Amtrak – News Stories About Amtrak - Page 5

Jan 10, 2009 6:43 AM CST

Obama Train Challenges Secret Service

Journey to Washington poses 137 miles of potential threats

(Newser) - Barack Obama's train ride to the presidency is giving the Secret Service 137 miles of stress, reports CNN. The president-elect's route from Philadelphia to Washington is lined with countless buildings where attackers could hide and security experts fear terrorists could sabotage some of the dozens of bridges and tunnels along...

Amtrak Expects Throngs Along Obama's Route

Jan 9, 2009 7:20 AM CST

Amtrak Expects Throngs Along Obama's Route

Crowds will line 137 mile rail route to DC

(Newser) - Crowds of Barack Obama supporters are expected to line the railroad tracks between Philadelphia and Washington when the president-elect retraces Abraham Lincoln's journey to Washington the weekend before his inauguration, the AP reports. Authorities don't know how many people will throng the 137 miles of tracks but are using the...

Weyrich, Who Coined
'Moral Majority,' Dead at 66

OBITUARY

Dec 18, 2008 1:00 PM CST

Weyrich, Who Coined 'Moral Majority,' Dead at 66

Conservative thinker gave name to movement key in GOP rise

(Newser) - Paul Weyrich, the influential conservative who co-founded the Heritage Foundation and coined the term “moral majority,” died today at 66, the Washington Post reports, after years of poor health. A reporter, Weyrich got his Washington entree in 1967 as press secretary for a Colorado senator. At a 1979...

Amtrak Sees Boom in
Riders as Fuel Costs Soar

Jun 21, 2008 10:10 AM CDT

Amtrak Sees Boom in Riders as Fuel Costs Soar

But shrunken rail service is nearing capacity

(Newser) - With fuel prices soaring, travelers are increasingly turning to Amtrak, which posted a record for passengers in May—not usually a big travel month, reports the New York Times. But the struggling rail service has shrunk so drastically since it was created in the '70s that it won't be able...

Bomb Dogs Will Ride Amtrak

Feb 19, 2008 5:33 AM CST

Bomb Dogs Will Ride Amtrak

Security stepped up on nation's rail system

(Newser) - Amtrak is stepping up security, with random screening of carry-on bags and security teams packing machine guns and leading bomb-sniffing dogs patrolling platforms and trains, reports AP. The new system, beginning this week, echoes stricter security procedures at the nation's airports. Amtrak insists there should be no additional departure delays...

Amtrak Deal Prevents Strike

Jan 18, 2008 5:03 PM CST

Amtrak Deal Prevents Strike

Pact meets most of employee unions' demands

(Newser) - Amtrak struck a deal with nine of its labor unions today, heading off a potentially catastrophic strike that was scheduled to begin at the end of the month, the AP reports. Union members still must ratify the specifics, but sources say the deal grants the unions full payment of back...

30 Hurt in Amtrak Crash

Nov 30, 2007 7:26 PM CST

30 Hurt in Amtrak Crash

Officials probing accident that critically injured 5 passengers

(Newser) - Five were critically injured when an Amtrak passenger train rammed a stopped freight train in Chicago today, the Chicago Tribune reports. Nine more were seriously hurt, including five Amtrak workers, and another 30 suffered minor injuries. Officials, who freed some workers from the locomotive with hydraulic cutting tools, expect the...

Amtrak Offers $100 Booze Bonus

Aug 2, 2007 6:26 AM CDT

Amtrak Offers $100 Booze Bonus

Plush to lush: Amtrak hopes free drinks will move luxury trips

(Newser) - Amtrak is trying to lure high-end customers by offering $100 in free drinks to passengers who book luxury berths on certain overnight trips. The GrandLuxe trips, which start at $789, feature gourmet meals—which already include free wine—and personal butler service.