Amtrak – Page 56 – Railfanning.org

Strike Clock Ticking for Amtrak Machinists

WASHINGTON — The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) says its 500 Amtrak members can strike on Dec. 1 unless President Bush intervenes and appoints a Presidential Emergency Board (PEB). A 30-day countdown began when the National Mediation Board formally released the IAM and Amtrak from mediated negotiations on Oct. 31. “We expect and are prepared for a Presidential Emergency Board,” said IAM General Vice President Robert Roach, Jr. “Our attorneys and economists are primed to defend the fair and reasonable positions our negotiators have taken at the bargaining table.” Once empanelled, a PEB has 30 days to investigate the dispute and issue its non-binding recommendations for settlement.

Select Amtrak Pacific Surfliner Trains Stop at Two New Locations in Orange County

OAKLAND – Select Amtrak Pacific Surfliner trains are stopping at two new locations in the cities of Orange and Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo. These new stops are at Metrolink stations between the Anaheim and Santa Ana Amtrak stations and between Irvine and San Juan Capistrano. The Metrolink station in Orange is located at 194 North Atchison Street, Orange, California. The Metrolink station in Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo is located at 28200 Frobes Road, Laguna Niguel, California. The new stops began on Monday, Oct. 29. Pacific Surfliner trains operate 12 daily roundtrips between San Diego and Los Angeles, with five extending to Santa Barbara and two continuing to San Luis Obispo.

Amtrak Illinois Ridership Up Strongly

CHICAGO – Huge ridership gains are tied to increased Amtrak train frequencies in Illinois, with the three routes between Chicago and downstate communities showing large increases and helping Amtrak to set a new national record for passengers. In all, nearly 3.6 million passengers used Amtrak stations in Illinois, including all trains at Amtrak Chicago Union Station. The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) has more than doubled the size of its contract with Amtrak, providing three of the five round-trips on the Chicago-St. Louis corridor and two round-trips each on the Carbondale and Quincy routes, starting late last October. On the Chicago-St. Louis Lincoln Service corridor, ridership on state trains more

Amtrak Hiawatha Service Ridership Up Strongly

MILWAUKEE – Amtrak ridership in Fiscal Year 2007 on Hiawatha Service trains between Chicago and Milwaukee increased by 2.6 percent and is approaching 600,000 annual riders. In all, more than 631,000 passengers used the three Wisconsin Hiawatha Service stations, including Amtrak Empire Builder passengers at Milwaukee’s downtown station. More than 2.8 million passengers used the two Illinois Hiawatha Service stations, including other trains at Amtrak Chicago Union Station. Amtrak operates seven daily round-trips on the route Mondays through Fridays, with six round-trips on Sundays. The ridership gain on the Hiawathas is slightly more than the national Amtrak ridership increase of 2.4 percent and comes as Amtrak has made several improvements

Amtrak Michigan Ridership Up Strongly

LANSING, Mich. – Amtrak ridership in Fiscal Year 2007 on trains in Michigan increased by more than 17,000 passengers, totaling nearly 682,000 riders on the three routes in the Great Lakes State. In all, Amtrak sold more than 750,000 tickets to and from locations in Michigan. Amtrak operates three daily roundtrips on the Pontiac-Detroit-Ann Arbor-Chicago route known as the Wolverine Service. The 2.4 percent ridership gain on the Wolverines matches the national Amtrak ridership increase and is the result of more than 449,000 passengers choosing rails instead of roads. The state-supported single-frequency daily routes in Michigan — Grand Rapids-St. Joseph-Chicago Pere Marquette and the Port Huron-East Lansing-Chicago Blue Water —

Amtrak Honors California Department of Transportation, William Bronte with Prestigious President’s Service and Safety Award

WASHINGTON – Amtrak has honored William Bronte, Chief, Division of Rail for the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), for special recognition among state and local leaders across the nation for his support of Amtrak and his commitment to passenger rail service. During ceremonies here, Amtrak President, CEO Alex Kummant presented Bronte with Amtrak’s most prestigious award, the President’s Service and Safety Award for State Partner. He is one of three people who received the award nationally. “Your efforts exemplify initiative, commitment and dedication to Amtrak, and our entire organization extends to you our highest appreciation,” said Kummant. Recipients in the State Partner category “must demonstrate extraordinary and creative efforts in

Amtrak’s Keystone Service Sees Increases in Ridership and Revenue

WASHINGTON – Amtrak is reporting double-digit growth in ridership and revenue during fiscal year 2007 on routes through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, most notably the Keystone Service. Operating between Harrisburg, Philadelphia and New York, the Keystones saw ridership grow to 988,454, an increase of 20 percent for FY07. Ticket revenue for the same period increased nearly 30 percent to $20,582,838. The Keystone Service ranks fifth in growth in ridership and revenue among all Amtrak services. “People traveling from Harrisburg and Lancaster to Philadelphia and back now have an even better option to beat traffic congestion,” said PennDOT Secretary Allen D. Biehler, P.E. “Working with Amtrak, PennDOT under Governor Edward G.

‘Great Dome’ Car Added to Adirondack Service

WASHINGTON — Beginning Monday, Oct. 22, through Monday, Nov. 12, passengers riding Amtrak’s Adirondack train, which operates between New York City and Montreal, will have the unique opportunity to experience the spectacular view afforded by the historic “Great Dome” car between Albany and Montreal. Named for their design that features an upper level with windows on all sides as well as overhead, dome cars provide passengers with panoramic views of passing scenery. The dome car is temporarily assigned to the Adirondack, and provides views of fall foliage and Lake Champlain as the train travels through upstate New York and across the border into Canada. The refurbished vintage “Great Dome” car

Amtrak California Corridor Ridership Rising Steadily

OAKLAND — Amtrak ridership in Fiscal Year 2007 (FY07) increased to 25,847,531, marking the fifth straight year of gains and setting a record for the most passengers using Amtrak trains since the National Railroad Passenger Corporation started operations in 1971. The three California corridors, operated under the partnership banner, Amtrak California, are the busiest in the nation behind the Washington – Boston Northeast corridor and the Empire corridor serving Albany – New York City. Passenger traffic on the Amtrak California trains continues to expand. Since 2001, ridership increased more than 35 percent while the State’s population rose by 7.1 percent. The Capitol Corridor service which operates between Auburn and San

A New Experience on the Historic Amtrak City of New Orleans Train

One of America’s most storied trains, the Amtrak City of New Orleans, starts a fresh chapter this Sunday, October 28, with a new on-board experience that includes a taste of its namesake city and the region.