“Stairway” To Somewhere

$25 Billion And Still The Same Old Problems At Hudson Yards

March 21, 2019

by Joe Aiello | Northeast Field Coordinator “That kid is BACK on the escalator again!” - Brodie Bruce, Mallrats Last week, the brand new $25 billion Hudson Yards complex opened to the public. It is the largest private development in the United States (by square footage) and sits on nearly 27 acres of land in the Chelsea and Hudson Yards neighborhoods in Manhattan. Thirteen of the retail and residential center’s buildings were built over the existing West Side Yard - storage for LIRR trai

On The Passing of Joe Boardman

A good friend and a great rail supporter!

March 21, 2019

By Bruce Becker – Vice-President Operations I was fortunate to have attended Joe Boardman’s funeral in Rome, NY on Friday, March 15, representing the Association and also there to honor a long-time friend. Joe’s very untimely passing was a shock to his large extended family, to his many friends and to the entire rail community. Over 300 celebrated Joe’s life and legacy of public service with many representatives from the New York State Department of Transportation, the Federal Railroad

Taking a Moment to Observe

Congratulations to Coach Attendant Sharon Diaz!

March 20, 2019

By Carolyn Cokley, Director, Customer Programs Congratulations to Coach Attendant Sharon Diaz. Sharon was honored this past Monday with the March 2019 Amtrak Customer Advisory Committee (ACAC), Customer Service Award. The special celebration took place at the Miami crewbase where Ms. Diaz was presented with the award by an ACAC Subcommittee Chair who is also a RailPax At-Large Council Representative and me. As a frequent rider on the Silver Service, our member is used to observing top notch, on

More Details from White House Proposal to End National Network

As we reported last week, the Trump Administration’s budget continues a series of attacks on the National Network. The release of the full budget this week gives us more details—and more reason to be concerned. We need your help to fight it!

March 20, 2019

As we reported last week, the Trump Administration’s budget continues a series of attacks on the National Network. The release of the full budget this week gives us more details—and more reason to be concerned. We need your help to fight it!

How would passengers travel without trains?

Less than 10% would take a bus instead

March 19, 2019

On average, trains primarily compete with cars, then planes. A larger share of passengers on trains today wouldn’t travel at all than those that would otherwise take a bus.

Amtrak Takes the Fight Against Train Delays Online

March 18, 2019

Amtrak's new strategy for casting a spotlight on the causes of passenger delays is grabbing national headlines.

It’s All About That First and Last Mile

Forget A & B - How Do You Get To Points C through G?

March 14, 2019

by Joe Aiello | Northeast Field Coordinator “I hear the train a comin'. It's rollin' 'round the bend” - Johnny Cash Once the train gets “on down to San Antone” - how is everyone getting around? When we were in Miami back in October, I was tasked with creating a first/last mile panel to give a local view of a universal transportation issue in this country. It’s something that I have been working on for some time here in the Northeast and, as the Regional Coordinator, I wanted to shi

60 Minutes Loses Forest for Trees in PTC Story (Part 2)

Railroad investments are made largely for the sake of private gain, rather than public good

March 12, 2019

By Abe Zumwalt Last week, instead of inserting needed nuance into the conversation surrounding 60 Minutes’ piece about American Railroad safety, there was first and foremost need for a reality check. Passenger Trains in the United States are about 17 times safer than passenger automobiles, on a mile-per-mile basis. With a gap that big, we can say with certainty that passenger trains save American lives every year, given that about half of Amtrak’s millions of riders would otherwise drive p

Trump Administration Budget Would End National Rail Network

March 11, 2019

The White House released a budget proposal today that would slash Amtrak funding and eliminate long-distance routes, replacing corridor train service with subsidized bus service.

“What Could [Should] Have Been”

A Look Back at the 1993 “Central Artery Rail Link Task Force” Report

March 7, 2019

by Joe Aiello | Northeast Field Coordinator It is no secret that I am an unabashed supporter of the North-South Rail Link. It is, in fact, the main project that got me to where I am today. I could write an entire series of blogs on the NSRL alone - which I will probably do. This week though will be more of a visual offering, thanks to a Twitter thread by Rail Passengers & MA Sierra Club Executive Committee Member Robert Kearns. Two of the photos that Robert dug up for this thread really st