Man assaults women, conductor near train station

OAKLAND — A man who randomly walked up to two women and punched them in the face, punched a train conductor, then pulled a knife on a witness who tried to help, was arrested Thursday afternoon near the Amtrak station at Jack London Square, police said. The 40-year-old m [...]

SEPTA rail members ratify agreement

SMART Transportation Division Local 61 members working at Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority recently ratified a new agreement governing the rates of pay and working conditions of conductors and assistant conductors on the regional commuter railroad. With near [...]

SMART rejects arbitration offer on LIRR

The International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers Oct. 21 rejected a proffer of arbitration from the National Mediation Board to SMART Transportation Division’s General Committee of Adjustment GO 505, which represents a variety of crafts on th [...]

GO 505 at impasse in LIRR negotiations

The unions representing most of the Long Island Rail Road’s workforce have reached a critical impasse in contract negotiations that could lead to a strike, the LIRR’s top union official said Friday. Anthony Simon, general chairman of the United Transportation Unio [...]

Amtrak, 19 state partners reach agreement

WASHINGTON – Amtrak has successfully negotiated contracts with 19 state transportation departments and other entities to increase state control and funding of 28 current passenger rail routes. America’s Railroad is now poised to move forward with state partners to further exp [...]

Amtrak sets ridership record for FY 2013

WASHINGTON – Amtrak carried a record 31.6 million passengers in fiscal year 2013, delivering nationwide benefits, providing vital transportation services, advancing America’s economy and demonstrating the value and convenience of the national passenger rail network. It is the [...]

Party labels aside, Americans want to ride Amtrak

WASHINGTON – New polling shows that Americans across the ideological spectrum support more public funding of Amtrak passenger rail service. “We polled people who mostly do not live in large passenger rail regions and yet they overwhelmingly said they want the same level of or [...]

Poll shows conservative support for Amtrak

Armed with polling data obtained by SMART?Transportation Division?political consultant Dean Mitchell of DFM?Research, Colorado State Legislative Director Carl Smith and Assistant Legislative Director Charlie Skidmore Sept. 14 presented community leaders from Colorado, Kansas [...]

Amtrak funds at risk in extended shutdown

Amtrak, the U.S. intercity passenger railroad, may have trouble staying on track, literally, if a U.S. government shutdown is prolonged for a month or more. The Washington-based railroad, which has never made money, gets 12 percent of its operating budget and most capital and [...]

Amtrak commits to end food, beverage losses

WASHINGTON – Amtrak is moving forward with a plan to eliminate its food and beverage losses over five years. It builds on successful initiatives implemented since fiscal year 2006 that have increased the cost recovery rate from 49 percent to 65 percent. “We have made steady a [...]