Railpace Hot News
Keep up to date on the latest railroad news from the northeastern United States and Canada, edited by Carl Perelman.
May 20, 2026
AAR Reports Weekly Rail Traffic for the Week Ending May 16, 2026
The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending May 16, 2026. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 511,216 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.2 percent compared with the same week last year.
May 20, 2026
Norfolk Southern Celebrates America’s 250th with Commemorative Locomotive Series and Historic “Big Boy” Tour
Norfolk Southern today unveiled plans to celebrate America’s anniversary by debuting its new America’s 250th locomotive series – six custom locomotives that will tour the east coast in a multi-market celebration including public and community events across the railroad’s network.
May 19, 2026
BLET TEAMSTERS & UNION COALITION WIN HISTORIC STRIKE AT LIRR
Teamsters with the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) and their union coalition have reached a tentative agreement with Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) to end the carrier’s first strike in over three decades. The agreement provides workers with raises that maintain their standard of living while strengthening work rules and improving benefits.
May 19, 2026
CapeFLYER Train Between Boston and Cape Cod Resumes for The Summer
The MBTA and Keolis Commuter Services (Keolis), the T’s operations and maintenance partner for Commuter Rail, announced today that the popular CapeFLYER train service between Boston and Hyannis will resume for the season on Friday, May 22.
May 18, 2026
New Northeast Regional Menu Arrives
Amtrak unveiled a refreshed Northeast Regional (NER) cafe menu on Wednesday, May 13, designed to bring more variety, flavor, and delicious options to our customers onboard. Serving more than 12 million riders each year between Boston and Virginia, these NER cafe updates are all about keeping the onboard dining experience fresh, modern, and aligned with evolving tastes.
May 15, 2026
Amtrak’s Berkshire Flyer Returns for Summer Service with Expanded Weekend Trips Between Pittsfield and New York City
Amtrak, in partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), and New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), is kicking off the 2026 summer season with the return of the Berkshire Flyer train for travel between New York City and Pittsfield, MA. This seasonal passenger rail service will begin on Friday, June 12th, and will operate on Fridays and Sundays through Sunday, September 19.
May 14, 2026
AAR Reports Weekly Rail Traffic for the Week Ending May 9, 2026
The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending May 9, 2026. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 513,755 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.7 percent compared with the same week last year.
May 13, 2026
NJ Governor Sherrill Releases NJ Transit Rapid Action Plan to Enhance Customer Experience
Building on her commitment to delivering a safer, more reliable, and more modern transit experience, Governor Mikie Sherrill today announced the release of NJ TRANSIT’s Rapid Action Plan, a comprehensive roadmap outlining immediate investments in cleanliness, accessibility, public safety, and the digital experience. The plan includes investments in cleaner vehicles and upgraded stations, NJT LiveView™ to provide real-time GPS tracking of train and light rail service, enhanced safety initiatives through a new Real Time Crime Center, and the debut of a redesigned NJ TRANSIT mobile app.
May 12, 2026
Amtrak Continues Improvement Work at Saratoga Springs Station
Amtrak is making significant progress and recently completed several key milestones on its station and platform improvements at Saratoga Springs Station (SAR), which is served daily by the Adirondack and Ethan Allen Express, and received nearly 38,000 Amtrak guests in Fiscal Year 2025. Demolition and track work have officially started, highlighting the biggest step of the project to date.
May 11, 2026
Trump’s Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy Unveils New Rule to Protect Critical Infrastructure from Drone Threats
The Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a proposed rule that would allow specific categories of critical infrastructure sites to apply for restrictions on drone operations around their facilities.
