Intercity

Reposted with permission from Trains magazine: Of all the bylines to grace Trains magazine’s pages over its 85-year history, likely none matches the record of transportation journalist and railfan Don Phillips, whose…

The U.S. Department of Transportation on Sept. 22 issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the National Railroad Partnership Program that allocates more than $5 billion to projects that…

Caltrain celebrates the first anniversary of its electrified service. Also, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) celebrates the 30th anniversary of the F Market Line; the Massachusetts Department of…

Amtrak and Union Station Redevelopment Corporation (USRC) agree to restore federal management of Washington Union Station. Also, Transit Tech Lab releases proof-of-concept results that address ridership improvement, plus inspection and…

When Amtrak was founded in 1971, there were no passenger trains running north of Massachusetts or the Empire Service line in New York State. The were no passenger trains at…

Industry veteran Eric Olson, P.E., has joined STV Inc. as Senior Vice President and Rail Director, West Operating Group. Olson comes to STV from Gannett Fleming, which he joined in…

Andy Byford, Amtrak Senior Vice President and Senior Board of Directors Advisor, Penn Station New York, is a featured speaker at Next-Gen Rail Systems, the communications, signaling and advanced technology…

More than one year after the U.S. Justice Department filed a civil complaint in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia alleging that Norfolk Southern “delays passenger trains on…

One of the biggest hurdles in rail planning is that public agencies and their private railroad partners often misunderstand each other’s perspectives, leading to wasted time and dollars. This usually…

Seattle’s Sound Transit faces a multibillion-dollar budget shortfall and readies for the mid-life overhaul of its commuter rail fleet. Also, New Jersey Transit (NJT) brings the River LINE light rail…

As reporters checked in at the Metropolitan Lounge at the Moynihan Train Hall adjacent to Penn Station New York Aug. 27 for the inaugural ride on the NextGen Acela, they…

New trainsets have come to Amtrak for its Acela higher-speed service on the Northeast Corridor (NEC). The NextGen Acela trains manufactured by Alstom made their debut in a ceremonial run…

In a way, the rail scene in New Orleans and on the Mississippi Gulf Coast has come full circle, within a few days of the 20th anniversary of one of…

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) on Aug. 25 announced that it has secured $3.5 million in federal funding to continue advancing West-East Rail.

The Texas Transportation Commission approves the state’s share of funding to keep Amtrak’s Heartland Flyer running. Also, Kansas City (KC) Streetcar begins full-service simulated testing ahead of the Main Street…

The Alaska Railroad Corp. (ARRC) on Aug. 21 honored the career of Conductor Warren Redfearn, who turned in his conductor’s uniform after almost 50 years. Following a passenger coach dedication…

The first five of Amtrak’s long-awaited, Alstom-built higher-speed trainset, the “NextGen Acela” (but also called “Acela II,” “America’s high-speed train,” and “Avelia Liberty” by the builder), are set to debut…

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has proposed updated guidelines to remove what it claims is the “overly complex social cost of carbon calculation” as part of the rating criteria for…

Amtrak on Aug. 19 announced that it has awarded design-build contracts and begun pre-construction activities for three rail yard modernization projects on the Northeast Corridor (NEC) that the company says…

Editor’s Note: Grady C. Cothen Jr., though he retired from the Federal Railroad Administration in 2010, has remained active in the industry, writing papers on safety-related subjects, several of which…