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Newswire
PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM PAYS OFF FOR AMTRAK: Ridership on Amtrak's long-distance trains continues to rise as the national intercity passenger railroad continues to implement the multi-year Route Performance Improvement (RPI) program. The process focuses on all elements of train service on several routes, such as employee-passenger interactions, staffing levels, food service and amenities, equipment cleanliness and reliability, stations and schedules. This year, Amtrak has worked to expand the RPI process to evaluate additional financial and operational issues, and continue to measure customer satisfaction. [Progressive Railroading website report, 3-10-10]
TRAFFIC LOWER ON GENESEE & WYOMING: Short line and regional railroad operator Genesee & Wyoming Inc. said its traffic fell nine percent last month from February 2009, mostly due to lower shipments of coal, coke and ores. The company blamed the shortfall mostly on lower shipments in the Rocky Mountains, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania. [United Transportation Union, 3-10-10, from Associated Press report]
R.R. TAXI COMPANY MOVING 62 JOBS TO TEXAS: A company that operates a taxi and crew transportation service for railroad workers is moving 62 positions from Bismarck, N.D., to its Dallas headquarters. The transfer is the result of consolidation within the company. The Bismarck office employs about 150 people and manages operations in 12 states. Dispatching and accounting departments will be moved to Dallas by the end of May. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 3-9-10, from Associated Press report]
CSX TRAIN DERAILS IN PHILADELPHIA: Five cars of a 115-car freight train derailed in Center City Philadelphia March 8 near 23d and Race Streets. Battalion Fire Chief Mike Kane said there were no injuries and there was no evidence of leakage from any of the five cars. The derailed cars did not tip over. [Brotherhood of Locootive Engineers & Trainmen, 3-8-10, from Philadelphia Inquirer website report]
VIA RAIL TO UPGRADE TORONTO-OTTAWA LINE: VIA Rail Canada Inc. announced plans to upgrade the line between Toronto and Ottawa, and build a new station in Smith Falls, Ontario. The Canadian government will provide $21-million for the infrastructure projects, which are designed to increase service frequency and speed along VIA Rail's busy Toronto-to-Ottawa route. The station is designed to blend with the city's 'historic character and railway legacy,' which dates back to 1859. The new station will reduce schedule conflicts between passenger trains and Canadian Pacific freight trains. [Progressive Railroading website report, 3-8-10]
KCS ACQUIRES MEXICAN INTERMODAL TERMINAL: Kansas City Southern recently acquired the Puerta Mexico intermodal facility in Toluca, and plans to launch a direct service to the terminal later this month. Kansas City Southern de Mexico S.A. de C.V. (KCSM) will provide the intermodal service from Lázaro Cardenas to Puerta Mexico to offer Mexico City importers and exporters a transportation alternative featuring improved reliability and better transit times. [Progressive Railroading website report, 3-8-10]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL TRAFFIC REPORT: Carload freight volume on U.S. railroads reached its highest level in more than a year during the week ended February 27. U.S. railroads originated 290,261 carloads, up 2.6 percent from the comparable week in 2009 and the highest level reported since the week ended December 6, 2008. MORE.. [Assn. of American Railroads, 3-5-10]
RICHARD SARLES NAMED INTERIM HEAD OF D.C. METRO: The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) has appointed Richard Sarles interim general manager, effective March 29. He will temporarily lead the agency after GM John Catoe Jr. leaves WMATA on April 2. Sarles, 65, has more than 25 years of transit industry experience with New Jersey Transit, Amtrak and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. [Progressive Railroading website report, 3-5-10]
SIX DEAD IN ARIZONA BUS CRASH: Six people were killed when a passenger bus crashed on an Arizona Interstate 10 south of Phoenix early March 5. The tour bus could be seen in a dirt area just off the roadway with extensive damage and debris scattered around it. [United Transportation Union, 3-5-10, from CNN website report]
F.T.A. FAULTS D.C. METRO ON SAFETY: An audit released by the Federal Transit Administration presents damning evidence of disregard for safety and oversight at the Washington area's Metrorail system. The audit says train operators rarely know that workers are on the tracks until the operator can see them, that Metro has no process for communicating safety concerns across departments, that safety officials have been isolated and ignored within the organization, and that the weak and underfunded Tri-State Oversight Committee is denied access to information necessary to perform its duties. [National Association of Railroad Passengers, 3-5-10]
METROLINK TAKES DELIVERY ON FIRST TWO CRASH-RESISTANT CARS: The first two of a fleet of 117 crash-resistant rail cars have been delivered to Southern California commuter rail operator Metrolink. The cars, built by Hyundai-Rotem in South Korea, feature 'crush zone' technology to absorb the impact of a collision. The cars will undergo rigorous testing before being put into service. [National Association of Railroad Passengers, 3-5-10]
QUAKE DISRUPTS HIGH-SPEED TRAIN SERVICE ON TAIWAN: A 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck Taiwan on March 4, causing no reported deaths but several injuries from falling objects. The new high-speed rail line linking Taipei with the southern end of the island suffered service disruptions on its southern half pending safety checks. About 2,400 people left six stalled trains by walking along the tracks on bridges, while 874 passengers had to leave trains stuck in Yunlin County. There was a partial derailment of a train near Hisnshih, whose abrupt stop caused passengers to panic. Subway service in the city of Kaohsiung was also temporarily disrupted. [National Association of Railroad Passengers, 3-5-10]
MILWAUKEE CHOSEN FOR TALGO MANUFACTURING PLANT: The vacant Tower Automotive Corporation plant in northwestern Milwaukee has been selected as the site for Talgo North America's new US train manufacturing facility. The Spanish-owned company, whose trains currently operate on Amtrak's state-sponsored Portland-Vancouver Cascades service, reportedly could create hundreds of jobs thanks to a $47.6-million deal with the state of Wisconsin to build two 14-car trainsets to operate between Chicago and Milwaukee on Amtrak's Hiawatha service. The plant will use largely US-made parts. [National Association of Railroad Passengers, 3-5-10]
MARYLAND GETS FEDERAL GRANTS FOR LIGHT-RAIL, MARC PROJECTS: The U.S. Department of Transportation has announced a $17.1-million American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant to the Maryland Transit Administration to upgrade light-rail yard switches, replace or overhaul 24 light-rail substation circuit breakers and other work, and $2.8-million to perform additional work on MARC's public-address system. [Progressive Railroading website report, 3-5-10]
