Amtrak
Amtrak
Amtrak
Amtrak Cascades Continues with Record Ridership Growth in 2010
SEATTLE – Amtrak Cascades has taken 2010 by storm with double-digit ridership growth and record breaking totals each month this year. The second quarter of 2010 finished as the highest second quarter since 1994 with a total of 214,641 passengers. Compared to the second quarter of 2009, this is an increase of over 25,000 and nearly 12 percent. The first quarter of 2010 also had record ridership with an increase of nearly 34,000 riders over 2009. “The growth of Amtrak Cascades this year has been phenomenal and is a strong indicator of the demand for this service” said Scott Witt,
Amtrak
Amtrak Calfornia’s San Joaquin Service Increases Capacity by 25 Percent
OAKLAND – Amtrak’s San Joaquin corridor is experiencing unprecedented ridership through California’s Central Valley this summer. As a result, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and Amtrak California have added passenger cars to meet this demand. Currently all twelve of the daily San Joaquin trains operate with a four-car configuration. Now through Labor Day, a fifth car will be added to at least six of the busiest trains that serve the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento and the San Joaquin Valley. The additional car will increase capacity by 25 percent, allowing an additional 88 passengers to comfortably ride Amtrak California’s
Amtrak
Amtrak Buying 130 New Passenger Rail Cars to Support Long-Distance Train Service
WASHINGTON – Amtrak is implementing the first step in a long-term, comprehensive fleet renewal plan with the purchase of 130 new single-level rail cars to support its long-distance train services. The five-year, $298.1 million contract is being awarded to CAF USA which is creating 575 jobs to perform manufacturing and final assembly work at its plant in Elmira, N.Y. The first car is scheduled to roll off the assembly line in October 2012. “This major equipment purchase demonstrates our strong belief in the future of intercity passenger rail in America and Amtrak’s leading role in meeting this critical national transportation
Amtrak
MDOT and Amtrak Break Ground for New Station in Pontiac
PONTIAC, Mich. – Top officials with the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and Amtrak joined representatives of the city of Pontiac and Greyhound today to break ground for the new Pontiac Transportation Center, which will serve intercity rail and bus passengers. The intermodal station project is funded with $1.4 million from the state’s Comprehensive Transportation Fund account. Located at 51000 Woodward Ave., the facility will serve as a hub for travel, including the six daily Amtrak Wolverine Service trains to and from Detroit and Chicago. More than 300,000 passengers have taken Wolverine Service trains this fiscal year. “We believe that
Amtrak
Amtrak Virginia Introduces Additional Service between Richmond and Washington
RICHMOND, Va. — Beginning July 20, Amtrak Virginia expands daily round-trip service between Richmond and Washington. With this new train, hourly morning departures are available from Richmond’s Staples Mill Station to the Northeast Corridor and more convenient afternoon return trips are available from Washington, DC. The total number of morning departures from Richmond to Washington is now five, with six return departures available in the afternoon and evening. The new frequency between Richmond and Washington is the second state-supported train in Virginia which became Amtrak’s 15th state partner with the launch of service between Lynchburg and the Northeast Corridor last
Amtrak
Amtrak Joins DHS Rail Security Initiative
WASHINGTON—Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano launched the first phase of DHS’ nationwide “See Something, Say Something” campaign and announced a new national information-sharing partnership with Amtrak as part of the Department’s nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting (SAR) initiative during a whistlestop train tour—highlighting the public’s role in keeping our country safe and the Obama administration’s commitment to bolstering surface transportation security. “Implementing a national suspicious activity reporting partnership with Amtrak and expanding the ‘See Something, Say Something,’ campaign strengthens our ability to guard against terrorism and crime,” said Secretary Napolitano. “These initiatives enable us to provide frontline security
Amtrak
Amtrak Announces Actions Implemented to Put MARC Passengers First
WASHINGTON – At a special “Meet the Managers” event today at Washington Union Station, Amtrak President and CEO Joseph Boardman directly informed MARC passengers of some of the actions the railroad is implementing to put passengers first and take care of their needs in the event of a MARC commuter train breakdown. “Amtrak is in the business of moving people and we must never forget that,” Boardman said. “Passengers come first and the equipment comes second.” Amtrak is taking the following actions now and will continue to work with MARC to identify additional measures to improve customer service: Water Supply
Amtrak
New Amtrak Board Members Recognize America’s Railroad is Key to Future of Passenger Rail
WASHINGTON – The three newest members of the Amtrak board of directors recognize that Amtrak, and its national network of high-speed and intercity passenger trains, are key to the future of passenger rail transportation in America. Anthony R. Coscia, Bert DiClemente and Jeff Moreland were nominated by President Obama and recently confirmed by the United States Senate. They are expected to soon assume their new responsibilities guiding and overseeing America’s railroad. “We welcome our newest board members with confidence they will contribute their considerable knowledge and experience to advance Amtrak’s growth strategy and efforts to make the nation’s railroad safer,