AMTRAK

Every three hours a person or vehicle is hit by a train.

What’s been assumed is now set in stone.

The money is part of a settlement agreed to in 2020 after the Justice Department found that Amtrak violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by failing to meet accessibility standards.

I spent over a day riding the Amtrak from Colorado to California through the Rocky Mountains. Here's what I found surprising from my affordable trip.

U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine are searching for answers after hundreds of people were left stranded on <a href="https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2022/01/04/amtrak-passengers-stranded-in-lynchburg-for-more-than-24-hours/" target="_blank">an Amtrak train for more than 30 hours. </a>

The New York-bound train has been stopped near Lynchburg, Virginia, after a winter storm caused chaos for travelers across the state.

As a solo traveler, I spent days riding Amtrak trains with my summer Rail Pass. From kind passengers to fresh meals, here's what I found surprising.

At about 4:15 p.m. Tuesday, the Crescent Train 20 departed Lynchburg en route to its final destination of New York City.

The railroad has wasted money and deferred maintenance for decades. A vast new expansion plan would only make matters worse.

Ongoing legal battles led by Republican attorneys general are challenging President Biden's federal vaccine mandates, leaving companies and workers caught in the middle.

Insider's reporter took two 30-hour Amtrak trips in sleeper cars and learned some lessons the hard way about overnight train journeys.

Insider's reporter thought Amtrak's bedroom — a private train cabin with a full bathroom — used the space well and didn't feel cramped.

Amtrak passengers may be facing service cutbacks in January.

Amtrak is giving its customers a chance to treat themselves and a friend.

The transit innovation’s time may come. It just will be a bumpy road to get there.

Amtrak and Norfolk Southern are inching closer to a final deal to bring a second Amtrak train to Roanoke.

Insider's reporter thought the roomette - the cheapest private cabin on an Amtrak train - used the space well but still felt cramped.

Visit 13 of America’s best-loved national parks on this cross-country national-park train loop

I rode coach on the Amtrak for over a day and there were a few highlights, like the cheap price, and a few downsides, like poor food and no Wi-Fi.

Eurostar offered a premium experience that's unlike anything I've experienced on Amtrak, showing that America has a long way to go with high-speed rail.

A fourth person was taken to a local hospital. There were 500 passengers on the train, but no reported injuries, the statement said. The Amtrak train was able to make a controlled emergency stop after the collision.

A preliminary report on an Amtrak train derailment in north-central Montana last month that killed three people and injured dozens more provides no information on the cause of the accident.

President Joe Biden is spinning a convoluted tale of an Amtrak conductor who congratulated him during his vice presidency for logging more miles riding the train home to Delaware than by flying on Air Force Two. “I apologize because some have heard this,” Biden told a crowd Monday in New Jersey, starting up a story he has repeated in various forms at least five times, dating back to the 2020 campaign.

President Joe Biden fumbled his words during a Wednesday speech, appearing to say he commuted on Amtrak for 36 years as vice president.

Highlights of this day in history: British surrender at Yorktown decides American Revolution; Stock market crash hits Wall Street in late 1980s; Napoleon's forces begin retreat from Moscow; Concorde makes first landing in New York. (Oct. 19)

Officials on Thursday identified the armed passenger who died in a gunfight after fatally shooting a federal agent inside an Amtrak train in Arizona as Darrion Taylor. The Pima County Medical Examiner’s Office in Tucson said in a news release that Taylor, 26, was shot in the torso and limbs. The wounds were not self-inflicted, according to medical examiner Dr. Gregory Hess.

Days of rain showers and storms led to flooding in parts of the Southeast on Oct. 6.

A federal agent shot and killed by an Amtrak train passenger in Arizona is being remembered as a revered leader with a career spanning almost two decades.

Her testimony comes less than 48 hours after she told "60 Minutes" that "there were conflicts of interest between what was good for the public and what was good for Facebook."

Officials said that it all started with a confrontation on the train between two DEA agents and a suspect.

Officials said that it all started with a confrontation on the train between two DEA agents and a suspect.

Officials said that it all started with a confrontation on the train between two DEA agents and a suspect.

