Brightline executive urges Congress to expand support for private high-speed rail
With Brightline poised to complete its link from South Florida to Orlando International Airport and start construction on rail between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, Michael Reininger, CEO of the passenger service has urged Congress to broaden public support for private, high-speed trains. Speaking before a subcommittee of the House Committee on Transportation, Reininger, who was joined by officials from Amtrak, Texas Central high speed rail and other transportation industry leaders, encouraged legislation that would make grants available to private companies partnering with public entities. [orlandosentinel.com]
Eurostar moves to double its London-Paris service to two trains a day
Eurostar, the high-speed train service that ties London, Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam and other cities, will increase its Paris-London timetable to two trains per day on May 27, up from one round-trip per day imposed during the pandemic. Eurostar will continue to serve other cities with one round-trip per day. From a peak of running more than 60 trains a day, Eurostar’s future has been thrown into turmoil as service cuts led last year to a 95 percent slump in ridership, creating a cash crunch and pushing the iconic company to the brink of bankruptcy. [nytimes.com]
UK high-speed trains cancelled after cracks found in carriages
Rail services on Britain’s main intercity lines have been halted and long disruptions may lie ahead, after cracks were found on high-speed trains. All intercity trains on Great Western Railway and London North Eastern Railway were suspended on Saturday morning, as their entire fleets of Hitachi trains were taken out of service for safety. Other services using similar Hitachi models were also disrupted, although their trains were being released back into service after inspection. Trains resume service once they are fully approved as safe by the manufacturer. [theguardian.com]