CALIFORNIA RAIL AGENCY RECONFIRMS HIGH-SPEED ROUTE: The state High-Speed Rail Authority issued a revised study that continues to recommend that speed trains between the Bay Area and Central Valley travel through the Pacheco Pass. The authority, which selected the Pacheco route over Altamont Pass in 2008, had to reassess the best route and redo portions of its environmental report after a Sacramento judge ruled in December that its initial analysis was inadequate. [United Transportation Union, 3-4-10, from San Francisco Examiner report]
RAIL LINE IN MAINE TO KEEP RUNNING, SENATOR SAYS: The Federal Railroad Administration will work with the state to develop a plan to keep the Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway Inc. line open for 22 shippers that "directly rely on the rail line," said Senator Susan Collins (R-ME). The railroad recently filed a notice of intent with the Surface Transportation Board to abandon 233 miles of track in northern Maine because of high operating costs and low traffic volumes. [Progressive Railroading website report, 3-4-10]
FIRE BREAKS OUT ON HARPERS FERRY BRIDGE: A fire broke out on a portion of the CSX Railroad a bridge at Harpers Ferry, W.Va., late March 4. Firefighters were dispatched to the fire at about 6:50 p.m., and the fire was put out shortly afterward. MARC commuter trains were disrupted with passengers bused around the scene toward Martinsburg. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 3-4-10, from Martinsburg Journal website report]
SEPTA TO ABANDON 'R' DESIGNATIONS FOR TRAINS: SEPTA has decided to abandon the familiar R designations of its Regional Rail lines, effective July 25. The agency will instead identify them according to the ultimate destination. For example, the R8/Chestnut Hill West will become the Chestnut Hill West line, and the R8/Fox Chase will become the Fox Chase line. SEPTA officials said visitors and infrequent riders sometimes got on the wrong trains, confused by different lines with the same R designation. SEPTA will also get rid of the color codes linked to each line on its maps and schedules. Henceforth, the color of all Regional Rail lines will be "a bluish-gray," SEPTA said. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 3-4-10, from Philadelphia Inquirer website report]
TRAINS COLLIDE HEAD-ON IN B.C.: Two trains slammed head-on just outside of Golden, B.C., March 3, sparking a large propane fire. Canadian Pacific said the crash between an empty grain train and a train carrying potash knocked one engine on its side and striking a propane tank at a rail switch heater, which spread into a blaze. Emergency crews quickly doused the fire before it ignited leaking diesel fuel and no dangerous substances escaped from either train. CPR could not say how soon the line will be reopened. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 3-3-10, from Calgary Sun website report]
CINCINNATI COUNCIL WANTS ITS UNION TERMINAL TO SERVE PROPOSED 3-C SERVICE: The Cincinnati city council has recommended that the city's landmark union terminal serve the proposed '3-C' corridor train service. The state of Ohio had previously recommended a riverfront site to serve Cincinnati. MORE.. Currently, only one Amtrak train uses the terminal. [Railway Age website report, 5-3-10]
AMTRAK TRAIN SLAMS INTO BUS IN CALIFORNIA: At 6:30 on March 3, a Southbound Amtrak Capitol Corridor train slammed into an empty AC Transit bus in Oakland. The bus, which was split in half, was just entering service, so it had yet to carry passengers for the day. The driver was able to exit the bus before the accident, and there were no reports of injuries. The passengers aboard the train were taken by bus to their final destinations. [United Transportation Union, 3-3-10, from Examiner website report]
VRE TO ADD EXPRESS TRAIN IN JULY: Virginia Railway Express is preparing early morning express train service in July. The new train is slated to leave the Fredericksburg station at 5:05 a.m. Overall, the train would stop at Leeland Road, Brooke, Alexandria, Crystal City, L'Enfant Plaza and Union Station. The train is expected to get commuters to Washington 25 minutes earlier than any other VRE train. [United Transportation Union, 3-2-10, from Media General News Service report]
VIA RAIL TO REPLACE WINDSOR, ONTARIO, STATION: VIA Rail Canada and the Canadian government have announced a joint investment to build a new station in Windsor, Ontario, featuring improved and expanded facilities. The government will provide $6-million for the project through Canada's Economic Action Plan. To be built on a site near the existing facility by fall 2011, the station will replace a structure built by CN in the early 1960s and expanded by VIA Rail in 1982. The station project also is part of the federal government's $923 million capital investment in passenger-rail modernization and expansion, according to VIA Rail. [Progressive Railroading website report, 3-1-10]
AMTRAK TRAIN STRIKES FIRE TRUCK IN DETROIT: A Chicago-bound Amtrak train with at least 76 people aboard slammed into a fire truck that was stopped on the tracks in southwest Detroit, causing minor injuries to several people. The ladder truck was hit as the driver tried to move it Monday morning. The truck and a police car were there helping a family involved in an earlier crash. [United Transportation Union, 3-1-10, from Associated Press report]
OREGON TO BUY TWO TALGO TRAINSETS: The State of Oregon is buying two new passenger trains to be used on Amtrak's Cascades service that runs between Eugene and Vancouver, B.C. The 13-car trains are made by Talgo and are similar to the trains being used now. Oregon received a discount by pooling the train purchase with the State of Wisconsin. [United Transportation Union, 3-1-10, from KMTR website report]
ANALYST UPGRADES N.S. TO 'OVERWEIGHT': A Barclays Capital analyst said he believes investors aren't paying enough attention to the earnings growth potential of Norfolk Southern Corp., citing the railroad operator's pricing strength, improving shipping volume and potential for stronger coal shipments. Analyst Gary Chase upgraded the stock to 'Overweight' from 'Equal Weight' and raised his share price target to $62 from $55. [United Transportation Union, 3-1-10, from Business Week website report]
DERAILMENT DISRUPTS AMTRAK SERVICE IN ILLINOIS: A Union Pacific freight train derailment Febr.26 caused delays in Amtrak passenger service between Chicago and St. Louis. Three freight cars filled with ballast rock derailed about two miles south of Wilmington, Illinois. No injuries were reported. Amtrak chartered motor coaches to carry passengers around the closed track on Friday and Saturday. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 2-27-10, from Associated Press report]
TWO TEENS KILLED BY ACELA TRAIN IN PENNSYLVANIA: An Acela train traveling from Boston to Washington hit two teenage girls about 10:30 a.m. Febr.25 in Norwood, Pa., about 10 miles southwest of Philadelphia. Norwood Police say an examination of the girls' e-mail and text messages showed they spoke of their desire to end their lives. [United Transportation Union, 2-27-10, from Associated Press report]
GALESBURG TO RAISE FUNDS FOR R.R. HALL OF FAME: Backers of a plan to build a national railroad hall of fame in Galesburg. Illinois, say they plan to start a national fundraising campaign early next year. The hall of fame could cost about $30-million to build. Local organizers say they've raised $1.45-million in town and have more secured in state and local grants. Galesburg has a long railroad history and annually celebrates Railroad Days. MORE.. [United Transportation Union, 2-25-10, from Associated Press report]
