Newswire
UNION PACIFIC ANNOUNCES 'HERITAGE SERIES' LOCOMOTIVES: Union Pacific Chairman and CEO Dick Davidson on July 30 unveiled an unprecedented new Heritage series of locomotives that will honor the people and the railroads that have made the company what it is today. Each locomotive will feature a unique paint scheme, incorporating elements of one of the six major railroads that have merged with Union Pacific. "It is important that we take an historical perspective of who we are and how we got here," Davidson said. "Our reputation as America's greatest railroad has been strengthened by the many lines that have become a part of the UP. It is time we pay homage to those railroads and the generations of men and women who helped to build a great nation and the foundation for our future." The first two locomotives in the series were revealed July 30 in Omaha. The locomotives, which pay tribute to the men and women of Missouri Pacific and Western Pacific, will operate across the UP system. The Missouri Pacific and Western Pacific locomotives will be followed in coming months by locomotives painted in the style of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas (Katy), Chicago & North Western, Southern Pacific, and Denver & Rio Grande. The Heritage Series marks the fifth time in company history that Union Pacific has painted locomotives in colors other than the traditional UP "Armour Yellow" paint scheme. Previously, locomotives were custom made in 1991 to honor UP employees serving in the Persian Gulf War, in 1994 to call attention to the United Way Campaign, in 1996 for the Atlanta Games Olympic Torch Relay Train, and in 2002 for the Salt Lake City Games Olympic Torch Relay Train. [Union Pacific, 7-30-05]
LOTT-LAUTENBERG BILL WOULD AID AMTRAK WITH DEBT: It may be late in the congressional year, but a bill sponsored by Sen. Trent Lott that's aimed at keeping Amtrak from losing most of its federal subsidies appears to be moving quickly through the Senate, the Clarion-Ledger reported. The bill was approved by the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee July 28, the day after Lott and co-sponsor Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., introduced it. The proposal would cut Amtrak's operating subsidies, but would increase the amount the federal government gives Amtrak to keep up its rails, cars and other machinery. Lott and other lawmakers say it would be hard for Amtrak to attract enough private financing to make up for all the subsidies. He's also said it would be very difficult to win private investment in the company's long-distance routes. The bill would restructure Amtrak's debt, now about $1.7-billion. It also would require the company to provide periodic performance reports on some of its long-distance lines. [United Transportation Union, 7-29-05, from Clarion-Ledger articly by Ana Radelat]
AT LEAST 10 KILLED IN INDIA TRAIN BOMBING: A railway official said a bomb exploded on a crowded passenger train in northern India, killing at least 10 people and injuring 49, according to this report published by the Los Angeles Times. The train was traveling from the eastern city of Patna to New Delhi, said R.K. Singh, the top official for Indian Railways. There was no immediate word on possible suspects. [United Transportation Union, 7-29-05, from Los Angeles Times report]
OREGON HOUSE RESTORES AMTRAK CASCADES FUNDING: The Oregon House of Representatives restored Amtrak Cascades funding to ODOT in a budget compromise. The subsidy was actually increased slightly, from $8.6-million to $9-million for the service between Portland and Eugene. One of two round-trips would have had to have been eliminated if the money had not been restored in the 2005-2007 budget. The State Senate and Governor Ted Kulongoski (D) have already endorsed the full subsidy. [National Assn. of Railroad Passengers, 7-29-05]
UNION PACIFIC CREATES 'DIRECTOR OF HISTORIC PROJECTS' POSITION: Union Pacific Railroad recently named long-time public affairs specialist John Bromley to a newly created position: director of historic projects. A UP media spokesman for more than 25 years, Bromley will work at the Union Pacific Museum in Council Bluffs, Neb., where he will be responsible for the railroad's extensive archive materials and help identify other historic opportunities to support UP's preservation efforts. A former newspaper reporter, Bromley joined UP in 1980. He is a lifelong rail enthusiast and a noted painter of rail scenes. [ProgressiveRailroading.com, 7-29-05]
AMTRAK RETURNING MORE ACELA TRAINS TO SERVICE: Amtrak said it would, on August 1, return more high-speed Acela Express trains to service. The additional trains will give it nine weekday round-trips between Washington and New York, stopping in Philadelphia. Three of these trains will serve the entire Boston-Washington Northeast Corridor with daily round-trips. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 7-28-05, from Philadelphia Inquirer website article by Henry J. Holcomb]
CPR TO DISCONTINUE SERVICE ON 10 BRANCHES: Citing "long-term structural changes in the grain handling industry," Canadian Pacific Railway has added 10 low-volume branch lines totaling just over 412 miles in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta to its three-year network plan for discontinuance of service. "Rail traffic has all but disappeared from these lines, which makes them no longer viable for us to continue operating," the railroad said. "Adding them to our three-year network plan is the first step in the legislated discontinuance process." Line discontinuance will follow a process established in the Canada Transportation Act; CPR must first offer these lines to third parties and then to governments before the railroad can discontinue operations. The 10 branch lines are:
[RailwayAge.com, 7-28-05]
N.J. TRANSIT APPROVES FY-06 BUDGETS: On July 27 New Jersey Transit approved a $1.41-billion operating and $1.15-billion capital budget for fiscal-year 2006. The operating budget includes funds to maintain service levels, as well as operate the Hudson-Bergen light-rail expansion to Tonnelle Avenue in North Bergen, which is scheduled to open by year's end. The capital budget includes funds to improve rail infrastructure and stations, upgrade technology, expand park-and-ride lots, and continue projects such as the Trans-Hudson Express tunnel to Manhattan, Passaic-Bergen County rail line and Hudson-Bergen light-rail extensions. In addition, NJ Transit will purchase 131 additional bi-level passenger cars. The agency plans to exercise an option on a contract it signed in 2002 with Bombardier Transportation. [ProgressiveRailroading.com, 7-28-05]
COAL COASTS TO NEW RECORD ON NORFOLK SOUTHERN: Norfolk Southern says its coal shipments reached a record volume of 45.7 million tons in the first quarter, exceeding the previous record, set in 2001, by 1.9 percent. A new record was also set in the second quarter for total coal, coke, and iron ore volume, which reached 47.3 million tons, up 2.6 percent from the previous record set in the fourth quarter of 2004. NS said the surge in coal traffic resulted from the continued rebuilding of stockpiles by utilities, plus shipments to a new coke plant and strong demand for domestic metallurgical coal. [RailwayAge.com, 7-28-05]
CSX REPORTS 2Q RESULTS: Transportation company CSX Corp. July 27 said its second-quarter profit rose, driven by stronger revenue from its coal hauling business, according to this Associated Press report. CSX, which operates the largest railroad in the eastern United States, reported earnings of $165-million or 73 cents per share. The results included $123-million or 54 cents per share in debt repurchase expenses, partially offset by a state tax gain of $71-million or 31 cents per share. The debt expense resulted from the company's repurchase of $1-billion in debt during the quarter. The company, which said earnings per share grew 38 percent from last year, did not provide specific year-ago or revenue figures in its earnings statement. Wall Street's consensus forecast was 81 cents per share, the average estimate of 11 analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial, on revenue of $2.15-billion. Surface transportation revenue was $2.2-billion, up $169-million from last year. This improvement was led by strength in the coal and merchandise markets, which rose 22 percent from last year. Revenue within the business also included $17-million from a rate case settlement, the company said. [United Transportation Union, 7-27-05, from Associated Press report]
NORFOLK SOUTHERN REPORTS RECORD QUARTER: For the second quarter of 2005, Norfolk Southern Corporation reported record net income of $424-million or $1.04 per diluted share, compared with $213-million or $0.54 per diluted share for the same period of 2004. Second-quarter net income included two previously announced items (the effects of Ohio tax legislation and settlements of two coal rate cases) totaling $120-million or $0.29 per diluted share. Excluding these items, net income would have been $304-million or $0.75 per diluted share. This is the highest income before accounting changes for any quarter in Norfolk Southern's history. For the first six months, net income was a record $618-million or $1.51 per diluted share, an increase of 67 percent compared with $371-million or $0.94 per diluted share during the same period a year earlier. Six-month results included $37-million for expenses related to the January train derailment in Graniteville, S.C., which reduced net income by $23-million or $0.05 per diluted share. Second-quarter railway operating revenues of $2.15-billion were the highest of any quarter in Norfolk Southern's history and improved 19 percent compared with $1.81-billion for the same quarter a year earlier. [Norfolk Southern, 7-27-05]
NTSB FAULTS CN, FRA IN APRIL 2004 AMTRAK WRECK: In a report adopted July 26 the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) found that the Canadian National Railway Company's (CN) failure to properly maintain and inspect its track resulted in a rail shift that derailed an Amtrak train near Flora, Mississippi, last year. MORE.. [National Transportation Safety Board, 7-26-05]
BNSF PROFIT UP 47 PCT: Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp., the No. 2 U.S. railroad, reported a 47 percent increase in quarterly earnings July 26 as a boom in hauling imports overcame the cost of two big derailments, according to Reuters. Second-quarter earnings rose to $366-million or 96 cents a share, from $249-million or 67 cents a share a year earlier. Analysts had expected 93 cents a share, according to Reuters Estimates. Operating revenue rose almost 17 percent to $3.14-billion, topping the $3.07-billion analysts had expected. With extensive operations at West Coast ports, Burlington Northern has been a major beneficiary of the surge in imported goods, carrying containers of goods from Asia on their way to U.S. retailers and manufacturers. Nevertheless, the railroad hit a bump in the quarter following two major derailments in the Powder River Basin, the region in Wyoming and Montana where most U.S. coal is mined. Its partner on the Powder River line, Union Pacific Corp., was hit hard by the derailments, though analysts said Burlington Northern was likely hurt less severely. Freight revenue at Burlington Northern increased 15 percent in the second quarter to a quarterly record of $3.04-billion. The company collected fuel surcharges of $234-million, up from $65-million a year earlier. [United Transportation Union, 7-26-05, from Reuters report]
UNION PACIFIC LOSES RULING IN BIAS LAWSUIT: A federal judge in Omaha has ruled against Union Pacific Railroad (UP) in a class-action lawsuit over coverage of contraceptives in its health care plan, according to this report by Stacie Hamel published by the Omaha World-Herald. U.S. District Judge Laurie Smith Camp ruled that UP discriminated against women by providing other preventive health benefits but not contraceptives. Judge Smith Camp wrote that UP's coverage violates the law "because it treats medical care women need to prevent pregnancy less favorably than it treats medical care needed to prevent other medical conditions that are no greater threat to employees' health than is pregnancy." The lawsuit asks for reimbursement for contraceptive expenses. Mark Davis, a spokesman for UP, said the ruling will be appealed because it raised issues that hadn't been addressed by higher courts in previous decisions. [United Transportation Union, 7-26-05, from Omaha World-Herald report by Sacie Hamel]
