Amtrak
Philadelphia regional commuters will get some fancy new trains to ride.
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Congress and presidents have threatened Amtrak service on the Southwest Chief, connecting Los Angles to Chicago, in the past. This time the threat is coming from inside Amtrak.
The Kansan
Temporary suspension of rail service from New York City to Chicago prompts an engaging column, particularly for train buffs, on a bygone era when travel by rail was glamorous.
The New York Times
The Texas Central high-speed rail line between Houston and Dallas is planning to offer smooth connections with Amtrak lines at either end of its 240-mile route.
Houston Chronicle
The crash in Cayce, South Carolina on Sunday killed the engineer and conductor riding in the Amtrak locomotive, injuring over 100 passengers and crew members. A locked switch had directed Amtrak #91 into a siding where it hit a parked CSX train.
The State
Republican lawmakers got a first-hand lesson in train safety Wednesday when their chartered Amtrak train hit a trash truck at a grade crossing in Virginia, killing one in the truck. Trump's infrastructure plan redirects Amtrak and transit funding.
Bloomberg News
Some of the time and money invested in the visually spectacular Moynihan Station should have been spent looking at how well it actually works for commuters, writes Alon Levy.
CityLab
The cause of last month's deadly Amtrak crash south of Tacoma above Interstate 5 is attributed to the train traveling at 78 mph through a curve with a speed limit of 30 mph. The original plan for the bypass called for the elimination of that curve.
New York Post
A funding agreement between New York, New Jersey, and the U.S. DOT for one of the most important rail projects in the nation is in danger of collapsing because of the way the two states are financing their share of the $12.9 billion cost.
Crain's New York Business
Excessive speed is thought to be the cause of the deadly derailment on Dec. 18. Positive train control, which likely would have slowed down the train, was installed on the tracks and locomotive but was not yet operational.
RailwayAge
The first southbound train on of the newly routed Amtrak Cascades Seattle-to-Portland service derailed on a highway overpass on Monday morning, with two passenger cars falling onto southbound Interstate 5, striking motor vehicles.
AP
Efforts to ensure that Amtrak's Southwest Chief continues its current route through three states has united more than 20 small communities in New Mexico, Colorado, and Kansas.
The Denver Post
New Jersey's 107-year-old Portal Bridge has been a symbol of the region's crumbling rail infrastructure. A $1.7 billion project to replace the bridge, launched this week, is designed to improve the situation.
NorthJersey.com
Amtrak is partnering with Lyft to offer train passengers a discounted option for first and last mile needs. New Lyft riders qualify for a $5 savings on each of their first four rides.
The Verge
Unlike the House Appropriations Committee's DOT budget that reduces spending by almost 4 percent from current levels and eliminates the TIGER grant program, its Senate counterpart increased transportation spending, including the TIGER grant budget.
The Hill
Starting in May 2018: 17 daily round trips between New Haven and Hartford, including 12 trips continuing on to Springfield.
The Hartford Courant
While reduced from current levels, the House Appropriations Committee budgeted far more than what President Trump had proposed, but they agreed with him to eliminate the TIGER grant program and reduce transit investments, though by a lesser amount.
The Hill
Three days before America's busiest train station what will be two long months of repair work, dubbed "the summer of hell," the third derailment this year occurred, delaying most Amtrak and New Jersey Transit trains.
The New York Times
Congress passed a $1.1 trillion omnibus spending bill to keep the government operating through September that also restores funding to transportation programs that the president had eliminated or greatly reduced. Trump signed the bill Friday.
The Hill
Reports from inside the Trump transition are that the incoming administration will follow a budget blueprint laid out by the Heritage Foundation—public transit not included.
The Hill
