- Tags Amtrak, Chicago Metra, Rep. Dan Lipinski
Category: Amtrak/Commuter News
DOT posts final rule amending drug testing rule
The U.S. Department of Transportation published a final rule April 23 that makes technical corrections to regulations governing drug testing for safety-sensitive employees to ensure consistency with recent amendments made to DOT’s “Procedures for Transportation Workplace Drug [...]
Sen. Tester presses Amtrak for accountability while administration tries to cut funding once again
U.S. Senator Jon Tester (D – Mont.) recently criticized the Trump administration for budget proposals that would cut funding for Amtrak rural services, especially the Montana Empire Builder line, and wrote Amtrak’s President Richard Anderson asking for accountability and answ [...]
FRA chief of safety Bob Lauby retires
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) will have some major shoes to fill with the April 13, 2019, retirement of Robert “Bob” Lauby, the agency’s chief safety officer. Lauby had served in that capacity for FRA since September 2013. He was a frequent presenter at SMART Tran [...]
NTSB rules on cause of Washington D.C. accident that killed two
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) ruled last month on the probable cause of a fatal accident in June 2017 that killed both a CSX conductor and a conductor trainee. The men were struck from behind at 11:18 p.m. June 27, 2017, by an Amtrak train while walking to t [...]
FRA announces meeting of reconvened RSAC
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) announced Tuesday, April 9, that the Rail Safety Advisory Committee (RSAC) will meet later this month for the first time since its reinstatement last autumn. According to a notice published in the Federal Register, RSAC is scheduled t [...]
Metro-North, NJT heavily fined by FRA since 2013
According to an analysis done by northjersey.com, Metro-North, New Jersey Transit (NJT) and the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) have been fined hundreds of thousands of dollars since 2013. Before the companies’ lawyers negotiated for lower fines, Metro-North had been assessed mo [...]Amtrak budget again being targeted
Amtrak as we know it is in the budget crosshairs again, and if proposed cuts go through, it could have a lasting effect on not only our nation’s communities, but Railroad Retirement benefits as well. President Donald Trump’s budget request proposes a $1.06 billion reduction i [...]Metra performing ‘safety blitzes’ and is in process of evaluating stations
Illinois commuter carrier Metra, in conjunction with Operation Lifesaver, has embarked on a series of educational safety blitzes to raise awareness of the importance of safe behavior around its trains and tracks. The carrier reported in a March 26 news release that the state [...]