A passenger, who also died, opened fire as officers did a routine inspection for contraband, authorities said. A second Drug Enforcement Administration agent and a Tucson police officer were wounded.

Members of a regional narcotics “alliance" in Arizona were conducting a routine check on the stationary train when a man opened fire.

Authorities say a Drug Enforcement Administration special agent was killed when a passenger opened fire as officers were doing a routine inspection for illegal contraband on an Amtrak train in Tucson, Arizona.

From dinner reservations to motion sickness, here are the most unexpected parts of traveling on Amtrak's California Zephyr for over two days.

Rebecca Schneider, whose husband Zachariah Schneider was one of three killed in the derailment, is suing Amtrak and BNSF for negligence.

"If you want an example of how to treat people, Don and Margie [Varnadoe] were them," his boss says. In addition to the couple, a 28-year-old Illinois man died when the train crashed in Montana.

Don Varnadoe spent months watching videos about train trips on his office computer in preparation for a special cross-country vacation to celebrate his and Margie Varnadoe's 50th wedding anniversary. “He had called the office and said how excited they were," said Robert Kozlowski, managing broker at Coldwell Banker Access Realty in the port city of Brunswick. A day later, the couple died when an Amtrak train they were on derailed in rural Montana.

Businesses that have announced vaccine mandates say some workers who had been on the fence have since gotten inoculated against COVID-19.

Three people were killed when the train derailed in Montana.

The crash in rural Montana killed three people and injured dozens more.

As of Sunday evening, five people were still hospitalized in stable condition.

An Amtrak train that derailed in rural Montana over the weekend was going just under the speed limit at about 75 mph (121 kph) when it went off the track along a gradual curve.

The westbound train, Empire Builder, was on its way from Chicago to Seattle when it left the tracks Saturday after near Joplin, Mont., killing three people.

The westbound train, Empire Builder, was on its way from Chicago to Seattle when it left the tracks Saturday after near Joplin, Mont., killing three people.

The deadly Amtrak derailment in north-central Montana of the Empire Builder, traveling from Chicago to Seattle, is being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board.

A train that runs between Seattle and Chicago had about 160 onboard when it ran off the track Saturday afternoon in Joplin, Mont, the train agency said. Multiple people are injured.

There are at least three confirmed fatalities, the Liberty County Sheriff's Office told CBS News

Federal officials sent a team of investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board to the site of an Amtrak derailment in north-central Montana that killed three people and left seven hospitalized Sunday.

Multiple people were injured Saturday when an Amtrak train that runs between Seattle and Chicago derailed Saturday afternoon in north-central Montana, the train agency said. The Empire Builder train derailed at 4 p.m. near Joplin, a town of about 200, Amtrak spokesman Jason Abrams said in a statement. The train had about 147 passengers and 13 crew members onboard, Abrams said.

President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson have bonded over their shared love of trains.

538's Nate Silver breaks down what President Joe Biden's approval rating means for his broader agenda.

In Pullman, the history of railway innovation meets with the history of the labor struggle, the civil rights movement, immigration and urban planning.

A regulator’s ruling vindicates Canadian Pacific’s decision not to match Canadian National’s offer for Kansas City Southern. Why would it start now?

All Amtrak train traffic was stopped in Chicago as of shortly after 5:30 p.m.

A man died after an Amtrak police officer shot him in an exchange of gunfire Tuesday at Chicago’s Union Station, authorities said. The shooting took place shortly after 5 p.m., after the Amtrak Police Department was notified that a person with several California warrants, including one for murder, was arriving on a train at Union Station, Amtrak spokeswoman Olivia Irvin said in a statement. ...

An Insider reporter who traveled from New York to Chicago by train loved that he didn't have to wait in a security line and that he got more legroom.

Proponents of the $1 trillion measure say it would create millions of good jobs and reduce inequality.

Germany's Siemens AG is one of the weather vanes for the global economy and the Munich-based company says things are looking up.

Here are five ways of looking at the Senate’s bipartisan proposal.

- Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam has pardoned a man who served 22 years in prison for a role in a drive-by shooting in which testimony indicated he wasn't involved.

