Amtrak – Page 22 – Railfanning.org

Amtrak Adding More Seats to Auto Train

January 1, 2014 Railfanning.org News Wire

Amtrak says it is adding more seats to the Auto Train on trips between Jan. 1 and March 31. According to Amtrak, up to 60 additional coach seats will be available for travel on variety of dates on Train 53 to Florida (Jan. 1-9; Jan. 16; Jan. 29-Feb. 1; Feb 14-15; and Feb. 28) and Train 52 from Florida (Jan. 2-4; Feb. 22; Feb. 28; March 1; March 15; and March 29-31). The Auto Train offers both coach and sleeper accommodations. “The Auto Train is the easiest and most enjoyable way to travel between the northeast and Florida while your

Amtrak: Looking to Curb Food, Beverage Losses Over Next Five Years

December 4, 2013 Railfanning.org News Wire

Throughout the course of its four-plus decade history, Amtrak has drawn the scorn of detractors who saw the federally-subsidized passenger railroad is a drain on taxpayers.

Breaking Down the Amtrak Long-Distance Consist

November 29, 2013 Todd DeFeo

Amtrak’s long-distance trains between New York and southern destinations more or less look like a compilation of the first dozen or so cars the railroad could find.

Amtrak Train Gets Lost in Philadelphia Suburb

November 20, 2013 Todd DeFeo

Critics often lament Amtrak is on the wrong track, but this is ridiculous. A New York-bound Amtrak train, No. 644, last week ended up on a Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) track, according to reports. The train, which just departed Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station, stopped in Cynwyd Line, Pa., a suburb located about eight miles outside of Philadelphia, according to published reports. After the mishap, the train’s 130 passengers were put on another train and transported to New York. In a statement, according to Philly.com, Amtrak said an “investigation was launched and the crew has been held out of work

Northeast Corridor Must Not be Taken for Granted, Amtrak Head Says

November 15, 2013 Todd DeFeo

The Northeast Corridor is an “asset of national importance” and requires significant upgrades in order ensure it remains in good working order, the head of Amtrak recently told a subcommittee of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation.

Amtrak Loses $72 Million in FY 2012 on Food and Beverage Service

November 14, 2013 Todd DeFeo

ATLANTA — While Amtrak has reduced how much it is losing on food and beverage service, the passenger railroad still lost $72 million in Fiscal Year 2012, according to a recent report from the inspector general. Nearly all of the loss — $71.5 million — was on the railroad’s long-distance routes. The railroad did see an $800,000 profit on the Northeast Corridor. The Auto Train was the biggest loser, hemorrhaging more than $13 million during the year, according to the inspector general’s report. The railroad’s food and beverage losses have totaled more than $1 billion over the last 12 years,

Book Thanksgiving travel early, Amtrak says

November 7, 2013 Todd DeFeo

ATLANTA — Amtrak is urging passengers to book their Thanksgiving holiday train tickets early to avoid missing out on the best availability and pricing. The busiest travel days, the ones most likely to sell out, are the Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday following the holiday. Amtrak saw a record 737,537 passengers travel by train during the Thanksgiving holiday a year ago. That broke the previous record set during the holiday in 2011. In a statement, Amtrak said it “will operate every available passenger rail car in its fleet and is scheduling extra trains and adding capacity on

Amtrak Set to Begin Testing New Long-Distance Passenger Cars

November 1, 2013 Todd DeFeo

Amtrak is planning to start field testing its new long-distance passenger rail cars this winte

Amtrak Sets Ridership Record in 2013

October 16, 2013 Todd DeFeo

Amtrak set a new ridership record in Fiscal Year 2013, carrying 31.6 million passengers, the railroad announced. This year’s record breaks the high mark set during Fiscal Year 2012, when the railroad carried 31.2 million passengers. The latest record is the 10th ridership record the railroad has set in the last 11 years. Trains operating on the Northeast Corridor saw a 0.2 percent decline in ridership while state-supported trains saw a 2.2 percent increase in riders. Amtrak’s network of long-distance trains experienced a 0.4 percent increase in the number of passengers. In addition to ridership gains, the railroad also posted

Amtrak investing $35 million in Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station

August 26, 2013 Railfanning.org News Wire

PHILADELPHIA — Amtrak is making a $35 million investment to upgrade the historic 30th Street Station in Philadelphia. The upgrades, according to Amtrak, will improve the passenger experience and improve pedestrian mobility in and around the facility. The upgrades also meet long-term infrastructure needs of the 80-year-old station. “30th Street Station is an iconic fixture in Philadelphia,” Stephen Gardner, Amtrak vice president of Northeast Corridor infrastructure and investment development, said in a statement. “As stewards of this national historic landmark we are committed to maintaining its status as a first-class facility for passengers and further integrating the station into the