Railpace Hot News
Keep up to date on the latest railroad news from the northeastern United States and Canada, edited by Carl Perelman.
June 8, 2022
Amtrak Completes Upgrades at Ashland Station
A construction project to improve accessibility and safety at the Amtrak stop in Ashland, Va., has been completed. Amtrak and the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority (VPRA) are partners in bringing Amtrak Northeast Regional daily service to the station located in the town’s downtown at 112 N. Railroad Ave.
June 7, 2022
R. J. Corman Railroad Company, LLC Awarded CRISI Grant for Central Kentucky Lines
R. J. Corman Railroad Company was awarded a Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) grant by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) that will benefit the R. J. Corman Central Kentucky Lines (RJCC).
June 6, 2022
SEPTA Announces Upgrades to Fox Chase Regional Rail Line
SEPTA will begin a month-long project to enhance Regional Rail infrastructure as part of the Fox Chase Improvement Program.
The work is scheduled to take place from July 5 through July 29 and will require major service adjustments that will impact customers who use the Fox Chase Line.
June 6, 2022
Amtrak Advances Northeast Corridor Improvements
Amtrak is making necessary infrastructure improvements between Washington D.C. and New York as part of a larger effort to improve the railroad, bring it to a state of good repair and to enhance the overall customer experience. Amtrak has committed approximately $130 million for rail improvements, of which over $55 million will be performed this summer. The railroad has also hired 500 new employees to complete these projects and will continue to hire additional workers.
June 3, 2022
Long Island Rail Road Publishes Draft Timetables Showing Service to Grand Central Madison, Offering Details on Largest Service Increase in LIRR History
The Long Island Rail Road published 18 draft timetables showing proposed train schedules on all LIRR branches following the start of train service to Grand Central Madison later this year. The timetables are available at the MTA’s website at https://new.mta.info/grandcentralmadison.
June 3, 2022
New Reading, Pottstown, Philadelphia Amtrak Bus Service
A new Amtrak Thruway Bus Service will launch on Monday, June 6, with two daily round trips connecting Reading and Pottstown to Amtrak’s network via Philadelphia, including services to New York, Boston, Washington, Pittsburgh, New England, Virginia, Florida, and destinations throughout Amtrak’s national network.
June 2, 2022
Central Florida Florida Receives Federal Grant for Tampa to Orlandi High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail Project
FloridaReps. Darren Soto, Dan Webster, Stephanie Murphy, Gus Bilirakis and Val Demings announced the Central Florida region has received a grant award of up to $15,875,000 in federal funding from the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Grant Program. The funding will go toward Central Florida’s Sunshine Corridor and Brightline’s proposed Tampa to Orlando intercity passenger rail project. The grant award, combined with up to $15,875,000 in contributing funds from Brightline, will result in a $31,750,000 total investment. The grant application received substantial community and bipartisan support.
June 2, 2022
President Biden and U.S. Department of Transportation Announce $25 Million in Grant Awards from the American Rescue Plan to Help Transit Agencies Better Serve Their Communities
Fifty transit agencies across 24 states will share $25 million to help restore and improve service that has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced the grant awards, which were funded by President Biden’s and will help provide Americans in communities across the country with better transit service including expanded routes, Bus Rapid Transit, and on-demand service.
June 2, 2022
Biden Administration Announces Over $368 Million in Grants to Improve Rail Infrastructure, Enhance and Strengthen Supply Chains
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) announced over $368 million in Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) grant program funds to 46 projects in 32 states and the District of Columbia. These investments will play a crucial role in modernizing our country’s rail infrastructure and strengthening supply chains, helping to reduce congestion and get people and goods where they need to go quickly and more affordably. The program will create good-paying jobs and benefit urban and rural communities across the country
June 2, 2022
Rail Traffic for May and the Week Ending May 28, 2022
The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending May 28, 2022, as well as volumes for May 2022. U.S. railroads originated 928,742 carloads in May 2022, down 3.7 percent, or 35,821 carloads, from May 2021. U.S. railroads also originated 1,102,558 containers and trailers in May 2022, down 4.3 percent, or 49,258 units, from the same month last year. Combined U.S. carload and intermodal originations in May 2022 were 2,031,300, down 4 percent, or 85,079 carloads and intermodal units from May 2021.
