Amtrak – Page 58 – Railfanning.org

Gala Celebration and Amtrak Equipment Display to Open Restored Hattiesburg Depot

April 19, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Long known as The Hub City, Hattiesburg now has an Intermodal Transportation Facility at 308 Newman Street that will enable passengers on daily Amtrak Crescent trains to enjoy visiting the Pine Belt community of more than 130,000 and to connect with local transit. In order to celebrate the official opening of the depot this weekend, a black-tie Grand Gala will be held at the station this Friday night and a ribbon-cutting will be staged this Saturday afternoon. Amtrak will display railcars and a locomotive at the station during the gala on Friday night and following the ribbon-cutting

Amtrak Named “Best of America” by Reader’s Digest for Its Campus Visit Program

April 18, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON – Amtrak has been named “Best of America” by the editors of Reader’s Digest magazine for the railroad’s highly popular Campus Visit Program. The program which allows prospective college students to bring along a parent and or guardian for free on Amtrak, when visiting colleges and universities, is available to students nationwide. After speaking to hundreds of experts for this special issue, Reader’s Digest editors rated the Campus Visit Program as the “best transportation” and “travel twofer” under its “America’s 100 Best” category. The program is featured in the publication’s May, 2007 issue. “It is certainly gratifying for Reader’s

NARP: Don’t Cut Rail Service

April 17, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — Citing increased demand for passenger rail service and rising gas prices, the National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP) urged Congress to invest $1.68 billion in Amtrak next year and to steer clear of route-cutting discussions. This amount is what Amtrak requested, and includes $100 million for matching grants for a state corridor development program. In a statement submitted to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies, NARP Executive Director Ross Capon noted that expanding Amtrak’s network would drive economies of scale. “The most effective strategy to improve the economic efficiency of all

Amtrak Expands At-Seat Cart Service on Acela Express Trains

April 9, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON – Responding to requests for additional food cart service onboard Amtrak’s high-speed premium Acela Express service, Amtrak has announced expanded food cart service on its premier Northeast Corridor trains. The cart service is featured on four additional Acela Express trains traveling daily between New York and Washington, D.C., bringing the total of Acela Express trains offering at seat cart service to 10. This highly popular service provides passengers the opportunity to enjoy snacks and beverages without ever leaving the comfort of their seats. Regular café service will continue to be offered with similar menu choices. “We are extremely pleased

Susquehanna River Bridge Project to Improve Reliability and On-Time Performance

April 4, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON – Amtrak’s biggest engineering project of the spring is underway on the Susquehanna River Bridge between Baltimore, Md., and Wilmington, Del. A key rail link on the busy Northeast Corridor, the 4,154-foot-long bridge spans the Susquehanna between Havre De Grace Md., and Perryville, Md. As a result of the track improvement work, schedule adjustments have been made to Acela, Regional and long-distance arrival and departure times. Beginning April 14 and continuing through June 4, trains will operate on a single track over the bridge and its approaches, and the schedules of all southbound Acela Express, Regional and long-distance trains

Amtrak Continues Work on Quantico Bridge

March 21, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — Beginning March 24, Amtrak will operate on a single track over Quantico Creek in Quantico, Va. The track work is a continuation of work that started February 16-23 to build a second bridge span over the Quantico Creek to allow for multiple track operation from Richmond to Washington, DC. Service on the Carolinian, which operates between New York and Charlotte, NC, will be affected from March 24 through April 1 to accommodate the track work. Saturday March 24 through Sunday April 1 Carolinian trains (79 and 80) will operate between Rocky Mount and Charlotte only, with no alternate

Amtrak Adjusts Missouri Service Schedules to Accommodate Trackwork

March 21, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

CHICAGO — Amtrak is adjusting train schedules between St. Louis and Kansas City effective April 2, 2007, due to a major track repair project by the line’s owner, Union Pacific Railroad (UP). The project will continue through the fall of 2007 and is expected to lead to improved ride quality and reliability. During the construction period, UP will install new rail, ties, ballast and replace surfaces at road crossings. Unlike 2006, when Amtrak and the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) regularly chartered motorcoaches, this year’s plan calls for two daily round-trips to be provided solely by train. “Although we were

Amtrak Launches New Whistle Stop Community Website

March 12, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON – Seeking an outlet to share the numerous, heart-warming stories it regularly receives from passengers, Amtrak has launched a new website for travelers to share their train travel experiences. Christened Whistle Stop, the site, found at whistlestop.amtrak.com, includes feature stories on Amtrak routes with photos taken from the train along those routes. The first three feature stories on Whistle Stop focus on three of Amtrak’s most popular long-distance routes: the Adirondack (Montreal – New York), the Empire Builder (Chicago – Portland/Seattle) and the Southwest Chief (Chicago – Los Angeles). These features are first-person travelogues by professional writers that provide

Amtrak San Joaquins Service Back to Normal

March 7, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

OAKLAND – BNSF Railway’s annual San Joaquin Valley track maintenance and rehabilitation has concluded and all Amtrak San Joaquin trains are back to their normal schedule. The track work between Bakersfield and Fresno began in January and was recently completed. Amtrak operates the San Joaquin Service, with six daily round-trips to Bakersfield from Oakland or Sacramento, under a contract with Caltrans, the California Department of Transportation.

Amtrak Provides Study to Restore State-Supported Rail Service to Rockford and Northwestern Illinois

March 5, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

CHICAGO — Amtrak has completed a report requested by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) that evaluates possible Northwestern Illinois routes between Chicago and Dubuque, Iowa, via Rockford, Illinois. This “Feasibility Report on Proposed Amtrak Service” is also in response to a July 2006 town meeting held in Rockford and hosted by U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) who was joined by Congressman Donald Manzullo (R-Ill.), Amtrak and IDOT representatives, labor officials and community leaders from Boone, Winnebago, Stephenson, Jo Daviess, DeKalb and Ogle Counties. In the report, the approximate cost of upgrading the railroad infrastructure to accommodate passenger train speeds