UNION PACIFIC TRIES TO MEET COAL DEMAND: Union Pacific Corp. - Colorado's dominant railroad system - is spending millions of dollars to ramp up its fleet to keep up with the state's burgeoning coal production. The company is adding 4,000 new rail cars - 525 dedicated to coal transport - and 315 locomotives. A new rail car costs $60,000, while a new locomotive costs nearly $2-million. Hundreds of new rail cars and dozens of new locomotives will haul coal from mines in Colorado, where Union Pacific owns 1,702 miles of track. In total, the company owns 33,000 miles of track across 23 states. Union Pacific expects to increase its coal transportation 10 percent this year. Colorado produced 40 million tons of coal in 2004, up from the previous year's 35.9 million tons. This year, the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration estimates that the state's production will more or less remain flat, partly because the railroads do not have enough capacity to carry more coal, even if the mines were to increase production. Union Pacific is spending $4 million to build a new siding outside Grand Junction. The new siding would allow more trains to run on the single track running from Grand Junction to Somerset. The company also completed the $40 million Denver bypass in December 2004 to ease the flow of eastbound trains going toward Kansas City, Mo. It rebuilt the lines between Grand Junction and Somerset a few years ago, an investment of $25-million. And the main line from Denver going toward Kansas City, used primarily by the coal trains, was rebuilt in 1998 at a cost of $660-million. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 7-26-05, from Rocky Mountain News website report by Gargi Chakrabarty]
WYOMING COAL FLOW REMAINS SLOW: Coal traffic on Wyoming's main rail line out of the Powder River Basin is still 10 to 20 percent lower than normal due to ongoing repairs after a series of two derailments in mid-May, according to the Star-Tribune. And the congestion may continue for months to come as workers dig in for major repair and improvement efforts. The snarled coal traffic has already resulted in higher bills for some Midwest utility customers. And power plants that burn Powder River Basin coal have been advised to reserve their stockpiles for base-loads only rather than pump extra megawatts into the open market. An unusual amount of rainfall during April and May is blamed for the May 14-15 derailments on the triple-track line between Wright and Douglas. UP and Burlington Northern Santa Fe have initiated a joint plan to remove coal dust on about 100 miles of roadbed and begin replacing ties and tracks on about 14 miles of the line. The triple-track is jointly owned by UP and BNSF. BNSF maintains the track. At full capacity, the route serves more than 100 trains per day. It is the main export route for coal mines in the basin, which produce more than 370 million tons of coal annually - one-third of the U.S. coal supply. Despite the current rail snarl, coal producers in the region have expressed optimism in plans to repair and improve coal traffic throughout the basin. [United Transportation Union, 7-25-05, from Star-Tribune article]
CPR INCREASES CAPACITY TO PORT OF VANCOUVER: Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) recently completed a capacity expansion project near Swift Current, Saskatchewan. The company extended the double-tracked mainline by more than 5,200 feet, increasing train-length capacity to 11,000 feet. CPR also reduced blocked crossings by building new crossovers and upgrading signal systems. In addition, the railroad installed more than 3,700 ties, 12,100 feet of rail and 7,800 tons of ballast. The project is part a $160-million program which includes 25 projects designed to expand capacity along CPR's western corridor. Once all the projects are complete, the railroad will operate an additional four trains daily between the port and prairies. [ProgressiveRailroading.com, 7-25-05]
BUFFALO & PITTSBURGH REOPENS RAIL LINE NOT USED IN 12 YEARS: Eighty cars loaded with coal will move through Indiana County, Pa., this weekend for the first time on a 16-mile stretch of refurbished track that opened with an inaugural run July 21. Gov. Ed Rendell, elected officials and representatives from Buffalo & Pittsburgh Railroad Inc., and its parent company, Genesee & Wyoming Inc., opened the line that had not been used for more than 12 years. The tracks cut through Indiana University of Pennsylvania, providing a route to supply coal from area mines to the EME Homer City Generating Station. Rendell said the project will have a positive impact on the local economy. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 7-22-05, from Pittsburgh Tribune-Review website article by Amanda Cochran]
METRO-NORTH, LIRR PLACE $425-MILLION CAR ORDER: MTA Metro-North Railroad and MTA Long Island Rail Road have exercised options for an additional 194 M-7 EMUs (electric-multiple units) from Bombardier Transportation. As part of the $425-million deal, MNR is ordering 36 more cars for $80-million; LIRR, 158 for $345-million. Now on the order books for both commuter railroads are 1,172 M-7s, valued at some $2.5-billion, according to Bombardier. This includes base orders of 192 cars for LIRR and 980 option cars from both LIRR and MNR. So far, more than 630 M-7s have been delivered. Should all remaining options be exercised, the entire contract would amount to 1,266 cars, worth $2.7-billion. [RailwayAge.com, 7-22-05]
AMTRAK RESUMES ACELA SERVICE TO BOSTON: Amtrak will resume Acela Express train service to Boston this weekend [July 23-24] for the first time since the railroad pulled the high-speed fleet out of operation in April after discovering cracks in many of the trains' brake discs, according to this Associated Press report published by Newsday. Amtrak is slowly putting its 20-fleet Acela trains back into service after the cars are outfitted with new brakes. Amtrak resumed limited Acela service on July 11 from New York to Washington. An Acela train is slated to arrive in Boston on Saturday afternoon, and will depart the city on Sunday morning. Weekday service will resume on July 25 with one roundtrip from Boston to Washington. The train will leave Boston at 7:15 a.m. and return at 6:45 p.m. The railroad also plans to increase the number of Acela trains operating during the week between New York and Washington to six starting July 25. [United Transportation Union, 7-21-05, from Associated Press report published by Newsday]
UNION PACIFIC REPORTS 2-Q EARNINGS: Union Pacific Corporation July 21 reported second quarter 2005 net income of $233-million, or 88 cents per diluted share. This is a 47 percent improvement compared to the second quarter of 2004 when the company reported net income of $158-million, or 60 cents per diluted share. Operating income during the second quarter of 2005 was $468-million, up 30 percent from $359-million reported in the second quarter of 2004. [Union Pacific, 7-21-05]
KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN LEASES FOUR RAIL LINES TO WATCO: The Kansas City Southern Railway Co. said July 21 it is leasing five branch lines in four states to three railroads owned by Watco Cos. Inc. Watco, a short line railroad company based in Pittsburg, Kansas, recently received the 2005 Governor's Award of Excellence, the top business award in the state of Kansas. Shippers along the leased lines in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Oklahoma now will receive rail service from Watco's Arkansas Southern, Louisiana Southern and Alabama Southern rather than Kansas City Southern Railway. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 7-21-05, from Kansas City Star website article]
BNSF INCREASES QUARTERLY DIVIDEND: Directors of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation voted July 21 to increase BNSF's next quarterly dividend by 18 percent, or 3 cents per share, to 20 cents per share on outstanding common stock. This represents an annualized 80 cents per share dividend. The dividend of 20 cents per share on common stock will be paid October 3, 2005, to shareholders of record September 12, 2005. Common shares outstanding on June 30, 2005, totaled approximately 373 million. The dividend increase follows the 13-percent increase and 25-percent increase approved by BNSF's Board of Directors in July 2004 and July 2003, respectively. [BNSF, 7-21-05]
U.S. TO STUDY SAFER SEATS, TABLES FOR COMMUTER TRAINS: The U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) has launched a new project to make seats and tables on commuter trains safer. Working with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), RITA's Volpe National Transportation Systems Center has awarded two contracts worth $850,000 to a Massachusetts-based technology firm, TIAX, to develop a safer passenger seat and work table that will reduce injuries and improve the ability of passengers to safely exit a train following a collision. The project supports several other rail safety initiatives being conducted jointly by the FRA and RITA's Volpe Center, including ongoing research in the areas of crashworthiness, emergency evacuation, grade crossing and safety decision-making. To make passenger trains safer, TIAX will design a work table that will absorb energy upon impact and reduce the risk of head, chest, abdomen and leg injuries. The table also will be designed to allow passengers to evacuate more easily following a collision. In addition, improved three-person seats will be developed to reduce the risk of head, chest, and leg injuries by safely compartmentalizing passengers and ensuring that the seat remains attached to the floor upon impact. [U.S. Dept. of Transportation, 7-20-05]
NORFOLK SOUTHERN TO BREAK GROUND ON OHIO INTERMODAL TERMINAL: On July 25, Norfolk Southern Corp., and state and local officials will hold a groundbreaking ceremony in Columbus, Ohio, for a $65-million intermodal facility near Rickenbacker International Airport. To be operational next year, the Rickenbacker terminal will serve warehouses, airfreight facilities and others within a Foreign-Trade Zone. NS will provide $25-million to help fund the project's first-phase costs; federal, state and local governments will fund the remainder of the 300-acre facility. The $100-million project includes costs to build roads and utilities. [ProgressiveRailroading.com, 7-20-05]
CANADIAN NATIONAL REPORTS 2Q EARNINGS: Canadian National Railway Co., which leads North America's railroads in profit margin, said second-quarter earnings rose 28 percent as rates and shipments increased. The company boosted its 2005 profit forecast, and the shares gained 6.7 percent, the most in five years. Net income climbed to C$416-million, or $1.47 a share, from $326-million, or $1.13, the Montreal-based company said in a statement today. Sales rose 10 percent to $1.84-billion from $1.67-billion. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 7-20-05, from Bloomberg News article by Rip Watson]
FREIGHT CAR ORDERS, DELIVERIES CONTINUE TO CLIMB: The North American freight car building industry delivered 33,695 new cars in the first half of 2005, and accepted another 36,605 orders, according to figures released by the American Railway Car Institute Committee of the Railway Supply Institute. Backlog held steady at 60,544. With the market continuing to boom, manufacturers are "optimistic" about the remainder of 2005, says RSI Executive Director-Washington Thomas D. Simpson. New car deliveries have been rising steadily since fourth-quarter 2004. In this year's second quarter, 17,914 new cars were delivered, increasing 13.5 percent over the first quarter, and 19,132 ordered, growing nine percent since first quarter. Topping the order books were aluminum gondolas, five-unit intermodal platforms, and tank cars, according to ARCI. [RailwayAge.com, 7-20-05]
SENATE COMMITTEE OK'S $1.4-BILLION FOR AMTRAK: A Senate appropriations subcommittee proposed a sharp boost in an annual subsidy for Amtrak July 19, approving a record $1.4-billion for the railroad, according to this Reuters report published by the New York Times. The rail measure was cleared as part of an annual transportation spending bill for the fiscal year beginning October 1. The legislation still must be considered by the Appropriations Committee and the full Senate after that. One lawmaker said he was warned by a senior Bush administration official that a veto threat was possible over the Amtrak money. Approval by the Senate subcommittee reflected widening congressional support for continued Amtrak subsidies despite opposition from the administration. [United Transportation Union, 7-19-05, from Reuters report published by the New York Times]
SOUND TRANSIT APPROVES LIGHT-RAIL EXTENSION TO AIRPORT: Sound Transit's board recently approved plans to build a light-rail extension to Sea-Tac International Airport. The project will extend the 14-mile Seattle-to-Tukwila, Wash., Central Link light-rail line - which currently is under construction - to the airport. The project includes building a station adjacent to the fourth level of the airport parking garage, where passengers will have access to an elevated walkway to International Boulevard and a pedestrian walkway to the airport's ticket counters. It is cheduled to be complete in December 2009. [ProgressiveRailroading.com, 7-19-05]
