Passenger Rail

In 19 states across America, "small-town mayors, state budget hawks and fans of passenger rail" are debating whether to subsidize passenger rail service or see it disappear thanks to a 2008 Congressional mandate. States have until Oct. 1 to pony up.

September 13, 2013 - The Wall Street Journal

The latter half of the twentieth century saw the slow decline of train travel and the deterioration of America's grand railroad stations. Amid growing rail readership, the country is embarking on a new era of station construction.

July 24, 2013 - Urban Land

Once a national hub of passenger rail service, St. Louis's majestic Union Station hasn't seen a train in five years. The impending sale of the station may provide the opportunity to bring a historic use back to one of the country's grand relics.

October 11, 2012 - St. Louis Post-Dispatch

The subject of recent politically charged threats, the rail carrier surpassed its record for annual passengers for the ninth time in ten years. Ridership has grown a total of 49 percent since 2000.

October 10, 2012 - Transportation Nation

Amtrak announced this week that they will train 8,000 employees across the nation on how to identify and report potential victims of human trafficking.

October 9, 2012 - USA Today

What the U.S. does with twenty-five workers, Spain does with nine; 'work rules' are part of the problem when it comes to the lack of productivity and high costs of America's regional rail systems.

August 31, 2012 - Bloomberg

For those following the intense debate over intercity passenger rail in the US, the following recent news items might have a few planners scratching their heads:

August 27, 2012 - Samuel Staley

This week it was announced that a private company will pick up the passenger rail ball dropped last year by Gov. Rick Scott by financing a $1 billion project to connect downtown Miami to Orlando by 2014.

August 12, 2012 - Miami Herald

With a flurry of ambitious, and big ticket, proposals unveiled over the past three weeks, chronically under-budgeted Amtrak is shifting its strategy in the hopes of proving its potential worth.

August 4, 2012 - Bloomberg

Jeff McMahon explores the potential of passenger rail in coming years as automobiles and airplanes "become a little more obsolete."

March 21, 2012 - Forbes

Passenger rail used to connect Columbus, Georgia with Atlanta, but the tracks have been silent since 1970. Today, local leaders and activists are pushing for a restoration of train service to Atlanta from Macon, Athens and Columbus.

November 14, 2011 - The Columbus Ledger-Enquirer

The two ends of the Gotthard Base Tunnel beneath the Swiss Alps are on the verge of connecting, marking a major milestone in the construction of what will be the world's longest transportation tunnel.

October 18, 2010 - The New York Times

An unused right-of-way between Lansdale, PA and Bethlehem is being contested between those that want to return it to passenger rail service and those that want to turn it into a linear park.

January 29, 2010 - Philadelphia Inquirer

A passenger train line across the Balkans had been closed for 18 years. As it reopens and reconnects the region to the rest of Europe, there are signs of improved relations in the war-torn region.

January 12, 2010 - The New York Times