The Rail News Roundup is the online newsletter of Trains In the Valley, a rail advocacy organization in the Pioneer Valley region of western Massachusetts.
Trains In The Valley’s newsletter, which was first published using the Rail News Roundup name in June of 2017, provides news and information related to freight and passenger rail service in the region.
The listing below includes a linked to all of our newsletter and the individual headlines that appeared in each newsletter.
Also included are the single topic posts that predated our decision to publish a single newsletter rather than a post every time there is something newsworthy to write about. (We still do that on our Facebook page where we publish a brief report when there is news and we turn some of these reports into longer reports in the Rail News Roundup.)
We prepared this listing for those people who would like to browse through the topics that we have reported on over the years, and so the rich history of the past few years is not lost.
Please note that this page is currently a work in progress. We are working to add headline links to all of headlines in back issues but this will take some time.
Years
▼ 2016 (16 posts / 16 articles)
2016
Welcome to Trains In The Valley! | April 12th
Launch Event Roundup | April 19th
MassDOT’s 2017-2021 Capital Investment Plan | April 28th
Amtrak Launches New Carry-on Bike Service for the Vermonter | May 4th
Solari Arrival Boards | June 15th
Hartford Line on Target to Open in 2018 | July 7th
Governor Asks for Changes to Springfield – Boston Rail Study | July 10th
FRA Approves Environmental Report for New England Rail Initiative | July 27th
Why is the Southbound Vermonter late? | August 21st
Fleeting Summer | September 13th
Down on Main Street: Planning Palmer’s Future | October 3rd
Additional Parking in Greenfield – coming soon | October 16th
Construction of Northampton Underpass Starts | October 17th
Springfield Union Station – Coming Along | October 25th
State Rail Plan Update – Meeting Nov 9th | October 26th
Montreal Rail Preclearance Moves Forward | December 21st
▼ 2017 (16 posts / 59 articles)
2017
New Grade Crossing Signals go up in Northampton | January 12th
Vermonter Ridership FY2016 | January 19th
Gov. Malloy Pushes for Inland Route | February 8th
Union Station to Reopen June 26th | March 7th
A Snow Day Activity | March 14th
Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Safety | March 17th
Light at the End of the Tunnel | June 16th
Rail News Roundup #1 | June 18th
RNR #2 | July 5th
The Importance of Buses | July 18th
RNR #3 | July 25th
RNR #4 | August 30th
RNR #5 | September 25th
RNR #6 | October 16th
RNR #7 | October 23rd
RNR #8 | November 20th
▼ 2018 (14 posts / 95 articles)
2018
RNR #9 | January 9th
RNR #10 | January 26th
2018 State Rail Plan Update | February 5th
Western Mass Rail Advocacy Pop-up Meetings | February 14th
RNR #11 | March 11th
RNR #12 | April 14th
RNR #13 | May 26th
RNR #14 | June 12th
RNR #15 | June 14th
RNR #16 | July 24th
RNR #17 | September 9th
RNR #18 | October 27th
RNR #19 | November 11th
RNR #20 | December 17th
▼ 2021 (4 posts / 28 articles)
2021
RNR #38 | February 8th
RNR #39 | July 8th
The Vermonter is Back! | July 20th
RNR #40 | November 28th
• Infrastructure Bill Signed into Law
• MassDOT Intercity Passenger Rail White Paper Released
• The Return of the Vermonter
• Service to Bradley Airport has Arrived
• PVTA Launches Amherst–Worcester Intercity Bus Service
• PVTA Springfield–Northampton Express Bus Pilot
• Chester Depot National Landmark Ceremony
• Wanted: Books for the Book Exchange
• Western Mass Live Rail Cams
▼ 2022 (2 posts / 19 articles)
RNR #41 | January 29, 2022
• East-West Rail: CSX Agrees to Amtrak Conditions
• PVPC Hosts Status Update on East-West Rail
• Delegation Meets to Discuss East-West Rail
• Northern Tier Rail Study Kicks Off
• New Windsor Locks Station Out to Bid
• Deerfield | Rail Storage Track Project to Kick Off
• Joint Transportation Committee Hearing
• New Header Image for the Website
• Virtual Meetings of Note
RNR #42 | November 14, 2022
• The Valley Flyer is Here to Stay!
• East-West Rail Updates
Aug. 10, 2022 | $275 million Approved for East-West Rail
Aug. 23, 2022 | Baker Rides the Rails to Springfield
Sept. 9, 2022 | Healey talks up East-West Rail
“East-West Rail in Massachusetts” Web page Launched
• Springfield Track Reconfiguration Design Grant Awarded
• Ongoing Vermonter Delays
• New Station for Windsor Locks CT Underway
• Deerfield Residents Want Train Horns Silenced
• Pioneer Valley Railroad to Abandon 4.25 miles of Track
▼ 2023 (2 posts / 21 articles)
2023
RNR #43 | July 15, 2023
East–West Rail Updates
• MassDOT Seeks $108 million for East-West Rail
• MassDOT Funds Palmer and Pittsfield Rail Projects
• Westfield Asks for East–West Rail Station Stop
• Western Mass. Rail Commission Wraps Up Public Meetings
• Northern Tier Rail Study Nears Completion
• Vermonter Suspended Due to Flood Damage in VT
• Valley Flyer Replaced With Buses, Again
• Northampton – New Fees to Park at the Station
• West Springfield – Front Street Crossing makes the NY Times
• Windsor Locks – New Station, Coming Along
• Rebecca Townsend Named to Healey Transition Committee
RNR #44 | December 10, 2023
• A Big Week for Passenger Rail in the U.S.