NORFOLK SOUTHERN INTRODUCES TRAILER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM: Norfolk Southern Corp. has introduced a new Trailer Management Program designed to increase trailer capacity for the fall peak shipping season, according to this report published by the Journal of Commerce Online. The railroad will supply a fleet of NS-controlled 48-foot trailers which will operate out of its Chicago and Toledo, Ohio, terminals for intermodal marketing company customers. The TMP trailers will be available for outbound traffic from Chicago to Albany, N.Y.; Ayer, Mass.; Baltimore; Bethlehem, Morrisville, Rutherford and Taylor, Pa.; Buffalo, N.Y.; Croxton and Erail, N.J., and Greensboro, N.C. Trailers also will be available for outbound traffic from Toledo to Ayer and Croxton. [United Transportation Union, 7-18-05, from report by Journal of Commerce Online]
TEAM CHOSEN FOR N.Y. PENN STATION PROJECT: The Pataki administration plans to announce July 18 that it has selected a development team to transform the general post office in Midtown Manhattan into a dramatic new $930-million transit hub, a long-awaited project that proponents say will be a catalyst for development and an opportunity for civic redemption. The Empire State Development Corporation has picked a joint venture of the Related Companies and Vornado Realty Trust to turn the blocklong James A. Farley Post Office on Eighth Avenue into a grand Moynihan Station, named after Daniel Patrick Moynihan, the senator who was its champion until his death in 2003. The project includes not only a train station but also a major block of space for retail, office or residential use. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 7-18-05, from New York Times website article by Charles V. Bagli]
CSX VOWS TO FIX TRI-RAIL DELAYS: CSX Transportation apologized to Tri-Rail riders July 14 for problems that have led to horrendous delays in recent weeks. The company said it would hire a consultant to improve Tri-Rail's on-time record by reviewing commuter and freight operations and an ongoing $334-million project to build a second track. In the short term, CSXT says it is examining dispatching procedures to limit commuter delays. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 7-15-05, from Sun Sentinel website article by Michael Turnbell]
PUSH-PULL TRAINS JUST AS SAFE FROM EITHER END, FRA SAYS: The Federal Railroad Administration has concluded that "push-pull" passenger train operation, with passengers riding in leading cab cars, is no less safe in derailments than with locomotives leading. The report was both part of a decades-long study of push-pull, and a response to the January 26 Metrolink tragedy in Glendale, CA in which 11 passengers were killed after a driver left his Jeep on the tracks and a Union Pacific freight train got ensnared in the resulting impact. The FRA lauded Metrolink for subsequently closing off the front seats of cab cars to passengers, and urged the inclusion of crush zones, collapsible tables, and high-back seats in new cab cars. The report also called for better isolation of railroad rights-of-way and stronger enforcement to keep remaining grade crossings clear. [National Assn. of Railroad Passengers, 7-15-05]
SEATTLE MONORAIL PRELIMINARY DESIGN UNVEILED: Cascadia Monorail Co. recently released the first rendering of the Seattle Monorail system. The design features oval-shaped columns on wide sidewalks with landscaping to provide a more friendly environment for pedestrians, retail shops and restaurants, according to a prepared statement. During the next several weeks, Cascadia Monorail officials will continue to incorporate feedback from the public, Monorail Review Panel, city officials and Seattle Monorail Project representatives into the design process. [Progressiverailroading.com, 7-15-05]
BNSF PLANS MILLIONS IN TRACK UPGRADES IN N.D.: BNSF Railway Co. said it's adding about 170 employees across North Dakota this year and next, in part to help with millions of dollars in track upgrades in the state. Grain shippers hope the upgrades will improve service. BNSF Railway, a subsidiary of Fort Worth-based Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp., is planning more than $28-million in track upgrades in 2005, spokesman Gus Melonas said. Most of the additional jobs have been filled. The track upgrade is part of a four-year, $123-million capital track improvement project in North Dakota through 2006, Melonas said. The railroad spent more than $39-million last year repairing and replacing track, he said. Grain shippers have complained the railroad is late with railroad car deliveries, forcing elevator managers to put crops on the ground and preventing grain from moving to market. North Dakota ships about 225 million bushels of wheat annually to domestic and export markets. Most of the grain shipped out of state is loaded on BNSF trains. [United Transportation Union, 7-14-05, from Associated Press article]
WASHINGTON METRO POSTS RIDERSHIP RECORD IN JUNE: Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) posted record Metrorail ridership at 18,556,046 passengers in June 2005. The agency previously set a record in April, when Metrorail recorded 17,863,153 passenger trips. Authority officials attribute the increase to passengers attending Washington Nationals' baseball games. [ProgressiveRailroading.com, 7-13-05]
F.T.A. PROVIDES FUNDS FOR WORLD TRADE CENTER TRANSPORTATION HUB: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) recently awarded $699-million in grants to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to continue rebuilding the transit system around the World Trade Center site. The funds include a $221-million grant to help construct a Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH) terminal in the World Trade Center Transportation Hub. FTA recently completed an environmental review for the $2-billion project, which is scheduled to begin construction later this summer. To be complete in 2009, the hub will link the PATH terminal with the MTA New York City Transit subway and Battery Park City ferry systems. [ProgressiveRailroading.com, 7-13-05]
THREE TRAINS COLLIDE IN PAKISTAN, KILLING AT LEAST 118: Police and railway officials said three trains crashed in a deadly chain-reaction after a train driver misread a signal in southern Pakistan early Wednesday (July 13), killing at least 118 people and injuring hundreds more in the country's worst crash in more than a decade, according to this Associated Press report published by the New York Times. The nighttime accident jolted passengers awake to a horrifying smash-up that left metal, glass and body parts strewn across a remote railway station near Ghotki. Rescuers frantically cut through twisted metal to reach survivors, as ambulances and buses ferried the injured to nearby hospitals. Local police chief Agha Mohammed Tahir said 118 bodies had been pulled from the wreckage. Hundreds more were injured. Abdul Wahab Awan, general manager of Pakistan Railways, blamed the driver of the night-coach Karachi Express for misreading a signal and rear-ending another passenger train. [United Transportation Union, 7-13-05, from Associated Press report published by the New York Times]
STATE DEVOTES $1-M TO B&O MUSEUM PROJECT: The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Museum received $1-million from the state July 12 to help restore its South Passenger Car Shop, which was built in 1870 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The check from the Maryland Department of Transportation matches a $1-million bond from Baltimore City and adds to $400,000 in contributions from the museum. This new money is in addition to a $30-million restoration project that began after a 2003 snowstorm collapsed the ceiling of the B&O museum's roundhouse and damaged some historic locomotives. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 7-13-05, from Baltimore Sun website article by Tyrone Richardson]
CANADA EXTENDS PASSENGER RAIL FUNDING PACT WITH ONTARIO NORTHLAND: On July 12 the Canadian government extended a $2.5-million funding agreement with the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission (ONTC) to continue passenger-rail service between Ontario and North Bay. The agreement expires March 31, 2006. For the past nine years, Transport Canada has provided funding for ONTC passenger-rail operations. Until 1996, the former National Transportation Agency (now the Canadian Transportation Agency) subsidized the Toronto-to-North Bay service. Transport Canada began providing funds when the Canada Transportation Act precluded the agency from subsidizing the system. [ProgressiveRailroading.com, 7-13-05]
ENHANCEMENTS PLANNED FOR AMTRAK'S EMPIRE BUILDER: The Empire Builder, long one of America's favorite trains, will get a fresh new look beginning August 2005. The changes are the start of a major initiative at Amtrak to improve passengers' on-board experience on long-distance trains and improve the trains' financial performance, as well. First class passengers - those with sleeping accommodations, which include dining car meal service - will be welcomed aboard with a complimentary glass of sparkling wine or cider. As a new feature, on the second day of the trip, passengers will be invited to attend on-board wine and cheese tasting events in the lounge car featuring Wisconsin and Minnesota cheeses and Washington State wines. At night, train attendants will encourage sweet dreams by offering a bedtime treat of a freshly baked cookie or similar goodie to first class passengers. Coach passengers will receive a higher level of service on board the Empire Builder starting this August, too. Coach passengers will be offered at-seat food and beverage service. In the Lounge Car, an upstairs snack bar is being added in the peak seasons to serve light food and beverages. Passengers will also be invited to check out a wide variety of popular games to play. The interiors of the sleeping cars have received extensive renovations featuring a new blue and white color scheme and Blossom Cherry wood grain laminates. The bedrooms have newly designed and modern-looking toilet and shower units. The public shower has been redesigned to better address passenger needs. The new shower has a larger changing area that includes a large seat and vanity with mirror and a seat in the shower area. In the lounge car, one end has been changed to create improved seat groupings. These small seat groups have new small drink tables positioned between them. Dining tables and booths have been added to the other end. The interiors of the coach and dining cars have also been refurbished. Amtrak will celebrate the new Empire Builder with fun-filled festivities at several of the train's most popular destinations including Seattle, Portland and Chicago on August 21st and Whitefish and Minot on August 22nd. [Amtrak, 7-12-05]
OHI-RAIL TO LEASE W&LE LINES IN OHIO: Ohi-Rail Corp. recently filed an exemption notice with the Surface Transportation Board to lease 30.7 track miles from Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway Co (W&LE). Ohi-Rail plans to operate W&LE's Carrollton and Minerva branches between Canton, Carrollton and Minerva, Ohio. The short line also would obtain overhead interchange rights from W&LE for a line between Canton Yard and Furnace Junction. Formed in 1982, Ohi-Rail interchanges with Norfolk Southern Railway in Bayard, Ohio, and W&LE in Minerva. [ProgressiveRailroading.com, 7-12-05]
FOUR DEAD IN ILLINOIS CENTRAL HEAD-ON CRASH: Four crew members of two Illinois Central Railroad freight trains are presumed dead following a fiery head-on collision northeast of Bentonia, Mississippi, in Yazoo County, around 4:15 a.m. July 10. The body of one crew member was recovered. Three other crew members were presumed dead, but their bodies have not been recovered. The National Transportation Safety Board is dispatching investigators and the UTU Transportation Safety Team will provide the NTSB with assistance. An NTSB board member is expected to participate in the investigation. [United Transportation Union, 7-11-05]
LIMITED ACELA EXPRESS SERVICE REINSTATED: The first Acela Express trains returned to service July 11 with four daily departures from New York and Washington, Amtrak announced. The trains will continue to operate Monday-Friday with two morning and two afternoon departures from New York and Washington, and serve all regular Acela destinations including Newark, Philadelphia, Wilmington, Baltimore and Baltimore-Washington International Airport. The trains are 2102 and 2120 leaving Washington 7a.m. and 4 p.m., and 2107 and 2123 leaving New York 7a.m. and 3 p.m. As additional trains gradually return to service during the coming months, Amtrak will provide further schedule details. To maintain schedule predictability during the transition period, the trainsets will begin to replace the Metroliners currently in service. [Amtrak, 7-11-05]
