SEATTLE – The first response to the National Transportation Safety Board’s report on the 2017 Amtrak Cascades derailment is the Washington State Department of Transportation’s decision to remove Talgo Series 6 trainsets from service “as soon as possible.” WSDOT, a prime financial sponsor of Amtrak Cascades service on the Vancouver, B.C.-Eugene, Ore., corridor, didn’t specify […]
SEATTLE — The National Transportation Safety Board wasn’t stingy in handing out criticisms or recommendations for changes in the aftermath of the December 2017 Amtrak Cascades derailment, so those on the receiving end have a lot of work ahead of them figuring out if and how they’ll respond to the safety board. For the Washington […]
The westbound Southwest Chief passes through Brookfield, Ill., on May 15, 2019. Chief service is temporarily suspended in Kansas because of a BNSF route closure. TRAINS: David Lassen KANSAS City, Mo. — Amtrak has temporarily suspended service on its Missouri River Runner between Kansas City and St. Louis, and on the Southwest Chief between Kansas […]
A view of the wreckage of derailed Amtrak Cascades Train 501 on Dec. 18, 2017. Steve Carter WASHINGTON — The conclusion of an investigation into a 2017 Amtrak Cascades derailment has touched off a debate over the safety of non-conventional trainsets. The National Transportation Safety Board concluded Tuesday that the Talgo equipment’s lightweight design was […]
WASHINGTON — A systemic safety failure by state and federal agencies caused the fatal December 2017 derailment of an Amtrak Cascades train on its first run on a new route in Washington state, the National Transportation Safety Board concluded Tuesday. The derailment investigation revealed a complex set of factors, including the pressure to put the new […]
Northbound Amtrak Hiawatha No. 333 passes Tower A20 in Glenview, Ill., on May 18, 2019. This is where Canadian Pacific trains enter and leave the Chicago-Milwaukee main line via the tracks at right to reach the railroad’s Bensenville Yard. Bob Johnston A southbound Hiawatha passes Metra’s Glen of North Glenview station in January 2019. Plans […]
FRESNO, Calif. — Amtrak’s San Joaquins will introduce a new schedule on May 20, returning service to seven full-corridor round trips and offering service every two hours. Five of the trains will operate between Bakersfield and Oakland, while two will run between Bakersfield and Sacramento. In a media release, David Lipari, marketing manager for the […]
Northbound Amtrak ‘Acela Express’ train No. 2164 overtakes NJ Transit train No. 2154, which has stopped at the Metuchen, N.J. station. Upgrades will speed passenger journeys soon for both operators from Trenton, N.J., to New York City. Ralph Spielman NEW YORK – Amtrak and NJ Transit will spend $31 million along the Northeast Corridor in […]
Trails and Rails volunteer Andy Selden describes wildlife along the Mississippi River on the ‘Empire Builder’ in 2014. Bob Johnston WASHINGTON – Amtrak’s decision to no longer furnish meals or lodging for “Trails and Rails” program volunteers continues to curtail commentary on rail routes that used to have it. However, a new five-year agreement between […]
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Bowing to opposition from the communities of Glenview and Lake Forest, the Illinois Department of Transportation will no longer support plans for two sidings that are part of a plan to increase Amtrak Hiawatha service between Chicago and Milwaukee. Patch.com reports that acting IDOT Secretary Omer Osman said in a letter, released […]
Amtrak’s Freighthouse Square station in Tacoma is awaiting the return of trains to the Point Defiance Bypass. The release of the NTSB’s report on a 2017 derailment could hasten that process. TRAINS: David Lassen WASHINGTON — The National Transportation Safety Board will release its report on the December 2017 derailment of an Amtrak Cascades passenger […]
NEW ORLEANS — Flooding has led to service disruptions on two Amtrak routes serving New Orleans, with the City of New Orleans and Sunset Limited both offering truncated service as a result. The triweekly Sunset Limited, which normally operates between Los Angeles and New Orleans, is currently unable to operate between Houston (or San Antonio) […]
