Supreme Court weighing Amtrak's power over U.S. railroads

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Supreme Court appears divided on whether to reinstate performance standards Amtrak helped to create in 2010, which were negated last year by a federal appeals court, the USA Today reported.

How the court decides the issue could have a major impact on the quality of passenger and freight rail service, according to the report. If Amtrak can set standards, it can establish priority over the private freight railroads on the other side of the legal dispute. If it lacks such authority, freight service would have greater influence. For the full story, click here.