The “Second Battle of Mobile” is over. It ended in a victory for Amtrak, the officials and advocates who fought for the coming Gulf Coast trains, and the riders who will have
Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor (NEC) track infrastructure investments are up 109% for summer 2024. Also, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) eyes public transit and mixed-use development at the Alewife Station complex; SunRail launches its 17th commuter rail station in central Florida; and Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI) welcomes applications for a new competitive Online Transit Safety Pledge Grant.
The New York Metropolitan Authority’s (MTA) G Line Signal Modernization Project enters the third phase. Also, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (SCVTA) unifies schedule changes and contracts Econolite Systems for the installation of equipment to detect transit signal priority (TSP) calls at at-grade light rail intersections; Virginia Railway Express (VRE) and the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA) celebrate a new collaborative agreement to advance regional connectivity; Amtrak restores full service on the Quincy-Chicago Corridor; and the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) highlights the 45-year anniversary of the first-ever, women-only operated train.
The Transport Workers Union of America (TWU) announced Aug. 8 that it is helping to organize on-board rail workers at Brightline Florida, with an “overwhelming majority” filing for recognition with the National Mediation Board.
Amtrak applies for federal state-of-good-repair grants to improve service on the Northeast Corridor. Also, Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) in North Carolina launches a Rail Vehicle Maintenance Apprenticeship program; Denver, Colo., Regional Transportation District (RTD) meets all the state of Colorado’s financial health ratios; and New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) holds a groundbreaking in Brooklyn for a subway station accessibility project.
Please, say it ain’t so, Norfolk Southern. Tell the Justice Department they are looney tunes—that you don’t belong on the FBI’s Most Wanted List for allegedly intentionally and habitually delaying Amtrak’s Crescent
Amtrak on July 29 announced that it is launching a program to “revitalize and improve” operations of Washington Union Station, one of the nation’s most historic and busiest multimodal hubs.
The Silver Star was once part of the Seaboard Air Line Railroad’s fleet of crack streamlined trains between New York and the South that ran with stainless steel equipment, starting in 1947.
Amtrak celebrates the 34th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Also, Chicago’s Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) reports that systemwide ridership through May is up 14% year-over-year; and the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) introduces 305 Dundas all-night streetcar service.
The Senate Committee on Appropriations on July 25 marked up S.4796, the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2025 (THUD Appropriations Act). The bipartisan legislation was reported in a