N.S. TO BUILD CORRIDOR HUBS: Norfolk Southern Railway hopes to begin construction by July on new intermodal terminals in Memphis and Birmingham now that it has a large stimulus grant to help pay for them. The two terminals are part of the NS Crescent Corridor development plan, which aims to remake an old rail route from the Mississippi Delta to the Northeast into a refurbished, high-speed route for double-stacked intermodal trains. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 2-25-10, from Journal of Commerce website report]
STORM DAMAGE DISRUPTS N.Y. STATE AMTRAK SERVICE: Eight of Amtrak's 26 weekday trains between the Capital Region and New York City will be canceled on Thursday as CSX works to complete repairs to its tracks and systems that were damaged by Wednesday's winter storm. Power outages along Amtrak's line between Albany-Rensselaer and Poughkeepsie on Wednesday delayed some trains and forced the cancellation of others, according to Amtrak and passengers. [United Transportation Union, 2-25-10, from Albany Times Union report]
VIA RAIL TRAIN DERAILS NEAR QUEBEC CITY: A VIA Rail passenger train derailed early Febr.25 at St. Charles de Bellechasse, on the south shore of Quebec City. About 10 passengers suffered minor injuries and shock in the mishap. The accident occured about 4:45 a.m. as westbound train No. 15, the Ocean, headed to Montreal from Halifax. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 2-24-10, from Montreal Gazette website report]
CSXI, U.P. ANNOUNCE 'UMAX' INTERLINE CONTAINER PROGRAM: UMAX, a new domestic interline container program created by CSX Intermodal and Union Pacific Railroad, will provide customers access to more than 20,000 containers and expanded market reach across North America. UMAX will feature more than 600 service lanes supported by faster and more frequent train schedules. UMAX launches March 29, 2010. [Joint press release, 2-24-10]
BOMBARDIER LANDS LARGE FRENCH TRAIN ORDER: Bombardier Inc. has signed a framework agreement with French National Railways that could add up to around $10.85-billion for a total of 860 regional express trains. Bombardier said it has an initial firm order with SNCF, France's publicly owned railway for 80 of the double-deck electric trains. The first deliveries are scheduled for June 2013 and will continue through December 2015. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 2-24-10, from Reuters Canada report]
AMTRAK SEEKS SUNRAIL LIABILITY DEAL: The chief executive of Amtrak is again threatening to scuttle the SunRail commuter train planned for Central Florida before it picks up its first passenger. In a letter mailed to the Florida Department of Transportation, Joseph Boardman of Amtrak said he was terminating a previous agreement his agency had with the state to share tracks with SunRail. Boardman said that he wants a better liability deal from the state than is being offered in case there is an accident between Amtrak and SunRail, both which would run on tracks Florida intends to buy from CSX of Jacksonville. The way the deal stands now, he said, Amtrak could be liable for millions of dollars to people injured or killed in an accident. Instead, he wants the state to shield Amtrak from some potential lawsuits and claims. [United Transportation Union, 2-24-10, from Orlando Sentinel report]
RAIL DEPOT IN KANSAS NOMINATED TO NATIONAL REGISTRY: A former Rock Island Depot that now serves as the home for the Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad has been nominated for the National Register of Historic Places. At a meeting at the Kansas Historical Society in Topeka, the Historic Sites Board of Review voted to forward that nomination and five others to the office of the Keeper of the National Register of Historic Places in Washington, D.C., to be evaluated by their professional staff. If they concur with the board's findings, the properties will be included in the National Register. The 1887 combination depot designed to accommodate both passengers and freight is located across the street from its original location and was moved there in 1959 to accommodate the development of the Eisenhower Presidential Museum and Library. [United Transportation Union, 2-24-10, from Abilene Reflector-Chronicle report]
DESIGN CONTRACT AWARDED FOR METRA'S 'ENGLEWOOD FLYOVER': Metra's board recently approved a final design contract for the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) program's Englewood flyover project. TranSystems Corp. obtained a $5.65-million contract to design the flyover, which will carry Metra's north-south Rock Island line over the an east-west Norfolk Southern Railway/Amtrak line. To be completed in 2012, the project is designed to eliminate conflicts between 68 Metra trains and 60 freight and Amtrak trains that intersect daily at an existing grade crossing. [Progressive Railroading website report, 2-23-10]
AMTRAK WANTS NEW LOOK FOR CHICAGO UNION STATION: Amtrak is asking architectural and real estate firms to dream up ways to pump new life into the historic part of Chicago's Union Station - a goal the railroad has previously been unable to accomplish. The project could dramatically reshape the outlines of the 85-year-old structure, an official city landmark. Amtrak, which owns Union Station, plans to select a winner by the end of May. Amtrak is asking the firms for redevelopment ideas for Union Station's headhouse building which contains the Great Hall, a grandly-scaled passenger waiting room. Amtrak wants to bring vitality to vacant retail space around the Great Hall and vacant office floors above it. [United Transportation Union, 2-23-10, from Chicago Tribune report]
RAILROAD MAY BE SHUT DOWN IN MAINE: The Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway has filed notice with the federal Surface Transportation Board that it intends to abandon 233 miles of track that stretch from Madawaska to Millinocket, Maine. The state is trying to see whether it can buy the railroad, which has a couple of dozen customers. If that doesn't happen, northern Maine could be left without rail service as early as summer. The railroad dates to 1891, when the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad was incorporated and began laying track. The present owner bought the railroad in 2003 and now owns 774 miles of track that run from Maine to Montreal, with a short side line into Vermont. [United Transportation Union, 2-21-10 from Boston Globe report]
CSX TO DOUBLE THE SIZE OF ITS FREIGHT YARD IN WORCESTER, MASS.: CSX plans to more than double the size of its freight yard on Franklin Street, Worcester, and make the city its new freight hub for New England. The $100-million project is part of a private-public partnership between the state and CSX to reposition its freight operations in Massachusetts, so the rail line between Worcester and Boston can be opened up to more commuter trains, according to Lt. Gov. Timothy P. Murray. Because CSX will be moving its main freight operations out of its Beacon Park yards in the Allston section of Boston, the company needs to reposition its freight activity at existing rail yards it has in Central and Western Massachusetts. CSX anticipates a two-year construction process. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 2-20-10, from Telegram & Gazette website report]
