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Daily Headlines
Trump budget proposes again to cut federal funding for Amtrak in half, which Congress has rejected
(Source: USA Today, February 12, 2018) WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Trump proposed again in his budget to cut Amtrak subsidies nearly in half despite a series of accidents that led some lawmakers to propose more funding for the passenger railroad. Trump's budget...
Schumer calls on DOT to reconsider sleep apnea rule
(Source: Progressive Railroading, February 13, 2018) U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) yesterday called on the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to reverse its decision to drop a proposed rule that could have required railroads to test train engineers for...
Senate confirms Ron Batory as FRA Administrator
(Source: Reuters, February 13, 2018) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed late on Tuesday former Conrail president Ron Batory as the top U.S. rail safety official as a series of deadly railroad accidents have raised concerns. Full story: Reuters
Railroads speak out: Don’t pull the plug on NAFTA
(Source: Progressive Railroading, February 2018 issue) Class I and freight-rail industry executives are continuing to raise concerns about the economic turmoil that would occur if renegotiations over the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) break down and...
Two watchdogs have a big plan to save NJ Transit. Will it work?
(Source: www.nj.com, February 5, 2018) NEWARK, N.J. — A pair of state lawmakers who investigated NJ Transit's problems for 15 months have written NJ Transit reform bills that could be the foundation for Gov. Elect Phil Murphy's pledge to rebuild the agency he has...
Northeast Corridor tunnel backers feel shorted by Trump plan
(Source: Associated Press, February 12, 2018) NEWARK, N.J. — Proponents of a $13 billion project to build a new rail tunnel between New York and New Jersey seen as critical for the future of the nation's busiest rail corridor are panning President Donald Trump's...
Trump infrastructure plan bumps Gateway tunnel project to back of the line
(Source: Bergen Record, February 13, 2018) BERGEN COUNTY, N.J. — Two years ago, a new rail tunnel under the Hudson River into New York's Penn Station was considered one of the most important infrastructure projects in the country. Yet the $12.7 billion Gateway project...
Amtrak funding slashed in half under Trump spending plan
(Source: Fortune, February 13, 2018) President Donald Trump’s spending plan released Monday proposes slashing the federal subsidy for Amtrak passenger rail service by nearly half. The proposal for Amtrak funding would drop from $1.495 billion to $738 million in the...
Rail Passengers Association urges American public to oppose Amtrak budget cuts
(Source: Rail Passengers Association press release, February 12, 2018) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The White House today released a disappointing package of infrastructure initiatives and transportation budget cuts, including once again advancing plans to gut Amtrak’s...
Trump budget plan for 2019 defunds Amtrak’s long-distance routes
(Source: CBS News, February 13, 2018) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The White House budget, released Monday, proposes that "States begin to share the operating subsidy costs of Long Distance routes with the Federal Government." It suggests cutting the federal subsidy for Amtrak...