VRE LAUNCHES HIGHER-CAPACITY TRAINS: It's a big day for some Virginia Railway Express passengers as the commuter rail service adds some longer trains July 11 to its roster in an effort to get more people into seats on the most crowded trains. The eight-car trains are to include three on the Fredericksburg line and two on the Manassas line with a goal of adding an additional 1,100 seats. VRE is using refurbished, double-decker cars purchased from Chicago's Metra system. A VRE spokesman says it's the easiest way to add seats without adding more trains. VRE's Web site says there will be one eight-car train on each line today. Additional storage capacity now being leased at an Amtrak yard in Washington is also a major component. The space has become available because Amtrak has stopped delivering mail for the U-S postal service. VRE is also working on projects that will allow it to eventually add more trains. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 7-11-05, from Associated Press report]
NISSAN PULLS T.V. AD IN RESPONSE TO OPERATION LIFESAVER CONCERNS: The Association of American Railroads Insider newsletter reported that Nissan Motor Company has decided to pull a television ad in response to protests by Operation Lifesaver. Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI), Class I railroads and AAR requested Nissan pull a television commercial for its Altima SE-R, that showed highway-rail grade crossing gates shifting to block a train from crossing in front of a driver. OLI wrote to Nissan's President and CEO Carlos Ghosn on June 28, explaining its objection to the commercial. "Even though most viewers will realize the scenario is unlikely, the overall effect is to reinforce people's dangerously incorrect perception that trains can stop for vehicles in their path. Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth; it can take a train the length of 18 football fields to stop after brakes are applied." [BNSF Today, 7-11-05]
BNSF TO END RAIL-CONTROLLED TRAILER BUSINESS: BNSF Railway Co. is getting out of the rail-controlled trailer business, but it's going to take a bit longer than expected for the railroad to complete its exit. The company has announced it will phase out rail-controlled trailers after the 2006 fall peak season instead of by mid-2006 as originally planned to provide shippers more time to adjust to the change. BNSF will transition the trailers back to leasing companies. Exiting the rail-controlled trailer business will enable BNSF to focus on its core line-haul service, according to a marketing bulletin. [ProgressiveRailroading.com, 7-11-05]
FLORIDA SHORT LINE TAKES OVER FORMER CSX TRACK: Florida Northern Railroad Co. Inc. (FNOR) recently began operating a 70-mile line between High Springs and Red Level Junction, Fla., the short line leased from CSX Transportation. Each year, FNOR expects to move 35,000 cars on the line, which serves various shippers in High Springs, Newberry and Romeo, and utility Progress Energy in Red Level Junction. Owned by short-line holding firm Pinsly Railroad Co., FNOR interchanges with CSXT in Ocala, Fla. [ProgressiveRailroading.com, 7-11-05]
IMPORTS BOLSTERING CSX, NORFOLK SOUTHERN: CSX Corp. and Norfolk Southern Corp., the biggest railroads in the eastern United States, said they are being helped by rising imports that are countering any slowdown in the U.S. industrial economy, according to this Bloomberg News report by Rip Watson and Erin Burnett. "The economic cycle usually has a very large effect on the rail industry," CSX Chief Financial Officer Oscar Munoz said in an interview. "As the industrial sector slows, that heavy import business is creating a nice uptick in demand for our service." Norfolk Southern Chief Financial Officer Henry Wolf said in a separate interview that "the growth we are seeing is pretty strong across the board, except for autos." Both companies are expected to report increased earnings on July 27. [United Transportation Union, 7-10-05, from Bloomberg News report by Rip Watson and Erin Burnett]
OHIO LEGISLATIVE WATCHDOG SEEKS JUNKET DETAILS FROM CSX: A national rail carrier and Ohio's legislative watchdog are in a showdown over the company's reporting of money it spent to lure bass-fishin' politicians to its Florida fishing retreat. On June 30, CSX amended its lobbying report to disclose that it spent $508.86 on lodging, meals and beverages for Rep. Bill Seitz during the Cincinnati Republican's March 18-20 stay at CSX's lodge on the St. Johns River in Welaka, Fla. Tony Bledsoe, the state's legislative inspector general, informed the company July 6 that Ohio law requires an itemized accounting, not the all-inclusive statement CSX sent. Bledsoe also has asked the firm to correct previous filings. But CSX spokesman Gary Sease said all of the company's reports dating to 2002 - the year CSX began hosting the fishing junkets - are accurate. They indicate that the firm spent no money on Ohio lawmakers between 2002 and 2004. Sease also contended that the all-inclusive statement meets Ohio's legal requirements. Sease would not identify the state officials who have accepted the trips, but he said they "have not included more than five legislators in total." He said all but Seitz "have either reimbursed CSX or made provisions to reimburse us," relieving both the lawmakers and the company of their obligations to report the junkets. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 7-8-05, from Cleveland Plain Dealer website article by Ted Wendling]
WASHINGTON METRO ENDORSES THREE YARD EXPANSION PROJECTS: On July 7, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) Board Planning and Development Committee approved three rail-yard expansion projects totaling $141.4-million. Modifications to the Greenbelt yard would include constructing a two-story, 72,000-square-foot facility and improving an existing rail-car facility. At the Shady Grove yard, WMATA would build a four-track, 16-bay service and inspection maintenance facility. And at the Brentwood yard, a heavy maintenance shop would be converted to a three-track, 12-car service and inspection shop. Electrical, mechanical, traction power, train control, communications and other system improvements will be completed at all three yards. The yard modifications would be part of WMATA's "Metro Matters" program to increase rail-car capacity by operating eight-car trains. [ProgressiveRailroading.com, 7-8-05]
BNSF CONTINUES TO REPAINT ITS LOCOMOTIVE FLEET: BNSF Railway Co. recently took delivery of 34 ES44DC locomotives from GE Transportation-Rail sporting the railroad's new logo, and orange, black and yellow paint scheme. Since changing its name and logo in January, BNSF has gradually repainted locomotives and taken delivery of new units featuring the revised paint scheme. During the next few months, about 40 locomotives will be repainted as part of scheduled overhaul or repair work; by year end, GE will deliver 67 additional ES44DCs and 90 ES44AC units. [ProgressiveRailroading.com, 7-7-05]
NORFOLK SOUTHERN SAYS ABANDONED CORRIDOR MAY BE USED AGAIN: Norfolk Southern says it's hanging on to 21 miles of abandoned rail corridor between downtown Durham and Person County, N.C., because it believes there's a chance trains once again could rumble through the area. The corporation earlier had talked with state and local governments about selling the corridor, but took it off the market late last month. Durham city and county officials had hoped to turn the land into a paved trail for bicyclists and pedestrians. "Recent business developments, such as the current rail renaissance with more freight traffic and potentially more commuter operations, have resulted in a more conservative retention of our assets which we believe may be of value to the corporation in the future," Norfolk Southern said July 6 in a statement issued to The Herald-Sun. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 7-6-05, from Durham Herald Sun website article by Ginny Skalski]
TRANSPORTATION-COMMUNICATIONS UNION AFFILIATES WITH MACHINISTS UNION: The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) announced July 6 an historic agreement that will bring nearly 46,000 members of the Maryland-based Transportation Communications International Union (TCU) into the Machinists Union. The agreement concludes months of discussions between leaders of the two AFL-CIO unions and will boost the IAM's membership to nearly 700,000 active and retired members. TCU represents workers at virtually every major rail company in North America, including Amtrak, CSX, Norfolk Southern, BNSF, Union Pacific, Canadian National and most commuter rail lines. The IAM represents more than 11,000 rail workers among its 140,000 airline and railroad members across North America. TCU was founded in 1899 as the Brotherhood of Railway Clerks and grew over the years to include a diverse roster that includes clerks, carmen and supervisors. Among the unions that joined the TCU since its founding were the Order of Railway Telegraphers, the American Railway Supervisors Association, the Brotherhood of Railway Carmen and the legendary Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters. [International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, 7-6-05]
AMTRAK TO DISCONTINUE STOP AT SANFORD, FLORIDA: The Amtrak passenger station, a dingy outpost tacked onto the end of a warehouse, has gone unstaffed for 10 years. A wrinkled, torn note on the window declares the waiting room is closed. Yellow caution tape and orange barricade mesh surrounding the entrance send a clear message: Keep out! Passengers have to stand on the platform, huddling under an overhang when it rains, or sit in their cars as they wait for their train. As soon as August, however, there will be no more waiting. Amtrak plans to quit making stops at the Sanford station. Amtrak officials cite the run-down condition of the CSX-owned station for stopping service. Sanford passengers will then have to travel to DeLand, Winter Park or Orlando to board trains providing intercity service. The station's closing doesn't mean Amtrak is pulling completely out of Sanford. Just a quarter-mile north, the Amtrak Auto Train station is a vivid reminder of the city's railroad heyday. It bustles with activity each morning as the Auto Train pulls in from Lorton, Va., and each evening when it heads out on the return trip. That station is scheduled to undergo a $1.5-million renovation next year, similar to one in Lorton in 2000. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 7-6-05, from Orlando Sentinel website article by Robert Perez]
CALIFORNIA COLLEGE GETS FRA GRANT FOR RAIL DEFECT DETECTION SYSTEM: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) announced July 5 it awarded a $237,794 research grant to the University of California at San Diego to develop a new rail defect detection system. The university is creating a prototype designed to use ultrasonic waves and a pulsed laser to inspect rail and identify certain defects undetected by current inspection devices. The FRA plans to install the system on the T-18, the administration's new automated track inspection vehicle. Under the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Rail Safety Action Plan, the FRA is required to improve rail inspection procedures. The administration's train accident investigation data shows track defects are the second-leading cause of all accidents. [ProgressiveRailroading.com, 7-6-05]
OHIO TAX LAW CHANGE WILL BOOST NORFOLK SOUTHERN INCOME: A change in Ohio's corporate tax laws will enable Norfolk Southern to increase its second-quarter 2005 net income by approximately $95-million, or $0.23 per diluted share. Tax legislation signed by Ohio Governor Bob Taft on June 30 phases out the Ohio Corporate Franchise Tax and phases in a new gross receipts tax called the Commercial Activity Tax. The Corporate Franchise Tax was generally based on federal taxable income. Its elimination "will result in a favorable adjustment to Norfolk Southern's deferred income taxes in the period of enactment, as required by Statement of Financial Accounting Standards. [railwayage.com, 7-6-05]
BALTIMORE'S HAMBURG STREET LIGHT-RAIL STATION NOW OPEN FULL-TIME: Last week, Maryland Transit Administration's (MTA) Hamburg Street light-rail station officially opened for full-time use, thanks to the completion of a double-track project on the system's south end. Since 1998, the station was open only for Baltimore Ravens football games and other M&T Bank Stadium special events; under the single-track system, 'operational issues' made adding an additional stop at Hamburg street difficult without creating systemwide scheduling problems, according to a statement. The north-end double-track project is scheduled to be complete by year end. [ProgressiveRailroading.com, 7-5-05]
READ VAN DE WATER NAMED NMB CHAIR: The National Mediation Board (NMB) said Read Van de Water, of Warrenton, Va., has been named chairman of the NMB, effective July 1. Chairman Van de Water was sworn in as a board member on Dec. 11, 2003, after being nominated by President George W. Bush in September, and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Dec. 9, 2003. The NMB is an independent federal agency established by the Railway Labor Act, which governs labor-management relations of nearly 500 railroads and 100 airlines in the continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii and the U.S. territories. The other members of the board are Edward J. Fitzmaurice Jr., and Harry R. Hoglander. [National Mediation Board, 7-1-05]
