Latest news with #RogerHarris


Newsweek
11 hours ago
- Business
- Newsweek
Coast-to-Coast High-Speed Rail Route Proposed Between Los Angeles and New York
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A private rail venture in Delaware has proposed a high-speed rail project that would stretch from one side of the U.S. to the other. AmeriStarRail, a startup specializing in high-speed and intermodal passenger rail, pitched a partnership with Amtrak to launch the "Transcontinental Chief," a high-speed rail route that would run between Los Angeles and New York in under 72 hours. The Context Work on high-speed rail projects across the U.S. remains stagnant. Only a few networks are underway, and they face increasing local and federal opposition. The largest high-speed rail project being worked on is in California, where 500 miles of track are planned to connect San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles and San Diego. What To Know In an open letter to Roger Harris, the president of Amtrak, AmeriStarRail proposed a joint venture with the goal of making Amtrak generate a profit. "The Transcontinental Chief will be a great opportunity for Amtrak to team up with the private sector to confront the challenges of its money-losing long-distance trains and create opportunities to usher in a profitable Golden Age of rail travel for passengers and truckers, with the ingenuity of free enterprise, as we celebrate our great nation's 250th birthday next year," Scott Spencer, AmeriStarRail's chief operating officer, wrote in the letter. The proposed service would blend elements of Europe's truck transport trains with U.S. passenger rail operations, offering vehicle-boarding for truckers and travelers alongside Amtrak-style accommodations and amenities. A map of the proposed coast-to-coast high-speed rail route from New York to Los Angeles. A map of the proposed coast-to-coast high-speed rail route from New York to Los Angeles. AmeriStarRail AmeriStarRail pitched the initiative to launch by May 10, 2026, timed to coincide with the United States' 250th anniversary celebrations and the FIFA World Cup. The startup, which previously advocated for upgrading Amtrak's Northeast Corridor with private investment, said the new long-distance service could be launched without additional federal spending or congressional action thanks to private investment. The plan includes major stops at Harrisburg, Chicago and the Grand Canyon before reaching Los Angeles. The new route would replace Amtrak's Southwest Chief and Pennsylvanian lines and rely on existing infrastructure from host railroads, including BNSF, Norfolk Southern and New Jersey Transit. Unlike past rail startups that have required federal funding, AmeriStarRail says its model is entirely privately funded. The company has presented the proposal to President Donald Trump, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy and members of Congress. What People Are Saying A spokesperson for AmeriStarRail told Newsweek: "AmeriStarRail's proposal to turn Amtrak's money-losing long-distance trains into profit makers has also been shared with President Trump, DOGE, USDOT Secretary Sean Duffy, the FRA and Members of Congress. "Subject to operating agreements with the host railroads (BNSF, Norfolk Southern and New Jersey Transit) the Transcontinental Chief can start operations on National Train Day, Sunday, May 10, 2026 to begin serving tourists for America 250 celebrations and the 2026 FIFA World Cup. "The Transcontinental Chief can be privately operated and funded, without new congressional legislation or additional federal spending." What Happens Next Amtrak has yet to respond to the pitch from AmeriStarRail and has not acted on previous pitches made by the company.