KCS REPLACES BNSF ON DOW JONES TRANSPORATION AVERAGE: On Febr.16, 2010, Dow Jones Indexes replaced Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. with Kansas City Southern on the Dow Jones Transportation Average after Berkshire Hathaway Inc. acquired BNSF. The index tracks 20 U.S. transportation stocks. Dow Jones Indexes develops, maintains and licenses the transportation average for use as benchmarks and the basis for investment products. [Progressive Railroading website report, 2-18-10]
N.S. DERAILMENT IN INDIANA DISRUPTS AMTRAK SERVICE: Amtrak passengers headed from Bryan, Ohio, to Chicago Febr.18 ended up riding buses after a Norfolk Southern freight train derailed near Butler, Indiana. Nobody was hurt and no hazardous materials were released when cars near the rear of an eastbound train hauling freight containers jumped the tracks at about 6 a.m., but the accident blocked both tracks of Norfolk Southern's Toledo-Chicago main line for the entire morning. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 2-18-10, from Toledo Blade website report]
NTSB URGES STRONGER RAIL CARS: U.S. regulators should require transit-rail operators to meet safety standards that would prevent cars from crumpling in crashes, after fatal accidents in Washington and near Boston. The National Transportation Safety Board added the recommendation to its 'most wanted' list of federal safety improvements. Regulators should also require that cars be designed to be more accessible to first responders, and that equipment failing to meet standards be removed. "There are no standards" for crashworthiness of transit rail cars, NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman said at a hearing in Washington. "That doesn't make any sense." [United Transportation Union, 2-18-10, from Bloomberg News report]
NEW CSX TERMINAL PLANNED FOR PITTSBURGH AREA: A new CSX rail terminal will be built in the Pittsburgh area as part of the National Corridor project, funded in part by federal stimulus money. CSX is working with regional economic development officials to determine the best location for the new terminal. The public-private $842-million corridor project will stretch from Ohio to Chambersburg, Pa. Stimulus money for the corridor includes $98-million for CSX to raise vertical clearances on tunnels and bridges, allowing trains to carry double-stacked containers. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 2-17-10, from Pittsburgh Tribune-Review website report]
BELGIAN TRAINS COLLIDE, MANY DEATHS: Two commuter trains collided head-on at rush hour in a Brussels suburb Febr.15, killing as many as 25 people. The trains collided in light snow just outside of the station at Buizingen around 8:30 a.m. local time. There was no immediate word on the number of injured. The international high-speed network Thalys, which links major cities in Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands, temporarily halted all traffic because its trains use the same rails as commuter lines near Hal. [United Transportation Union, 2-15-10, from Associated Press report]
AMTRAK COPES WITH RECORD SNOWFALL IN EAST: A record-breaking pair of blizzards brought much of the Mid-Atlantic's transportation network to a halt this week. On the Febr.6 Capitol Limited heading west to Chicago, an employee disembarked to procure groceries for breakfast, and later ordered meals for all 115 passengers from a nearby Kentucky Fried Chicken. Conditions only got worse when a second storm front hit on Febr.9, dumping almost 20 inches of snow in some areas. Amtrak reported stoppages and reduced service on a number of trains, including the Capitol Limited, Northeast Regional, Acela Express, Auto Train, Cardinal, Silver Star, Carolinian, Palmetto, Empire, and Keystone. Some services were scheduled to begin by Febr.12, with all services affected by the weather back in full operation by Febr.13. [National Assn. of Railroad Passengers, 2-12-10]
BNSF SHAREHOLDERS APPROVE BERKSHIRE DEAL: At about lunchtime Febr.12, BNSF Railway Co. will become a privately held company. Yesterday, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. shareholders voted in favor of the proposed $26-billion-plus acquisition by Warren Buffett/Berkshire Hathaway Inc. during a stockholder meeting in Fort Worth, Texas. Preliminary voting results released by the Class I show that about 70 percent of stockholders who own non-Berkshire-owned BNSF shares approved the transaction. MORE.. [Progressive Railroading website report, 2-12-10]
U.P. TO IMPROVE RAIL LINE IN HOUSTON: Union Pacific will improve Houston's transportation infrastructure with a $29-million investment to improve the rail line that runs from Spring, Texas, to the Washington Avenue Corridor. Work on the 23-mile stretch of tracks will begin on the line that parallels the Hardy Toll Road February 18. Crews also will make track improvements to the rail line located along Washington Avenue, between downtown Houston and Hempstead Road. [Union Pacific, 2-11-10]
CSX HIKES DIVIDEND NINE PERCENT: On February 10, 2010, the Board of Directors of CSX approved a 9 percent increase in the quarterly dividend on the company's common stock to $0.24 per share. The dividend is payable on March 15, 2010, to shareholders of record at the close of business on February 26, 2010. [CSX, 2-10-10]
RAIL TRAFFIC REMAINS DOWN IN JANUARY: The Association of American Railroads reported U.S. carloads for the month of January 2010 were down 0.7 percent at 1,056,684 carloads, compared with the same month last year, and down 17.7 percent compared with 2008. The month's intermodal traffic, which includes movement of truck trailers and shipping containers, was up slightly at 2.5 percent to 803,275 units compared with January 2009, but down 11.2 percent compared with the same month in 2008. Thirteen of the 19 commodity categories tracked by AAR saw year-over-year gains from January 2009. [Assn. of American Railroads, 2-10-10]
CSX CLEANS UP FROM DERAILMENT IN PENNSYLVANIA: CSX rail service is expected to resume shortlY following the derailment of 113 coal cars early Febr.6 near Meyersdale in Somerset County, Pa. Two locomotives pulling a freight train reportedly remained upright when the derailment occurred in the area of Wills Creek. The line closed by the derailment is a major freight line through the region. Two CSX workers operating the train were uninjured. [United Transportation Union, 2-9-10, from Cumberland Times-News report]
R.R. MUSEUM PLANNED IN REMINGTON, VA.: A new railroad museum is currently under development in the town of Remington, Va., located south of Manassas on Norfolk Southern's former Southern Railway main. The Remington Railroad Museum will be housed in the former Southern Railway freight depot, which is estimated to be about 100 years old. The old depot will be moved from its current location to a new site 750 feet to the southwest. The railroad donated the building with the agreement that it would be relocated off their property. Once the depot is in its new location, work will start to restore it based on a 1919 photo which was discovered at the Library of Congress. The museum will tell the story of the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, which was the predecessor of the Southern Railway, and its instrumental role in the development of Remington and its strategic role in the Civil War. The museum will house display cases, interpretive wall panels, a working telegraph station, and other artifacts. [Alex Mayes, 2-9-10]
