"As a for-profit company, Amtrak fails ... spectacularly. As a government agency, created half a century ago to carry out a public purpose recognized in law and in Supreme Court rulings, it is a spectacular success worth celebrating, supporting, and building up." 

https://usa.streetsblog.org/2025/02/10/op-ed-amtrak-isnt-profitable-and-thats-okay

Doug Shoup passed away today.  He was the author of The High Cost of Free Parking which reflects how much cars are subsidized.  A response to those who claim "passenger trains cost too much". 

https://www.cp-dr.com/articles/donald-shoup-wasn039t-just-about-parking-he-was-about

 CSX Transportation, which operates on 481 miles of track and maintains 269 public grade crossings in Maine, will increase some train speeds to 40 mph in the coming weeks. That’s up from 10 to 25 mph, depending on track locations. 

This is great news for rail business in Maine!

 CSX Transportation, which operates on 481 miles of track and maintains 269 public grade crossings in Maine, will increase some train speeds to 40 mph in the coming weeks. That’s up from 10 to 25 mph, depending on track locations. 

This is great news for rail business in Maine!

 On Saturday, Jan. 24, 1925, Los Angeles introduced a law that gave motorists priority in the city’s streets. It went into effect just after midnight. Disobedient pedestrians were suddenly "jaywalkers." The Los Angeles Traffic Ordinance of 1925 became the model for the country because organizations with a business interest in driving made it the model. Their success helped Americans reconceive streets as places just for cars, and engineers designed streets to implicitly tell drivers “This place is for you. You can drive fast here.” Marginalized pedestrians were forced to fend for themselves.  

https://usa.streetsblog.org/2025/01/21/why-americans-dont-walk-a-forgotten-centennial

Thanks to Caltrain’s regenerative braking, the agency is revising electricity cost estimates from $19.5 million to $16.5 million annually.

https://www.masstransitmag.com/rail/vehicles/fueling-propulsion/press-release/55263292/caltrain-caltrains-electric-fleet-more-efficient-than-expected?o_eid=5785D5873312E2J&rdx.ident[pull]=omeda|5785D5873312E2J&utm_campaign=CPS250115085&utm_medium=email&utm_source=MASS+NewsViews+Newsletter

Preliminary results for FY 24 (October 2020 – September 2024) include: 

• Ridership: All-time record 32.8 million customer trips, a 15 percent increase over FY 23. 
• Ticket revenue: $2.5 billion —a first in Amtrak’s history and nine percent higher year-over-year.
• Total operating revenue: $3.6 billion, a seven percent increase over FY 23. 
• Major infrastructure investments: Invested $4.5 billion into critical infrastructure upgrades, driving economic growth, creating jobs and improving mobility around the country. 
• Adjusted operating earnings: Improved by nine percent over FY 23 to $705.2 million. 
• Service: Launched one new train service and expanded four additional routes. getting a sweet deal.

 Money raised will be used to improve public transit.

• Daytime E-ZPass tolls 
  • Passenger vehicles (once per day): $9 
  • Motorcycles (once per day): $4.50 
  • Small trucks and non-commuter buses: $14.40 
  • Large trucks and sightseeing buses: $21.60 
• Tunnel crossing credits reduced by 40 percent of original plan 
  • Nighttime discounts of 75 percent of daytime tolls 
  • Per-ride fees for all trips to, from or within the CBD 
  • Taxis and black cars: $0.75 
  • App-based for-hire vehicles: $1.50 

Massachusetts has learned that roads alone will not end congestion.  Not commuter, but all day service for workers and people needing to get to appointments. 10/26/24

https://www.smartcitiesdive.com/news/massachusetts-mbta-commuter-rail-to-relieve-traffic-congestion/730419/

Maine has received a $53 million dollar grant to improve rail lines in Northern Maine. The grant will be used to upgrade two Eastern Maine Railway mainlines in Penobscot, Aroostook, Washington and Piscataquis counties. It also will rehabilitate tracks from the former Great Northern Paper Co. mill that have been dormant since 2008. 10/26/24 

https://edition.pagesuite.com/popovers/dynamic_article_popover.aspx?artguid=b936518a-8b48-4029-a75a-0a2f75790a18&appcode=POR093&eguid=09973e12-16f4-4f1d-a36c-113ea6f62952&pnum=20#