Happening Now
Hotline #1,424
January 16, 2026
Happy #HotlineFriday, everyone! President+CEO Jim Mathews pens an op-ed on the looming advocacy and policy fights for passenger rail, New Zealand’s South Island gets long distance service for the first time in over two decades, plus the rest of the news round-up. See you onboard! Highball!
Hotline #1,424–January 16th, 2026
Get on track with this week's rail passengers news
"It is an honor to be recognized by the Rail Passengers Association for my efforts to strengthen and expand America’s passenger rail. Golden spikes were once used by railroads to mark the completion of important rail projects, so I am truly grateful to receive the Golden Spike Award as a way to mark the end of a career that I’ve spent fighting to invest in our country’s rail system. As Chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, it has been my priority to bolster funding for Amtrak, increase and expand routes, look to the future by supporting high-speed projects, and improve safety, culminating in $66 billion in new funding in the Bipartisan infrastructure Law."
Representative Peter DeFazio (OR-04)
March 30, 2022, on receiving the Association's Golden Spike Award for his years of dedication and commitment to passenger rail.
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