To help offset inflation, Germany’s government has subsidized cheap train passes this summer. While many feared chaos and overcrowding on an overburdened system, it has been a relatively smooth ride.
Tag Archives: Railroads
The Troubles of Kenya’s China-Funded Train
Five years after its launch, the railway has become associated with debt, dysfunction and criminal inquiries, and it is now a lightning rod in Tuesday’s election.
Amtrak Rewarded Executives With Six-Figure Bonuses as Rail Service Struggled
Most of the top leaders received bonuses above $200,000 in the last fiscal year, as Amtrak worked to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.
Ditching the Car and Enjoying the View on a Trip to the Berkshires
For the first time in 50 years, a weekend train route is taking passengers directly from New York to the Berkshires. The Berkshire Flyer will run through Labor Day. Good luck getting a seat.
Sharing Stories, and a View, Aboard the California Zephyr
A photographer traveled across America on one of Amtrak’s long-distance train routes. Here’s what she saw.
His Union Went on Strike. His Interviews Went Viral.
At a time of rampant inflation and wage stagnation, Mick Lynch, the force behind Britain’s largest railway strikes in three decades, has found success that has surprised even his colleagues.
Amtrak Train Hits Truck in Missouri, With ‘Reports of Injuries’
Amtrak said 243 passengers were on the train when it hit a dump truck at a public crossing in Mendon, Mo., causing several cars to derail.
Traffic-Clogged North England Bitter Over Stalled Rail Plan
Transport problems are just one symptom of the economic neglect that has long hobbled the region, where growth, employment and health care mostly lag far behind the south.
Rumbling Through Modern Jordan, a Railway From the Past
Once an ambitious project to unite the Middle East, the antique Hejaz Railway is a relic of that bygone dream before wars, borders and more advanced modes of transport rendered its services obsolete.
As Russia tries to solidify its ‘land bridge,’ Ukraine attempts to push back in the south.
Circling Sicily on Its Regional Trains
A Dutch photographer, documenting the culture of regional train travel, managed to get around the Italian island for less than $100. Here’s what she saw.
8 of the Best Bike Trails in the U.S.
Tens of thousands of miles of abandoned railroad tracks have been developed into recreational paths since the 1960s. Here are scenic pathways through deserts, valleys, mountain passages and more.
Chasing a Mighty Relic of Yesteryear: Union Pacific 4014
A train enthusiast reflects on the grandeur of the world’s largest operating steam locomotive, recently returned to service.
Biden Administration May Appeal Mask Mandate Ruling
If the C.D.C. decides there is a public health basis for trying to reinstate and extend the mask mandate, the Justice Department will swiftly file an appeal.
Why Europe Is Investing Heavily in Trains
Amid concerns about climate change, Europe is investing heavily in trains. The idea is to make rail more appealing, especially as an alternative to short-haul flights.
Europe’s Trains Take Fighters to Ukraine, and Bring Back Refugees
Built up over 150 years of conflicts that defined modern-day Europe, railways have played a central role in the continent’s peacetime integration. Now they’re back on a war footing.
Ex-Amtrak Engineer Acquitted in Philadelphia Crash That Killed 8
Brandon Bostian was at the controls of the train, which was speeding at more than 100 miles per hour through a curved section when it crashed, the authorities said.
In Kyiv’s Railway Station, Rumors, Near-Stampedes and Frustration
As Russian forces begin to encircle the Ukrainian capital, tens of thousands are clambering for a way out that may soon be closed off.
Berkshire Hathaway Rebounds From the Pandemic
In announcing the company’s $90 billion profit in 2021, Warren Buffett noted the role that Berkshire plays in the American economy.
Sifting Through the Train Thefts of Los Angeles
A Union Pacific rail hub is strewn with the castoffs from goods looted from train cars that dip below street level. The company put losses, claims and damages at about $5 million.
Amtrak Pays $2 Million to Passengers With Disabilities Who Faced Obstacles at Stations
Under a settlement agreement, the railroad will also overhaul 135 train stations to make them accessible to all.
Billions in Amtrak Funding Could Modernize Aging Rail System
The $1 trillion infrastructure bill that President Biden signed into law includes money that Amtrak hopes can fix crumbling bridges and tunnels along the Northeast Corridor.
Deals Reached on 3 Major NYC Transportation Projects
Elected officials announced deals on funding of a new international terminal at Kennedy Airport and improvements to commuter train service.
Biden Says His Infrastructure Law Is a ‘Big Deal.’ How Big?
$550 billion for new spending is big, but many say America’s infrastructure needs are even bigger.
Inside the Struggle to Save Bulgaria’s Last Narrow-Gauge Railroad
The Rhodope Narrow-Gauge Railway serves remote communities in southwestern Bulgaria. Can longtime riders — and young enthusiasts — keep it running?
