johnston WASHINGTON — U. S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), has introduced legislation that would […]
U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski, shown during last week’s hearing on Amtrak in Washington, may pursue legislation forcing the passenger railroad to turn over control of Chicago Union Station to Metra. Amtrak President and CEO Richard Anderson once again turned down a call to relinquish control of Chicago Union Station at last week’s House hearing on […]
WASHINGTON — The nomination of former U.S. Rep Todd Rokita (R-Ind.) to Amtrak’s board of directors will move to the U.S. Senate after being approved on a voice vote in committee this week. The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation approved the nomination earlier this week. President Donald Trump nominated Rokita in May for […]
A new Acela trainset at Alstom’s Hornell, N.Y., shops. Amtrak HORNELL, N.Y. — Amtrak released a new photo today of a prototype high speed trainset being built in upstate New York. France’s Alstom is building the new Acela trainsets at its Hornell shops. The passenger sets with power cars are expected to enter service on […]
