Railpace Hot News
Keep up to date on the latest railroad news from the northeastern United States and Canada, edited by Carl Perelman.
April 17, 2020
VIA Rail Extends the Suspension of the Ocean
In light of the evolving situation with regards to COVID-19, effective immediately, VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) extends the suspension of the Ocean (Montréal-Halifax), until further notice.
April 16, 2020
Greenbrier idles railcar manufacturing at Gunderson facility in Oregon
The Greenbrier Companies, Inc. has suspended new railcar production at its Greenbrier Gunderson flagship manufacturing facility in Portland, Oregon due to the economic impacts of COVID-19.
April 16, 2020
MTA Issues Emergency Request for $3.9 Billion in Federal Aid as Congress Considers Next COVID-19 Relief Package
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today issued a letter to the New York State Congressional Delegation immediately requesting $3.9 billion in federal funding as Congress considers its next COVID-19 relief package.
April 16, 2020
Amtrak Announces Safety Protocols during COVID-19 Crisis
The safety of Amtrak’s passengers and employees is our top priority. To protect both our employees and customers, Amtrak is strongly recommending passengers wear facial coverings and follow guidelines around social distancing, consistent with CDC guidelines. Amtrak has safety protocols in places to protect both passengers and employees,
April 15, 2020
MTA, TWU Local 100, SMART, IBT Reach COVID-19 Family Benefits Agreement
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), Transport Workers Union Local 100 (TWU), the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART), and International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 808 (IBT) today reached an agreement on COVID-19 family benefits for transportation workers tragically lost in the pandemic.
April 15, 2020
FREIGHT TRAFFIC SLUMP CONTINUES
The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending April 11, 2020. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 412,503 carloads and intermodal units, down 21.9 percent compared with the same week last year.
April 14, 2020
Amtrak, MTA, NJ TRANSIT & Port Authority Launch April 16 #SoundTheHorn Campaign to Honor All Essential Workers
Amtrak, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), NJ TRANSIT, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and other regional bus and ferry operators, today launched #SoundTheHorn – a coordinated effort to simultaneously sound their vehicle horns at 3:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, April 16 to honor heroic transportation and other essential workers across the country.
April 13, 2020
U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao Announces $1 Billion for Amtrak in Response to COVID-19
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao announced that the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is making over $1 billion available to the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) to support the railroad’s activities to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the United States and its impacts on operations and business. The funding is being provided under the recently enacted Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
April 13, 2020
MDOT MTA adjusts service as ridership declines amid COVID-19 Emergency.
The Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA) has implemented additional reductions of MARC Train and Commuter Bus service effective Monday, April 13
April 13, 2020
NJ Transit Applauds Governor’s efforts to make NJ Transit safer during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy today signed Executive Order 125 requiring all personnel and customers on New Jersey Transit vehicles to wear face coverings, among other requirements, strengthening the transit agency’s efforts to protect the public during the COVID-19 pandemic.
