Amtrak – Page 30 – Railfanning.org

Amtrak Ridership Sets 11 Consecutive Monthly Records

September 13, 2012 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON –Amtrak ridership is surging this year with 11 consecutive monthly ridership records. In each month of the current fiscal year, Amtrak has posted the highest ridership total ever for that particular month (i.e., the best October ever, the best November ever, etc.) with the final month of September also expected to be a new record. In addition, July was the single best ridership month in the history of Amtrak. “All across America the demand to travel by Amtrak is strong, growing and undeniable,” said President and CEO Joe Boardman. “Amtrak continues to deliver on its mission to fulfill a

Upgraded Seattle Amtrak Maintenance Facility Ready To Service Passenger Equipment

August 26, 2012 Railfanning.org News Wire

OAKLAND – The completion of Phase I and Phase II of a major upgrade of the Seattle Maintenance Facility is being celebrated today by Amtrak and its partners. The facilities support Amtrak operations and maintenance agreements in the Pacific Northwest for the Empire Builder, Coast Starlight, Amtrak Cascades, and Sounder commuter trains. The upgraded and new facilities will dramatically improve the capacity, efficiency and working conditions of the shops that perform inspections, testing and maintenance of locomotives and passenger rail equipment. It is a modern and efficient facility capable of handling the current work levels as well as projected future

Amtrak Niantic River Bridge Replacement Project Reaches Significant Milestone

March 27, 2012 Railfanning.org News Wire

NEW YORK— Amtrak is reaching a significant milestone in its efforts to replace the existing 104-year old Niantic River Bridge in East Lyme, Conn., with the float-in of the new bascule lift span to the new alignment south of the existing bridge. After the float-in of the new bridge span is completed later today, crews will begin the process of connecting it to the new pivot girders located on the land side of the marine channel. As a result, access to the channel beneath the structure will be closed to the maritime community beginning March 26, through March 30 to

Amtrak to More Than Triple the Number of Track-Miles Equipped with Positive Train Control

March 25, 2012 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON – By the end of 2012, Amtrak expects to more than triple the number of track-miles on its own railroad where Positive Train Control (PTC) safety technology is installed as part of an aggressive program begun more than two years ago. “PTC is the most important rail safety advancement of our time and Amtrak is strongly committed to its expanded use to enhance safety for our passengers, employees and others with whom we share the tracks across our national network,” said President and CEO Joe Boardman. PTC technology can control train movements to prevent train-to-train collisions, derailments caused by

Amtrak: Atlanta station poses ‘impediment’ to improving Crescent

October 25, 2011 Todd DeFeo

Amtrak’s current station in Atlanta is hindering the railroad’s ability to improve the performance of the one passenger train that serves the city, the railroad said in a recent report.

Amtrak exploring feeder bus routes on Crescent route

October 24, 2011 Railfanning.org News Wire

ATLANTA — Amtrak could add bus routes to cities located near, but not along, its Crescent route, which the railroad believes will increase “ridership and revenue while expanding the reach of the intercity passenger rail network,” the railroad said in a recent report. Such bus routes would connect the Atlanta Amtrak station with Macon, Ga.; Columbus, Ga.; Dalton, Ga.; and Chattanooga, Tenn.; the railroad indicated. Amtrak estimates annual ridership on the routes would exceed 17,000 passengers and result in a net revenue of $600,000 per year. The bus service is just one of several upgrades the railroad is considering making

Amtrak considering changes to Crescent

October 23, 2011 Railfanning.org News Wire

ATLANTA — Amtrak is considering running shorter versions of the Crescent passenger train between Atlanta and New Orleans to save money because of lower ridership numbers, according to a recent report from the passenger railroad. According to the report, Amtrak could “shorten the train south of Atlanta by switching off of the train two or three coaches, the lounge car, and one locomotive. These cars would be serviced at Atlanta during the day and added to the evening northbound train back to New York.” The Crescent runs daily between New York and New Orleans via Atlanta. Amtrak believes the “proposal

Amtrak to Exceed 30 Million Passengers for the First Time Ever

July 31, 2011 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON –Amtrak is projecting that for the first time ever its annual ridership will exceed 30 million passengers and in the process set a new all-time record when the current fiscal year ends Sept. 30.

Travelers Choosing Amtrak Cascades in Record Numbers

July 29, 2011 Railfanning.org News Wire

OAKLAND – More travelers are choosing Amtrak Cascades for their trips between Vancouver, B.C., and Eugene, Ore., as Amtrak Cascades saw significant ridership growth in the second quarter of 2011, carrying nearly three quarters of a million people and breaking the record reached in 2010, Amtrak said.

LaHood Announces $72.8 Million for Massachusetts to Cut Travel Time by Nearly 30 Minutes on Amtrak’s Growing Vermonter Line

July 13, 2011 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON – U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said travel time on Amtrak’s Vermonter line will be cut by nearly 30 minutes through a $72.8 million grant to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.