Amtrak

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Amtrak

Amtrak Signs Agreement with Virginia to Provide New Passenger Rail Service

June 3, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
WASHINGTON – With a new agreement signed with Virginia, Amtrak is now the choice of 15 states to operate their state-funded passenger rail service and is uniquely positioned to develop partnerships with other states, said Amtrak President and CEO Joseph Boardman. “Amtrak is excited to establish new passenger rail service for Virginia and is seeking opportunities to partner with other states to provide additional rail transportation options,” Boardman stated, highlighting the national reach of the railroad’s extensive network of stations and mechanical and operational facilities as well as its equipment fleet and reservations system. Boardman stressed that a primary objective
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Amtrak Celebrates Groundbreaking for New Auto Train Station in Sanford, Fla.

May 18, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
SANFORD, Fla. — Amtrak is beginning to put into place the last piece of a multi-year plan to bring increased convenience, improved service and more station amenities to passengers who ride our popular Auto Train.The new, larger and up-to-date passenger station being built in Sanford, Fla., fulfills our vision for the Auto Train which added new passenger equipment in the 1990s, new car carriers in July 2005 and built a new station and mechanical facility at the northern end of the route near Washington, D.C., in 2000. It’s a plan that is working. During fiscal year 2008, ridership on the
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New Haven Officer Named Amtrak Police Officer of the Year

May 13, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
NEW HAVEN, conn. – Police Officer Brian Cozzolino of New Haven, Conn. has been selected as the 2008 Amtrak Police Officer of the Year. Officer Cozzolino was chosen to receive this prestigious award in recognition of his numerous displays of exemplary performance in the performance of his duties. “Officer Cozzolino was selected for his numerous and significant contributions to the department,” said John J. O’Connor, Amtrak Chief of Police. “In his short tenure, he has demonstrated incredibly effective law enforcement skills.” Among the significant incidents exhibiting Officer Cozzolino’s abilities and dedication to duty and why he was chosen include: an
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Operation Lifesaver ‘Shark’ Rail Safety PSAs Will Be Featured in Amtrak Stations On National Train Day

May 5, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
WASHINGTON – Amtrak will showcase Operation Lifesaver’s “Shark” rail safety public service advertisements (PSAs) in four major cities as part of its celebration of National Train Day, May 9, 2009. National Train Day commemorates the first transcontinental railroad and promotes rail travel with major events in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Chicago and Los Angeles, and other events in communities nationwide. “These PSAs provide a humorous reminder that safety is an essential part of train travel,” said Operation Lifesaver President Helen M. Sramek. “Using common sense is an easy way to practice safety around tracks and trains,” she continued. The PSAs, aimed
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New Track to Add Capacity and Reduce Delays of Amtrak Missouri River Runner Trains

May 4, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
CALIFORNIA, Mo. — Representatives of the State of Missouri, the City of California, Union Pacific Railroad and Amtrak today kicked off the construction of a new $8.1 million, 9,000-foot railroad side track to add capacity and 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., will unclog a major “bottleneck” caused by a 25-mile stretch of single track and enable slower freight trains to move off the main line allowing faster Amtrak trains to pass and annually reduce delays by nearly 17
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CSXT Employee Named Rail Industry’s Top Environmentalist

April 29, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
WASHINGTON — A CSX Transportation employee from Jacksonville, Fla., was recently named the railroad industry’s top environmentalist. Michael E. O’Malley, who is assistant chief engineer, facilities, for CSX Transportation in Jacksonville, was one of five railroaders who were nominated to receive the John H. Chafee Environmental Excellence Award, named after the late Senator from Rhode Island, a strong environmentalist who understood and promoted the environmental advantages of rail transportation. Also honored at the reception was Delaware Senator Thomas Carper, who received the Congressional Chafee Award which annually goes to a member of Congress who, like Senator Chafee, is dedicated to
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NTSB Hands Down Recommendations

April 10, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
WASHINGTON — The National Transportation Safety Board has handed down a number of recommendations. The NTSB made the following recommendations to the Federal Railroad Administration: — Establish uniform signal aspects that railroads must use to authorize a train to enter an occupied block, and prohibitthe use of these aspects for any other signal indication. — Study the different signal systems for trains, identify ways to communicate more uniformly the meaning of signal aspectsacross all railroad territories, and require the railroadsto implement as many uniform signal meanings as possible. — Require that emergency exits on new and remanufactured locomotive cabs provide
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Service Along Amtrak’s Empire Corridor to be Affected by Metro-North Track Work Beginning April 5

April 3, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
NEW YORK — Customers who travel along Amtrak’s Empire Corridor will soon enjoy a smoother ride as Metro-North Railroad embarks on a major track work project, beginning April 5, 2009 and continuing through the summer. The work will take place on the Metro North’s Hudson Line between Beacon and Poughkeepsie, NY and will cause service adjustments to the schedules of trains that travel through the area, but in the end will result in a more reliable service. As a result of the track work, schedules for Amtrak’s Empire, Ethan Allen Express and Maple Leaf services will be adjusted at some
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Sanford Amtrak Auto Train Station to Receive Federal Support

March 30, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. John L. Mica, R-Fla., applauded Vice President Joe Biden’s announcement that out of the $1.3 billion that Amtrak will receive from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, $10.5 million will be spent on reconstruction of the Sanford Auto Train terminal. This funding will be spent immediately, with construction beginning in April and a projected completion date of October 2010. “We hope to enhance the Auto Train experience by giving Amtrak passengers a decent facility for their arrivals in and departures from Central Florida. The new 600-seat station will make up for the sparse and inadequate reception