This Is Where the States Want Billions in Infrastructure Funding Spent
The plan finally approved on Friday will address transportation, water, broadband, energy and public safety needs that have been building for years, sometimes decades.
Global Shipping Delays Loom Over Retailers for the Holidays
The travails of a Chicago fishing company’s advent calendar highlight the supply chain hurdles for businesses trying to deliver items in time for the holidays.
Discovery of Marijuana Preceded Deadly Tucson Shooting, U.S. Says
Investigators say they found more than five pounds of marijuana and 50 packages of edibles before one of the suspects opened fire on federal agents in Tucson, Ariz.
D.E.A. Agent Is Killed in Shooting at Arizona Amtrak Station
A second agent and a Tucson police officer were wounded in the chaotic shooting, a City Council member said. Amtrak said 137 passengers and 11 crew members were safely evacuated from a train.
Couple Celebrating 50th Anniversary Died in Amtrak Derailment
Donald and Marjorie Varnadoe of Georgia were traveling cross-country when a train derailed in Montana on Saturday. Zach Schneider, a computer scientist from Illinois, also was killed.
The Cause of the Derailed Amtrak Train Remains Unclear
Five were still hospitalized on Sunday following the crash in Montana that killed three passengers.
Amtrak Derailment: At Least 50 Hurt in Montana, Official Says
The derailment, involving five cars of the Empire Builder train, happened near Joplin, Mont., on Saturday afternoon.
How Biden’s Economic Executive Order Aims to Improve Travel
In July, President Biden issued an executive order that included a call to make consumer-friendly changes in the travel industry. We asked experts to weigh in on the prospects for change.
Kansas City Southern Chooses Suitor in Bid for North American Rail Link
After the merger with Canadian Pacific, the railroad will connect Canada, the United States and Mexico.
Here’s What Train Service Looks Like in NY After Ida’s Damaging Floods
The majority of the city’s subway lines had delays Friday morning, while the area’s airports appeared to be running smoothly.
Bob Diamond, the ‘Tunnel King’ of Brooklyn, Dies at 61
First he discovered a long-forgotten rail tunnel. Then he spent decades trying — in vain — to revive Brooklyn’s trolley system.
An Obstacle to Amtrak Expansion That Money Won’t Solve
Amtrak and freight rail companies have long clashed over the use of railroad tracks, a dispute that is now playing out along the Gulf Coast, where the agency is seeking to restore service.
Tom Lin Makes His Debut With ‘The Thousand Crimes of Ming Tsu’
Tom Lin is making his debut with “The Thousand Crimes of Ming Tsu,” a novel that has drawn comparisons to Cormac McCarthy and “True Grit.”
Gateway Tunnel Between New York and New Jersey Gains Federal Support
After four years of stalling by the Trump administration, officials in Washington approved the $11.6 billion project for federal funding.
Train Collision in Malaysia Injures Over 200 People
A light rail train carrying passengers in Kuala Lumpur collided in a tunnel with an empty train on a test run. Officials promised a full investigation.
No Scrum for Seats. No Quiet-Car Brawls. Is This Really My Commute?
The pandemic has made New Jersey Transit unrecognizable.
To Save Penn Station, New York Wants to Build 10 Skyscrapers
The state says revenue from the new towers can finance the rebuilding of the rail terminal. But the pandemic has upended the need for office space.
Train Crash in Egypt Kills at Least 11
In a country known for poorly maintained equipment and mismanagement, a deadly accident north of Cairo adds to the trauma.
You Can Hear the Whistle Blow a Hundred Miles
Just the possibility of riding trains again has me humming folk songs.
They Survived Taiwan’s Train Crash. Their Loved Ones Did Not.
A woman lost her husband and their two children, who were athletes at a university. A man held his 5-year-old daughter in his arms in the minutes before she died.
Trains Collide in Egypt, Killing at Least 32
The national rail authority said “unknown actors” had engaged brakes on one train, which was hit by another behind it. The country’s railways have been plagued by poor maintenance and mismanagement.
Your Daylight Saving Time Questions Answered
A group of U.S. senators has joined the ranks of those who want to abolish daylight saving time, which has roots in cost-cutting strategies of the late 19th century.
Amtrak Wants to Expand Across the Nation. Local Politics Might Intervene.
Extending nationwide service has been an elusive goal for Amtrak. Since 1971 — when the publicly funded, privately operated rail agency was created — routes have largely remained unchanged.
Modern Love: I Wanted to Love Her, Not Save Her
The first time we spoke, she was so weak she had collapsed. Why did that not alarm me?
5 Things N.Y.C. Wants From Biden to Transform Transportation
Transit agencies pummeled by the pandemic are pushing the new administration to fund projects stalled in the Trump years.