Amtrak has cut a major $7.3 billion deal with Siemens Mobility, a Germany-based manufacturer, to produce 83 trainsets at its Sacramento, California plant. The contract will rejuvenate the aging national passenger railroad company with modern equipment, replacing nearly 40% of the fleet by the early 2030s. A portion of the new trainsets will be coming to the Pacific Northwest and operate on Amtrak Cascades. Alongside this, Amtrak will invest $2 billion to improve facilities throughout the system.
In April, Amtrak announced that it had selected Siemens as the winning bidder to produce new trainsets, but had not yet finalized a contract nor disclosed the trainset model to be procured. However, Amtrak’s announcement this week confirms that the Siemens Venture series trainsets are to be purchased. This model is already owned and operated by Brightline in Florida and several state-supported Amtrak contractors, including the San Joaquins (California) and Hiawatha (Illinois and Wisconsin)
Jun. 2 Check out more our stories in The Public Eye series. Click here. It was supposed to be a signature moment for Caltrans, a project that would help pull the nation out of a recession that was smothering the economy nearly a decade ago. In September 2012, California's transportation agency announced it was leading a multi-state partnership to buy more than 100 new passenger railcars, .
Amtrak is making it easier than ever to travel with your furry friends, expanding its pet program to allow four-legged passengers on Acela trains during weekdays.
Dogs and cats up to 20 pounds will be allowed in all cars (except first class and café cars), but must remain in a carrier at all times, according to the company. Amtrak will offer eight pet spaces per departure and one per customer for the cost of $26 per pet or 800 Amtrak Guest Rewards points.
Previously, pets were only welcomed on Amtrak Acela trains on weekends. It is a testament to the strong bond that passengers have with their pets and we understand how this makes it increasingly difficult to leave them at home, Amtrak s vice president of the Northeast Corridor service line, Caroline Decker, told
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