Your daily source of fresh takes on news affecting America's passengers. See also the weekly NARP Hotline.
November 20, 2013
Written By Malcolm Kenton The government of Scotland yesterday opened up bids on a ten-year contract, starting in 2015, to provide improved passenger service on Scotland's many scenic rail lines. The agency committed to making these services "emblematic of the best of Scotland." Not only does this offer an enviable model for a passenger-friendly requirements to be included in a passenger train...
November 19, 2013
Written By Malcolm Kenton An editorial in this past Saturday’s Santa Fe New Mexican lays out all the assets that northern New Mexico would no longer enjoy if Amtrak’s Southwest Chief is unable to continue to operate on its current route between Newton, KS and Albuquerque. This segment of the route has little to no freight traffic, so BNSF is demanding that Amtrak and the affected states pay m...
November 18, 2013
Written By Colin Leach One of Amtrak's Hiawatha Services stops at Milwaukee Airport station. Licensed through the Wikimedia Foundation. Much like railroads in the 1950s and 1960s, today’s airlines are consumed by merger mania. Faced with record fuel prices, increasing overhead costs, and declining revenues, America’s big airlines continue to look towards merger as a means of reversing loss...
November 14, 2013
Written By Malcolm Kenton Rep. John Mica (R-FL) held yet another hearing this morning focusing on the financials of Amtrak’s food and beverage (F&B) service. NARP has never been shy to point out places where Amtrak could improve. But it’s time to restore a modicum of perspective to this whole process; Mica’s intense focus on this one aspect of Amtrak’s business is completely misdirect...
November 14, 2013
Written By Logan McLeod Since I started working in the passenger rail industry I continue to hear this ignorant and unsubstantiated claim that only a certain demographic rides trains and thus they’re not worth investing in. The truth is that passenger rail is part of everyday American lives wherever it exists in this nation. If it’s present in your town, city, or state; believe it’s being u...