Warner positioned the initiative as an opportunity for Virginia, recently ranked the top state for business by CNBC, to attract more jobs to the state.

Rail services across southwest Virginia will be making several large expansions over the next several years.

As Congress eyes an infrastructure package, a coalition of transportation agencies and Amtrak has released a 15-year plan of rail improvements for the congested Northeast Corridor.

Governor Ralph Northam is expected to speak at Danville Community College about Virginia’s tuition-free community college initiative Wednesday at 9 a.m.

Amtrak CEO William Flynn says that plans to spend $7.3 billion on 83 new trains to replace some that are 50 years old will speed up travel, make it more comfortable, and will help clean the environment.

Amtrak is betting big on a return of ridership. It plans to spend $7.3 billion to buy 83 trains made by Siemens, with options to buy more if ridership increases. Funding must still be approved by Congress, but William Flynn, Amtrak's CEO, says he's confident it will happen.

Amtrak plans to spend $7.3 billion to replace 83 passenger trains, some nearly a half-century old, though much of the funding must still be approved by Congress.

Amtrak's new fleet of trains will service the Northeast Corridor and feature upgrades like hybrid batteries.

Travelers really have to embrace the "journey is the destination" motif when taking Amtrak. But its new upgrades are making journeys more enjoyable.

Biden wants to spend billions to create new passenger train lines, including one connecting the Lehigh Valley to New York. Its future is uncertain.

As summer approaches, travel is on the brain of so many -- especially after the last year we’ve had, cooped up and fighting COVID-19.

Amtrak is looking to give students a helping hand with their traveling needs.

If you love watching Roanoke trains, you can now watch them right from your home!

Gov. Ralph Northam will be in Christiansburg on Wednesday where he is scheduled to make a rail announcement at 2 p.m.

Here's a look at some of the stories we'll be following today as they make headlines across the country and Southwest Virginia.

President Joe Biden didn't want to be anywhere else Friday than helping his Amtrak family celebrate 50 years on the rails.

Gov. Ralph Northam was at Pittsylvania County for the AeroFarms groundbreaking event on Thursday at 11 a.m.

Next month, Virginia will see some coronavirus restrictions eased.

Gov. Ralph Northam signed a bill legalizing marijuana in Virginia at 2 p.m. on Wednesday.

The U.S. 7th Fleet that operates throughout the Indo-Pacific says more than 14,000 of its service members have received their full doses of the coronavirus vaccine, which it began administering on January 5.

ROANOKE, Va. – Virginia will spend $3.7 billion to revamp the commonwealth’s railway system. Acquiring 386 miles of rail and 223 miles of track, a major project is picking up steam. Partnering with Amtrak, CSX, and Virginia Railway Express, the goal is to expand rail services across the stateIt will make it easier for passengers traveling to and from the New River Valley, especially college students. AdSaving the planet, Governor Ralph Northam points out rail travel produces 83 percent fewer greenhouse gases than driving. AdThe major project is expected to boost the state’s economy by $2 billion a year and could create tens of thousands of jobs.

CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. – Plans for bringing a passenger rail service to the New River Valley are chugging right along. “We’re excited because the state is just all in behind passenger rail,” said Larry Hincker with the New River Valley passenger rail initiative. On Friday, the governor signed a bill into law establishing the New River Valley Passenger Rail Station Authority, which creates a governing board with stakeholders in the area and more importantly, clears the way for negotiations between VDOT and Norfolk Southern. “Half of the undergraduate students would be able to ride the passenger rail because that’s where they come from, New York, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C. and so it’s really, really important to us,” Hincker said. Expanding rail service across Virginia could cost up to $200 million.

The New River Valley is one step closer to having an Amtrak station after Gov. Chris Hurst introduced, will establish the New River Valley Passenger Rail Station Authority. According to officials, VDOT and Norfolk Southern are in the process of finalizing plans to bring passenger rail to Christiansburg. “I am excited about this major step towards bringing passenger rail to the New River Valley. The New River Valley is already a great place to live and this makes it even better.