LINCOLN STATUE BEING UNVEILED AT SPRINGFIELD, ILL, AMTRAK DEPOT: A ceremony will take place Febr.9 to unveil a monument that marks the spot where the body of President Abraham Lincoln was returned to Springfield. The event will be at the Springfield Amtrak station on the station platform on the west side of the building. Mayor Tim Davlin and other dignitaries will conduct the ceremony, the time of which might change slightly to accommodate regularly scheduled Amtrak passenger trains, according to a news release from the City of Springfield. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 2-8-10, from State Journal-Register website report]
AMTRAK RELEASES ITS 'FLEET STRATEGY': Amtrak will need to purchase over the next 14 years 780 single level cars, 420 bi-level cars, 70 electric locomotives, 264 diesel locomotives and 25 high speed train sets. [National Assn. of Railroad Passengers, 2-5-10]
MURRELL HOGUE DIES, RETIRED AMTRAK AGENT & PASSENGER ADVOCATE: Murrell Hogue, passenger train activist and former Amtrak agent from Texarkana died February 3 in Commerce, Texas. He was 70. [National Assn. of Railroad Passengers, 2-5-10]
PRESIDENT PROPOSES FEE FOR RAIL INSPECTIONS: President Obama's budget proposes to have the Federal Railroad Administration start charging for some of its safety inspection services, to bring in $50-million in fee income during the fiscal year. The "railroad safety user fee" is intended, the budget said, 'to help offset the costs associated with railroad safety inspectors and their activities.' Obama also tucked in a request to spend $4.5-million for the FRA to hire 31 full-time equivalent new rail inspection and grant program workers. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 2-3-10, from Journal of Commerce website report]
R.R. RETIREMENT BOARD TO MARK 75TH ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR: During 2010, the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board will observe the 75th anniversary of the enactment of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1935. Part of President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal legislation, the Act was signed into law on August 29, 1935, and the RRB made its first annuity payments 11 months later. The 1935 Act was the cornerstone of the present railroad retirement system. In addition to paying retirement and survivor benefits to railroad employees and their families, subsequent legislation also authorized the payment of unemployment and sickness benefits to rail workers. [U.S. Railroad Retirement Board, 2-3-10]
EMPIRE BUILDER TO STAY ON DEVILS LAKE, RUGBY ROUTE, AMTRAK SAYS: Amtrak announced it has no intention to discontinue service along the longer - but more populated - route, according to the Grand Forks Herald. This reroute also was threatened in 1989 and was dropped then in response to political resistance. The North Dakota congressional delegation has affirmed that they will work with Amtrak and BNSF - which owns both sets of tracks in consideration - to shore up problems areas on the 277 mile arc, which is under threat by high water near the Devil's Lakes Subdivision and where track is not up to the same standard as BNSF's mainline. [National Assn. of Railroad Passengers, 1-29-10]
PRESIDENT PLEDGING $8-B FOR HIGH-SPEED RAIL: President Obama will give $8-billion in economic stimulus money to 13 U.S. rail corridors, mostly for high-speed passenger service. The funds, the biggest single U.S. investment in high-speed rail, will be announced by Obama in Tampa, Fla., today. Announcements by administration officials will also be made at events in Columbus, Durham, Milwaukee, St. Louis and Philadelphia. In all, 31 states will benefit, and a small portion of the $8-billion will go to improvements in existing rail lines, according to an Obama administration official. [United Transportation Union, 1-28-10, from Bloomberg News report]
N.S. PROFIT FALLS 32 PERCENT: Norfolk Southern Corp. says its profit for the fourth quarter fell 32 percent. Net income was $307-million or 82 cents a share for the quarter that ended Dec. 31, down from $452-million or $1.21 cents a share in the same quarter of 2008. Coal revenue dropped 27 percent and intermodal dropped 15 percent. [United Transportation Union, 1-28-10, from Virginian Pilot report]
K.C.S. REPORTS 4-Q EARNINGS: Kansas City Southern reported fourth quarter 2009 revenues of $406.8-million, a four percent decrease compared to the corresponding 2008 period. Notable year-over-year revenue improvements were achieved in chemical & petroleumof 12 percent and intermodal of three percent. Volumes were down just one percent in the quarter compared to fourth quarter 2008. [Kansas City Southern, 1-28-10]
TWO WASHINGTON METRO WORKERS KILLED ALONG RED LINE: Two Metro workers were struck and killed by a piece of track equipment just north of the Rockville Metrorail station early Jan.26. The workers were installing equipment on the tracks that helps trains communicate with each other and with headquarters. There was no information immediately available about why the workers did not get out of the way of the equipment. Red Line service in the Rockville area was disrupted with no train service at the Shady Grove or Rockville stations while the accident was investigated. [United Transportation Union, 1-26-10, from Washington Post report]
C.N. REPORTS 4-Q EARNINGS: CN reported its financial and operating results for the fourth quarter and year ended Dec. 31, 2009. Net income and diluted earnings per share for the final quarter of 2009 increased two per cent from the year-earlier period to $582-million and $1.23, respectively. The results included an after-tax gain of $59-million from a line-sale to Metrolinx in Toronto, and a deferred income tax recovery of $99-million. Net income for full-year 2009 decreased two per cent from 2008 to $1,854-million, with diluted earnings per share declining one per cent to C$3.92. The 2009 results included after-tax gains of C$194 million. CN's operating ratio for 2009 increased by 1.4 points to 67.3 per cent when compared to 2008. [C.N., 1-26-10]
BNSF CUTS DOMESTIC INTERMODAL TRANSIT TIMES: BNSF Railway implemented service improvements that cut scheduled trip times for 60 percent of its premium domestic intermodal traffic, saving shippers up to half a day on their long hauls. The railroad said its changes also add 16 more days of domestic service frequency across its network. Changes at the start of 2010 include cutting transit seven to 10 hours on BNSF's main transcontinental route between the Los Angeles area and Chicago. It cut trip times between Los Angeles and Memphis by four to six hours, and at Houston increased inbound and outbound day-of-week frequency. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 1-26-10, from Journal of Commerce website report]
C.N. ANNOUNCES NEW LEADERSHIP TEAM: Claude Mongeau, who succeeded E. Hunter Harrison as CN's president and chief executive officer on Jan.1, has installed his new senior team. Mongeau announced the company has appointed Keith Creel, executive vice president and chief operating officer; Jean-Jacques Ruest, EVP and chief marketing officer; Luc Jobin EVP and chief financial officer; Sean Finn, EVP of corporate services and chief legal officer; Kim Madigan, VP of human resources; and Robert Noorigian, VP of investor relations. [Progressive Railroading website report, 1-26-10]
