U.S., Amtrak and Others: Will Brightline work in places such as New England, and is Boston really the Hub of the Universe?

By William Lindley, Guest Commentator; December 2, 2023 Brightline in Florida has refuted the naysayers of profitable intercity trains. As…

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U.S., Amtrak and others: The first stages of a new 21st Century Golden Age of passenger train travel, including Night Trains

By J. Bruce Richardson, Corridor Rail Development Corporation; September 12, 2023 There are many of us in the passenger train…

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U.S., A Sporting Event: How would you improve Stephen Gardner’s Amtrak scheduling and equipment utilization? Plus, Amtrak is seeking 4,000 new employees

Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared on this platform on March 26, 2021. It has been expanded, updated, and photographs…

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U.S., Amtrak and others: A primer of best practices for how to plan passenger train expansions

Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared on this platform on March 29, 2021. It has been updated with photographs and…

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U.S., Canada: Exploding the myth trains must be very fast to be attractive to passengers

By William Lindley, Guest Commentator; June 16, 2022 Key points: • Convenience of use is more important than train speed…

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U.S., Ohio: Understanding for Stephen Gardner’s Amtrak and beyond the critical national implications of a Cincinnati route hub with car-lines to both east and west coasts

Editor’s Note: Guest Commentator William Lindley illuminates the concept of a new George Washington as a useful replacement for Stephen…

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U.S., Amtrak History: Routes That Have Come and Gone, Part Nine

By J. Bruce Richardson, Corridor Rail Development Corporation; April 27, 2021 Amtrak is 50 years old this May. That’s a…

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U.S., New Haven History: Afternoon Tea in the Dining Car

By J. Bruce Richardson, Corridor Rail Development Corporation; December 23, 2020 The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad, commonly…

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U.S., Northeast: I paid $20 to ride Amtrak’s famed high-speed Acela train for the first time during the pandemic and it was the perfect alternative to flying

By Thomas Pallini, Business Insider; December 6, 2020 Amtrak’s Acela trains are the closest thing Americans have to European-style high-speed…

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U.S., New England: The New Haven Railroad Offered a ‘Sturdy’ Dining Car Menu History

By J. Bruce Richardson, Corridor Rail Development Corporation; December 6, 2020 The New Haven Railroad – or, as it was…

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U.S.: Amtrak’s new Acela gets speed testing ahead of 2021 rollout: ‘It’s going to be a game changer’

By CBS News, CBS This Morning; October 9, 2020 Amtrak’s new Acela, which is America’s fastest train, is undergoing speed…

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U.S., Massachusetts: Federal Help Unlikely for $2.4 Billion to $4.6 Billion East-West Rail

By State House News Service, Banker & Tradesman; October 1, 2020 A passenger rail expansion to western Massachusetts could attract…

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U.S., Massachusetts: MassDOT Multiplies Ridership Forecasts, Narrows Alternatives for East-West Rail

By Christian MilNeil, Streetsblog MASS; August 5, 2020 MassDOT has dramatically increased ridership projections and shortlisted three final service alternatives…

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U.S., Massachusetts: Federal money to be used for Worcester’s Union Station platform project

By Nick Kotsopoulos, Staff, Telegram.com; July 31, 2020 WORCESTER — The Worcester Redevelopment Authority board voted Friday to authorize the…

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U.S., Northeast: Amtrak Expands Reserved Seating Offering for Acela Business Class Travelers

A press release from Amtrak; July 28, 2020: New, popular amenity to enhance the customer experience and offer more peace…

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U.S., New England: Downeaster ridership low but rising as trains start running after two-month shutdown

By Hannah LaClaire, Times Record, Sun Journal; July 9, 2020 BRUNSWICK — Amtrak’s Downeaster trains are back up and running…

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U.S., Massachusetts: Why the MBTA reversed course on its commuter rail contract with Keolis

By Nik DeCosta-Klipa, Staff, Boston.com; June 16, 2020 Three-and-a-half years ago, amid complaints about service, Gov. Charlie Baker’s administration said…

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U.S.: Will Commuters Ever Go Back to Commuter Trains?

By David Zipper, Visiting Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School, City Lab; April 30, 2020 Last year, the fiscal management…

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U.S., New England: Amtrak Downeaster temporarily suspending service

By Christopher Burns, BDN Staff, Bangor Daily News; April 13, 2020 Amtrak’s Downeaster rail service has been suspended through at…

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U.S.: Amtrak to cancel Acela Express trains in Northeast as coronavirus reduces demand; reduces Pacific Surfliner schedules

By Curtis Tate, USA Today; March 22, 2020 Amtrak will cancel its flagship Acela Express trains in the Northeast on…

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U.S.: Amtrak Takes Active Measures to Maintain Safe Environment

A press release from Amtrak; March 16, 2020: Amtrak Coronavirus Updated: Monday, March 16 7:30 p.m. ET The safety of…

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U.S., Massachusetts: MassDOT Will Revisit Its East-West Rail Ridership Projections

By Christian MilNeil, Streets Blog Massachusetts; March 2, 2020 MassDOT says that it will revisit cost and ridership projections for…

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U.S., Massachusetts: East-West rail comes with very high price tag

By Bruce Mohl, Commonwealth Magazine; February 6, 2020 A LONG-AWAITED ANALYSIS of East-West rail service indicates passengers could travel between…

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U.S., New England: East-west rail study running late

By State House News Service, Daily Hampshire Gazette; January 1, 2020 The Department of Transportation now expects its study on…

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Boston Critics: $10-$28 Billion Commuter Rail overhaul could be a ‘New Big Dig’

By Sean Philip Cotter and Mary Markos, Boston Herald; November 4, 2019 The MBTA is moving forward on a plan…

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