U.S. DOT Gives East-West Rail a Green Light!
• FRA Designates New “Boston & Albany Corridor”
• FRA awards MassDOT $108 million for “Inland Route” Project
• MassDOT Announces “Compass Rail”
• Western Mass Rail Commission Report Released
• Corridor ID Grant for the “Vermonter Corridor”
• Amtrak Cross Border Operations Report Released
• Valley Flyer Deep Dive
• New Hartford Line Coaches, On the Way
• Enfield CT Station Project Moves Forward
• Pioneer Valley Railroad to be Acquired
▼ 2024 (3 posts / 30 articles)
2024
RNR #45 | February 8, 2024
• Palmer Station Project Moves Forward
• MassDOT Names Andy Koziol as Director of West-East Rail
• Greenfield Reduces Parking Rates at Olive Street Garage
• Vermonter Extension to Montreal Update
• Williams College Students Advocate for Northern Tier Rail
• Ground Breaking in March for New Station in Brattleboro
• Commuter Rail in Greenfield?
RNR #46 | May 17, 2024
• New Valley Flyer Schedule Starting May 28th
• Strong Ridership Reported in the Pioneer Valley
• Amtrak’s New Seating Arrangement
• Northampton Parking Update
• West-East Rail Update
• Northern Tier Study Wraps Up
• Powerful Words from our Elected Officials
• Rescuing Richardson’s Station – Holyoke’s 1885 Train Depot
RNR #47 | August 23, 2024
• Overpass to Replace Front Street Crossing in West Springfield
• Has Amtrak Started Work on West-East Rail?
• $123 million in MassDOT Capital Plan for West-East Rail
• New Valley Flyer Trains Make Their Debut
• Draft Report for Northern Tier Passenger Rail Study Released
• Enfield CT Station Environmental Assessment Released
• Groundbreaking for New Station in Brattleboro VT
• Action in Congress to Open Amtrak’s Board Meetings
RNR #48 | December 6, 2024
• Building Momentum for Northern Tier Passenger Rail
• Amtrak Abruptly Cancels Valley Flyer Train 471
• Passenger Rail Ridership Doubles in our Region
• MassDOT Receives Major Grant for West-East Rail
• Public Information Meeting for Palmer Station
• Westfield Asks for Rail Stop
• West Springfield | Railroad Crossing Safety Issues Raised
2025
RNR #49 | March 5, 2025
• Palmer Station Site Selected
• Northern Tier Rail Moves Forward
• Students Advocate for Northern Tier Passenger Rail
• Amtrak Ridership by Station NHV–SAB
• East Deerfield Intermodal Yard Project
• Westfield | Historic Depot Sold
• A New Rail Line to Bradley Airport?
• Ten years ago (December 2024)
RNR #50 | August 19, 2025
• Ongoing efforts to Extend the Vermonter to Montreal
• Sinkhole Stops Amtrak’s Trains to Pittsfield, for Now
• Northern Tier Passenger Rail: Summer Update
• Report: Strong Support for East-West Rail in the Region
• Valley Flyer Extension into Vermont?
• West Springfield | Upgrades Coming to Memorial Ave Crossing
• Willimansett Railroad Bridge a.k.a. Bridge 7.09
• Amtrak Board Hosts Not 1 but 2 Public Meetings
RNR #51 | December 19, 2025
West-East Rail updates
• MassDOT Secures $3.5 Million to Advance West–East Rail Planning
• Inland Route developments
• Palmer Station Planning Progress
• Pittsfield Station Second Platform Study Announced
• Springfield Area Track Reconfiguration Project Update
• Amtrak’s Lake Shore Limited Returns to Massachusetts
• Nine Years Later, the Southbound Vermonter Is Still Late
• Northern Tier Rail Update
2026
RNR #52 | April 17, 2026
• Compass Rail – Phases I, II & III
• Palmer Station Planning Study Finalized
• Amtrak Advances Interlocking Renewal Project in Springfield
• Vermonter Low-Speed Derailment in East Northfield
• One Track Today, Room for Two Tomorrow in Northampton
• New Hartford Line Coaches Coming Soon
• Hartford Line Customer Survey
• Passenger Rail Braces for Cuts Under Proposed FY2027 Budget
RNR #53 | July 10, 2026
• Amtrak Opens New Brattleboro Station
• The Berkshire Flyer is Back, with a New Schedule
• West Springfield | Front Street Crossing Project Meeting
• MassDOT Capital Investment Plan Finalized
• Fourth Annual WMTAN Forum
• Then and Now: Westfield
• Mass Central Railroad to Be Sold
• Rail Narnia in Southampton
Page last updated: August 16, 2026
Page last reviewed: August 7, 2023