U.S.: North Carolina gets federal grant to buy corridor for Raleigh-Richmond high-speed rail

By Richard Stradling, The News & Observer; September 18, 2020 RALEIGH The effort to establish high-speed passenger rail service between…

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U.S., California: BART’s Transbay Project Gets $1.2 Billion Boost

By Marybeth Luczak, Executive Editor, Railway Age Magazine; September 15, 2020 The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has issued a $1.2 billion grant…

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U.S., Virginia: Long Bridge rail project between D.C. and Virginia barrels ahead

By Wyatt Gordon, Virginia Mercury, Inside NOVA; September 15, 2020 With the state budget in tatters and commuter levels at…

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U.S.: California’s scaled-back high-speed rail plan faces doubts amid financial crunch

By Ralph Vartabedian, Los Angeles Times (TNS), Herald-Mail Media; September 10, 2020 LOS ANGELES — It was just last year…

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U.S.: Amtrak CEO Pleads With Congress for Billions in Covid-19 Aid; $5 Billion Total to Keep Long Distance Trains Daily

By Keith Laing, Bloomberg Politics; September 9, 2020 Amtrak’s chief executive pleaded with House lawmakers Wednesday to approve $2.84 billion…

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U.S., Indiana: South Shore double-track project, and a faster trip to Chicago, move closer to reality

By Ed Semmler, South Bend Tribune; September 8, 2020 The idea of getting to Chicago faster on the South Shore…

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U.S.: Colorado is making progress on a Front Range railway. Here’s what it will take to make it happen.

By Jon Murray, The Denver Post; September 6, 2020 The idea sounds enticing: Instead of battling Interstate 25 congestion, travelers…

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U.S.: United States Department of Transportation Releases National Freight Strategic Plan

By William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-Chief, Railway Age Magazine; September 4, 2020 The United States Department of Transportation has released a…

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Canada, Ontario: Sault MP wants his own closure on track maintenance subsidies for short-line railroader

By Ian Ross, Northern Ontario Business; September 4, 2020 Someone is going to be hauling steel and forest products between…

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U.S.: ‘Not Unlike the Postal Service’: Advocates Want Amtrak to Prioritize Service Over Profit

By Pranshu Verma, The New York Times; September 1, 2020 WASHINGTON — For Amtrak, the coronavirus pandemic has not only…

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Central America: Mexico rolling on with prolific portfolio of passenger rail projects

From Bnamericas; August 21, 2020 Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s (AMLO) passenger railway portfolio could eventually include more than…

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U.S., California: Caltrain saved? Officials reach a deal to place measure on ballot that could avert a shutdown

By Michael Cabanatuan, San Francisco Chronicle; August 4, 2020 A tentative deal in the do-or-die dispute over a three-county sales…

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U.S., California Editorial: Bay Area officials’ timely backtrack may rescue Caltrain

By The Editorial Board, San Francisco Chronicle; August 4, 2020 Bay Area officials appear to have wisely pulled the emergency…

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U.S., Opinion: High-Speed Rail’s True Barrier Isn’t Money. It’s Space.

By Scott Beyer, Urban Issues Columnist, Governing; August 3, 2020 America is way behind on building high-speed rail. While nations…

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Canada, Ontario: Northern Policy Institute think tank criticized for report of Northern passenger rail service

By Elaine Della-Mattia, The Sault Star; July 21, 2020 A recently released Northern Policy Institute report suggests that regularly scheduled…

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U.S.: Ohio Rail Development Commission approves grant for Indiana & Ohio Railway and Hocking Valley Scenic Railway

A press release from The Ohio Rail Development Commission, The Highland County Press; July 16, 2020 On July 15, the…

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U.S.: House Bill would tie Amtrak funding to preservation of long-distance routes, staff

From Progressive Railroading Magazine; July 10, 2020 The House Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing, Urban Development and Related Agencies (THUD) earlier…

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U.S., Washington State: State receives King County to Spokane rail study

By Aaron Kunkler, Bellevue Reporter; July 10, 2020 A new study outlines what it could take to resurrect an east-west…

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U.S. OP-ED: Happy 56th birthday to federal funding for public transportation

By Larry Penner, Mass Transit Magazine; July 9, 2020 July 2020 marks the 56th Anniversary of federal government support for…

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Canada, Saskatchewan and Manitoba – Betsy Kennedy: Laying the tracks for future prosperity in the North

By Betsy Kennedy, Special to the National Post; July 7, 2020 The Bayline railroad has been a part of our…

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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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Australia: Victoria state government provides $A 9m to continue Overland services

By David Burroughs, International Railway Journal; July 3, 2020 THE Australian state government of Victoria has announced it will provide…

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U.S., Montana: Missoula County urges Senators Daines, Tester to back passenger rail in surface transportation bill

By Martin Kidston, Missoula Current; June 30, 2020 Missoula County is asking the state’s congressional delegation to back elements of…

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U.S.: House passes $1.5 trillion infrastructure bill

From Progressive Railroading Magazine; July 2, 2020 The U.S. House yesterday passed the $1.5 trillion Moving Forward Act, H.R. 2,…

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U.S. – New York Cross Harbor Rail Tunnel? Not in our lifetime: The Federal Transit Man Opinion

By Larry Penner, RT&S Magazine; June 16, 2020 There is only $70 million for advancing an environmental study for the…

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