MBTA Orange Line Reached 55 MPH for the First Time

The MBTA announced during its August Board meeting that Orange Line trains will be able to reach 55 mph on select portions of the line starting August 24, 2025. The new increased speeds impact stations between Oak Grove and Assembly Station.

The previous maximum speed on the Orange Line was 40 MPH. The segment between Assembly and Oak Grove was originally designed for 55 MPH, but as track infrastructure declined, speeds were lowered for safety reasons.

This is the first time documented that the Orange Line reached 55 mph.

As part of the Track Improvement Program (2023 – 2024), the MBTA removed more than 220 speed restrictions and replaced 250,000 feet of rail across the system, saving riders 2.4 million minutes every weekday and generating nearly $1 million in economic benefit every day. Regular maintenance has been ongoing to continuously improve the safety, reliability, and efficiency of the MBTA’s rail network.

-via Press Release

New York Governor Hochul Restores Service and Announces Further Improvements to Rail Service Between Albany and New York City

Governor Kathy Hochul, Metro-North Railroad President Justin Vonashek and Amtrak President Roger Harris announced that New York State has secured a series of improvements to rail service on the Empire Service Corridor between Albany and New York City. Supported by New York State via the Department of Transportation, the Empire Service is an economic engine up and down the Hudson River, carrying two million riders annually and achieving record-high ridership in 2024.

CSX Corp. Announces Third Quarter 2025 Results

CSX Corp. announced third quarter operating income of $1.09 billion and net earnings of $694 million, or $0.37 per share. Excluding a non-cash goodwill impairment of $164 million in this year’s third quarter results, adjusted operating income was $1.25 billion and adjusted net earnings were $818 million, or $0.44 per share. In the third quarter of 2024, the company reported operating income of $1.35 billion and net earnings of $894 million, or $0.46 per share.