Bloomberg
5 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Stocks Rise on Trade Hopes
Get a jump start on the US trading day with Matt Miller, Katie Greifeld and Sonali Basak on "Bloomberg Open Interest." Get a jump start on the US trading day with Matt Miller, Katie Greifeld and Sonali Basak on "Bloomberg Open Interest." Trade in focus as stock futures gain after US-China deal, meanwhile, the EU and US are confident they will reach a tariff deal by July. Amtrak President Roger Harris discusses working with the administration to bolster infrastructure. Legendary producer Jerry Bruckheimer shares the secrets behind his new blockbuster, 'F1: The Movie.' (Source: Bloomberg)


CNET
11-06-2025
- Health
- CNET
Here's How Long It Really Takes to Build Muscle and See Results
Consistent strength training is the key to building muscle. While you may see some people gain muscle quickly all over social media, it's important to remember that building muscle is a marathon, not a sprint. Having a good routine and giving yourself a realistic timeline will yield the best results. Muscle growth -- specifically optimal muscle protein synthesis -- depends on several key factors. Your diet and genetics both have a role to play. And sleep, a factor that many ignore, also plays a bigger part than you may realize. Read on to break down how muscle growth works -- and how long it can really take. How muscle growth happens Each muscle is made up of muscle fibers, which are cylindrical cells. Weight training breaks them down and recovery helps them grow. Roger Harris/ScienceBuilding muscle involves the repair of microtraumas in your muscle fibers. Here's a breakdown of this extremely complex process: 1. Each muscle is made up of thousands of tiny muscle fibers. 2. When you lift weights (or do body weight exercises), your muscles endure tiny injuries throughout their fibers. 3. Then, when you rest your muscles, your body begins repairing your damaged muscle cells. 4. The repair process involves fusing torn muscle fibers back together, as well as laying down new proteins within each muscle cell. 5. Your muscles become bigger and stronger as a result of the repair process. Keep in mind that the above is a tremendously simplified version of what actually happens in your body after a weight training workout. In reality, the process includes more than just your muscles -- your nervous system, circulatory system and endocrine system all contribute to muscle repair and growth. How long does it take to see muscle growth? Building muscle is super hard. If it was easy, we'd all be no one muscle-building timeline because several factors affect your ability to build muscle mass, including: Your protein intake: While all macronutrients have their roles, protein is king when it comes to building muscle. Your muscles need adequate protein to repair themselves after the stress of weight training. Without enough protein, muscle growth stagnates. Your calorie intake: If you don't eat enough calories on a daily basis, you won't build muscle even if you eat a lot of protein. To build muscle, your body must create new tissue, and it can't create something from nothing. Extra fuel from extra calories expedites muscle recovery and growth. This is one reason many people never reach their muscle growth goals -- they aren't willing to deal with the extra body fat that comes along with a muscle-building phase. Your sleep schedule: Lifting weights while sleep-deprived isn't a smart strategy. You might see some gains, but you definitely can't optimize muscle growth when you don't give your body a fighting chance to recover. Your lifting routine: If you're trying to build muscle, you should know about two key strength training concepts: frequency and volume. Frequency refers to how often you train a muscle or muscle group, while volume refers to the total load you stress a muscle with. For example, if you perform three sets of 10 reps on squats using 100 pounds, your total volume is 3,000 pounds. More volume and higher frequency typically equate to more muscle, unless you reach the point of overtraining. Your training age: The more advanced you are, the less muscle growth you'll see (yeah, that sounds backward). Everyone has a maximum genetic potential for muscle growth, and the closer you get to yours, the harder it gets to build more muscle. Your actual age: Like a lot of things, building muscle gets harder as you get older. Sarcopenia, or loss of muscle mass and function, is actually a big problem in older adults. That's one reason why it's so important to stay active as you get older. Other major factors include your genetic potential for building muscle (which is impossible to quantify without lab testing, and even then, kind of wishy-washy) and your testosterone levels -- which is why men typically have more muscle than women. Other hormones, including human growth hormone and insulin growth factor, also play a role in muscle growth. All that said, the muscle-building process starts the moment you challenge your muscles to do something. True beginners might see muscle growth within six weeks of starting a resistance training program, and advanced lifters may see results within six to eight weeks of switching up their usual strength training regimen. Regardless of fitness level, building muscle takes several weeks, even when your diet, sleep and training regimen are all dialed in to optimize muscle growth. Can you build muscle doing cardio? Cardio that involves high-volume weight training can help you build depends on your definition of cardio and your training age. Most people won't build much muscle from traditional cardio, such as walking or jogging, and people who've been training for a long time definitely won't build new muscle through traditional cardio. It doesn't recruit your muscles in a way that sends a muscle-building signal to your body. However, cardio that involves high-intensity exercises like plyometrics (think jump squats) or high-volume weight training can help you build muscle to an extent. Sprinting hills, hiking, skiing and other outdoor cardio can also contribute a small amount to muscle mass, especially for beginners. People with a long training history may not see as much success with cardio. Although