Canada: Continued Interruption of VIA Rail Services Leads to Temporary Layoffs

A press release from VIA Rail Canada; July 8, 2020: MONTRÉAL, July 8, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ – As the COVID-19…

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Europe, UK: ‘Uncertainty’ over FirstGroup’s ability to continue operating

By David Burroughs, International Railway Journal; July 8, 2020 FIRST Group has acknowledged a “material uncertainty exists” about its ability…

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Europe, UK: Boss of transport giant FirstGroup begs Government to stop telling commuters to avoid trains and buses ‘to get the economy moving again’ by ending working-from-home culture

By Luke Andrews For Mailonline, Daily Mail; July 9, 2020 The UK’s biggest bus company and rail operator has urged…

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Asia, Japan: Volume-based fares? JR East mulls changes after pandemic

By YUTA ICHIJO, Staff Writer, The Asahi Shimbun; July 8, 2020 East Japan Railway Co. (JR East) is considering different…

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U.S., Montana: Amtrak cuts could have outsized impact on Hi-Line

By Justin Franz, Montana Free Press; July 6, 2020 Whitefish is the busiest stop in Montana for Amtrak’s daily Empire…

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U.S., Commentary: Amtrak cuts are shortsighted

By The Editorial Board, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; July 5, 2020 Amtrak is a vital public transportation service and an economic benefit…

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U.S., Commentary: Is Amtrak leveraging the pandemic to permanently cut train service?

By David C. Lester, Managing Editor, RT&S Magazine; July 7, 2020 Amtrak is set to celebrate its 50th anniversary in…

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U.S., Commentary: How To Get Back On Track After COVID-19

By Tony Coscia, International Business Times; July 7, 2020 Like many enterprises throughout the economy, Amtrak is facing the challenge…

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U.S., North Carolina: Coronavirus pandemic reduces passenger train service in North Carolina again

By Richard Stradling, The News & Observer; July 06, 2020 RALEIGH Passenger train service in North Carolina is being cut…

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U.S., Connecticut: Coronavirus means we need to rethink our transportation needs.

By Emil H. Frankel, Special to Hartford Courant; July 05, 2020 Predicting the form and character of Connecticut’s transportation system…

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Canada – Vacation, but not limited to: train or plane? ‘The future of green is traveling on the rails’

By Tammy Sewell, OI Canadian; July 5, 2020 European trains, travelling with the wind in the stern, guided the green…

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U.S.: Critics Fear Amtrak Is Using Pandemic to Cut Service That Won’t Return

By Pranshu Verma, The New York Times; July 3, 2020 WASHINGTON — Amtrak has long wanted to cut back on…

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U.S., Tennessee: Music City Star upgrades closer for Wilson and East Davidson county train service

By Andy Humbles, Nashville Tennessean; July 2, 2020 WeGo Public Transit unveiled and gave a progress report on capital equipment…

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U.S., California: BART launches ridership charts to help returning commuters plan

By Bay City News, KRON 4; June 30, 2020 SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (BCN) – BART said Tuesday that it is…

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Europe, Germany: FlixTrain set to relaunch Cologne – Berlin service

By David Burroughs, International Railway Journal; June 30, 2020 GERMAN open-access operator FlixTrain has announced it will begin to relaunch…

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U.S., Commentary: We need a better Amtrak for post-pandemic America

By Jon Talton, The Seattle Times; June 26, 2020 Airlines aren’t the only passenger transportation systems in trouble because of…

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U.S., West Virginia: Manchin joins senators in calling for assurances that Amtrak service cuts will be temporary

From Staff Reports, Charleston Gazette-Mail; June 26, 2020 Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., has joined three other U.S. senators in sending…

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U.S., Commentary: Amtrak, Tri-weekly, The future, and Yogi

Editor’s Note: The commentary below is by Russ Jackson of Fort Worth, Texas, formerly of California. Mr. Jackson is the…

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U.S.: Amtrak fading from rural Nevada landscape

By Gary Martin, Las Vegas Review-Journal; June 25, 2020 WASHINGTON — A last vestige of the American West — the…

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U.S., Oklahoma and Texas: Smaller Heartland Flyer to continue to run despite ‘dramatically’ down ticket sales

By Jordan Green, The Oklahoman; June 21, 2020 Amtrak’s passenger train operating between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth, Texas, will…

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U.S.: USDOT extends short lines’ RRIF Express loan deadline

From Progressive Railroading Magazine; June 25, 2020 The Build America Bureau of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has extended…

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U.S. – ‘Frustrated and fearful’: Maintenance union calls on Amtrak to test employees for COVID-19

By Patricia Madej, The Philadelphia Inquirer; June 23, 2020 The union representing thousands of railroad maintenance and construction workers wants…

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U.S., Michigan: Grand Rapids-Chicago Amtrak Pere Marquette trains return next week

A press release from the Michigan Department of Transportation; June 20, 2020: June 20, 2020 —Beginning June 29 and 30,…

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Canada, Ontario: There won’t be an Agawa Canyon Tour Train this year

By Staff, SooToday.com; June 10, 2020 The Agawa Canyon Tour Train is cancelled for the 2020 season due to COVID-19,…

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U.S.: Amtrak reducing service, offering buyout packages to employees

By Kanishka Singh, Reuters, Yahoo! News; June 16, 2020 (Reuters) – U.S. passenger railroad service Amtrak, which has been reeling…

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