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News Wire
  • [ May 9, 2026 ] Tennessee-Based Entertainment Company Acquires South Dakota’s 1880 Train Miscellaneous
  • [ May 9, 2026 ] The Day the Meatballs Entered Service Amtrak
  • [ May 8, 2026 ] FAA Proposes No-Fly-Zone Process for Drones Near Sensitive Facilities Legislation
  • [ May 6, 2026 ] Short Lines Notch Record Safety Mark in 2025, ASLRRA Says Short Line/Regional
  • [ May 6, 2026 ] CPKC, CSX Upgrade Southeast Mexico Express with Dedicated Train, Faster Transit Times Canadian Pacific Kansas City
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Illinois

Commuter Rail

Federal Funding for Chicago Transit Jumps 5,000% for Operating Expenses

July 7, 2022 The Center Square
The Chicago Transit Authority saw a more than 5,000% increase in federal money for operating funds in 2020, an increase that helped CTA maintain services throughout COVID-19. The bailout by the federal government meant that operating expenses remained flat despite a 60% drop in passenger miles, largely due to the pandemic.

Commuter Rail

Metra Ridership Remains Below Pre-Pandemic Levels as Expenses Grow

July 7, 2022 The Center Square
Ridership on Metra, the taxpayer-supported commuter train agency that serves Chicago and its suburbs, continued to remain significantly below pre-pandemic levels in 2021 while the agency’s operating expenses continued to grow.

Amtrak

Lawmakers Frustrated Over Blocked Rail Crossings and Late Passenger Trains

June 22, 2022 The Center Square
The head of the Federal Railroad Administration was put on the defensive regarding poor on-time service by Amtrak trains in Illinois that taxpayers subsidize.

Commuter Rail

Metra Announces Flat Ticket Prices Through 2022

October 28, 2021 The Center Square
Metra announced a new $900 million budget, that restores services on all lines to pre-pandemic levels and keeps ticket prices flat in 2022.

Commuter Rail

Metra Turns to Wabtec for Equipment Contract

October 22, 2021 Railfanning.org News Wire
Metra, the Chicago area commuter rail system, has tapped Wabtec Corp. to upgrade and modernize the system’s fleet.

Commuter Rail

Metra Agrees to Buy up to 500 Multilevel Railcars from Alstom

January 15, 2021 Railfanning.org News Wire
About 40 percent of Metra’s current fleet of 840 cars are rated in marginal or poor condition, officials say, adding that the new cars will offer increased reliability and reducing operating costs.

A N.J. Transit train departs from Montvale, N.J. on Feb. 10, 2016.
Commuter Rail

FTA Announces $9.1 Million for 10 projects in Nine States

October 8, 2020 Railfanning.org News Wire
The money, through the Safety Research and Demonstration and the Bus Operator Compartment programs, supports safety and innovation in the transit industry.

Safety

Railroads, Jurisdictions Observe Rail Safety Week

September 23, 2020 Railfanning.org News Wire
Railroads and jurisdictions across the United States and Canada are observing Rail Safety Week.

CTA Green Line at Oak Park
Commuter Rail

CTA Marks 25 Years Since Moving to Color-Coded Rail Lines

April 20, 2018 Railfanning.org News Wire
The CTA on Feb. 21, 1993, unveiled new designations that used color-coded train signs and maps, replacing names or streets for the various rail lines.

Vandalia Railroad
History

Vandalia Railroad Co.: A Short-Line in Illinois’ Former State Capital

August 31, 2016 Todd DeFeo
The quiet hamlet of Vandalia is perhaps best known as the location of Illinois’ fourth capitol or as the one-time western terminus of the National Road.

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  • Ohio Officials Prep for Three-Day Semitruck Enforcement Effort
    May 11, 2026
  • Tennessee-Based Entertainment Company Acquires South Dakota’s 1880 Train
    May 9, 2026
  • The Day the Meatballs Entered Service
    May 9, 2026
  • FAA Proposes No-Fly-Zone Process for Drones Near Sensitive Facilities
    May 8, 2026
  • KC Streetcar Riverfront Set to Open Extension With Celebration
    May 6, 2026
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