Amtrak

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Amtrak

Amtrak Restores Dining Car Service on Lake Shore Limited Trains

December 16, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
CHICAGO — To meet passenger demand for a higher level of food service, Amtrak said it is restoring dining car service to its long-distance Lake Shore Limited route that operates from New York and Boston to Chicago. The dining car service began Dec. 14 with Train 49, originating from New York. It provides an improved culinary experience for passengers with enhanced ambience and comfort, including trained chefs who will prepare freshly made meals. In addition, the 1950s era dining cars have been refurbished to meet current safety and operating standards and feature booth style seating, large picture windows and modern
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Provision Would Let Amtrak Passengers Carry Guns in Checked Baggage

December 14, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
Passengers could soon bring firearms in their packed luggage on Amtrak trains under a provision included in the Senate’s massive year-end spending bill. “This is an important victory for sportsmen and gun owners across the country, and it affirms congressional support of the Second Amendment,” U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., said in a news release.  “Airline passengers in our country are allowed to transport firearms in secure, checked baggage when declared during the check-in process.  Law-abiding gun owners who choose to travel on America’s taxpayer-subsidized rail line should be given the same right.” The rule is the same as one
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UP: New Track Adds Capacity and Reduces Delays for Amtrak Missouri River Runner Trains

December 10, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
OMAHA, Neb. — Representatives of the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT), the City of California, Union Pacific Railroad and Amtrak officially opened a new $8.1 million, 9,000-foot railroad side track that adds capacity and will reduce delays on the route used by Amtrak Missouri River Runner trains between Kansas City and St. Louis. The new siding, located just west of California, Mo., helps unclog a major “bottleneck” that was caused by a 25-mile stretch of single-track and enables slower freight trains to move off the main line. This allows faster Amtrak trains to pass and is estimated to annually reduce
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Amtrak Illinois Ridership Up 20 Percent Since 2007

November 24, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
CHICAGO – Amtrak trains operated under a contract with the Illinois Department of Transportation drew more than 1.8 million passengers to state-supported routes in Fiscal Year 2009. Overall ridership is up slightly from 2008 and rose by 20 percent from 2007. Ridership on the Chicago-Bloomington/Normal-Springfield-St. Louis Lincoln Service and Texas Eagle increased six percent from FY 2009 and 21 percent from FY 2007. “In a difficult year for the economy – particularly in the travel industry – Amtrak Illinois ridership has remained strong,” said Amtrak President and CEO Joseph H. Boardman. The Illinois DOT plans to take the 284-mile Chicago-St.
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Amtrak to Begin Major Bridge Project in New York

November 19, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
NEW YORK – Amtrak is making major investments in the New York area to bring its bridges, tracks and other infrastructure up to a state of good repair, increase track speeds and improve operations, including a soon to start $10 million project to rehabilitate the Pelham Bay Bridge located along the Northeast Corridor. “Amtrak is committed to maintaining and improving our infrastructure in New York to ensure the safety of passengers and support efficient train operations,” said Amtrak President and CEO Joseph Boardman, noting a specific focus on the heavily traveled Northeast Corridor between New York and Boston and on
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Amtrak Cascades Adding New Stop

November 17, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
SEATTLE – For the first time in 38 years, passenger rail service is returning to the community of Stanwood/Camano Island with daily Amtrak Cascades train service making two morning and two evening stops at a new rail station beginning the morning of Nov. 21. “Amtrak is delighted to stop in Stanwood and provide residents with direct access to train travel and connections to our national network,” said Kurt Laird, Amtrak District Superintendent. “The opening of this new station could not come at a better time with the 2010 Olympics right around the corner,” said Paula Hammond, Washington Transportation Secretary. “Not
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Amtrak Gears Up for Thanksgiving Travel

November 17, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
WASHINGTON – Anticipating its busiest travel week of the year, Amtrak is planning ahead for the Thanksgiving holiday and encouraging passengers to do the same. During the week, Amtrak will operate every available car and is scheduling extra trains to accommodate the extra passengers. On what is anticipated to be the heaviest single travel day of the year for Amtrak — the Wednesday before Thanksgiving — the railroad expects ridership to reach as many as 125,000 passengers system-wide – a 70 percent increase over the 74,000 passengers Amtrak carried on an average Wednesday last year. In preparation for the holiday
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Amtrak Appoints New Inspector General

November 6, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
WASHINGTON — Amtrak has appointed a new Inspector General, following a three month comprehensive national search. Theodore “Ted” Alves recently retired from 35 years of federal service, including serving as the Deputy Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) from 2006 to 2009 where he was responsible for supervising audits and investigations of federal transportation agencies. His start date is still being determined. “Ted Alves is highly respected in the inspector general community and will provide the leadership, integrity, independence and objectivity required for the position,” Amtrak Chairman Thomas Carper said. From 2001 to 2006, Alves held three