Recent Streetsblog LA posts about Amtrak

Amtrak on Pace to Break Annual Ridership Record

By Elana Schor | Apr 8, 2010 | No Comments

Amtrak carried 13.6 million passengers over the past six months, putting it on pace for a record-breaking ridership year, according to a statement released today by officials at the national inter-city rail system. Amtrak’s Acela line saw carried 13.5 percent more riders last month than in March 2009. (Photo: America 2050) Every one of Amtrak’s […]

US PIRG: How About High Speed Rail for Every Major City

By Elana Schor | Feb 9, 2010 | 15 Comments

(Image: U.S. PIRG) Now that the Obama administration has awarded $8 billion in high-speed rail grants to more than two dozen states, with $2.5 billion more coming soon, why not keep thinking big when it comes to bullet-train expansion? That’s the ethos of a new report released today by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group […]

Biden’s Homage to AMTRAK

By Elana Schor | Jan 6, 2010 | No Comments

The nation’s Amtrak rider-in-chief, Vice President Joseph Biden, has penned an op-ed for the rail network’s monthly magazine entitled "Why America Needs Trains." The Vice President and his wife share a tender moment — on the Acela. (Photo: NYT) Biden doesn’t get too political in the piece, eschewing calls for more Amtrak funding in favor […]

House Jobs Bill Could Make General Electric’s Amtrak Wish Come True

By Elana Schor | Dec 16, 2009 | 1 Comment

The House is poised to take up a jobs bill later today that provides $37.3 billion in new transportation spending, including $27.5 billion for roads, $8.4 billion for transit … and a holiday gift for General Electric? Could this cleaner GE locomotive be coming soon to Amtrak? (Photo: Inhabitat) GE’s transportation division recently joined its […]

Lawmakers Investigating the Resignation of Amtrak’s In-House Watchdog

By Elana Schor | Jun 30, 2009 | No Comments

The House oversight committee has launched an official inquiry into the resignation of Amtrak’s veteran inspector general (IG) earlier this month — on the same day that an outside law firm reported on alleged interference with his work by management at the rail corporation. Amtrak IG Fred Weiderhold left earlier this month after 35 years […]

Amtrak: Enjoy the Journey

By Damien Newton | Mar 20, 2009 | 12 Comments

Amtrak is back on the air with a new commercial that uses children’s toys to make the point that taking a long distance trip via train is far less stressful and more enjoyable than either driving or flying. While I personally never lined all my matchboxes up in three parallel lines to create a traffic […]

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