MILLER TOWER PROJECT MOVES FORWARD: One of my very fondest dreams was to see Miller Tower reconstructed as a working, interpretative display for future generations to partake of the historical import - and the fun - that my one-time duty station had to offer. I spent eight happy years serving at Miller Tower. It then served the CSX (former B&O) Railroad at Cherry Run, West Virginia, nestled amidst the splendor of the Potomac River Valley. The tower ended service in September 2000. MORE.. [Bull Sheet, 7-1-05, from article by Allen Brougham]
FRA RULE CALLS FOR IMPROVED BLACK BOX STANDARDS: The survivability of railroad locomotive event recorders or "black boxes" will be improved to enhance the quality of post-accident investigations as a result of a final rule entered into the Federal Register on June 30. Under the rule, developed by the Federal Railroad Administration through the Railroad Safety Advisory Committee (RSAC) process, event recorders will be hardened to prevent the loss of data from exposure to fire, impact shock, fluid immersion, and other potential damage resulting from train accidents. Older event recorders that rely on magnetic tape for data storage will be phased out over the next four years. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 7-1-05]
N.Y./N.J. PORT AUTHORITY TO EXPAND INTERMODAL FACILITY: The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey plans soon to award a contract to expand track capacity at the Elizabeth-Port Authority Marine Terminal on-dock rail facility, which opened in October 2004. The contract will include demolishing four buildings and constructing two tracks. The facility currently features eight tracks; when complete in 2009, the project will expand the facility to 18 tracks. "This contract is part of our continuing commitment to expand our rail capacity as quickly as possible to handle our port's projected cargo growth," said Port Authority Chairman Anthony Coscia in a prepared statement. [ProgressiveRailroading.com, 7-1-05]
KCS TO INVEST $50-M IN SHREVEPORT EXPANSION: Anyone who's turned off Shreveport-Blanchard Highway onto North Lakeshore Drive in Shreveport can tell you about the tight squeeze at the Kansas City Southern Railway underpass. But a three-year, $50-million construction project announced June 29 by KCS soon may change that. The railway will expand its north Shreveport rail yard and, in the process, widen and attempt to solve the flooding problems at both underpasses along Shreveport-Blanchard Highway. While the point of KCS' expansion is to improve efficiency at the yard and move more trains through quicker, the railway also is promoting it as a way to partner with local government to pool dollars for community improvements. KCS is committed to the project regardless of government involvement. But combining resources would allow the railway and government to address future issues as well as current concerns. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 6-30-05, from Shreveport Times story by Michelle Mahfoufi]
DUKE POWER, CSX SETTLE RATE CASE: Duke Power has reached a settlement agreement with CSX Transportation to resolve a railroad transportation rate case initiated in December 2001 and currently being considered by the United States Surface Transportation Board. Duke Power's settlement with CSX includes a separate multi-year rail transportation contract at rates comparable to tariff rates that Duke Power has been paying since 2002. It also provides for beneficial access for rail transportation from new coal suppliers. Specific settlement details are confidential. [Duke Power, 6-29-05]
HOUSE APPROVES $1.17-B FOR AMTRAK: The House of Representatives on June 29 approved more than $1.17-billion in subsidies for Amtrak in the next fiscal year funding bill for transportation and treasury programs that would add $626-million to a proposed appropriation of $550-million for the passenger railroad. Rep. Steven LaTourette, an Ohio Republican and chairman of the House railroads subcommittee, proposed the funding change, which would take money from other transportation programs to boost Amtrak's subsidy. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 6-29-05, from Reuters report]
UNION PACIFIC AIMS AT MORE IMPROVEMENT: Despite better customer feedback and double-digit revenue growth in the second quarter, Union Pacific Railroad has not improved enough, its chairman and chief executive said June 28, according to this report by Stacie Hamel published by the Omaha World-Herald. "We still aren't nearly where we need to be," Dick Davidson said. "We need to increase velocity by several miles per hour and reduce failure costs by several million dollars." The Omaha-based railroad will announce results July 21 for the quarter that will end June 30. Davidson said revenue has grown about 10 percent from the second quarter of 2004 when the railroad recorded record revenue. Growth of 10 percent would be the largest since the fourth quarter of 2003. [United Transportation Union, 6-29-05, from Omaha World-Herald article by Stacie Hamel]
CSX LINES IN MICHIGAN FOR SALE: CSX employees along two rail lines are getting ready for big changes, according to this report by Ed Ronco published by the Grand Rapids Press. The lines - one from Grand Rapids to Ludington and another from West Olive to Fremont - are for sale. Deals appear to be in the works for both, although nothing is final. The lines are called subdivisions, the rail equivalent of interstate connector highways. The two subdivisions up for sale comprise 175 of the 812 miles of track that CSX, a Florida-based railroad freight firm, operates in the state. Under deals yet to be negotiated, Marquette Rail Corporation is expected to pick up the Ludington subdivision, 127 miles of track going north from Grand Rapids to Ludington and Manistee. Marquette, a partnership of Progressive Rail Corp., Lake States Railway, Farm Rail Systems and TranSolutions, Inc., will own the tracks, but lease the land from CSX. In a separate arrangement with CSX, Michigan Shore Railroad is expected to lease both land and tracks on the Fremont subdivision - 48 miles stretching from West Olive to Fremont. Steve Kauffman, chairperson of United Transportation Union Local 1765 in Grand Rapids sent a letter to CSX employees letting them know about the proposed sale. He said CSX employees won't lose jobs, but will have to "follow the work." Employees might be able to find CSX jobs as close as Grand Rapids, or they could have to move out of state, to areas such as Cincinnati or East St. Louis, Ill. CSX is shedding the lines as part of a larger program to redistribute its resources, said Kim Skorniak, a spokeswoman for the rail carrier. CSX employs 1,149 in Michigan and ships 186,000 carloads on state tracks every year. [United Transportation Union, 6-28-05, from Grand Rapids Press report by Ed Ronco]
BOMBARDIER TO ESTABLISH HIGH-SPEED TRAIN SHOP IN CHINA: Bombardier, which in recent months has won more than $1-billion in contracts to supply high speed trains to China, has now entered into an agreement with the Ministry of Railways to establish a maintenance center for those trains in the southern city of Guangzhou. A 20-year contract calls for Bombardier Transportation to supply equipment and maintenance management for the shop, which will occupy a building provided by the Ministry of Railways. Scheduled to go into operation in 2007, the center will have the capacity to maintain 250 trains. [railwayage.com, 6-28-05]
NORFOLK SOUTHERN SETTLES RATE CASE WITH CAROLINA POWER & LIGHT: Norfolk Southern Corporation today announced that its settlement agreement with Carolina Power & Light Company has been finalized. As reported in an earlier press release issued on June 24, 2005, the settlement agreement resolves the rail transportation rate case pending before the Surface Transportation Board. [Norfolk Southern, 6-28-05]
FROM BAD TO WORSE ON SECOND DAY OF VRE FARE HIKE: Day two of the Virginia Railway Express fare hike, and things are going even worse than day one. By the railroad's own admission, it was a "difficult commute" this morning [June 28] on the Fredericksburg Line. And again, they're placing the blame on freight operator CSX, which owns the track and was doing work which ran late. According to the commuter line, its trains were put on the track farthest from the platform. That wouldn't have been so bad, except that a signal problem developed - forcing trains to crawl at 15-miles-an-hour for nearly 20 miles. VRE says the track work continues two more nights, but it has been assured by CSX that there won't be problems like this again. Meanwhile, the ride home will also be a chore. Heat restrictions are in place, meaning trains have to go slow. VRE just raised fares yesterday [June 27] for the third straight year. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 6-28-05, from Associated Press report]
AMTRAK, PENNDOT CONTINUE TO IMPROVE KEYSTONE CORRIDOR: This week, Amtrak adjusted schedules for some trains traveling between Parkesburg and Lancaster, Pa. to minimize potential construction delays. The national passenger railroad and Pennsylvania Transportation (PennDOT) are in the midst of a capital improvement project on Amtrak's Harrisburg-to-Philadelphia-to-New York City Keystone Corridor. The project includes installing 80 miles of new concrete ties, more than 40 switches, and a signal system between Lancaster and Harrisburg. Amtrak and PennDOT also are upgrading 16 bridges and culverts, overhead electrical wires and electrical substations. After the project is complete in fall 2006, Amtrak will operate electric-powered trains on the line and reduce travel times by increasing maximum train speeds from 90 mph to 110 mph. [ProgressiveRailroading.com, 6-28-05]
MAKER OF AMTRAK BRAKES SWITCHED DESIGNS: The supplier of the brakes that paralyzed Amtrak's high-speed Acela trains after developing potentially catastrophic cracks changed the design of the parts while the trains were being built to include longer, thinner spokes that might have been weaker than the original design, the Wall Street Journal reports. Investigations by Amtrak, the U.S. government and companies that helped manufacture the Acela haven't yet concluded there is any link between the revised brake design and cracks discovered in April in hundreds of the 1,440 brake discs used to stop the trains. But scrutiny has fallen on the change, and the plan for getting the trains rolling again as soon as next month includes installing brakes based on the abandoned design. The decision to replace the original design and now revive it to get Acela trains back on track raise new questions about Amtrak's handling of the Acela project, which has been hobbled by problems almost from the start. The moves also suggest that sorting out responsibility for the passenger revenue lost during the Acela shutdown and costs related to replacing the brakes is likely to be complicated and contentious. The brake-design switch was made nearly three years before Acela trains started running in December, 2000, and was approved by Amtrak and Bombardier Inc., the Montreal transportation-equipment maker that leads the consortium that built and maintains the trains. Knorr-Bremse AG, the brake's supplier, said it changed the design partly to help satisfy Buy America requirements set by Amtrak, although it didn't clarify how the design change would have put it in compliance with the requirement. [United Transportation Union, 6-27-05, from Wall Street Journal report]
CSX INTERMODAL TO IMPROVE CONTAINER INTERCHANGES AT 4 GATEWAYS: On June 25, CSX Intermodal launched an Interline Throughput Initiative (ITI) to improve international container interchanges in Chicago, New Orleans, Memphis, Tenn., and Birmingham, Ala. ITI is designed to eliminate "excessive" switching at the four gateways and dedicate resources to "high-volume, double-stack steel-wheel interchanges that will facilitate faster connections, increase throughput capacity and improve service consistency," according to a prepared statement. CSXI will continue to offer connecting service between its terminals and West Coast on-dock facilities served by BNSF Railway Co. and Union Pacific Railroad. Under ITI, CSXI will require the western carriers to adhere to blocked double-stack cars when interchanging eastbound traffic with CSXI at the gateways. CSXI also will restrict westbound interchanges to double-stack cars. [ProgressiveRailroading.com, 6-27-05]
UNION PACIFIC TO REDUCE ENGINE EMISSIONS AT CALIFORNIA YARDS: Last week, Union Pacific Railroad signed a voluntary agreement with the California Air Resources Board under which the railroad will reduce diesel emissions at its nine largest yards in the state. UP plans to spend about $20-million during the next three years to implement an emissions reduction program launched last fall. By June 2008, the company expects to reduce particulate emissions between 15 percent and 20 percent by eliminating non-essential locomotive idling; using lower sulfur diesel fuel sooner than required; stepping up a locomotive testing and repair program; and evaluating remote sensing technology to identify locomotives that emit pollutants at a high rate. Since 2000, UP has reduced emissions at its Davis Yard in Roseville, Calif., 15 percent by changing processes and using technology, such as conducting locomotive tests further away from residences and installing automatic stop/start systems to limit locomotive idling. UP plans to use the same approach at its other California yards. [ProgressiveRailroading.com, 6-27-05]
