Railpace Hot News

Keep up to date on the latest railroad news from the northeastern United States and Canada, edited by Carl Perelman.

Federal Grant Announced for ST. Lucie River Bridge Rehab Project

August 21, 2026

Federal Grant Announced for ST. Lucie River Bridge Rehab Project

USDOT announced the award of an $78.9 million grant to the City of Stuart to rebuild the St. Lucie River Bridge. The grant will allow for the replacement of the existing 100-year-old St. Lucie River Railroad Bridge with a new double-track structure with significantly improved vertical and horizontal navigational clearances.

NCDOT Receives $300 Million Federal Grant for Major Rail Improvements

August 20, 2026

NCDOT Receives $300 Million Federal Grant for Major Rail Improvements

The N.C. Department of Transportation has been awarded a nearly $300 million grant from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to improve safety, reliability and capacity of current and future passenger rail service along the Piedmont Corridor.

AAR Reports Weekly Rail Traffic for the Week Ending August 15, 2026

August 20, 2026

AAR Reports Weekly Rail Traffic for the Week Ending August 15, 2026

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending August 15, 2026.  For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 525,099 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.4 percent compared with the same week last year.

Amtrak Completes First Phase of East River Tunnel Rehabilitation Project, Restores Train Service in Line 2

August 18, 2026

Amtrak Completes First Phase of East River Tunnel Rehabilitation Project, Restores Train Service in Line 2

Amtrak officially reopened East River Tunnel (ERT) Line 2 this week, completing the first major phase of the ERT Rehabilitation Project and providing key safety and reliability improvements for thousands of daily Amtrak, Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), and NJ TRANSIT customers.

Governor Healey Announces $140 Million in Federal Funding for Haverhill Line Improvements

August 17, 2026

Governor Healey Announces $140 Million in Federal Funding for Haverhill Line Improvements

Massachusetts Governor Healey has announced that the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) has won $139.6 million from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to make major improvements to the Haverhill Commuter Rail line, helping deliver faster, safer and more reliable service for thousands of riders every day.

Amtrak Awarded Nearly $3B in USDOT Grants to Buy New Trains and Improve Service Nationwide

August 17, 2026

Amtrak Awarded Nearly $3B in USDOT Grants to Buy New Trains and Improve Service Nationwide

Amid record ridership growth, Amtrak’s New Era of Rail continues to advance following Friday’s announcement by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). Amtrak has been awarded new grant funding to advance seven projects that will improve service for State Supported and Long Distance routes around the U.S. 

CN Continues to Advance Locomotive Innovations

August 14, 2026

CN Continues to Advance Locomotive Innovations

CN today announced the advancement of its hybrid locomotive development program, marking another important milestone in the company’s commitment to innovative, more efficient and more sustainable rail operations.

Special Weekend Train Schedules Planned for WALK Bridge Construction: Major Reductions to Train Service Between Stamford and New Haven Planned for Select Weekends Beginning September 12

August 14, 2026

Special Weekend Train Schedules Planned for WALK Bridge Construction: Major Reductions to Train Service Between Stamford and New Haven Planned for Select Weekends Beginning September 12

The Connecticut Department of Transportation, Metro-North Railroad, and Amtrak announced that to support critical high tower cable removal at the WALK Bridge Replacement Project in Norwalk, Metro-North and Amtrak trains will run on modified schedules with reduced service between New Haven and New York along the New Haven Line during select weekends, beginning September 12 through November 1.

Cocoa Multimodal Rail Station

August 13, 2026

Cocoa Multimodal Rail Station

The City of Cocoa and the Space Coast Transportation Planning Organization (SCTPO) proudly announce a monumental milestone for regional transportation. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has officially selected the Cocoa Multimodal Station and Rail Project for the highly competitive National Railroad Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program, awarding approximately $57.5 million to help bring passenger rail service directly to the Space Coast through final design and construction of the Cocoa Multimodal station. 

VIA Rail Announces the Dorval Multimodal Hub

August 13, 2026

VIA Rail Announces the Dorval Multimodal Hub

VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) launched the co-development phase of the Dorval Multimodal Hub, a new integrated station that will bring together the passenger rail services of VIA Rail and exo, as well as the shuttle service to YUL Montréal-Trudeau International Airport, all in one location.