Posts by David Peter Alan
David Peter Alan
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STB Calls ‘Time Out’ in Mobile Slugfest. What’s Next?
Many have been waiting for the ongoing battle at the Surface Transportation Board (STB) between Amtrak on one side and CSX, Norfolk Southern and the Port of Mobile on the…
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CN to STB: New Amtrak OA Sought—on Our Terms
We recently reported on Amtrak’s request to the Surface Transportation Board (STB) to set terms and conditions for a new operating agreement (OA) between Amtrak and CN, as one of…
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Second FTA Safety Probe Targets MBTA
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is using authority granted years ago to investigate safety conditions at Boston’s Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). This authority came from the MAP-21 (Moving Ahead…
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Amtrak to STB: We Want New Host Railroad Rules
The authority vested in the Surface Transportation Board (STB) to decide issues concerning passenger trains has been expanding lately. On May 27, Amtrak asked the Board to intervene in a…
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Gulf Coast Battle, Rounds 7-8
The slugfest between Amtrak on one side and CSX, NS, and the Port of Mobile on the other, has been long. It has lasted for ten full days plus an…
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Gulf Coast Battle: An Interim Report
The witness phase of the slugout between Amtrak on one side and CSX, Norfolk Southern (NS) and the Port of Mobile on the other, ended May 12 as its 11th…
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RUN Conference Highlights Advocacy Efforts in the West
With recent concerns about Amtrak scheduling, voluminous reporting on the ongoing STB hearing about trains between New Orleans and Mobile, and numerous construction projects in the Northeast, it’s easy to…
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Round 6: The Port Raises a Statutory Issue
At this writing, Amtrak is preparing to present its case to the Surface Transportation Board (STB) disputing the amount of new infrastructure that potential host railroads CSX and Norfolk Southern…
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Round 5: A Skirmish Over a Model
The “Second Battle of Mobile” is in full swing. Prospective host railroads CSX and Norfolk Southern, along with the Port of Mobile, are in a hearted dispute with Amtrak at…
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Has the Railroads’ ‘Get Up and Go’ Spirit ‘Got Up and Gone’?
My take on the STB Gulf Coast hearings, so far: There seems to be little question that the ongoing campaign to bring Amtrak trains to the Gulf Coast between New…
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Round 4: A Battle Within a Battle
The battle between Amtrak and potential host railroads CSX and NS, joined by the Port of Mobile, entered a new stage April 4, as the first witnesses began their appearances…
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Round 3: Raising Legal Issues in a Case of First Impression
At this writing, the first witness in the slugfest between Amtrak on one side and CSX, NS and the Port of Mobile on the other, is focusing on confidential matters.…
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APTA HSR Conference Focuses on Recurring Themes
There is nothing operating in the United States or Canada that meets the standard of the High-Speed Rail (HSR) lines that run in Europe, Japan and China today. Still, there…
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Round 2 Over, Round 3 Under Way
The clock has run down on Round 2, and, as you read this, Round 3 at the Surface Transportation Board is in progress. This battle may decide railroad supremacy, at…