Northeast Corridor – Page 21

Annual Amtrak Ridership Sets All-Time Record; Fifth Straight Year of Increases

October 24, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — Amtrak ridership in Fiscal Year 2007 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. This total, for the period October 1, 2006-September 30, 2007, topped the 24,306,965 for the previous 12 months and is greater than the passenger count of 25.03 million reached in 2004, before Amtrak transitioned some services to a commuter rail operator. Total ticket revenue for the fiscal year, $1.5 billion was an 11 percent increase over the $1.37 billion in FY06.

Amtrak Expands At-Seat Cart Service on Acela Express Trains

September 29, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — Responding to requests for additional food cart service onboard the Amtrak 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 Monday through Wednesday and 12 on Thursday and Friday. 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

Rahway Station Dedicated to Tireless Passenger Advocate

September 22, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

NEWARK, N.J. — Rahway Station has been dedicated to the late L. Richard Mariani to memorialize his leadership and dedication as an N.J. Transit employee to the mission of promoting public transportation and caring for the customer. The Rahway Center Partnership unveiled a plaque during a ceremony at Rahway Station on the Northeast Corridor rail line to honor Mariani’s enduring work on projects to renovate Rahway Station and the plaza that connects the station to the surrounding neighborhood, as well as his significant customer service contributions over the course of his distinguished 26-year career at N.J. Transit. — Special to

N.J. Transit Orders 45 Additional Multilevel Rail Cars

July 12, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

NEWARK, N.J. — N.J. Transit’s Board of Directors last month authorized the purchase of an additional 45 multilevel rail cars from Bombardier Transportation — a move that saves the company money on overhaul costs. The fleet of 279 rail cars will enable N.J. Transit to meet and anticipate ridership demand on its busiest rail lines, while providing a higher level of comfort for customers. “Purchasing additional multilevel rail cars is a smart business decision — one that will allow us to replace some of our aging fleet more cost-effectively than overhauling older rail cars,” said Transportation Commissioner and N.J. Transit

On Its Anniversary, Norfolk Southern Thanks Supporters

June 1, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk Southern Corporation today marked the 25th anniversary of its formation, thanking the customers, shareholders, employees and communities that the railroad serves. “Any success we claim is a result of their support and willingness to be true partners,” said Chief Executive Officer Wick Moorman. “No company serves a better group of stakeholders.” Norfolk Southern was formed June 1, 1982, from the consolidation of two of the country’s most successful railroads, Southern Railway and Norfolk and Western Railway, which traced their beginnings respectively to 1827 and 1836 and the earliest days of railroading in North America. A top

Ridership Surges as Amtrak Celebrates National Transportation Week

May 15, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON – In recognition of National Transportation Week, Amtrak today announced that ridership across the country reached 14.3 million during the first seven months of the fiscal year, an increase of 5 percent over last year. The biggest growth was in Amtrak’s short-distance corridors outside the Northeast — routes of 500 miles or less — with more than 12.3 million passengers traveling. The Amtrak-owned Northeast Corridor (Washington, DC – New York – Boston) continues to be the railroad’s busiest route, with 5.7 million passengers traveling during the first seven months of the fiscal year (October 1, 2006 – March 31,

N.J. Seeking to Commit Another Billion Dollars to Build Trans-Hudson Passenger Tunnel

May 8, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

NEWARK, N.J. — New Jersey is seeking to increase its funding commitment for a new trans-Hudson passenger rail tunnel by a billion dollars over the next decade — raising the state’s total investment in the Access to the Regions Core (ARC) project to $1.5 billion. In a unanimous vote yesterday, the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority’s (NJTPA) Project Prioritization Committee approved a recommendation to their full Board supporting Governor Corzine’s plan to exchange traditional highway dollars to fund the transit project that will double commuter rail capacity. The NJTPA’s full Board of Trustees is set to consider the measure at

Customers On SEPTA’s Paoli Line and Amtrak’s Keystone Corridor To Enjoy a Smoother Rider After Trackwork

April 25, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

PHILADELPHIA – Customers on SEPTA’s Regional Rail R5 Paoli-Thorndale Line and Amtrak’s Keystone Service will soon enjoy a smoother ride as Amtrak embarks on a major trackwork project between Paoli and Philadelphia. Scheduled to begin May 7 and continue through mid-November, the trackwork will cause adjustments to the schedules of trains that travel through the area, but in the end will result in more reliable service. During the project, SEPTA passengers will get a sneak peak at what the trackwork means to their daily commute as trains will operate over tracks that have already been upgraded. The trackwork, which is

Construction Begins on a New Metropark Station

April 23, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

ISELIN, N.J. – N.J. Transit today broke ground today on a $47 million project to rebuild Metropark Station on the Northeast Corridor. Originally designed as a suburban stop for Amtrak Metroliner trains, Metropark became New Jersey’s first “park and ride” station when it opened on November 11, 1971. The station quickly became a model of a “regional interceptor,” a station located near a major highway, providing adequate parking and convenient train options for rail travelers. Today, Metropark is the busiest outlying (non-terminal) station in the N.J. Transit commuter rail network, accommodating four million passenger trips each year—14,200 N.J. Transit customers

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