AMTRAK CONCERNED ABOUT FLORIDA LIABILITY ISSUE: Amtrak has sent a letter to Florida threatening to end rail service in the SunRail corridor, alleging the state violated an agreement over the use of the shared Orlando-area tracks and over liability for accidents. The dispute stems from a special legislative session in December when lawmakers approved legislation designed to kick-start SunRail, pour more money into South Florida's Tri-Rail and entice the federal government into committing billions to start high-speed rail in Florida. The letter asks lawmakers to pass legislation giving Amtrak the same no-fault liability protections afforded CSX. Without them, the risk of liability exposure in an accident might be too great to continue service. But Florida officials say they won't meet demands for new negotiations. The dispute does not affect current service in the Orlando area and does not apply to other Amtrak rail lines in the state. [United Transportation Union, 1-25-10, from Miami Herald report]
AMTRAK CAFE CAR CATCHES FIRE IN INDIANA: At about 7:15 p.m. Jan.23, officials from a train bound for Detroit called the Michigan City, Indiana, fire department and moved the 129 passengers to the front of the train, to get them from the smoke that had erupted in the cafe car. "There was a fire in an overhead motor of the cafe car," MCFD Battalion Chief Mike Osborne said. No one was injured. [United Transportation Union, 1-24-10, from News-Dispatch report]
AMTRAK TRAIN DERAILS IN VIRGINIA, SEVERAL MINOR INJURIES: Amtrak says a train heading to Florida derailed just outside Washington, causing several minor injuries and delaying the train for about four hours. The train derailed about 8:30 p.m. Saturday in Fairfax County, Va., and got under way again about 12:40 a.m. Sunday. Several passengers and crew members suffered minor bumps and bruises. The train was a special train headed for West Palm Beach with 712 passengers and 15 crew. [United Transportation Union, 1-23-10, from Associated Press report]
BURKE CENTER, VA., ADDED AS AMTRAK STOP: In an effort to further integrate the new Lynchburg to Washington service into its national network, Amtrak has added the Burke Center stop in Burke, Virginia, as an official stop on its Northeast Regional line. Burke Center had previously served only as a connecting point for VRE passengers. [National Assn. of Railroad Passengers, 1-22-10]
BNSF REPORTS 4-Q EARNINGS: Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation reported quarterly earnings of $1.55 per diluted share, which included a tax benefit of $0.25 per share related to the fourth-quarter donation of a portion of a line segment located in Washington State. This compared to fourth-quarter 2008 earnings of $1.78 per diluted share, which included a fuel surcharge lag benefit of about $200 million. Full-year 2009 earnings per diluted share were $5.01. [Burlington Northern Santa Fe, 1-21-10]
BNSF ANNOUNCES 2010 CAPITAL COMMITMENT: BNSF Railway Company announced a planned 2010 capital commitment program of $2.4-billion, which is expected to be approximately $240-million lower than 2009 due to fewer expected locomotive acquisitions in 2010. BNSF currently expects to spend about $2.1-billion for track, signal systems, structures, and freight cars, and to upgrade technologies, including the unfunded mandate for positive train control. The Company also anticipates acquiring approximately 170 locomotives. [Burlington Northern Santa Fe, 1-21-10]
NTSB RECOMMENDS SURVEILLANCE IN LOCOMOTIVES: The federal government should require surveillance cameras in nearly all locomotives, to allow railroad managers to see if engineers are texting or talking on cellphones, sleeping or admitting unauthorized visitors, the National Transportation Safety Board has recommended. The recommendation resulted from the investigation into the crash of a commuter train in Chatsworth, Calif., in 2008 that killed 25 people. The engineer, who was among those killed, was apparently composing a text message when he ran a red signal and the train collided with a freight train. MORE.. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 1-21-10, from New York Times website report]
U.P. REPORTS 4-Q EARNINGS: Union Pacific Corporation reported 2009 fourth quarter net income of $551-million or $1.08 per diluted share, compared to $661-million or $1.31 per diluted share in the fourth quarter 2008. Operating income totaled $1-billion, down 12 percent. For the full year 2009, Union Pacific reported net income of $1.9-billion or $3.75 per diluted share. This compares to $2.3-billion or $4.54 per diluted share in 2008. The Company's 2009 operating revenue totaled $14.1-billion, compared to $18-billion in 2008. Operating income decreased 17 percent from 2008 to $3.4-billion. [Union Pacific, 1-21-10]
MUDSLIDE NEAR SEATTLE DISRUPTS PASSENGER TRAIN SERVICE: Sound Transit commuter rail and Amtrak service between Everett and Seattle is shut down at least until Thursday Jan.21 because of a mudslide across the tracks. The slide hit around 7:30 a.m. Tuesday in north Seattle. [United Transportation Union, 1-20-10, from Herald report]
POSITIVE TRAIN CONTROL COULD HAVE PREVENTED METROLINK ACCIDENT, FORMER NTSB HEAD SAYS: The engineer's use of a cell phone has been widely publicized in connection with the head on collision between a Metrolink commuter train and a Union Pacific freight train in Chatsworth, Calif., in September 2008. Jim Hall, who served as Chairman of the NTSB from 1994 to 2001, expressed concern that focusing too much attention on the cell phone issue may detract from the real lesson to be learned from the Chatsworth collision. Hall believes that positive train control, a system of monitoring and controlling train movements that NTSB identified over three decades ago as the most effective way to avoid train-to-train collisions, could have prevented the Chatsworth accident regardless of other factors. MORE.. [Former NTSB Chair Jim Hall, 1-20-10]
CSX REPORTS 4-Q EARNINGS: CSX Corporation announced fourth quarter earnings from continuing operations of $305-million or 77 cents a share, versus $361-million,or 92 cents a share in the same period last year. Fourth quarter revenue of $2.3 billion was 13 percent down from the prior year. CSX also announced full year 2009 earnings from continuing operations of $1.14-billion or $2.87 a share, versus $1.5-billion or $3.66 a share, for 2008. [CSX, 1-19-10]
JEFFREY MORELAND NOMINATED TO AMTRAK BOARD: President Obama has nominated retired BNSF executive Jeffrey R. Moreland to be a member of Amtrak's nine-member board of directors, which currently has four vacancies. Moreland, an attorney, was BNSF's executive vice president for public affairs prior to his 2007 retirement. [United Transportation Union, 1-19-10]
K.C.S. TO RETROFIT FIVE GP40 LOCOMOTIVES: Later this year, Kansas City Southern Railway Co. plans to repower five GP40 locomotives at a diesel shop in Shreveport, La. The locomotives will be equipped with more fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly, eight-cylinder, 2,000-horsepower engines manufactured by Electro-Motive Diesel Inc. (EMD). The retrofit will extend the 30- to 40-year-old units' life another 20-plus years and help the railroad reduce its carbon footprint. [Progressive Railroading website report, 1-18-10]
