Amtrak

*New Amtrak Train Derails On Highway Overpass Outside of Seattle, Killing 3
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.

An Amtrak Train Runs Through Them
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.

$1.7 Billion Project to Replace Critical Rail Crossing in New Jersey Underway
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.

Lyft Partnering With Amtrak for First-Last Mile Connections
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.

Senate Appropriations Committee Restores TIGER Grant Program
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.
Long-Awaited Hartford to New Haven Commuter Rail Expected in 2018
Starting in May 2018: 17 daily round trips between New Haven and Hartford, including 12 trips continuing on to Springfield.

2018 Congressional Transportation Budget Begins to Take Shape
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.

'Summer of Hell' Begins on Dire Note at Penn Station
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.

Omnibus Spending Bill Will Save Transit Grant Programs—for Five Months*
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.

Trump Budget Blueprint Would Nix Federal Transit Spending
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.

Virginia Planning for High-Speed Rail Between Richmond and D.C.
The pieces of the still-speculative Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor—connecting Atlanta to Washington, D.C.—are starting to take shape. The latest leg to come into focus would connect Richmond to D.C.

Early Criticism for Gov. Cuomo's Penn Station Plans
The initial reviews are in for Governor Andrew Cuomo's proposal to expand and improve Penn Station. The consensus so far: the plan doesn't go far enough.

New York Has Plan to Make Room for Penn Station Renovations
With more than 600,000 daily commuters passing through, Penn Station is one of the busiest transit halls in the Western Hemisphere. Finally, there's a plan in place to make necessary repairs without making the commute even more unbearable.

The Huge Cost of Improving Amtrak's Pennsylvanian Even a Little
This is Amtrak between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia: It could cost $13 billion to speed up the tip by 30 minutes, and $16 million to add just one more train.
Amtrak Receives $2.45 Billion Federally Secured Loan for New Acela Trains
Amtrak will replace, rather than overhaul, aging Acela trains with new, 186-mph trains from French manufacturer, Alstom, though they won't exceed 160 mph. The agreement was announced Friday by VP Joe Biden at Biden Station, Wilmington, Del.

Faster Chicago to St. Louis Trains Likely to Increase Car Traffic
Next year, trains traveling at up to 110 mph will speed through grade crossings faster than the current trains traveling at up to 79 m.p.h, and motorists need to prepare for crossing gates that will stay down up to three times longer.
Loss of 'Situational Awareness' Caused Fatal Amtrak #188 Crash
The nation's transportation safety board determined that a distracted engineer caused one of the worst crashes in Amtrak's history, killing eight and injuring over 180 people just north of Philadelphia.
Amtrak Crash Shuts Down Northeast Corridor Service on Sunday Morning
An Amtrak train that originated in Boston and headed to Savannah, Ga. struck a backhoe working on tracks about 15 miles southwest of Philadelphia. Two Amtrak construction workers in or near the backhoe were killed; 31 train passengers were injured.
First Cash Announced to Jumpstart Amtrak Gateway Project
The much-needed Amtrak Gateway project to replace the century-old railroad tunnels under the Hudson River between New Jersey and Manhattan received its first financial injection plus some good planning news that will expedite the $20 billion project.
Cheap Gas Affecting Amtrak's Bottom Line
Amtrak will be forced to make cuts of almost 4 percent, due primarily to low gasoline prices.
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Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)