Compartmentalized Responsibility Amtrak, at the prompting of the Federal Railroad Administration, is proposing a major restructuring. According to Amtrak’s website: “The preliminary framework would transform key parts of the organization into smaller, more focused...
Newsletter 3/20/26: Amtrak Selling National Assets and NEC Chokepoint Unclogged
Amtrak Should Rethink Its Plan to Sell a National Asset
Amtrak is in talks to sell its 14th Street Coach Yard in Chicago to a private equity firm. Simultaneously, it plans to buy a new, larger rail yard a mile south of the present site.
Amtrak should pump the brakes on this plan. We don’t yet have enough information to know whether it makes sense. A rash decision could create irreparable harm, while taking the time to make an informed decision could be a boon for passenger-train travel throughout the state—and the region—for decades.
FRA Administrator Half Right, Half Wrong About Speed
“It’s not about how fast you go, it’s about how slow you don’t go,” David A. Fink, administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration, said last week in New Jersey, aboard a ceremonial cutover train ride on the new Portal North Bridge over the Hackensack River, on the Northeast Corridor between Secaucus and Kearney.
He’s right about the need to un-clog the passenger-rail system, so that trains aren’t stopped waiting for clearance. But when we hear “It’s not about how fast you go,” it sounds like low expectations.
Northeast Corridor Choke Point Un-Clogged
Monday was a splendid occasion for rail passengers throughout the Northeast Corridor. It was the first full weekday of trains using the new Portal North Bridge, which carries 200,000 passengers on 400 Amtrak and New Jersey Transit trains daily across the Hackensack River between Secaucus and Kearney.
The United States urgently needs more investment in this kind of infrastructure.
Announcing Our Spring 2026 Book Giveaway
Last December, we hosted a webinar with Bay Area transit advocate Carter Lavin to showcase his new book If You Want to Win, You’ve Got to Fight: A Guide to Effective Transportation Advocacy. It’s a savvy guide for train advocates who want to do this work more proactively, more passionately, and more effectively.
Thanks to a generous Alliance member, those who donate $50 or more will receive a complimentary copy of Lavin’s book as a small gesture of our gratitude.
Whether you’re already a member or thinking about joining, this is a great time to support great trains – and equip yourself (or a fellow advocate!) with this practical handbook to fighting this good fight.
Supplies are limited. Please donate today.
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