Top Ten Urbanist Articles of 2024
https://www.theurbanist.org/2024/12/28/top-ten-urbanist-articles-of-2024/?feed_id=4896&_unique_id=67707651969fe
#1: Amtrak’s Expansion Plan Includes Two New Pacific Northwest Routes

"For the first time in over 30 years, Amtrak will count someone from the Pacific Northwest on its board — a longtime Boise City Council member-turned-transit-leader. Showing continued bipartisan support for passenger rail, a U.S. Senate committee unanimously confirmed Elaine Clegg, CEO of Valley Regional Transit, to the national post."
https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/local/community/boise/article297513833.html#storylink=cpy

New Amtrak board members ready for the challenge: Analysis https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/new-amtrak-board-members-ready-for-the-challenge-analysis/

'On Saturday, December 21, 2024, the U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed Valley Regional Transit’s CEO, Elaine Clegg, to serve on the Amtrak Board of Directors. Clegg will be sworn in alongside three other incoming board members in the coming weeks.…

'The prestigious appointment is a testament to Clegg’s decades-long commitment to public transit, sustainable infrastructure, and connecting communities through innovative transportation solutions.'
https://www.valleyregionaltransit.org/news/vrt-ceo-elaine-clegg-to-join-the-amtrak-board-of-directors/

This morning, The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation approved these nominations to be a Director on Amtrak Board of Directors.
David Capozzi
Ronald Batory
Elaine Clegg
Lanhee Chen

All Aboard Northwest participated in the Amtrak Board of Directors meeting that was held in Seattle on December 4. While there was some good news from Amtrak and the Northwest states about expanded ridership in fiscal year 2024, it’s evident that rail advocates have lots of work to do in the coming months. More in our December 2024 update at https://allaboardnw.org/blog/aanw-update-december-2024/

The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee will meet…Thursday [to] vote on four appointments to the Amtrak board of directors. One of the nominees, Ronald Batory, led the Federal Railroad Administration for a portion of the Trump administration. https://www.eenews.net/articles/panels-set-vote-on-financial-amtrak-maritime-nominations/

The Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation, caretakers for Portland-owned steam locomotives Southern Pacific No. 4449 and Spokane, Portland & Seattle No. 700, will purchase Portland-area short line Oregon Pacific Railroad, the foundation has announced. https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/oregon-rail-heritage-foundation-to-buy-short-line/

We wish you safe travels this Thanksgiving. Let's work together to improve the rail network throughout the Greater Northwest. Please support us at https://allaboardnw.org/support/

The Greater Northwest Rail Summit, held Oct. 8 & 9 in Spokane, WA, and co-hosted by the PNWER Regional Infrastructure Accelerator program and All Aboard Northwest, brought together industry leaders, rail experts and advocates to discuss the future of our region’s rail network – and ways in which we can work together to transform the system to better serve the customers and communities that rely on its service. https://allaboardnw.org/blog/event-wrap-up-2024-greater-northwest-rail-summit/

"Rail enthusiasts in the Northwest want to leverage the upcoming World Cup to achieve a long-desired goal of adding a third or even fourth daily Amtrak round trip between Seattle and Vancouver. That will necessitate multiparty negotiations between the track owners BNSF and CN, Canada’s VIA Rail, Amtrak and funding agencies from Washington state and British Columbia." https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2024/11/09/as-2026-world-cup-planning-kicks-off-smooth-border-crossings-are-a-goal/ #GreaterNW #WashingtonState #BritishColumbia #WorldCup2026 #PassengerRail #AmtrakCascades