MIDWEST BUSINESS EXECUTIVES FORM PASSENGER RAIL ADVOCACY GROUP: Midwestern business leaders recently teamed up to advocate increased federal passenger-rail investment, and higher speed and higher quality regional intercity passenger-rail service in the Midwest. Comprising 50 businesses in the region, the Midwest Business Coalition for Passenger Rail aims to preserve and improve the region's passenger-rail service, highlight the importance of a successful passenger-rail system to competitive business climates and regional economies, and ensure federal funding for rail improvements. The coalition also is monitoring the Bush Administration's proposal to eliminate federal funding for Amtrak in fiscal-year 2006 and shift operational responsibilities to states. Coalition members plan to lobby the Midwest Congressional delegation for increased federal funding for intercity rail. [ProgressiveRailroading.com, 6-27-05]
NORFOLK SOUTHERN REACHES SETTLEMENTS IN RATE CASES: Norfolk Southern Corporation announced June 24 it has entered into a settlement agreement with Duke Energy Corp. and a tentative settlement agreement with Carolina Power & Light Company that resolve the rail transportation rate cases pending before the Surface Transportation Board. The settlements are expected to increase NS' second quarter net income by $24-million, or $six cents per diluted share. In 2002, Duke and CP&L each filed rate reasonableness complaints at the STB. In October 2004, the STB found Norfolk Southern's rates to be reasonable in both cases and, at the STB's invitation, Duke and CP&L each initiated proceedings to determine whether phasing constraints should apply. [Norfolk Southern, 6-24-05]
FRA AWARDS GRANTS TO TWO COLLEGES FOR RAIL SAFETY RESEARCH: The Federal Railroad Administration recently awarded grants to universities in Mississippi and Illinois to help fund research projects aimed at improving railroad safety. Tuskegee University obtained a $96,192 grant to study the effect of fatigue on different types of rail steel, and how rail fractures develop and spread. The University of Illinois-Chicago received a $166,610 grant to create software designed to study derailments, analyze wheel/rail contact in three dimensions and examine rail-car dynamics under high speeds. The grants support the FRA's National Rail Safety Action Plan, which targets the most frequent, highest-risk accident causes. Track-related accidents are the second leading cause of all train accidents. "Early detection is critical to the prevention of track-caused train accidents," said FRA Administrator Joseph Boardman in a prepared statement. [ProgressiveRailroading.com, 6-24-05]
D.C. METRO RECEIVES AWARD FOR INNOVATIVE STATION DESIGN: Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's Morgan Boulevard Metrorail station recently received an Award of Excellence in Institutional Architecture from the Northern Virginia chapter of the American Institute of Architects. The station - which opened in December 2004 - was designed by HMM/STV Largo Joint Venture and constructed by Clark-Kiewit Largo Joint Venture. The glass and steel facility features dual elevators, escalator/stair pairs, and improved signage and lighting. [ProgressiveRailroading.com, 6-24-05]
VRE FRUSTRATED BY CSX SERVICE: Problems along CSX-owned railroad tracks have caused hours-long delays to Virginia Railway Express trains over the last month, frustrating passengers and VRE officials alike. "It's unacceptable to me and to the passengers, and we've got to do something quick," said VRE chief executive officer Dale Zehner, who fired off an angry letter to CSX this week. "It just cannot continue to deteriorate." The latest incident occurred Monday morning [June 20] when a locking mechanism between Fredericksburg and Quantico malfunctioned. Trains could use the track in that area but had to travel no faster than 15 mph. VRE officials calculated that at that rate, early trains might run a half-hour to 45 minutes behind schedule, Zehner said. However, a CSX freight train on the track slowed down to 6 mph, meaning the VRE trains stuck behind it were delayed, in some cases, more than two hours. In addition, CSX dispatchers sent a freight train and an Amtrak passenger train onto a parallel track, where they could run at 60 to 70 mph, while the VRE trains were stuck on the slow side. In the end, VRE passengers on the Fredericksburg line suffered long delays, and the agency didn't know enough about the problem to warn them ahead of time, Zehner said. Zehner fired off a letter to John Gibson, CSX vice president of passenger and operations planning, criticizing CSX's handling not only of Monday's situation but also of several others. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 6-23-05, from Free-Lance Star website article by Edie Gross]
HOUSE PANEL REJECTS BID TO RESTORE AMTRAK FUNDS: The House Appropriations Committee on June 21 rejected a Democratic amendment to restore a proposed 54 percent cut to Amtrak's 2006 budget, according to this Bloomberg News report published by the Philadelphia Inquirer. The legislation would cut Amtrak funds to $550-million for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1 from $1.2-billion this year. Amtrak asked for a 50 percent increase to $1.8-billion for next year. President Bush proposed $360-million. [United Transportation Union, 6-22-05, from Bloomberg News report published by the Philadelphia Inquirer]
COURT RULES AMTRAK CAN CHARGE DISABLED GROUP EXTRA: A federal judge ruled that Amtrak can charge a group of wheelchair users extra to ride in the same car together, according to this Associated Press report. The wheelchair users, members of Disabled in Action of Pennsylvania, travel to Washington regularly to lobby. They sued after Amtrak told them that they could ride together on a Philadelphia-to-Washington train but that some of them would have to pay $200 more than the usual ticket price to cover the cost of removing seats. The group sued, saying the policy violated the federal Americans With Disabilities Act. U.S. District Judge Harvey Bartle III said Friday (June 17) that under federal law, Amtrak must have one space to park a wheelchair and one space to store an unoccupied chair per passenger coach. It can charge extra for anything beyond that, Bartle ruled. Amtrak spokeswoman Marcie Golgoski said the policy of charging for the removal of seats does not apply to just the disabled. If people wanted to have party on a train and seats had to be removed, they would be assessed the fee, too, she said. [United Transportation Union, 6-22-05, from Associated Press report]
WATCO INSTALLS AUTOMATED TRAIN DISPATCHING SYSTEMS: The Watco Cos. Inc. recently installed automated train dispatching systems at its dispatching centers in Wichita, Kansas, and Twin Falls, Idaho, according to the short-line holding company's June newsletter. The Wabtec Train Management Dispatching Systems process track warrants and bulletins, and electronic train sheets. The systems are designed to provide dispatchers a visual representation of tracks, mileposts, stations, and the current locations of trains and maintenance-of-way equipment. Since Watco completed installation in late April, the dispatching centers have processed 9,100 track warrants. [ProgressiveRailroading.com, 6-22-05]
F.R.A. APPROVES NEW INTERMODAL SHIPPING METHOD: The Federal Railroad Administration approved technology on June 20 that could save farms and businesses loads of money to ship their products on trucks and trains without the need for expensive intermodal infrastructure, according to the Bismarch Tribune. The technology developed by Georgia-based RailRunner allows sealed containers to be transferred from truck to train and vice versa without the use of a crane or a multi-million dollar intermodal facility. The technology has been used from Fort Wayne, Ind., to Jacksonville, Fla., since August. The FRA gave RailRunner temporary authorization for the technology until Monday [June 20], when the company was granted a five-year waiver for the Fort Wayne-Jacksonville run. The waiver also allows the technology to be used in other markets, according to a news release from RailRunner. [United Transportation Union, 6-21-05, from Bismarck Tribune article]
NJT ADDS TRAINS TO BAYONNE FLYER EXPRESS SERVICE: New Jersey Transit recently increased capacity on Bayonne Flyer trains, which operate on the Hudson-Bergen light-rail line. On June 20, the agency began operating two-car trains on all Bayonne express service, which provides limited-stop rush hour trips between 22nd Street Station in Bayonne, and Pavonia-Newport and Hoboken Terminal. Previously, only six of the 18 daily trains operated in two-car consists. Bayonne Flyers provide 16-minute trips from 22nd Street to Exchange Place, where passengers can connect to Port Authority Trans-Hudson or ferry service to Manhattan. Beginning July 1, NJ Transit will add a Bayonne Flyer stop at Essex Street Station. [ProgressiveRailroading.com, 6-21-05]
SUPREME COURT REJECTS TELECOM RAIL APPEALS: The U.S. Supreme Court on June 20 refused to review whether a lower court properly overturned a $140-million class-action settlement between several telecommunications firms and landowners adjacent to railroad right-of-ways purchased by the companies. The telecommunications companies purchased railroad right-of-way across the country beginning in the 1980s to expand fiber-optic networks. Adjacent landowners, arguing the railroads in some instances only held rights across private land, have brought lawsuits to be compensated by the telecommunications companies. In this case, the companies settling include a unit of Sprint Corp.; a unit of Level 3 Communications Inc.; a unit of Leucadia National Corp.; and a unit of Qwest Communications International Inc. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 6-20-05, from Associated Press article]
MAGLEV SYSTEM WOULD BOLSTER BORDER SECURITY, PROMOTERS SAY: The United States could improve border security by constructing a high-speed solar/hydrogen-powered magnetic levitation rail system along the Mexican and Canadian borders, according to the Interstate Traveler Co. (ITC) and American Computer Scientists Association. ITC's hybrid "Interstate Traveler Maglev" is designed to travel up to 250 mph along a 50,000- to 250,000-mile rail system. Featuring surveillance devices, vibration/motion sensors and protective cars, the maglev would be staffed by border-patrolling security personnel, and provide transportation for freight, autos and passengers. ITC is collaborating with the computer science association to promote and build the system. "The biggest technical problem [U.S.] Homeland Security faces when protecting the borders is to avoid having to position manpower with weaponry every 100 feet along thousands of miles of our borders with Canada and Mexico," said ITC President Justin Sutton in a prepared statement. "The speed of the system would allow us to place border observation stations every 75 to 150 miles to watch everything on both borders with only 30 stations and two central offices." [ProgressiveRailroading.com, 6-20-05]
WISCONSIN SEEKS MORE FUNDS FOR AMTRAK HIAWATHA LINE: Wisconsin Transportation Secretary Frank Busalacchi has asked state lawmakers to restore funds for an Amtrak train line between Milwaukee and Chicago after they were slashed in budget deliberations by the Legislature's finance committee. The Hiawatha line's running costs are jointly subsidized by Wisconsin, Illinois and the federal government, but Illinois froze its share of the payments for the year that ends this month despite cost increases. Gov. Jim Doyle proposed that Wisconsin boost its funding in response, but the state's Republican-controlled finance committee pared it back on its final day of deliberations June 10. Sierra Club chair Chris Nehrbass said the committee's budget would leave the Amtrak contract for the line short $572,700 for fiscal 2006 and short $1.7-million the next year. The cuts came as the Hiawatha, spurred in part by a new station at the Milwaukee Airport, set another record for passengers in the month of May, the sixth consecutive month the rail line has set new highs for the number of riders. There were 43,598 passengers in May, up 18 percent from last year. At the end of May a total of 205,187 passengers had ridden Hiawatha trains this year, up more than 15 percent over a year ago. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 6-19-05, from Associated Press report]