cardio can improve your overall fitness and help build muscle in select scenarios, strength training remains the best way to build muscle mass. Muscle growth FAQs How long does it take to build muscle? There isn't a fixed timeline for how long it'll take to build muscle. It can take several weeks to several months. Beginners will see results earlier than intermediate or advanced people. However, the main crux is to find and follow the right combination of resistance training, eating habits and rest. These will help your body achieve muscle protein synthesis -- the process that builds muscle -- and result in muscle growth. How long does it take to have visible abs? Like any other muscle group, training your abs will help them grow and become visible, but there is also an added variable of body fat. An expert we consulted mentioned a typical person will need to have 15% body fat (or less) for abs to be visible. However, this number can change based on your genetics. Do your muscles grow on rest days? Yes, muscles grow on rest days. Our muscles don't grow while exercising because working out results in small muscle tears. Rest days allow your muscles to repair and build back up from exertion. If you don't take adequate rest days, your muscles will break down and throw off your progress. Focusing on proper nutrition and getting enough sleep is essential during your rest days.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
This Popular Amtrak Line Is at Risk of Closure—What to Know
A Fort Worth, Texas, to Oklahoma City train service known as the 'Heartland Flyer' may soon end due to funding cuts. The Amtrak-operated service may end no later than Oct. 1, unless a funding disruption is may soon be the final call for a popular Southern train route. Amtrak's Heartland Flyer train line, which operates daily between Fort Worth, Texas, and Oklahoma City may soon face closure. Behind the decision to end the train route is a looming $7 million budget shortfall in funding. The Texas Department of Transportation requested the $7.05 million from the state's legislative budget, but the request was not approved, according to Amtrak. The funding helps maintain the operations of the route, along with funds from Oklahoma and ticket sales. The train departs Oklahoma City at 8:25 a.m. and arrives in Fort Worth at 12:27 p.m. The four-hour, two-minute train ride is just one hour longer than if a traveler were to drive the same route. The train makes stops in Norman, Oklahoma; Gainesville, Texas; and several other towns. 'With service that supports Texas' continued economic growth and the region's connectivity, sustaining the Heartland Flyer is essential to maintaining momentum and ensuring long term mobility in the region," Amtrak President Roger Harris said in a statement. Amtrak also points out that the service may be critical in 2026, when Dallas and Fort Worth host portions of the World Cup. The rail service says that the Heartland Flyer will provide access into the metropolitan area from surrounding communities and alleviate congestion.'I used to work in downtown Fort Worth and we got so many customers coming in for day trips on the Flyer," one person shared in the Amtrak thread on Reddit about the service. 'Big economic hit for downtown hotels and restaurants."The Amtrak-operated service has several coach cars and amenities onboard include a cafe that serves a variety of hot breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack items. Passengers are also able to make reservations for small dogs or cats to join them on the train. Travelers who have tickets on the service should check with Amtrak for any updates and monitor Amtrak's travel advisories for the latest news on the than 80,000 people purchased tickets on the Heartland Flyer in 2024, and the service also connects the region to destinations from Chicago and Los Angeles. Read the original article on Travel & Leisure
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Travel + Leisure
10-06-2025
- Travel + Leisure
This Popular Amtrak Line Is on the Brink of Closure—What to Know
It may soon be the final call for a popular Southern train route. Amtrak's Heartland Flyer train line, which operates daily between Fort Worth, Texas, and Oklahoma City may soon face closure. Behind the decision to end the train route is a looming $7 million budget shortfall in funding. The Texas Department of Transportation requested the $7.05 million from the state's legislative budget, but the request was not approved, according to Amtrak. The funding helps maintain the operations of the route, along with funds from Oklahoma and ticket sales. The train departs Oklahoma City at 8:25 a.m. and arrives in Fort Worth at 12:27 p.m. The four-hour, two-minute train ride is just one hour longer than if a traveler were to drive the same route. The train makes stops in Norman, Oklahoma; Gainesville, Texas; and several other towns. 'With service that supports Texas' continued economic growth and the region's connectivity, sustaining the Heartland Flyer is essential to maintaining momentum and ensuring long term mobility in the region," Amtrak President Roger Harris said in a statement. Amtrak also points out that the service may be critical in 2026, when Dallas and Fort Worth host portions of the World Cup. The rail service says that the Heartland Flyer will provide access into the metropolitan area from surrounding communities and alleviate congestion. 'I used to work in downtown Fort Worth and we got so many customers coming in for day trips on the Flyer," one person shared in the Amtrak thread on Reddit about the service. 'Big economic hit for downtown hotels and restaurants." The Amtrak-operated service has several coach cars and amenities onboard include a cafe that serves a variety of hot breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack items. Passengers are also able to make reservations for small dogs or cats to join them on the train. Travelers who have tickets on the service should check with Amtrak for any updates and monitor Amtrak's travel advisories for the latest news on the service. More than 80,000 people purchased tickets on the Heartland Flyer in 2024, and the service also connects the region to destinations from Chicago and Los Angeles.