By Alan Ohnsman Forbes Staff for Forbes.com Think “advanced rail technology” and bullet trains or magnetic-levitation systems might come to mind. But what about the steel rails freight and passenger trains run on? Advances in machine learning, big data collection and voice-recognition tools that have transformed manufacturing, cars, retail and social media are also being […]
By Ryan Erik King for jalopnik.com In the United States, the highest-paid public employees are college sports coaches. For example, Mel Tucker signed a decade-long extension last November to continue as the head coach of Michigan State University’s football team for a salary of $9.5 million per year. In contrast, Michigan’s governor, Gretchen Whitmer, receives […]
By David Shepardson for reuters.com U.S. passenger railroad Amtrak said on Monday it is boosting train service ahead of an expected busy summer travel season and as rail demand returns, with high gasoline prices encouraging more people to take trains. Amtrak said it planned to operate about 80% of pre-pandemic level Northeast Regional train departures […]
CSX and Norfolk Southern are refusing to allow Amtrak to use a line between New Orleans and Mobile By Ryan Erik King for jalopnik.com Amtrak is hoping to restore passenger rail servicebetween Mobile, Alabama and New Orleans, Louisiana. The federally-owned company operated on the route until it discontinued operations after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Though, Amtrak […]
by Associated Press JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Amtrak service in Missouri will be reduced to one round trip starting Monday as federal and state COVID-19 relief funding ends. The Missouri River Runner Amtrak train service will run one train leaving Kansas City in the mornings and one leaving St. Louis in the afternoon. Federal […]
Severe weather, staff shortages are culprits By Bob Johnston for trains.com WASHINGTON — Although airlines cancelled thousands of flights, resulting in horror stories for stranded travelers, Amtrak was mostly able to keep its trains running during the Christmas-New Year holiday period. There were some cancellations, though. While booked passengers were asked via email or text […]
Jose Rodriquez, 49, of Brick, N.J., pleaded guilty to mail fraud on Monday. Prosecutors said he obtained 114 chain saws for the railroad service, but sold them for profit. By Jesus Jiménez for nytimes.com For more than seven years, the authorities said, Jose Rodriguez of Brick, N.J., a senior engineer at Amtrak, obtained more than […]
Fewer riders, fewer tickets bought and scaled-back schedules were just a few of the COVID-induced hurdles facing Amtrak during the past year and a half. All of those obstacles caused the railroad industry to lose millions, and threatened the livelihoods of thousands of Amtrak employees. Workers often only discover how legislation impacts their lives when they […]
“TCU strongly encourages all of our members – and all Americans – to get vaccinated. This virus has caused so much damage and death already, and with new variants spreading quickly, the most effective path forward is for everyone to get vaccinated. As the largest union on Amtrak, representing many different customer-facing crafts, our members […]
“Joe Biden ran for President to refocus our nation’s policies on everyday working people, including a commitment to finally invest in our nation’s infrastructure. This bill does just that. At a time when our country is so divided politically and in the midst of battling a pandemic, it’s a relief to see our bipartisan elected […]