History
Month: September 2012
Amtrak
Amtrak Launches History Website
Amtrak certainly has an interesting history. Since its inception 41 years ago, Amtrak has ferried passengers across the country’s rail network. Its routes have ranged from cross-country hauls to speedier service between closer destinations. Amtrak, which has never turned an annual profit, this week launched a new website (history.amtrak.com) dedicated to the railroad’s history. The site includes digital copies of ads, timetables and images. “Amtrak is woven into the fabric of America, providing a vital transportation service to the nation and connecting families and communities as part of an amazing and unfolding history,” Amtrak President and CEO Joe Boardman said in
Amtrak
Amtrak
Amtrak to Operate Test Trains at 165 mph
WASHINGTON — Amtrak is testing high-speed test trains at 165 mph in four areas covering more than 100 miles of the Northeast Corridor. The tests in Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Massachusetts are locations that may at some future time experience regular 160 mph service, the railroad said. The tests will use high-speed Acela Express equipment and will measure the interaction between the train and the track, rider quality and other safety factors. The test runs must be performed at 5 mph above the expected maximum operating speed of 160 mph. The test areas between approximately Perryville, Md.
Amtrak
Boardman: Amtrak ‘provided a high return on the limited Federal investment’
WASHINGTON — Amtrak “has provided a high return on the limited Federal investment we’ve received,” Amtrak President and CEO Joe Boardman told Congress. “[P]assenger rail has received only a tiny portion of the annual Federal transportation budget,” Boardman said in his written testimony. “To give just one example, in the past four years the Federal government has appropriated $53.3 billion from the General Fund of the Treasury to bail out the Highway Trust Fund. That’s almost 30% more than the total Federal expenditure on Amtrak since 1971 [$39.3 billion]. “Federal expenditures on Amtrak during the past 41 years pale next
Amtrak
Feds: $26.5 Million to Improve Reliability and Reduce Delays on North Carolina Passenger Trains
WASHINGTON – The feds have awarded $26.5 million to the North Carolina Department of Transportation to improve reliability and reduce delays on Amtrak service in eastern North Carolina. The resulting improvements are centered in the area between Rocky Mount, N.C. and Petersburg, Va., and will improve service for both the Amtrak Carolinian line, which runs between New York City and Charlotte, N.C., and the Amtrak long distance trains that run between New York City and Florida, federal officials said. “This project will not only bring jobs to the region, but will also reduce delays between New York, Washington, Raleigh, and
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Amtrak
Amtrak Virginia to Norfolk to Start Dec. 12
RICHMOND, Va. – Amtrak Virginia’s Northeast Regional service extension to and from Norfolk will start Dec. 12, providing a same-seat trip from Norfolk to Washington, D.C., Baltimore, New York City and as far north as Boston. Tickets are now available for purchase. “The partnership between the Commonwealth and Amtrak to bring an Amtrak Virginia station to the city of Norfolk reflects my administration’s commitment to continue to make progress in improving our transportation networks for the state,” Gov. Bob McDonnell said. “By providing the citizens of Virginia an alternative way to get to and from Southside Hampton Roads, it takes