CSX INTERMODAL LAUNCHES EXPEDITED CHICAGO-LITTLE FERRY SERVICE: Effective immediately, CSX Intermodal is now offering ramp-to-ramp service on the Chicago (59th Street) to Little Ferry Expedited Train Q166 originating Monday through Wednesday. Initially, this service was offered on a door-to-door basis only. The schedule is designed to handle same day pick-up and deliveries. Since the inception of this expedited service, the train has been running at 100 percent to schedule. The other trailer trains to Little Ferry and North Bergen are running 90 percent to schedule. For a limited time, CSXI will provide the expedited service for the same rate as standard service. [CSX Intermodal, 6-17-05]
CHINA BEGINS HIGH SPEED RAIL PROJECT: The Chinese government's Xinhua News Agency reports, "China started building a 200 kilometer-per-hour passenger railway Saturday on the border of northern Hebei and Shanxi provinces. The line is the first passenger line of nine to start construction in the country this year. With an investment of 12.64-billion yuan ($1.5-B US), the line will be completed in 2008. China will build 120,000 kilometers of passenger lines by 2020." [National Assn. of Railroad Passengers, 6-17-05]
POWER OUTAGE DISRUPTS SEPTA SERVICE: A power outage during the evening rush hour June 16 stopped all of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority's commuter rail service for more than an hour. A SEPTA spokesman said there was problem was with an electrical feed from Amtrak. Although the outage shut down all of the commuter rail lines, subway and trolley service was not affected. The transit agency advised passengers that they might experience delays throughout Thursday evening, but said normal service should be restored by Friday morning. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 6-17-05, from Associated Press report]
SIGNALMEN ORDERED BACK TO WORK ON NORFOLK SOUTHERN: A federal judge in Roanoke granted Norfolk Southern Railway a temporary restraining order Thursday morning [June 16], forcing union workers back to work. The Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen went on strike systemwide, objecting to the railroad's hiring outside contractors to do their work. Other rail unions honored the strike, which lasted about 90 minutes. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 6-17-05, from Roanoke Times website story by Lois Caliri]
RAILROADS CUT SHIPMENTS OF COAL ON WYOMING ROUTE: Union Pacific Corp. and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp., the two biggest U.S. railroads, said they will ship less coal than usual over a Wyoming track that's the nation's busiest shipping route for the fuel. After May derailments and damage to shared track in the Powder River Basin, "operations are not back to normal," Union Pacific said on its Web site June 16. The regular daily average of 63 trains can't be run "during the foreseeable time period," the Omaha, Neb.-based railroad said. Union Pacific didn't say how much shipments will decline or for how long. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 6-17-05, from Bloomberg News article by By Rip Watson]
VA. TO PROVIDE $23-M ANNUALLY FOR RAIL IMPROVEMENTS: Governor Mark R. Warner on June 17 signed legislation creating the Rail Enhancement Fund, $23-million earmarked annually for investment in Virginia's railroad infrastructure. The fund, which will take effect July 1, will support improvements to passenger, commuter and freight rail projects. The funds can be tapped if the state receives a minimum matching contribution of at least 30 percent from non-state sources such as local governments, regional authorities or railroad companies. The Commonwealth Transportation Board will select rail-improvement projects based upon the recommendations of an advisory board that comes into existence July 1. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 6-17-05, from Associated Press article]
U.T.U. EXPLORING MERGER OPTIONS: The United Transportation Union is talking merger with other unions, UTU International President Paul Thompson said June 15 in a state of the union speech at a regional meeting in Alaska. "We want an appropriate merger partner to offset the power the Teamsters are exerting over some in rail labor," Thompson said. "Having a truck drivers' union control rail labor begets long-term disaster because trucks and rail compete. The Teamsters have demanded and won from trucking companies a limit on how much traffic can move by rail. Carriers have been merging for decades, and the balance of power between labor and the carriers has been affected," Thompson said. "At the same time, we will not accept a merger that does not benefit our membership, or one that threatens our jobs, or one that will not preserve what the UTU stands for. The Teamsters," Thompson said, "are dominated on their executive council by truck drivers. Not a single officer of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers or the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes - both subsidiaries of the Teamsters - sits on that council." [United Transportation Union, 6-16-05]
SENATE BILL WOULD REROUTE HAZMAT ON RAILS: A bill introduced June 16 in the U.S. Senate would require the Department of Homeland Security to develop a strategy for handling dangerous chemicals that would include rerouting rail shipments of "extremely hazardous material" around "high-threat corridors." The Hazardous Material Vulnerability Reduction Act of 2005, sponsored by Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE), would affect Jacksonville-based CSX Transportation and comes while CSXT is suing the District of Columbia to void a recently enacted D.C. law that prohibits certain hazardous materials from being transported within 2.2 miles of the U.S. capital. CSXT spokesman Gary Sease said he had not seen Biden's legislation but that the company believes Congress is a more appropriate venue than a city council to consider such measures. [United Transportation Union, 6-16-05, from American Business Daily article by Tony Quesada]
SIGNALMEN STRIKE NORFOLK SOUTHERN: The Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen (BRS) initiated strike action June 16 against Norfolk Southern Railroad Corporation (NSR) at 5:45 a.m. EST. The strike was a response to NSR's use of outside contractors to outsource signal work. "We are left with no alternative. We have made every effort to resolve our differences with NSR peacefully but NSR refuses to keep its commitments," said BRS President Dan Pickett shortly after specific plans were made to strike NSR the evening of June 15. NSR and BRS are required to maintain the 'status quo' during an extended bargaining process mandated by the Railway Labor Act. "Instead of reaching an agreement about how to accomplish signal work within the limits of the parties agreement NSR has instead chosen to implement its plan to unnecessarily outsource our members work, while seeking protection from strike in federal court," said Floyd Mason, BRS vice president who deals regularly with NSR. "This is a pattern that has been repeated by NSR over the last six years," said Mason. [Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen. 6-16-05]
BNSF ORDERS FIVE GREEN GOAT LOCOMOTIVES: RailPower Technologies Corp. announced June 16 that a five-year lease contract has been signed with BNSF Railway Company for five Green Goat hybrid locomotives. Emissions grants for the construction of the locomotives are to be paid to RailPower under the Heavy-Duty Engine Incentive Program, a San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District (SJVAPCD) program that distributes Carl Moyer Program funds from the California Air Resources Board. This order puts RailPower's order book at 90. RailPower also confirmed that the Green Kid locomotive, which was being leased to agri-giant, Agrium, in Redwater, Alberta, has been sold to Agrium. [RailPower Technologies, 6-16-05]
MARTIN O'ROURKE DIES - WASHINGTON NRHS PRESIDENT: Martin Francis O'Rourke of Fairfax, Virginia, died June 14, 2005. He was the son of Hugh Martin and Frances Ann Shugart O'Rourke of Westernport, Maryland. He was born in Keyser, West Virginia. After serving in the United States Air Force, he spent the majority of his career working in the Washington, DC, area. He ended his career with Bell Atlantic Corporation and retired in 1994. Before his retirement and up until his death his favorite organization was the Washington DC Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society which he joined in 1979. In 1988 he became the Chapter Secretary and served in that office until 1996. In 1997 he became the Chapter's Senior Vice President an office he held until he became President in 2001. He remained president until his death. Along with his duties as a Chapter officer and president he was instrumental in the restoration of the Chapter's 1923 Pullman railroad car, the Dover Harbor. Since 1983, he accompanied the car on many trips over the East Coast and across the country as the Dover's mechanical officer. Interment will be at Arlington National Cemetery, July 18. [Washington DC Chapter NRHS]
VIA RAIL'S NEW EASTERLY CLASS OFF TO A GOOD START: VIA Rail Canada hosted its Maritime tourism industry partners and members of the media to a special breakfast at the Halifax VIA Rail Station June 15. At the gathering, guests also enjoyed visiting redesigned Renaissance equipment, including the famous Park Car, plus VIA's new Maritime Learning Experience, as seen on the new Easterly Class service. VIA launched its new overnight Easterly Class: A Maritime Learning Experience service June 1 on the Montreal-Moncton-Halifax train, the Ocean, creating a rail journey that immerses travellers into the romance of the Maritime provinces. This new class of service is different from regular travel in that it creates, during the voyage, an educational experience for the traveller. Operating June through October 31 of 2005 and May through October beginning next year, the new Easterly Class service will be a seasonal upgrade to the Ocean's already existing Comfort Sleeper class, which will continue to run year-round. [VIA Rail, 6-15-05]
HOUSE PANEL APPROVES CUTTING AMTRAK ROUTES: Amtrak would have to end all of its cross-country routes, service between Chicago and New Orleans and the Auto Train to Florida under big cuts in taxpayer subsidies approved June 15 by a House subcommittee, the Associated Press reported. The proposal was part of a transportation bill that would reduce Amtrak's budget by more than half and limit federal subsidies to $30 per passenger per ride. The cuts, which would require House and Senate approval, would not apply to most Amtrak service in the Northeast corridor and shorter corridor routes in the Midwest and California. The subcommittee chairman, Rep. Joe Knollenberg, said those routes account for 80 percent of Amtrak's ridership. He said some money-losing routes, such as the Sunset Limited between Los Angeles and Orlando, require federal subsidies of more than $400 per passenger. Amtrak generally has stronger support in the Senate, where its money-losing routes serve many states represented by majority Republicans. Even Knollenberg seemed to predict that his proposal would be modified later in negotiations with the Senate. The plan drew protests from subcommittee Democrats who said it would unfairly punish rural residents. Knollenberg said the measure would not mandate the closure of any routes and that state and local governments could decide to subsidize them. The overall bill would provide $550-million for Amtrak, including $110- million for passenger subsidies on money-losing routes. Amtrak requested $1.8 billion in federal funds for the budget year that begins Oct. 1 and says the House proposal would force a shutdown. During last year's budget cycle, lawmakers funded Amtrak at $1.2-billion. [United Transportation Union, 6-15-05, from New York Newsday article by Andrew Taylor]
FIRST NEW MEXICO COMMUTER CAR BUILT: The first of 10 bi-level commuter-rail cars for the New Mexico Mid-Region Council of Governments recently rolled off Bombardier Transportation's assembly line. The car is part of a $22-million order the government placed with Bombardier in October 2004. Scheduled to be delivered between August and October, the cars will operate on the Belen-to-Bernalillo New Mexico Rail Runner Express, which is expected to open by year end. [ProgressiveRailroading.com, 6-15-05]
KCS ADDS TEXAS TERMINAL: Kansas City Southern recently opened the Bronco Road Rail Terminal in Corpus Christi, Texas - the newest facility in the company's TransLoad Center (TLC) network. Located less than two miles from a Texas Mexican Railway Co. yard, the 110-acre terminal features 160 car spots and equipment designed to handle various dry and liquid products. Currently, the facility handles petroleum coke, rock and grain. The TLC also offers a fleet of 100 aluminum open-top hoppers with a per-car capacity of 100 tons. [ProgressiveRailroading.com, 6-15-05]
