There is still a path for pushing back against the cuts As we reported recently, the House’s BUILD America 250 Act would simultaneously slash funding for passenger trains and strip it of “advanced appropriation” status, so the money wouldn’t be guaranteed. A House...
Newsletter 1/30/26: Chicago Union Station Needs a New Concourse
Chicago Union Station Needs a New Concourse—Now
The Union Station concourse should be a beautiful gateway to Chicago. It should also be a place where thousands of people connect between trains each day—easily and efficiently. The current concourse serves neither purpose.
City and state leaders should push Amtrak to think big about Union Station and how to make it the lifeblood of downtown’s growth and vitality.
Support the Illinois Passenger Rail Planning Act
A bill currently in the Illinois Legislature advances frequent passenger rail service by directing the Illinois Department of Transportation to plan for hourly service, at minimum, in several strategic corridors.
The bill’s passage will affirm the Legislature’s determination to make great trains a reality in Illinois. It will also encourage surrounding states to follow, and thus create the foundation for a transformative regional-rail network connecting the Midwest.
Now, it needs strong, vocal support from citizens like you.
Illinois residents can contact their elected officials here!
There’s Still Time Before 2/20!
Tired of not being able to ride the great trains you want? Sick of watching mainstream media get the facts all wrong about passenger rail?
Want to turn the narrative against high-speed rail on its head?
Join us before 2:20 p.m CST on Friday, Feb. 20. The first 220 new members to do so will receive a High Speed Rail Alliance notebook – and the chance to appear in an upcoming short video!
Why 220? Well, for 220 mph – which is how fast you should be able to travel by train in America.
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Successful Train Station Design with DB E.C.O. North America
When: Friday, February 6 at 12pm CT
Speaker: Stephan Helmbold, senior consultant at DB E.C.O. North America
Trains connect us like no other form of travel, and it all starts and ends at the station.
Stephan Helmbold from DB E.C.O. North America joins us to talk about what makes great train stations great. We’ll explore best approaches to everything from platforms and wayfinding to service planning and network integration. Advocates will learn from successful real-world examples—and not-so-successful ones.
Trains: Shaping Cities, Architecture, and Everyday Lives
When: Friday, February 20 at 10am CT
Speaker: Fredrik Skåtar, architect
Swedish architect Fredrik Skåtar presents how passenger rail shapes everyday life by influencing where people live, work, and build. Rather than treating passenger rail as transport alone, the webinar discusses great train networks as spatial and social frameworks that organize cities, regions, and communities.
The Gulf Coast Passenger Rail Renaissance
When: Friday, March 27 at 12pm CT
Speaker: Knox Ross, chairman, Southern Rail Commission
Trains are making a comeback in the Deep South.
In August 2025, the Mardi Gras Service brought back Amtrak between Mobile, Alabama and New Orleans after a 20-year absence incited by Hurricane Katrina.
This project was spearheaded by the Southern Rail Commission, a federally-recognized compact between Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi, which has promoted passenger rail expansion throughout the region since 1982.
We invite you to join us and Chairman Knox Ross to learn more about this unique organization, how the Mardi Gras Service came to be, and what lies ahead for great trains along the Gulf Coast.
Hudson Valley Lawmakers Push Metro-North to Add More Trains in the Region
Federal Funding Freeze Threatens to Halt $16B Hudson Tunnel Project
Texas High-Speed Rail Update on Dallas-Fort Worth Route
Penn Station Overhaul Narrows to 3 Finalists With Differing Visions for Madison Square Garden
When Something Goes Wrong at 186 Mph: Inside the Fast-Reaction World of High-Speed Train Drivers
OpEd: How High-Speed Rail Could Reach LA by 2039…Without Waiting for the Mountains
Looking Down the Tracks: A Case for More Predictable Intercity Passenger Rail Funding
Japanese High Speed Train Converted to Carry Freight
Illinois Legislators Introduce Bill to Fund Commuter Rail Bridge Repairs
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