Some Amtrak trains between Penn Station, Albany to resume Thursday

Two trains on opposite sides of station platform

NEW YORK — Some direct Amtrak service between New York Penn Station and Albany-Rensselaer will resume Thursday, Nov. 16, with the rest restored on Friday, WNBC-TV reports. Service has been disrupted since Sunday, Nov. 12, because of structural issues with a parking garage above Amtrak’s right-of-way in Manhattan [see “Amtrak disruption of service …,” Trains […]

Read More…

Engineers, Amtrak reach tentative contract agreement

Logo of Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen union

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — Amtrak has reached a tentative contract agreement with its more than 1,400 locomotive engineers, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen has announced. If ratified, the agreement would run through 2028. Features include retroactive payments retroactive to 2022, a 30% wage increase (34.12% compounded); 10 weeks of paid parental leave; increased away-from-home […]

Read More…

Metrolink adds trains to help address Los Angeles freeway closure

LA_UnionStation_2_Lassen

LOS ANGELES — Commuter rail operator Metrolink is expanding service on its San Bernardino Line in response to the closure of a portion of Interstate 10, a major route into downtown Los Angeles traveled by some 300,000 cars per day. Metrolink will add three additional round trips between L.A. Union Station and its Covina station […]

Read More…

Amtrak disruption of service between Penn Station and Croton-Harmon to continue

Overhead view of trains at station

NEW YORK — Amtrak service will be disrupted on its New York-Albany route on Tuesday for a third straight day, according to an updated service advisory on Amtrak’s website, although the service suspension is now officially between Penn Station and Croton-Harmon. According to the advisory posted at 5 p.m. EST, service will be much as […]

Read More…

BNSF and J.B. Hunt to shift Mexico cross-border intermodal service to Ferromex via Eagle Pass gateway (updated)

FORT WORTH, Texas — BNSF Railway and J.B. Hunt are shifting their Mexico intermodal service to Ferromex via the Eagle Pass gateway, a route they say is a day faster than the current BNSF-Canadian Pacific Kansas City routing via Laredo, Texas. The cross-border service will move to Eagle Pass on Jan. 1, BNSF and J.B. […]

Read More…

Amtrak-VIA proposal for through Chicago-Toronto service revealed (updated)

WINDSOR, Ontario — The mayor of Windsor, Ontario, released a “fact sheet” to local media last week which outlines a $44 million plan to convert a daily Wolverine Corridor Amtrak round trip and a Southwest Ontario VIA Rail Canada round-trip from Toronto into a Chicago-Toronto train. First reported in an interview with radio station CKLW […]

Read More…

BNSF train derails west of Denver, blocking Zephyr route (corrected)

Derailed tank cars

PINECLIFFE, Colo. — Fifteen cars of a BNSF freight train derailed early today (Sunday, Nov. 12) in the Rocky Mountain foothills west of Denver, leading to a closure expected to block Union Pacific’s main line for 36 hours, according to preliminary estimates. KCNC-TV reports the Gilpin County Sheriff’s Office was informed of the derailment at […]

Read More…

Suspension of Amtrak service between New York, Albany to continue (updated)

Train arrives at station where a large number of people wait on platform

NEW YORK — Amtrak service, between New York City and Albany today (Sunday, Nov. 12) because of structural issues regarding a building adjacent to the line between Penn Station and the connection to Metro-North’s Hudson Line, will see that extension continue into Monday, Amtrak has indicated in an updated service advisory. WABC-TV reports the problem […]

Read More…

Amtrak Cincinnati services through time

Current station for Amtrak Cincinnati services at Cincinnati Union Terminal

Amtrak Cincinnati services arose from the need to move people between the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest. Amtrak moved from Cincinnati Union Terminal to a new station, its first new-built station on its vast network, located on River Road west of downtown on Oct. 29, 1972.     On July 29, 1991, Amtrak returned to the monolithic […]

Read More…

Metra approves 2024 budget with simplified fare structure

Commuter train at station

CHICAGO — Metra’s board of directors has approved a 2024 budget that significantly revises the commuter rail agency’s fare structure and eliminates some discount passes introduced in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The board on Friday approve a $1.1 billion operating budget, a 4.9% increase over the 2023 budget (excluding $65 million to be […]

Read More…

Regional Rail adds two Midwestern short lines to portfolio

Green and yellow locomotive with freight train on trestile

KENNETT SQUARE, Pa. — Shortline holding company Regional Rail LLC is expanding its holdings, having agreed to acquire Indiana Eastern Railroad and the Ohio South Central Railroad, the company announced today (Friday, Nov. 10). Indiana Eastern is a 43-mile short line headquartered in Liberty, Ind., operating between Richmond, Ind., and Fernald, Ohio. It was established […]

Read More…

California locomotive emissions regulations can be tougher than federal standards, EPA says

Green and white locomotive with black stripes on nose

WASHINGTON — California and other states can enact tougher locomotive emissions standards than those imposed by the federal government, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said this week. The policy change, which goes into effect on Dec. 8, means the California Air Resources Board’s controversial locomotive emissions regulations will not run afoul of federal preemption of […]

Read More…