Railpace Hot News
Keep up to date on the latest railroad news from the northeastern United States and Canada, edited by Carl Perelman.
January 21, 2021
MBTA Secures $1 Million Federal Grant for Improvements at North Wilmington Station
The MBTA announced that the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), in coordination with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA), has awarded $1 million to the MBTA for improvements to North Wilmington Station on the Haverhill Commuter Rail Line.
January 20, 2021
Rail Traffic for the Week Ending January 16, 2021
The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending January 16, 2021. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 528,547 carloads and intermodal units, up 5.8 percent compared with the same week last year. Total carloads for the week ending January 16 were 232,550 carloads, down 2 percent compared with the same week in 2020, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 295,997 containers and trailers, up 12.8 percent compared to 2020.
January 19, 2021
Statement from MTA Chairman and CEO Patrick Foye on Postponing a Fare Increase
“Buoyed by President-elect Biden, incoming Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the MTA also has hope for $8 billion in additional pandemic relief and continued federal investment in mass transit in 2021 and beyond. For these reasons, the MTA has decided to postpone the planned fare increase for several months. We plan to move forward with a discussion and vote on recommended toll changes in February.”
January 18, 2021
Amtrak Issues Special Inauguration Service Alert
Amtrak is has issued a special alert due to the upcoming Presidential Inauguration. On Tuesday and Wednesday Amtrak will not operate Northeast Regional service south of Washington, including all Virginia stations
January 15, 2021
Rail Unions Petition Homeland Security To Enhance Passenger Rail Security After U.S. Capitol Insurrection
The leaders of two of the nation’s largest railroad worker unions urgently petitioned the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in a letter Jan. 13 to enact a “No-Ride List” on passenger rail carriers after the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection in Washington D.C. The International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers — Transportation Division (SMART-TD) and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) demanded that the DHS take immediate executive action to tighten passenger rail security in line with aviation security overseen by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
January 15, 2021
MARC Cancels Service Prior to Presidential Inauguration
In response to expanded security efforts associated with the upcoming Presidential inauguration, MARC Train will suspend all service on the Penn, Camden and Brunswick lines Sunday, January 17, through and including Wednesday, January 20. MARC Train is expected to resume service on all three lines on Thursday, January 21. MARC Train will operate as scheduled on Friday, January 15, and Saturday, January 16.
January 14, 2021
New Jersey Governor Murphy Celebrates Final Step Toward Construction Of New Portal North Bridge
Governor Phil Murphy, alongside Department of Transportation Commissioner and NJ TRANSIT Board Chair Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti, NJ TRANSIT President & CEO Kevin Corbett, U.S. Senator Bob Menendez, Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill, Congressman Tom Malinowski, and Amtrak Board Chair Tony Coscia, today celebrated the finalization of the Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to construct a new Portal North Bridge. NJ TRANSIT CEO and President Kevin Corbett executed the agreement with the FTA today, which will provide $766.5 million dollars in federal funding for the Portal North Bridge.
January 13, 2021
Rail Traffic for the Week Ending January 9, 2021
The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending January 9, 2021. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 525,253 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.7 percent from the comparable week of 2020, which was Week 2 – ended January 11, 2020. Total carloads for the week ending January 9 were 235,404 carloads, down 1.6 percent compared with the comparable week in 2020, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 289,849 containers and trailers, up 10.4 percent compared to 2020.
January 13, 2021
Metra Board Approves Purchase Of Up To 500 Multilevel Railcars
The Metra Board of Directors today approved the purchase of up to 500 state-of-the-art railcars from Alstom Transportation Inc., opting for new multilevel cars that will be more comfortable, accessible, reliable and safe than the outdated gallery cars they will replace.
January 12, 2021
U.S. Department of Transportation Announces $766.5 Million Grant Agreement to New Jersey Transit for the Portal North Bridge Project in Hudson County, New Jersey
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced a $766.5 million Capital Investment Grant (CIG) agreement with New Jersey Transit Corporation (New Jersey Transit) for the Portal North Bridge Project in Hudson County, New Jersey. The project will improve the reliability of commuter rail service between New Jersey and New York by increasing capacity and reducing bridge maintenance expenses of the 100-year old bridge.