PRESIDENT CHANGING POLICIES FOR SELECTING TRANSIT PROJECTS: The Obama Administration has announced it will change existing policies for selecting transit projects for federal funding, focusing on issues such as economic development opportunities and environmental benefits, as opposed to the existing criteria that are focused on cost and time saved. Trolleys, streetcars, light-rail, bicycle and pedestrian projects are all expected to benefit as transit projects that improve urban mobility without necessarily improving on automobile commute times. [National Assn. of Railroad Passengers, 1-15-10]
WASHINGTON METRO G.M. TO RESIGN: The Washington, D.C. Metro System General Manager John. B. Catoe Jr. announced on January 14 that he will resign as head of the Washington Metro Area Transit Authority (WMATA), effective April 2, 2010. [National Assn. of Railroad Passengers, 1-15-10]
AMTRAK'S SILVER STAR DAMAGED BY PASSING FREIGHT TRAIN: Amtrak's northbound Silver Star experienced severe damage January 12 near Boulogne, Florida, when a loose boxcar door on a passing CSX freight train became airborne after striking the engines, tearing off 20 feet of the roof of the then-unoccupied dining car. There were no injuries. [National Assn. of Railroad Passengers, 1-15-10]
CONTRACT AWARDED TO REPLACE AMTRAK'S NIANTIC RIVER BRIDGE: Amtrak has awarded a $104.7-million contract to Cianbro/ Middlesex VII for replacement of the 102-year old movable bridge over the Niantic River. The three-year project, set to begin in April, is being funded by Amtrak's annual capital program and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The plan is for the existing bridge to remain in operation until the new bridge is built. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 1-14-10, from The Day website report]
MONTANA RAIL LINK TO CUT JOBS, FREIGHT CAR FLEET: Montana Rail Link will get rid of 46 jobs across Montana. The company cited the closures of Smurfit-Stone container's pulp mill and the loss of lumber mills in Bonner and Pablo as reasons for the cuts. The company also says the freight car fleet will be reduced from 2,200 to just 600 over the next several months. [United Transportation Union, 1-14-10, from KECI website report]
OHIO TO HELP FUND REPAIRS TO W&LE SWING BRIDGE IN TOLEDO: The Ohio Rail Development Commission has approved a $155,000 grant for the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway to repair the Maumee River swing bridge in Toledo. Built in 1911, the bridge connects the railroad to CN and the Ann Arbor Railroad, and spans the waterway leading to the Port of Toledo. W&LE will provide matching funds for the repairs, which call for repairing the swing mechanism and installing a new emergency generator. [Progressive Railroading website report, 1-14-10]
BNSF'S CROSSING-CLOSURE TEAM ACHIEVES GOALS: BNSF's Field Safety Support and Public Projects employees have achieved 10 years of reaching grade-crossing closure goals. "As of Dec. 31, 2009, the team closed a total of 4,686 grade crossings in 10 years," Mark Schulze, vice president, Safety, Training and Operations Support said. "Closing crossings is important because the closures help improve safety in the community and for our crews." [BNSF, 1-14-10]
U.S. 2009 RAIL CARLOAD TRAFFIC WORST SINCE 1988: The Association of American Railroads reported that 2009 saw total carload traffic on U.S. railroads at its lowest levels since at least 1988, when the AAR's data series began. MORE.. [Assn. of American Railroads, 1-13-10]
CORN PRODUCTION POISED TO SET RECORD THIS YEAR: Good news for railroads' grain traffic: The U.S. Department of Agriculture now projects the nation's 2010 corn production will reach a record 13.2 billion bushels, which would represent a one percent increase from the previous record of 13 billion bushels set in 2007. In December 2009, the USDA forecasted annual corn production of 12.9 billion bushels. The agency still projects annual corn exports at 2.1 billion bushels. [Progressive Railroading website report, 1-13-10]
OTTAWA TO PROCEED WITH LIGHT-RAIL PLANS: The Ottawa City Council has voted to proceed with preliminary engineering and environmental review of a $2.1-billion, 7.8 mile light-rail plan for the city. The 13-station line would include a 2-mile tunnel. [Railway Age website report, 1-13-10]
LAS VEGAS MONORAIL COMPANY FILES FOR BANKRUPTCY: The Las Vegas Monorail Company has filed with federal bankruptcy court due to falling ridership. The company operates a 4-mile service connecting hotels with the convention center. Operations will continue during the bankruptcy process. [Railway Age website report, 1-13-10]
AMTRAK SETS 1-Q RIDERSHIP RECORD: Amtrak President and CEO Joseph Boardman said that the state of America's passenger railroad is strong and announced it had set a first quarter ridership record carrying nearly 7.2 million passengers during the first three months of fiscal year 2010. In his State of the Railroad remarks, he also said there is reason to be optimistic about the future declaring "the days of wondering if Amtrak is going to survive another year are behind us. This year, and the years ahead are, and will be, focused on growth." [United Transportation Union, 1-12-10, from Associated Press report]
U.S. ANNOUNCES POSITIVE TRAIN CONTROL SAFETY STANDARDS: U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Federal Railroad Administration Administrator Joseph Szabo have announced historic safety regulations requiring Positive Train Control technology. MORE.. [U.S. Dept. of Transportation, 1-12-10]
U.P. SETS INTERMODAL RECORD IN 2009: Union Pacific Railroad achieved a record year of 1.25 million domestic intermodal shipments in 2009. In addition, for the second consecutive year, Union Pacific and UPS achieved a "Perfect Peak Season" by delivering 100 percent of UPS peak season freight without a sort failure. Prior to 2009, Union Pacific's highest domestic intermodal volume was 1.19 million shipments in 2007. [Union Pacific, 1-12-10]
AMTRAK TO BUY NEW LOCOMOTIVES, CARS: Amtrak will buy more than 100 locomotives, along with hundreds of new passenger cars, reports the Journal of Commerce. Amtrak included the purchase plans in a 2010 outlook statement, but gave no details about how much money it will spend on the equipment. The agency said it will later 'announce a comprehensive and detailed plan to replace and expand its fleet.' Separately, Amtrak said it is committed to completing a positive train control system by the end of 2012. [United Transportation Union, 1-11-10, from Journal of Commerce report]
ACELA TO GET WIRELESS INTERNET: Amtrak says that its installation of wireless Internet access on the high-speed trains would be complete in March and initially free to passengers. Amtrak made the announcement as part of a 2010 preview of its activities. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 1-11-10, from Associated Press report]
U.S. CARLOADS WORST SINCE 1989: The 2009 plunge in bulk U.S. railcar shipments took cargo volume to its lowest level since 1989, said the Association of American Railroads. The five U.S. Class I railroads, plus a few regional lines that report to AAR, ended 2009 with just over 13,812,989 carloads, which was down 16.1 percent from 2008 for a single-year decline of more than 2.6 million shipments. When measured for average capacity changes, the 13.8 million carloads in 2009 would be the lowest since an adjusted level in 1989 of 13,664,142 carloads. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 1-8-10, from Journal of Commerce report]