Amtrak workers perform tunnel repairs to a partially flooded train track bed, Saturday, March 20, 2021, in Weehawken, N.J. With a new rail tunnel into New York years away at best, Amtrak is embarking on an aggressive and expensive program to fix a 110-year-old tunnel in the interim. On a recent Saturday morning, workers used heavy machinery to clear away chunks of the tunnel floor after rails and wooden ties had been removed. “If we had a new tunnel we wouldn’t be spending anything on it,” Amtrak Chairman Anthony Coscia said. On a broader scale, it must keep the tunnel operating reliably for years until a new tunnel is built and the old one can be closed for a complete overhaul. Against that backdrop, a funding dispute between local lawmakers and the administration for former President Donald Trump stalled the new tunnel project for four years.

The Virginia General Assembly is all aboard a plan to build a new Amtrak station in the New River Valley. On Monday, a bill to establish the NRV Passenger Rail Authority passed. The project has been years in the making and members of the local New River Valley Passenger Rail Initiative hope to locate the station on a parcel of land near the Christiansburg Aquatic Center. This project is just a small part of a statewide push to expand passenger rail service in Virginia. State transportation leaders are in negotiations with Norfolk Southern now, hoping to get $100 million to make a deal.

CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. – While state leaders are working on some other projects for our region, folks in the New River Valley have been asking for passenger rail expansion and they are one step closer to getting it. As the trains continue rolling across the Commonwealth, the focus on passenger rail continues to grow. And Larry Hincker with the New River Valley Passenger Rail group is pleased with what he sees. Bills by Delegate Chris Hurst and Senator John Edwards to create a New River Valley Passenger Rail Authority have been received favorably. AdOn Wednesday, state lawmakers elected to keep $50 million in their budget earmarked for passenger rail expansion statewide.

WASHINGTON – Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg will quarantine for 14 days after a member of his security detail tested positive Monday for the coronavirus. The agent had been “in close contact” with Buttigieg, including Monday morning prior to the agent’s positive result, the Transportation Department said in a statement. Following contact tracing protocols, the department said it determined that one other person in the security detail had also been in “close contact” with the agent and will also quarantine for 14 days. Ad“We will continue to prioritize safety as the foundation of everything we do,” Buttigieg told department employees in an email message last week. “We know it’s the appropriate measure for international travel, people traveling into the U.S.,” partly because of the threat of virus variants from other countries, Buttigieg told CNN.

Although the heaviest parts of the storm had moved through the metropolitan area by Monday evening, lighter snow showers were expected to continue virtually all day Tuesday, forecaster James Tomasini said. “We’re looking at a long two days here,” New York Gov. Across the Northeast, many coronavirus vaccination sites closed Monday. AdHundreds of flights and many trains and were canceled, and aboveground New York City subway service stopped at 2 p.m. In recent days, a storm system blanketed parts of the Midwest, with some areas getting the most snow in several years.

FILE - In this Jan. 1, 2021 file photo, The Amtrak Metropolitan Lounge overlooks the newly-completed Moynihan Train Hall in New York. Two major railroad workers unions have asked the Department of Homeland Security to beef up security on Amtrak and other passenger rail lines, including by creating a no-ride list akin to the no-fly list that prevents people identified as risks from boarding planes. – Two major railroad workers unions have asked the Department of Homeland Security to beef up security on Amtrak and other passenger lines, including by creating a no-ride list akin to the no-fly list that prevents people identified as risks from boarding planes. Ferguson, of SMART-TD, acknowledged there would be a cost to creating a no-ride list, but he said it should be minimal considering that officials would simply be sharing the existing no-fly list with railroads. The unions also asked the Federal Railroad Administration to require more security, but that agency declined to intervene Thursday because the Department of Homeland Security has jurisdiction over such matters.

ARLINGTON, Va. A major piece in potentially bringing more Amtrak service to Roanoke passed a crucial step on Wednesday. The Long Bridge project would alleviate train traffic between Arlington and Washington with two new train bridges over the Potomac River. Virginia Department of Public Rail and Transportation director Jennifer Mitchell said the current bridge over the Potomac River is at 98% capacity, making it impossible to expand Amtrak service. She said the Long Bridge project will not only open up new Amtrak possibilities, but take freight traffic away from Interstate 81. We know people are looking for an alternative to I-81, so we hope we can continue to expand passenger service.The Long Bridge project is in its early stages.

