RoadsideOnline

RICHMOND – Amtrak Virginia today launches a new train with daily round-trip service between Richmond and Amtrak's Northeast Corridor, providing hourly morning northbound departures and more flexible southbound return trips to and from Amtrak's Staples Mill Station.

Virginia stops along the route include Staples Mill, Ashland, Fredericksburg, Quantico, Woodbridge and Alexandria stations, with direct service as far north as Boston.

"This new train provides more transportation choices in the I-95 corridor," said Thelma Drake, director of the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT). "It's easier than ever to take the train for your business, college and vacation trips."

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Amtrak will host the third annual National Train Day on May 8, 2010, with events across the country to celebrate America's love for trains. National Train Day commemorates the 141st anniversary of the first transcontinental railroad's inception by bringing to life the rich narrative of how trains transformed America. Large-scale, family- friendly events will be held in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Chicago and Los Angeles.

National Train Day celebrates the train's impact on our country and provides an opportunity for Americans to further understand the influence rail has on the future of transportation in America, said Emmett H. Fremaux, vice president, marketing and product management, Amtrak.

With a greater national focus on energy efficiency in travel, trains are already a leading alternative with 20 percent more fuel efficiency than commercial airlines and 28 percent more efficiency than car travel per passenger mile.

We learned some time ago that Susan Lind had severe health problems. She runs the new My Tin Man Diner in North Falmouth, Massachusetts with her mother Barbara Lind, who has a long history of struggle trying to keep afloat in the diner business. Most of us already know that Barbara's original Tin Man Diner burned down at the hands of an arsonist in 2000. Before that, she fought with nit-picking town officials, an abusive husband, some major thefts, and her own debilitating health issues. Sadly, this has become yet one more regrettable chapter in Barbara's otherwise inspiring story of endurance in the face of overwhelming obstacles. And despite her troubles, Barbara still serves one of the best meals in the region. (Thanks to David Manning for the tip)

Mother, daughter cope with uncommon condition, complex insurance

Uncommon condition, complex insurance make for daunting experience for Sandwich women

Barbara Lind of Bourne, owner of the Tin Man Diner in North Falmouth, knows about helping people in need.

She formerly worked at a group home and regularly hosts free lunches for people with mental illness and other challenges.

But these days the subject of Lind's advocacy is closer to home.

She says she's had to run interference with MassHealth — the state's insurance program for low-income residents — and the medical system to get her 31-year-old daughter, Susan Kettell Lind of Sandwich, the specialized care she needs to combat kidney problems stemming from a rare childhood disorder.

Their story shows that the state insurance program can be slow to respond when confronted with a complicated treatment plan.

The full story continues here.

I removed a chunk out of the middle of this article from the Wall Street Journal to get to the meat of the matter. Frankly, I find it refreshing to see a little turnabout here. The airline industry has received billions and billions of "hidden" subsidy from the Feds in the last 80 years, most thank to indirect investment by way of defense contracts. And who could forget the $9 billion "loan" the airlines received after 9/11? (Thanks to Dave Lee for the tip)

LaHood to Airlines: Get Onboard the High-Speed Train

The airline industry was left fuming last year when some $8 billion on federal stimulus money was appropriated for high-speed rail while air-traffic control modernization got no new funds.

[snip]

Mr. LaHood gave a politician’s answer about how important the NextGen air-traffic control modernization effort is to the Administration. Then he paused and went off-script.

“Let me give you a little bit of political advice: Don’t be against high-speed rail,’’ Sec. LaHood said. “It’s coming to America. This is the president’s vision, this is the vice president’s vision, this is America’s vision…. We’re going to get into the high-speed rail business.’’

In two or three decades, Mr. LaHood said, U.S. cities will be connected by high-speed rail – whether airlines like it or not.

“People want alternatives,’’ he said pointedly. “People are still going to fly, but we need alternatives. So get with the program.’’

Full article here

Legendary investor Warren Buffett made a $26.3 billion bet on America's future last week. He plunked it down to buy the Burlington Northern Santa Fe, acquiring all of the great Western freight railroad that his company didn't already own.

Mr. Buffett is 79 but isn't thinking short-term. He's looking 10 and 20 years down the road. He's betting that higher fuel costs will give railroads an ever greater advantage over trucks, and the American freight rail system is already the best in the world.

Our generally pitiful passenger rail service is its direct opposite.

I was thinking about this Friday as I walked from Downtown across the Smithfield Street Bridge to Station Square for lunch. As I reached the South Side, a long CSX freight train rumbled along the Monongahela River as another long Norfolk Southern train hugged the lower slope of Mount Washington, hauling coal.

Click here to read the rest of Brian's article.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- In what developed into a battle about the future of Cincinnati, one that pitted pro progress voters against those who sought to derail a proposed streetcar project by prohibiting any rail system being built without a public vote, the victory Tuesday over Issue 9 was won handily by those who said city officials should be entrusted to do the right thing for the Queen City.

With all 285 precincts reporting a total of 70,685 votes cast on Election Day, voters in Cincinnati rejected a proposed charter amendment that would have required public approval of any city spending on a proposed streetcar system and future passenger rail plans by a margin of 57.31 percent (31,001 votes) to 42.69 percent (23,090 votes).

Read the full story by clicking this link.

Washington – Amtrak carried nearly 27.2 million passengers in Fiscal Year 2009, marking the second highest ridership total since the National Railroad Passenger Corporation started operations in 1971.

The 27,167,014 total passengers for the 12 months ending September 30, 2009, fell short of the all-time record of 28.7 million for Fiscal Year 2008, but exceeded the Fiscal Year 2007 total by 5.1 percent. Total ticket revenue for the Fiscal Year 2009 reached $1.6 billion.

“In a difficult year for the economy – particularly in the travel industry – Amtrak ridership has remained strong albeit with some regional variation,” said Amtrak President and CEO Joseph H. Boardman.

The Albany Times-Union reports that the gloriously restored New York Central train station in downtown Albany will soon lose its major tenant casting doubt on its future. No, the tenant was not Amtrak, but a bank, and the tracks that once coursed beside it have been long-since lifted. We predict (with tongue firmly in cheek) that a high end steak house might takes its place.

Union Station, Albany. Photo courtesy of the Times-Union.

ALBANY -- The only occupant of Albany's landmark former train station will move its employees elsewhere, leaving the building vacant for the first time since its celebrated restoration 23 years ago.

Kiernan Plaza was once Union Station, a grand and impressive gateway to the city. The train station closed in 1968 and sat empty and decaying until it was reopened as a bank headquarters and office building.

Bank of America now occupies the building. But a company spokesperson on Tuesday said the bank is consolidating its Albany operations to cut costs and will move all its Kiernan Plaza workers to a State Street building.

The consolidation, expected to occur early next year, will not involve job losses, the bank said.

Mayor Jerry Jennings said he recently was notified by Bank of America of the impending move. He said he has since toured the building to assess its condition and has asked his economic development department to aggressively market and promote the soon-to-be-vacant property.