Category: Amtrak
RRB nominees confirmed; Amtrak board choices go back to president
Six nominees to transportation-related agencies were confirmed by the U.S. Senate via unanimous consent Jan. 2, including three Railroad Retirement Board members. Johnathan Bragg, Thomas Jayne and Erhard R. Chorle were all confirmed to the RRB. Bragg, the labor member of the [...]
FTA allocates $281 million in funding for five transit projects
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced a total of $281 million in additional Fiscal Year 2018 federal funding allocations to five transit projects in Arizona, California, Minnesota and Texas. Funding will be provide [...]
Kansas company admits fault in causing Amtrak derailment; trial canceled
A feed company whose truck rolled down a hill and crashed into railroad tracks in Cimarron, Kan., in March 2016 has admitted fault and avoided a trial on the matter. Amtrak’s Southwest Chief derailed on those same tracks about 15 hours later, and 28 people aboard the Lo [...]
FRA issues Final Rule to promote safe and efficient high-speed passenger rail operations
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) issued a final rule establishing modern, performance-based safety standards for railroad passenger equipment. The rule reinforces FRA’s commitment to safety while representing one [...]
FTA increases random drug testing rate for 2019
As mandated by its drug and alcohol regulation, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) will increase the minimum rate of random drug testing from 25 percent to 50 percent of covered employees for employers subject to FTA’s drug and alcohol regulation, effective January 1, 2 [...]
Amtrak executive says carrier committed to SW Chief through FY2019
During a Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation committee hearing on the implementation of positive train control (PTC) among U.S. railroads Oct. 3, an Amtrak executive said that the carrier plans to continue operating the Southwest Chief passenger route through at least [...]
NS, CSX and Amtrak announce service disruptions in advance of Hurricane Florence
Freight and passenger carriers in the southeastern U.S. have announced disruptions to service in advance of Hurricane Florence, which is predicted to make landfall along the Carolina coast Thursday. Norfolk Southern (NS) has closed its headquarters in Norfolk, Va., in complia [...]
