National Park Service volunteer Dan Jerome demonstrates Native American traditions through Montana on the Empire Builder in 2008. Bob Johnston WASHINGTON — The National Park Service “Trails and Rails” volunteer lecture program has been cancelled on five Amtrak trains and shorteneed on three others this year. The changes are the result of the result Amtrak’s […]
A sleeping berth shown set for feet first in the direction of travel on an Amtrak long-distance train. Bob Johnston Q I previously understood that the safest position to sleep while traveling by train was with feet first, but the past Amtrak trips I took had the bed set up head first. Is there an […]
Amtrak CEO Richard Anderson Amtrak WASHINGTON — If railroads that host Amtrak passenger trains fail to meet Congress’ statutory requirement to have positive train control installed Dec. 31, 2018, Amtrak’s president says the company will drop service on lines that don’t comply. The move would significantly disrupt passenger service on virtually every Amtrak route in […]
An aerial view of Sunday’s wreck between Amtrak’s Silver Star and a parked CSX freight train in Cayce, S.C. The widow of the Amtrak conductor killed in the crash has filed suit against Amtrak and CSX. Jeff Blake, The Associated Press JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The widow of the conductor killed in Sunday’s crash of Amtrak’s […]
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The head of the National Transportation Safety Board says a misaligned switch is the immediate reason Amtrak’s southbound Silver Star collided with a parked CSX Transportation freight train early Sunday, killing two people and injuring dozens. Investigators say they’ll now try and find out why the switch was misaligned. NTSB Chariman Robert […]
See Amtrak’s incredible Acela Express in action on the Northeast Corridor! Read more about America’s high speed rail aspirations in the March 2018 issue. […]
See Amtrak’s incredible Acela Express in action on the Northeast Corridor! Read more about America’s high speed rail aspirations in the March 2018 issue. […]
The remains of Amtrak Cascades train No. 501 in December 2017. Steve Carter WASHINGTON — As part of its ongoing investigation into the Dec. 18, 2017, derailment of an Amtrak passenger train in DuPont, Washington, the National Transportation Safety Board released Thursday an update about the agency’s investigation. NTSB investigators interviewed the engineer and the […]
A Pacific Surfliner hugs the beach at Carpinteria, Calif., in 2013 Bob Johnston LOS ANGELES — Amtrak and the LOSSAN Rail Corridor Agency continue to expand the capacity of Pacific Surfliner service in response to the closure of U.S. Route 101, which severed the direct highway connection between Santa Barbara, Calif., and the rest of […]
Amtrak’s Seattle-to-Los Angeles Coast Starlight crosses a trestle at Goleta, Calif. Pacific Parlour cars used in the train’s consist will soon be removed from Amtrak service. Bob Johnston The Pacific Parlour Cars, which were built by Pullman-Standard for the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway as hi-level lounge cars and have been a regular part […]
An NS 21st Century Steam excursion adds to the mileage totals for riders at Williamstown, Ky., in May 2014. Two photos, Robert S. McGonigal Railroads are all about places – where the rails go to transport freight and passengers. In the 1920s, the “Index of Railroad Stations” at the back of each edition of The […]
The interior of a newly refurbished Amfleet 1 coach. Ralph Spielman NEW YORK – For Amtrak’s 450-odd, 40-something-year-old Amfleet I passenger car fleet, the Budd-built cars are newsworthy yet again, and the news is passenger comfort. The new interior redesign brings the 21st century to the Northeast and the Midwest. Trains News Wire recently toured […]
