At least a dozen companies have expressed interest in running parts of Amtrak if Congress decides to end the railway's monopoly, a transportation consultant said Thursday during a hearing on Amtrak's future. William Rennicke, a transport operator consultant, said he recently drafted a blueprint for possible private participation in U.S. passenger rail service and distributed it to major transportation companies, 10 to 12 of which responded within 48 hours to express interest, reported the Associated Press. The Paris transit authority, RATP; France's Alstom Ltd.; and Britain's Great North Eastern Railway were among the private companies interested in taking over some of Amtrak's services. Several witnesses at Thursday's hearing supported some form of private participation in passenger rail, said the AP.
Private companies interested in Amtrak
The Paris transit authority, Alstom and Britain's Great North Eastern Railway are among the private companies interested in taking over some of Amtrak's services.
More Rail
Chicago Transit Authority Sues USDOT Over Paused Funding for Red Line Extension, Modernization Projects
The Chicago agency seeks restoration of nearly $2 billion in federal funding, warning halted projects could impact transit access and economic growth.
Read More →
Alstom Awarded 5-Year Extension for GO Transit, UP Express Services
Company officials said that this latest contract extension with Metrolinx consolidates the company’s position as the leading private provider of Operations and maintenance services in North America.
Read More →
New York MTA Seeks Bids for 2,390 Subway Cars in Record-Breaking Order
The new cars, model R262, will be funded by the MTA’s 2025-29 Capital Plan, which received a historic $68 billion in funding from Governor Hochul and the State Legislature in the FY26 Enacted State Budget.
Read More →
Amtrak Announces Community Grants for Projects Near Baltimore’s New Frederick Douglass Tunnel
Amtrak will open grant applications March 23 for community projects near the Frederick Douglass Tunnel alignment in Baltimore as part of a $50 million investment tied to the B&P Tunnel Replacement Program.
Read More →
Amtrak Marks Restoration of Two South Carolina Stations
The Denmark Station $2.3 million construction investment project includes a new 280-foot concrete boarding platform, built eight inches above the top of rail, for improved accessibility for passengers with disabilities and families with small children and much more.
Read More →
NJ Transit, Amtrak Prepare to Open First Track on New Portal North Bridge
The new bridge will begin carrying passenger trains on March 16, replacing a 116-year-old swing bridge that has long caused delays.
Read More →
Caltrain Adopts Corridor-Wide Right-of-Way Safety Strategy
Caltrain and its partners have implemented safety improvements at specific locations in response to known risk conditions, operational needs, and available funding since the agency’s founding.
Read More →
Building a National Framework for Transit Safety and Consistency
On a recent episode of METROspectives, METRO Magazine’s Executive Editor Alex Roman sat down with Ana-Maria Tomlinson, Director of Strategic & Cross-Sector Programs at the CSA Group, to explore a bold initiative aimed at addressing those challenges: the development of a National Code for Transit and Passenger Rail Systems in Canada.
Read More →
FTA Invests $686M to Modernize Aging Rail Stations
Competitive FTA grants will support accessibility upgrades, family-friendly improvements, and cost-efficient capital projects at some of the nation’s oldest and busiest transit hubs.
Read More →
MBTA Updates Rail Modernization Plan to Expand Reliability and Accessibility
The strategy outlines near- and long-term upgrades to ease congestion, support housing growth, and advance statewide climate goals.
Read More →