Amtrak

October 5, 2009 -- Portland, OR – A preliminary study of the Pioneer Line needs to more fully explore key issues of cost and ridership before Congress can make a decision about restoring passenger rail service to Eastern Oregon, Senator Ron Wyden said in a letter to the president and CEO of Amtrak.

“It is apparent that the Pioneer has the potential to greatly benefit the State of Oregon by providing an alternative means of passenger transportation,” Wyden said in the letter to Joseph H. Boardman. “However, the current report does not fully explore several important issues, thus preventing Congress from making an educated decision about the line.”    » read more »

Additional train to provide service during commuter hours

June 03, 2009 -- RICHMOND - Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine today announced that Amtrak and the Commonwealth of Virginia have signed an agreement to operate an additional train between Richmond and Washington, D.C. during commuter hours. This new train, along with previously announced daily service between Lynchburg and Washington, D.C., provides more passenger and freight rail transportation options, and are the first state-supported intercity passenger rail services in Virginia.    » read more »

March 13, 2009 -- Washington, DC – Standing at Washington, DC’s Union Station, one of the most traveled railway stations in the nation, Vice President Joe Biden announced that Amtrak will receive $1.3 billion in grant funding from the recently enacted American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to expand passenger rail capacity.    » read more »

Report Requested by Sen. Lautenberg Highlights Need for Improved National Rail Policy

April 1, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – A new report requested by Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) and released today describes how delays to Amtrak trains that operate over freight railroad lines cost the company almost $137 million in fiscal year 2006, an amount equal to 30 percent of its federal operating subsidy.

Railroad crossing at 4th street and the Berkeley Amtrak station, Berkeley, California: Photo by Patrick Boury (CC)    » read more »

01/18/2008 -- BOSTON, MA – Senator John Kerry welcomed the compromise reached by Amtrak employees and the Amtrak Corporation today, where employees agreed in principle to a contract and averted a possible strike. Amtrak employees have been working without a contract since 2000. Without a contract in place, they would have been able to strike at the end of this month, shutting down the commuter rail used by thousands of Bay State residents every day.    » read more »

January 16, 2008 -- "I am continuing to monitor closely the negotiations between Amtrak and its workers. Amtrak is a vital transportation lifeline for New Yorkers. In the State of New York, Amtrak operates 140 routes, employs more than 1,900 people, and has two of the top ten busiest stations in their rail system.    » read more »

Baucus, Tester Say That Additional Funds Will Provide A Real Boost To Nation's Rail System

October 30, 2007 -- (Washington, D.C.) – Montana’s U.S. Senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester today praised the U.S. Senate for passing multi-year legislation that will authorize increased funding for the nation’s rail system.    » read more »

As traffic on roads and tarmacs grows, bipartisan plan would improve Amtrak's infrastructure and expand rail into more towns and cities

October 30, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Senate passed an $11.4 billion bill introduced by Sens. Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Trent Lott (R-MS) to fully fund Amtrak and bring the passenger rail system into the 21st century. The Lautenberg-Lott bipartisan plan would authorize infrastructure improvements and the expansion of rail routes into new American towns and cities over the next six years.    » read more »

Plan will help bring Nation's trains into the 21st Century

10/30/2007 -- BOSTON - Senator Kerry today issued the following statement on the Senate’s passage of the Passenger Rail Improvement and Investment Act. The Act, which Kerry co-sponsored, provides Amtrak with funding to improve railroad tracks and stations across the Northeast Corridor, and requires reforms that will reduce costs as well as train delays.    » read more »

October 30, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Today, a bipartisan group of Senators approved legislation to reauthorize Amtrak funding for the next six years. The Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2007 – first introduced in January by U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Trent Lott (R-MI), Daniel K. Inouye (D-HI), Ted Stevens (R-AL) and others – authorizes funding for Amtrak’s capital and operating needs to maintain current operations, upgrade equipment, and return the Northeast Corridor to a state of good repair.    » read more »

October 30, 2007 -- “The passage of this critical legislation is truly a great achievement. For New Yorkers, Amtrak is not just a commodity, but a life source. Passenger rail is an essential element of our transportation network that provides irreplaceable capacity and mobility to New York and the nation. For the past near seven years, we have had to fight the Administration’s constant attempts to privatize and dismantle our nation’s premier passenger rail service, Amtrak. Eliminating Amtrak service would be an economic disaster and an irresponsible policy.    » read more »

Bill Includes Carper Amendment to Revitalize Areas Around Rail Stations

October 30, 2007 -- Washington, DC - Today the Senate overwhelmingly passed an Amtrak bill supported by Sens. Joe Biden and Tom Carper (both D-Del.) to reform and strengthen the national passenger rail system for the 21st century.    » read more »

October 25, 2007 -- WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Senate is considering the Passenger Rail Improvement and Investment Act, a bill sponsored by U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) to support the operation of Amtrak and improvements to the passenger rail system.

Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), a strong supporter of Amtrak and co-sponsor of the legislation, spoke today on the Senate floor in favor of the legislation.

Excerpts from Menendez remarks:    » read more »

Fiscal Year 2008 Transportation Bill Appropriates $176 Million More than 2007; Committee Bill Gives Amtrak $1.37 Billion Plus a $100 Million Grant Program to Match State Funds—a Total of Nearly $1.5 Billion

July 13, 2007 -- Washington, DC - Senators Charles E. Schumer and Hillary Rodham Clinton welcomed the decision by the Senate Appropriations Committee yesterday to provide $1.37 billion in funding for Amtrak in the coming fiscal year, plus $100 million for a grant program that matches state funds for intercity passenger rail operations.    » read more »