Amtrak to restore second Vancouver round trip
Amtrak will add a second round trip between Seattle and Vancouver, British Columbia, starting March 7th, restoring the line to pre-pandemic levels of service. Amtrak will also increase the number of daily trips between Seattle and Portland from four to six this fall. Before the onset of the pandemic, more than 750,000 riders traveled along the Cascades line each year. The route to Vancouver was suspended in May 2020 and one trip was restored in September 2022. [seattletimes.com]
New Mexicans want high-speed rail investment
Two bills pre-filed in the New Mexico State Legislature ahead of the new session, may pave the way for expanded rail service in New Mexico. The proposals seek to bring a high-speed rail line through the entire state, and into Colorado to the north and Chihuahua, Mexico, to the south. The bills would allocate $500,000 for a feasibility study and $1 billion for the rail project itself. [sourcenm.com]
Jungle railway plan alarms Mexican scientists
Parts of Mexico’s remote southern jungles have barely changed since the time of the ancient Maya. In the eyes of Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, a railway his government is building — known as the Tren Maya — will bring modern connectivity to areas deprived of significant economic benefits. But the railway and its hasty construction also critically endanger pristine wilderness and ancient cave systems beneath the jungle floor, droves of scientists and environmental activists said. [abcnews.go.com
Study shows NC Triangle commuter rail options
GoTriangle shared the results of a commuter rail feasibility study to gain input on options for a future commuter rail service. The agency is also launching a public feedback campaign in Durham, Cary, Raleigh and Clayton, areas through which the system would run. The proposed Greater Triangle commuter rail would help provide a congestion free transportation opportunity and serve a region slated to grow by more than a million people and a corresponding one million cars in the next 30 years. [masstransitmag.com]
