Top Stories
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Iraq lays out plans to rebuild its devastated rail network
DestinationsIn a shabby, rusty train that had just left Baghdad for the southern city of Basra, Riyadh Saleh moved restlessly from carriage to carriage, searching for a comfortable, air-conditioned seat. Saleh was one of about 200 passengers taking a 25-year-old diesel train to Basra last week; he was enticed by fares as low as 7,500 [...]
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The new World Trade Center transit hub is finally taking shape
DestinationsWith the blast of an airhorn, ironworkers on Monday began bolting into place the first of 610 steel pieces of the soaring wing-like arches of the World Trade Center’s new transportation hub. Not due to open until 2015, the 800,000-square-foot (74,322-square-meter) transit hub will eventually link numerous New York City subway lines with commuter trains [...]
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Russia’s growing high-speed rail network poses threat to domestic airlines
DestinationsWhile transportation remains one of the biggest issues for Russia, the country is trying to add speed to its trains, the most beloved way of travelling for most Russians. A high-speed railway connecting Moscow with the Urals is the latest initiative. The first high speed railway project between Moscow and Saint Petersburg is now being [...]
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Amtrak begs government for multi-year funding on its 42nd birthday
TransportAmtrak marked 42 years of service on Wednesday with a plea for more money from Congress. CEO Joe Boardman said Amtrak remains a “vital part” of the nation’s transportation system, but can’t continue to fulfill its “national mission” without more money from Washington. “Amtrak has been underfunded and has too many conflicting missions with only [...]
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Canada and the U.S. just can’t make high-speed rail work
DestinationsFor short-haul trips there’s nothing better than a good train to get you from one city centre to the next. A few weeks ago I spent about 10 days getting to appointments across Germany and Switzerland exclusively on the train. I found myself looking forward to arriving at various stations a little early to stock [...]
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Boston travel update: All ground transit stopped but flights still running
TransportMass transportation to and from the Boston area is virtually shut down Friday morning, with the exception of airplanes, which continue to take off and land at Logan International Airport. Train and bus service is shut down as police conduct a massive manhunt for one of two suspects in Monday’s Boston Marathon bombing. People waiting [...]
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Japanese hotel and rail giant Seibu says “no” to demands from Cerberus Capital
DestinationsSeibu Holdings Inc. President Takashi Goto said he won’t offer “any concessions” to Cerberus Capital Management LP, the hotel and rail operator’s biggest shareholder, in a dispute over the investor’s proposals. The private equity firm’s “proposals will hurt Seibu Group’s mid- and long-term strategy,” Goto said in Tokyo yesterday. He didn’t elaborate on his objections [...]
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Eurostar’s 2013 revenues rise this quarter, even without Olympic crowds
DestinationsPromotional campaigns helped Eurostar to maintain revenues during the first three months of this year. The high speed rail service between the UK and mainland Europe reported a 1% rise in revenues, up to £213m from £211m in the same period last year. Business travel struggled due to lingering economic uncertainty throughout Europe, the company [...]
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The train safety technology that’s pitting regulators against railways
DigitalPositive Train Control (PTC) is a system designed to make trains safer and better organized. It uses GPS to take over controls from the engineer if he inadvertently loses control or finds himself heading in the direction of another train; it also makes sure trains are running when and where they’re supposed to. Ideally, dispatchers [...]
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Russia wants to ban Tajik passenger trains from entering the country
DestinationsRussian officials threatened to ban trains entering Russia from Tajikistan on Monday, complaining that sleeper trains heading to Moscow from the Central Asian country were unacceptably dirty and posed a health risk. The border service also expressed concerns over rampant drug smuggling. Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, after inspecting a train, said that “this train [...]