Mayor Bill de Blasio is asking travelers from 34 states, including Florida where COVID-19 infection rates are high, to quarantine for 14 days after arriving in the city. Authorities said this week a fifth of all new coronavirus cases in New York City have been from travelers entering the city from other states. Despite the specter of fines, the checkpoints are more educational than punitive, and officials acknowledged the effort relies on voluntary compliance. The campaign was criticized for sowing confusion and raising questions about how travelers' personal information would be retained. He said officials have made more than 86,000 phone calls and sent more than 20,000 text messages to travelers entering New York City from states with high coronavirus infection rates.

Starting May 11, Amtrak is requiring face coverings in stations, as well as on trains and thruway buses. “Amtrak continues to operate as an essential service for those who must travel during this public health crisis. Small children who are not able to maintain a facial covering are exempt from this requirement. Amtrak continues to take extra steps to sanitize stations and trains. Additional measures include temporarily reduced coach and business-class sales to 50% capacity and temporarily accepting only cashless payments in stations and on trains.

ROANOKE, Va. – Amtrak is making changes to try to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. For anyone who may need to change travel plans, change fees for reservations made through the end of April are being waived. Charles Parker depends on buses to get around and said being so close to so many other people worries him. “You just never know, if someone coughs, what’s going to happen. They tell you not to wear masks, so (I’m) just constantly wondering what’s going to happen,” Parker said.

ROANOKE, Va. – Tuesday is National Plan Your Vacation Day, and Amtrak is making it easier - and cheaper - to celebrate. Amtrak is offering 30 percent off when travelers book between Tuesday and Thursday, January 28-30. The deal is only valid on trips between Feb. 16 and May 31, 2020. For example, the deal would make a ticket from Roanoke to New York City as little as $71. Now is the time to find the perfect trip and travel via Amtrak.

ROANOKE, Va. – Looking to travel in the first part of this year? Amtrak is looking to make your travel plans easier with its limited-time buy one, get one free promotion. Tickets must be bought before Jan 13. to be eligible and the offer is valid for travel from Feb. 1, through June 12, with blackout dates on April 10, April 13 and May 22 through May 25. Even if you’re looking to make a long trip, the deal is good for both coach and sleeping accommodations. Both tickets must be purchased in the same transaction and all prices will be automatically discounted from the standard fare when accessing the promotion on Amtrak’s special web page or by using the discount code V605 when booking a trip.

ROANOKE, Va. - If you're looking to take a trip, Amtrak has a buy one get one free deal on several sleeper train routes. You need to act fast, though -- the sale concludes Monday. The BOGO deal is valid for trips between Nov. 11 through the first week of April 2020. There are some blackout dates around the holidays. Amtrak says customers can share the experience with a friend, while taking in some of the best views and sightseeing opportunities the United States has to offer.

ROANOKE, Va.- - Since mid-September, passengers have bought over $10,000 tickets after Amtrak announced $10 one-way tickets. For the first 10 days of October, one-way trips to anywhere Amtrak Northeast Regional travels throughout Virginia and Washington, D.C., will only cost $10. Tuesday also marks the 10-year anniversary of the inaugural daily round-trip service from Lynchburg to Washington D.C. on the Amtrak Northeast Regional. Make sure you use the code V110 at checkout when purchasing the one-way tickets. The $10 fare is one of several discounts available for travel in Virginia and to Washington, D.C., and other cities in the Northeast.

ROANOKE, Va. - Amtrak is celebrating its Virginia anniversary and offering an amazing deal to travelers. For the first 10 days of October, one-way trips to anywhere Amtrak Northeast Regional travels throughout Virginia and Washington, D.C., will only cost $10. The key is to make sure you use the code V110 at checkout. Below is a screenshot of what to do on the Amtrak website when purchasing your tickets to make sure you score this amazing deal. Amtrak is offering this rate as it celebrates 10 years of Virginia sponsored rail service.