Amtrak – Page 62 – Railfanning.org

Amtrak Crescent Service to be Restored April 3

March 31, 2006 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON – Service by the Amtrak Crescent train will be restored to its full New York-New Orleans route, effective April 3, following the early completion of track work by the Norfolk Southern Railway. The service had not operated Monday-Thursday between Atlanta and New Orleans since March 6 due to the work. The track work, performed between Tuscaloosa, Ala., and Meridian, Miss., was originally scheduled to be finished April 12. However, NS officials have told Amtrak their work will be complete in time for full service to resume April 3. "We appreciate the great work by NS in making the track

Good News, Changes for Amtrak

February 1, 2006 The Cross-Tie

Following the successful introduction of revenue management on many of its Northeast Corridor trains last year, Amtrak will expand the practice in the Northeast to Acela Express and Metroliner service, beginning with trains departing Feb. 6.

Amtrak and Cianbro Corp. Announce $76 Million Bridge Span Replacement at New London, Conn.

January 13, 2006 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON – The nearly 100-year-old Thames River Bridge between New London, Conn., and Groton, Conn., will undergo a $76 million replacement of its aging bascule lift span under a construction contract between Amtrak and Pittsfield, Maine-based Cianbro Corp., the parties announced. The construction project will take two years to complete and is the largest single capital improvement Amtrak will make to the Northeast Corridor during this time. Work on the project begins this month on the installation of seven new underwater communications and signal submarine cables. In the most dramatic phase of the construction project to occur over 12 days

Taking a Look Back at 2005 for Railroads

January 6, 2006 The Cross-Tie

For better or worse, 2005 began and ended with the railroad industry in the headlines.

Trucker Killed in Crash With Amtrak Train

December 15, 2005 Railfanning.org News Wire

SALT LAKE CITY – A truck driver was killed Dec. 14 after an Amtrak train struck the truck he was driving, according to various published reports. The truck, according to an Associated Press report, tried to cross the tracks in front of the approaching California Zephyr. It took one-half mile for the train to stop. The crossing does not have gates. Five of the train’s 119 passengers were injured in the crash. None of the injuries, according to published reports, appeared to be life threatening. The lead engine’s front wheel derailed in the wreck. The Federal Railroad Administration will investigate

Cross-Tie Completes Three Years of Publishing

December 10, 2005 The Cross-Tie

Railfanning.org’s Cross-Tie publication, a monthly e-zine distributed freely to subscribers, has completed three years of publication.

The Saga Continues: A Looming Strike, No Leader, Mounting Loses for Amtrak

December 1, 2005 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — Amtrak’s Board of Directors in early November voted to fire David Gunn, the railroad’s president. The action drew the criticism from the chairman of the House of Representatives’ Subcommittee on Railroads. “One of the board’s responsibilities is to hire Amtrak’s officers, including the President and CEO,” said Rep. Steven LaTourette, R-Ohio. “I happen to believe that Mr. Gunn was doing a reasonable job with the hand he was dealt. As matter of law, Mr. Gunn or any CEO ‘serves at the pleasure of the board.’ But there are deeper issues here, whether one is a supporter or opponent

Amtrak Trains Roll Out of New Orleans Starting Oct. 9

October 9, 2005 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON – Passenger rail service from New Orleans, suspended since Hurricane Katrina pounded the Gulf Coast in later August, returned to the Big Easy Oct. with the departures of the City of New Orleans to Memphis and Chicago and the Crescent to Atlanta and New York, according to Amtrak. The New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal, Amtrak facilities and the rail lines owned by the CN Railroad and Norfolk Southern Railway leading into the city sustained extensive damage as a result of Hurricane Katrina. “We are proud to restore our operations to and from New Orleans to both serve passengers and

Railroads Return to Service After Hurricanes Pound Gulf Coast

October 1, 2005 The Cross-Tie

Major railroads worked to return service after a pair of hurricanes pounded the Gulf Coast, left thousands homeless and destroyed much of the region’s infrastructure.

A Brewing Battle: Poor Management Leads to Millions in Losses

September 15, 2005 The Cross-Tie

WASHINGTON — Poor management controls of Amtrak’s food and beverage service lead to millions in losses annually, reports reveal. The Amtrak Inspector General (IG) and the Government Accountability Office (GAO), at a recent Congressional hearing, outlined their separate reviews of Amtrak’s food and beverage service and the substantial losses incurred by Amtrak due to poor management. According to the IG’s review, Amtrak’s food and beverage operations lose up to $150 million each year. The IG figures do not incorporate losses resulting from theft, which were discussed in the hearing as being significant. The GAO review found that for every dollar