CHINA INTRODUCES 'HARMONY' HIGH-SPEED TRAIN: With the introduction of its 680-mile-long Harmony train service, China unveiled arguably the fastest long distance train service in the world. On December 26, the Harmony express ran from Guangzhou to the central city of Wuhan in under three hours - a journey that previously took over 11 hours. The train reached a top speed of 245 mph. The new Chinese service is planned to run 56 times a day and fares will cost roughly $115. [National Assn. of Railroad Passengers, 1-8-10]
TWO DERAILMENTS OF TEXAS EAGLE TRAINS IN TWO DAYS: The first derailment was Wednesday morning in Arkansas, 45 miles northeast of Little Rock. The Los Angeles bound train derailed at 3 a.m., stranding 212 passengers. The second incident, also involving a southbound train with Los Angeles cars, was Thursday around 9 p.m., two miles north of the St. Louis station. Amtrak characterized that delay as "minor," and expected the train to be moving again in a few hours. However, the train left St. Louis eight hours late and will not run past Fort Worth. [National Assn. of Railroad Passengers, 1-8-10]
GALESBURG EYES NATIONAL R.R. HALL OF FAME: Galesburg, Ill., officials are hoping they can combine the attractions of the Quad Cities, Peoria and Galesburg to create a tourism corridor called Tractors, Trains & Tracks, that would include a $30-million proposed National Railroad Hall of Fame. The Tractors, Trains & Tracks corridor would use the John Deere Pavilion in Moline, the proposed Caterpillar visitor center in Peoria and the NRRHOF to create a tourism hub. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood visited Galesburg last October and met with officials. LaHood was supportive of the Tractors, Trains & Tracks idea, as was BNSF CEO Matt Rose. [United Transportation Union, 1-7-10, from Register-Mail report]
U.B.S. DOWNGRADES K.C.S. STOCK: Shares of rail company Kansas City Southern (NYSE: KSU) are down after analysts at UBS downgraded the stock, saying the 42 percent rally in the stock since Berkshire announced its BNSF acquisition in early November suggests 'there's an unhealthy degree of takeover speculation in the name.' The firm's rating went from Neutral to Sell. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 1-7-10, from Street Insider website report]
F.R.A. DEMANDS STRONGER PASSENGER CARS: Passenger trains in the U.S. must be manufactured to better withstand collisions under a federal rule to be published Jan. 8. The rule, which starts taking effect in March, will cost $4.1-million over 20 years, mostly for engineering and testing development, the Federal Railroad Administration said in a notice. The U.S. will require stronger front-end frames on new passenger railcars and some locomotives to help prevent them from collapsing or telescoping on impact. The rule applies only to orders placed after it takes effect. [United Transportation Uniom, 1-7-10, from Bloomberg News report]
COAST GUARD TO DISCONTINUE LORAN-C COVERAGE: LORAN-C has been used in navigation for 52 years by offering radio navigation signals to determine the vessel's location. For more than a decade, it has basically served as a backup system to GPS, which is more efficient. Effective Febr.8, 2010, LORAN-C will be decommissioned at most locations currently offering the service. MORE.. [U.S. Coast Guard, 1-7-10]
S.T.B. OK'S ALASKA R.R.'S PLAN TO BUILD NORTHERN EXTENSION: The Surface Transportation Board has granted the Alaska Railroad's request to construct and operate an 80-mile line between North Pole and Delta Junction, subject to certain conditions. The railroad plans to build the 'Northern Rail Extension' to provide year-round rail service to the region south of North Pole, Alaska. The line would serve as an alternative to Richardson Highway, and would provide the U.S. military year-round access to training areas. [Progressive Railroading website report, 1-6-10]
READING BLUE MOUNTAIN & NORTHERN ACQUIRES TOWANDA-MONROETON LINE: The Reading Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad Co. (RBMN) has acquired the Towanda-Monroeton Shippers Lifeline Railroad Inc., which operates a six-mile line between Towanda Borough and Monroeton, Pa. The company will own a 1.5-mile section of the line and Shaffer's Feed Service Inc. will continue to own the remainder, but RBMN will provide service on the entire six-mile route. [Progressive Railroading website report, 1-6-10]
LIRR OPENS BROOKLYN TERMINAL: The new Atlantic Terminal Pavilion has opened. The semicircular outside walls and ceiling of the three-story pavilion are paneled with glass, allowing light to flood through the half-moon shaped atrium. The completion of the $108-million hub coincides with major redevelopment efforts in the neighborhood, including a new mall directly above the station and a proposed $1-billion basketball arena just blocks away. [United Transportation Union, 1-5-10, from New York Times website report]
CSX SEEKS TO DEVELOP RECLAIMED LAND IN INDIANA: A more-than-4,500-acre site stretching across Vigo and Clay counties, Indiana, has been certified as a CSX Transportation Large Industrial/Light Manufacturing Mega Site by a site selection consulting firm. The site, largely reclaimed land from the former Chinook coal mine, is the first property in Indiana, and one of only 15 sites within the entire CSX service area, to hold the certification. [United Transportation Union, 1-5-10, from Tribune-Star report]
STOURBRIDGE RWY GETS STATE GRANT TO REHABILITATE LINE: Pennsylvania is prioritizing rail service with the recent investment of $24.5-million in 39 rail companies, including Honesdale's Stourbridge Railway, which is targeted to receive $3.2-million to rehabilitate 23 miles of track and restore the line to operating standards. Currently used primarily for local tourist excursions, the railroad serves the Honesdale area and may eventually provide freight service as well as customized tourist excursions from outlying areas. On December 15, a shipment of steel made its way to Honesdale via the soon-to-be upgraded line. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 1-5-10, from River Reporter website report]
K.C.S. REVAMPS OPERATING DIVISIONS: Kansas City Southern Railway Co. has reorganized the transportation and mechanical departments. The changes increasing increasing field divisions from two to three. The new Midwest Division includes territory form East St. Louis, Ill., west to Kansas City, Mo., and south to Shreveport, La. The new Southeast Division includes territory from Counce, Tenn., to Jackson, Miss., west to Shreveport and south to New Orleans. The new Southwest Division includes territory from Laredo, Texas, to Shreveport. [Kansas City Southern, 1-4-10]
BNSF URGES SHAREHOLDERS TO VOTE FOR BERKSHIRE DEAL: A colorful 8-page brochure is being mailed by Burlington Northern Santa Fe to its shareholders, urging them to vote for the freight railroad's proposed acquisition by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway. MORE.. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 1-4-10, from CNBC website report]
JOSEPH BOARDMAN GETS ONE-YEAR EXTENSION TO HEAD AMTRAK: Joseph Boardman will continue to lead Amtrak in the near term. The national intercity passenger railroad's board recently extended his contract as interim president and chief executive officer for one year. Boardman had signed on as Amtrak's interim leader in late 2008. Prior to joining the railroad, Boardman was federal railroad administrator, a post he held since May 2005. [Progressive Railroading website report, 1-4-10]
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