Railpace Hot News
Keep up to date on the latest railroad news from the northeastern United States and Canada, edited by Carl Perelman.
August 24, 2020
Steamtown National Historic Site Suspends Remainder of 2020 Railroad Passenger Operating Season
Steamtown NHS has suspended the remainder of its scheduled 2020 railroad passenger operations. This includes the Scranton Limited short train rides, fall foliage excursions through the Poconos, and the popular Holiday Trains to Moscow PA over Thanksgiving weekend. Additionally, the Iron Horse Society, the park’s official Friends group, has cancelled its North Pole Limited runs planned for December.
August 24, 2020
MTA Offering $10,000 Reward in 7 Line Vandalism Wave
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today announced that a reward of up to $10,000 is being offered for information leading to arrest and indictment of a person or persons responsible for a recent wave of window vandalism on subway cars. The announcement follows a high-level meeting with MTA and NYPD officials today to discuss strategies to stop the vandalism.
August 21, 2020
VIA Rail Announces New Daily Frequencies in the Québec-Windsor Corridor
Due to the increase in demand for intercity travel and the progressive deconfinement between the provinces of Québec and Ontario, VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) announces the increase in daily frequencies in the Corridor as of September 1st, 2020, restoring the services to close to 50% of the usual offering.
August 20, 2020
Amtrak Long-Distance Trains Will Operate Tri-Weekly Beginning in October
Due to COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting decrease in travel demand, most Amtrak long distance routes will operate tri-weekly beginning this October. Amtrak had previously reduced service frequencies on both the Northeast Corridor and on the state-sponsored routes due to low ridership. Long distance routes have operated without major changes due to federal CARES Act funding that expires on Sept. 30, 2020.
August 19, 2020
Weekly Rail Traffic for the Week Ending August 8, 2020
The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending August 8, 2020. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 497,397 carloads and intermodal units, down 6.7 percent compared with the same week last year.
August 19, 2020
MTA Announces Significant Positive Train Control Advances on the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today announced major progress made on implementing Positive Train Control (PTC) on MTA Long Island Rail Road and MTA Metro-North Railroad, reaffirming both railroads will be in full PTC operations by the end of 2020. Progress on buildout of Positive Train Control is measured in terms of mileage covered and in terms of train cars with the software needed to operate in PTC.
August 19, 2020
RJ Corman Acquires Lines in New York and Pennsylvania
R.J. Corman announced the finalization of an agreement to acquire Owego & Harford Railway, Lehigh Railway, and Luzerne & Susquehanna Railway.
August 18, 2020
CP Releases 2019 Corporate Sustainability Data Supplement
Canadian Pacific released its 2019 corporate sustainability data supplement to the company’s 2018 sustainability report, Sustainably Driven. The information in the report was prepared in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative Standards and aligns closely with the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board for Rail Transportation framework.
August 17, 2020
NJ & NY Toy Collection Train Will Not Run In 2020
NJ Operation Toy Train will not operate this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic.
August 17, 2020
Metro-North Resumes Upper Harlem Line Service
Effective today at 5:00 a.m. MTA Metro-North Railroad has resumed limited train service upper Harlem Line between Wassaic and Southeast, N.Y. Trains operate approximately every two hours during peak periods and every three hours during off-peak times.
