Rail service

June 03, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle today met with Vice President Joe Biden and U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood in Washington, D.C. to discuss opportunities for high speed rail projects in Wisconsin. The Governor has been working to bring high speed rail to Wisconsin and compete for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds for high-speed passenger rail.    » 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 »

June 3, 2009 -- JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Missouri Governor Jay Nixon shared his ideas about developing high speed passenger rail service at a roundtable today in Washington, D.C., with Vice President Joe Biden, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and the Governors of several other states. The Governor said he wants Missouri to be at the forefront of high speed rail projects that could be funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). A portion of ARRA specifically mandates funding for improving and deploying high speed rail systems in the United States.    » read more »

06/03/2009 -- After attending a White House state roundtable hosted by Vice President Joe Biden and U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to discuss the American Recovery and Reinvestment (Recovery Act) funding application for high-speed rail, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Senior Advisor David Crane issued the statement below. David Crane also serves as a board member of the California High-Speed Rail Commission.    » read more »

May 28, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today announced that almost half of the $20 million appropriated nationally for repairs and rehabilitation of railroad infrastructure damaged during natural disasters will go to Iowa. $9,599,243 will go to the Iowa Department of Transportation through the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) Railroad Rehabilitation and Repair Program to reimburse short line and regional railroads for three projects in the state. Harkin is a senior member of the Senate Subcommittee that funds transportation initiatives.    » read more »

Funds will help pay for repairs after the floods of 2008

May 29, 2009 -- DES MOINES – Today, Iowa Governor Chet Culver announced the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has awarded more than $9.6 million to the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) to reimburse three of Iowa’s shortline and regional railroads for emergency repairs to damaged railroad infrastructure resulting from last year’s flooding.    » read more »

May 22, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Senators Olympia J. Snowe and Susan Collins (R-Maine) today announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded $712,655 for essential projects in Maine.

"Rail and aviation infrastructure are critical components of our transportation system," Senators Snowe and Collins said in a joint statement. "Funding from the Department of Transportation will allow these recipient communities to make much-needed improvements to their facilities, thereby increasing the safety and quality of their services."

The funding will be distributed as follows:    » read more »

New Locomotive Reduces Fuel Consumption by 17% and Emissions by 70% vs. Existing DC Locomotives

18 May 2009 -- ERIE, Pa. -- GE Transportation, a unit of GE (NYSE: GE), announced today that it has introduced the newest line of fuel efficient and low emissions Evolution® Series locomotives, the Model ES44C4. The new model delivers a cleaner, faster, safer and more reliable alternative to the aging North American fleet of DC-powered locomotives.

GE is building the new locomotive at its Pennsylvania manufacturing plants in Erie and Grove City.    » read more »

May 12, 2009 -- Rochester, MN – Congressman Tim Walz, Senator Amy Klobuchar, and Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty today announced their support for a southern rail corridor around Rochester’s south side. The southern rail corridor would route trains away from downtown Rochester and the Mayo Clinic to reduce safety risks and allow for future development. The project would create hundreds of jobs during the construction phase while potentially preserving thousands of Mayo Clinic jobs.    » read more »

O'Malley dubs locomotive the Senator Barb "Go Green" Express; Additional Double Decker Passenger Cars Also Entering Service

BALTIMORE, MD (May 6, 2009) - Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley took a ride on the first of 26 new “green” locomotives that will soon enter service with Maryland’s MARC commuter rail system, dubbing the locomotive the Senator Barb "Go Green" Express for Senator Barbara Mikulski and her tireless work on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development directing federal funding for green projects like this.    » read more »

May 7, 2009 -- Colorado Governor Bill Ritter today joined members of Colorado's congressional delegation in applauding the announcement of $40 million to the FastTracks' West Corridor Light Rail project from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

"This is a key investment because it supports a project that is vital to Colorado's economic recovery," Gov. Ritter said. "These funds will help create jobs and move the West Corridor Light Rail project toward a quicker completion. One of the most important ways we will regain our economic footing and lead Colorado forward is by building a modern transportation infrastructure."    » read more »

Vision for a New Era in Rail Entails Clean, Energy-Efficient Option for Travelers

April 16, 2009 -- President Barack Obama, along with Vice President Biden and Secretary LaHood, announced a new U.S. push today to transform travel in America, creating high-speed rail lines from city to city, reducing dependence on cars and planes and spurring economic development.    » read more »

ARMONK, NY - 16 Apr 2009: According to a study released today by IBM (NYSE: IBM), increasing demand on rail systems in the U.S. and around the world will dramatically strain existing rail infrastructure. The study, "The Smarter Railroad," analyzes new approaches to modernize and build high-speed rail networks globally, such as those announced today by President Obama.    » read more »

Phase I of proposed projects would link Chicago, St. Louis

April 14, 2009 -- JEFFERSON CITY - Missouri Governor Jay Nixon and the governors of seven other Midwestern states have joined in support of high-speed passenger rail projects to link cities in their region, with Chicago as the hub. The governors, along with Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, have sent a letter to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood asking him to support plans that have been in place for several years for key rail corridors between cities in their states, including St. Louis to Chicago.    » read more »

Bipartisan Group Supports Milwaukee to Madison Route in First Phase of Project

April 13, 2009 -- MADISON – In a letter to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle, seven other Midwestern governors and Chicago Mayor Richard Daley joined in bipartisan support of a high-speed rail network that links cities around the region builds the economy and introduces a new vision for intercity passenger rail. Milwaukee would be connected to Madison and Chicago as part of the first phase of the system.    » read more »