U.S., Amtrak: The potential of the Meridian Speedway all the way to Fort Worth and El Paso . . . it’s about time, and a new approach

By Russ Jackson and Anthony Lee, Guest Contributors; December 2, 2022 Think about it: 66 billion dollars. In the bill…

Continue Reading →

U.S., Paul Theroux – ‘Anything is possible on a train: a great meal, a binge, a visit from card players, an intrigue, a good night’s sleep, and strangers’ monologues framed like Russian short stories’

By J. Bruce Richardson, Corridor Rail Development Corporation; June 30, 2022 There are moments in time defined by unexpected events…

Continue Reading →

U.S., Amtrak: Imagine what it’s like for train travel in 2032

By Russ Jackson, 2022 Guest Commentator for 2032; June 13, 2022 Imagine! “Back to the Future?” Cool! That about describes…

Continue Reading →

U.S., Amtrak: Riding the Texas Eagle to Tucson while waiting for a cow to leave the tracks for Amtrak’s stepchild

By Russ Jackson, Guest Commentator; March 28, 2022 It was a great trip . . . The future of Amtrak…

Continue Reading →

U.S., Amtrak: Veteran Passengers Comment On Superliner Linens, Doors Popping Open, Faucets, Sudden Flushing Unavailability And Possible Replacement Equipment

Editor’s Note: Frequent guest commentator Russ Jackson, the venerable retired editor of the Western Rail Passenger Review, is joined by…

Continue Reading →

U.S., Santa Fe’s El Capitan And Amtrak’s Texas Eagle: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

Editor’s Note: This is another in a series of commentaries by Russ Jackson, the distinguished retired editor of the Western…

Continue Reading →

U.S., The Jackson’s Anniversary Journey Celebrating Amtrak’s 50th Anniversary

By Russ and Susan Jackson, Guest Commentators; April 28, 2021 Editor’s Note: Russ and Susan Jackson chose this year to…

Continue Reading →

U.S., Texas: Katie Farmer Named CEO of BNSF

A press release from BNSF Railway; September 14, 2020: FORT WORTH, Texas–(BUSINESS WIRE)–BNSF today announced that Executive Vice President Operations,…

Continue Reading →

U.S., Texas – Traveling 200 mph in a pandemic. Which would be safer: High-speed rail or Hyperloop?

By Gordon Dickson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram; July 30, 2020 FORT WORTH Hyperloop and high-speed rail technology, which are both being…

Continue Reading →

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…

Continue Reading →

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…

Continue Reading →

U.S., Texas: TexRail logs 500,000 riders in first year

From Progressive Railroading Magazine; January 13, 2020 Trinity Metro last week marked the first anniversary of the TEXRail commuter-rail line,…

Continue Reading →

Texas: Soon, you will be able to take a train from Fort Worth to Plano – sort of

By Gordon Dickson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram; October 11, 2019 FORT WORTH Transit officials from Fort Worth and Dallas are working…

Continue Reading →

Connecticut opinion: The Hartford Line’s success is not so much

Opinion By Robert Hale, The Connecticut Mirror; August 2, 2019 Connecticut officials claimed last month that the Hartford Line has been a “resounding…

Continue Reading →

Fort Worth, Texas: TEXRail is about to nearly double the number of trains on its tracks

By Gordon Dickson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram; July 25, 2019 FORT WORTH Residents who live along the TEXRail tracks are about…

Continue Reading →

Texas: TEXRail was $90 million under budget. Should Fort Worth’s transit agency keep the money?

By Gordon Dickson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram; June 13, 2019 FORT WORTH Trinity Metro may already have nearly all the money…

Continue Reading →

Heartland Flyer celebrates 20 years on track in Oklahoma, Texas

By Kaylee Douglas, Oklahoma News 4 KFOR; June 11, 2019 OKLAHOMA CITY – The Amtrak Heartland Flyer is celebrating its…

Continue Reading →

Texas: TEXRail in Grapevine provides a path to transit across the region

By Miranda Jaimes, Community Impact Newspaper; May 15, 2019 About 200,000 have taken advantage of TEXRail in its first four…

Continue Reading →

Texas: Why is TEXRail naming this train car Spike?

By Gordon Dickson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram; May 10, 2019 FORT WORTH Later this year, Fort Worth residents who travel on…

Continue Reading →

A fiery Fort Worth, Texas train derailment could change how railroads handle hazardous cargo

By Gordon Dickson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram; April 26, 2019 FORT WORTH Some tanker cars involved in a fiery train derailment…

Continue Reading →

Did heavy rainfall cause a train derailment, massive ethanol fire in Fort Worth?

By Gordon Dickson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram; April 24, 2019 FORT WORTH Did an incredibly powerful rainfall early Wednesday contribute to…

Continue Reading →

Wabtec Delivers 1000th Evolution Locomotive

From Diesel & Gas Turbine Worldwide; April 25, 2019 Wabtec marked the delivery of the 1000th Evolution Series Tier 4…

Continue Reading →

Fort Worth, Texas has a great little TEXRail train station with an awful name – not anymore!

By Gordon Dickson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram; March 26, 2019 FORT WORTH Since it opened in 2001, the Fort Worth Intermodal…

Continue Reading →

Wichita, Kansas city leaders in Washington to talk about funding and Amtrak

By Craig Andres, KSNW NBC; March 12, 2019 WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – Mayor Jeff Longwell and city council members are…

Continue Reading →

In Texas, TEXRail helps boost Fort Worth’s economic profile

By Michael Popke, Progressive Railroading Magazine; March 2019 At 3 a.m. on Jan. 10, six people were lined up to…

Continue Reading →