BNSF BEGINS MAJOR TRACKWORK PROJECT IN MONTANA: On June 13, BNSF Railway Co. began one of its largest summer maintenance-of-way (MOW) projects. Involving two rail and two tie gangs, the $13.5-million project comprises improvements to 155 track miles in the Milk River Subdivision between Havre and Glasgow, Mont. Crews will install 13 miles of rail and 82,051 ties on the route, which typically handles 35 trains daily. Gangs will work during a seven-hour window (6 a.m. to 1 p.m.) Monday through Friday to complete the project. [ProgressiveRailroading.com, 6-14-05]
FUNDING APPROVED FOR ORANGE COUNTY SAFETY UPGRADES: The Orange County Transportation Authority on June 13 approved the use of $10-million in federal funds to improve safety at 55 railroad crossings across the county. OCTA officials said the crossings are on the main rail line through north Orange County and along Metrolink rights-of-way from Fullerton to San Clemente. The money will pay for new crossing gates, additional warning signs, better traffic signals, barriers for pedestrians and raised street medians to keep motorists from gaining access to tracks. The first improvements could be completed as early as spring 2006. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 6-14-05, from Los Angeles Times website article by Dan Weikel]
NEW YORK 'HIGH LINE' PROJECT GETS FEDERAL AUTHORIZATION: The High Line project received a crucial federal authorization June 14, effectively opening the way for the High Line's transformation to public open space. The Surface Transportation Board, the federal body that oversees rail corridors, issued a Certificate of Interim Trail Use for the High Line. It enables CSX Transportation, the High Line's current owner, to negotiate a trail use agreement with the City of New York. This agreement would transfer control of the High Line to the City for use as a public walkway and open space. MORE.. [High Line Project, 6-14-05]
U.S. RAILROADS RATE HIGH MARKS IN 1ST QUARTER SAFETY MEASURES, FRA SAYS: During the first quarter, U.S. railroads improved safety in most categories, with the exception of trespasser incidents and fatalities, according to preliminary Federal Railroad Administration data. Total train accidents and the accident rate per million train-miles dropped 5.7 percent and 7.6 percent, respectively, compared with first-quarter 2004. Total combined accidents and incidents declined 14.4 percent, while the accident/ incident rate fell 16.1 percent during the quarter. In addition, the employee-on-duty casualty rate of 2.10 per 200,000 manhours decreased 23.1 percent compared with first-quarter 2004's 2.73 rate. And year-over-year grade crossing incidents and fatalities dropped 9.3 percent and 18 percent, respectively, while the crossing incident rate fell 11.1 percent. However, the first-quarter trespasser incident rate rose 7.6 percent and trespasser fatalities increased 7.2 percent compared with first-quarter 2004. [ProgressiveRailroading.com, 6-14-05]
REMOTE CONTROL SAFETY BILL INTRODUCED IN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: Congressman Gene Green announced June 13 the introduction of H.R. 2843, which would ban the transportation of hazardous material by trains conducted via remote control. Remote control trains are a relatively new technology that is still being studied by the Federal Railroad Association in order to verify their safety. Studies released by the FRA have shown that this new technology has problems. "Hazardous materials present very high safety and security risks," said Congressman Green. "We cannot rely on an unproven, questionable new transportation technology to transport this material through our backyards. All federal investigations have raised serious concerns with remote control safety. This bill is needed because hazardous materials have the highest safety and security risks, so they should be banned from remote control trains until proven safe." Congressman Green also released copies of letters he has sent to Union Pacific and BNSF railroads urging them to restrict remote control operations to their rail yards. A recent Federal Railroad Administration report raised questions about remote control rail safety. [Press release from US Representative Gene Green, 6-13-05]
UNION PACIFIC ISN'T MEETING CONTRACT OBLIGATIONS, CALIF. RAIL AUTHORITY SAYS: Last week, the Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA) - which operates Metrolink commuter-rail service - sent a notice of non-performance to Union Pacific Railroad. SCRRA officials claim UP has failed to meet its contract obligations and urged the company to take measures to ensure it has sufficient capacity, according to a prepared statement. Metrolink's Riverside Line "routinely suffers delays of more than 30 minutes" that sometimes total two hours, SCRRA officials said. In May, the commuter railroad lost $80,000 in revenue after it offered Riverside Line passengers a 25 percent discount on their June monthly passes to compensate for the delays, officials claim. UP now has 30 days to respond. If SCRRA officials don't receive a response, Metrolink's board could authorize staff to pursue arbitration. [ProgressiveRailroading.com, 6-13-05]
AMTRAK CAPITOL CORRIDOR SETS RIDERSHIP RECORD: The number of passengers riding the Capitol Corridor trains between Auburn and San Jose hit a record high in May, Amtrak officials said. More than 115,000 people took the route in May - the most during any month since service began in December 1991. That was an increase of 9.5 percent over May 2004. The route is now Amtrak's third-busiest in the country. The growth comes even as riders have complained of late trains. Changes in the dispatching system used by Union Pacific Railroad caused on-time performance to drop to 88 percent this month, from 92 percent in January, Amtrak said. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 6-11-05, from San Mateo County Times website report]
RAIL WORKERS HAVE SAFETY CONCERNS OVER BALTIMORE'S HOWARD STREET TUNNEL: Railroad workers still have safety concerns over a Baltimore tunnel almost four years after a train carrying hazardous materials derailed and caught fire. United Transportation Union officials confirmed that workers have filed complaints daily using a form called a PI-82, which is passed on to CSX. MORE.. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 6-10-05, from WBAL channel 11 website report]
OFFICIALS HOPEFUL OF PLANS TO REHAB KINZUA VIADUCT: The Kinzua Viaduct, once the longest and tallest railroad bridge in the world, hasn't been much of a tourist attraction since it was mangled by a tornado two years ago. But officials say $1-million in state funds released June 8 to rehabilitate Kinzua Bridge State Park is the first step in preserving what is left of the structure. The money is the first portion of the $7-million total allocated by the state to renovate the McKean County park. The July 2003 tornado destroyed 11 of the towers that supported the nearly half-mile long, 301-foot high bridge. Nine towers remain, and state officials hope to build observation decks on those remaining structures. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 6-9-05, from Associated Press article]
FRED MILES, RETIRED RAILWAY AGE EDITOR, DIES: Fred C. Miles, who served successively as news editor, managing editor, and executive editor of Railway Age beginning in 1946, died June 7 at his home in Englewood, N.J. He was 89. A graduate of Columbia University, Miles began his career in business journalism with Barrons and was a financial reporter for the New York Sun before joining Railway Age. [RailwayAge.com, 6-9-05]
GEORGIA SOUTHWESTERN ACQUIRES 43-MILE CENTRAL OF GEORGIA LINE: Georgia Southwestern Railroad, Inc., has acquired a 43-mile line from Central of Georgia Railroad, a Norfolk Southern subsidiary. The new line will expand the Dawson, Ga.-based railroad's network to more than 270 miles of owned and leased track, and 70-plus miles of track under access agreements in Georgia and Alabama. In addition, it will serve Hamilton, Pine Mountain, Durand, and Greenville, Ga., and provide service to the Georgia Pacific facility at Durand. [railwayage.com, 6-9-05]
NJY DROPS PLAN FOR BERGEN LIGHT-RAIL: NJ Transit on June 8 scrapped its decade-old plan to extend the Hudson County light rail line deep into Bergen County and instead intends to run diesel trains from Tenafly as part of a project that would cost $500-million. NJ Transit administrators said they decided to move ahead with the alternative using the diesel multiple-unit rail cars, known as DMUs, because the job would cost half as much and could be done more quickly. Transit officials have not put a time frame on the diesel project, but say it would take less than seven years. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 6-9-05, from Newark Star-Ledger website article by Joe Malinconico]
SEATTLE MONORAIL NEGOTIATES CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT: Seattle Monorail Project (SMP) officials recently negotiated a contract with Cascadia Monorail L.L.C. to construct the Green Line. The final contract is expected to be signed within two weeks. The $1.6-billion project includes building an elevated, 14-mile line. Automated trains will arrive at the line's 17 stations every eight minutes; as ridership grows, SMP might reduce headways to three minutes downtown, and six minutes in West Seattle and Ballard. The agency also might add three stations to the line. The monorail system is scheduled to open in December 2010. [ProgressiveRailroading.com, 6-7-05]
CPR COMPLETES FIRST PROJECT IN WESTERN EXPANSION PROGRAM: Canadian Pacific Railway has completed the first of 25 projects under a $160-million program to increase train capacity on the railway's network between the Prairies and the Port of Vancouver. An 8,500-foot-long track has been built at CPR's Coquitlam yard near Vancouver for trains of Canadian bulk commodities destined for ocean-going ships calling at Vancouver. The new track enables CPR to stage trains close to the port until the designated ship arrives. Previously, trains awaiting ship arrival would be staged in sidings, which are valuable passing lanes alongside the mainline. The new staging track will leave sidings open for moving trains, improve locomotive utilization, enhance overall fluidity in this area and improve service to the Port of Vancouver. CPR is expanding its capacity to move more bulk commodities and resources to the Port of Vancouver for Asian markets that are hungry for Canada's raw materials. CPR is also moving increasing volumes of finished goods, shipped in containers arriving from Asia, to consumers in the U.S. and Canada. When the 25 projects are complete in the fourth quarter of 2005, CPR will be able to run an additional four trains daily - or more than 400 freight cars a day - between the Prairies and the Port of Vancouver, a 12-per-cent increase in capacity. [Canadian Pacific Railway, 6-6-05]
OKLAHOMA LEGISLATURE APPROVES FUNDS FOR HEARTLAND FLYER: The Oklahoma Legislature passed House Bill 1078 which will appropriate $2-million in both 2006 and 2007 for the operation of the Heartland flyer. The funds come from $850,000 gasoline tax plus monies from the passenger account of the Oklahoma Railroad Maintenance Revolving Fund. [National Assn. of Railroad Passengers, 6-3-05]
FRA RESEARCH ON REMOTE CONTROL CONFIRMS SAFETY CONCERNS: The Federal Railroad Administration's Office of Research and Development issued two reports on May 24, confirming significant safety concerns with remote control locomotives. In general, the FRA-sponsored research documents many of the concerns expressed by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen regarding the hazards of remote control. MORE.. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 6-3-05]
CSXI, IOWA INTERSTATE TO EXPAND CONTAINER SERVICE: On June 15, CSX Intermodal will begin moving 48-foot containers into and out of Iowa. The company recently partnered with Iowa Interstate Ltd. (IAIS) to provide service to and from Council Bluffs, Newton and West Liberty. Owned by Railroad Development Corp., the 552-mile IAIS operates between Omaha, Neb., and Chicago on the former Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific railroad mainline. [ProgressiveRailroading.com, 6-3-05]
CLASS I R.R. SERVICE METRICS DISAPPOINTING, SMITH BARNEY/CITIGROUP SAYS: In a word, the U.S. Class Is' year-to-date service metrics are "disappointing," according to Smith Barney/Citigroup's latest ground transportation research report. "In particular, average train speeds have slowed at each of the rails on a year-over-year basis despite generally unchallenging comparisons," said Smith Barney/Citigroup Managing Director and Progressive Railroading columnist Scott Flower in the report. During 2005's first 21 weeks ending May 27, average velocity stood at 24.0 mph for Kansas City Southern, down 11.1 percent; 24.0 mph for BNSF, down 5.9 percent; 19.3 mph for CSXT, down 5.9 percent; 21.9 mph for Norfolk Southern, down 5.4 percent; and 21.2 mph for Union Pacific Railroad, down 2.3 percent compared with 2004's first 21 weeks. Average trains speeds of 24.8 mph for Canadian National Railway Co. and 24.5 mph for Canadian Pacific Railway rose 3.9 percent and 1.1 percent, respectively. [ProgressiveRailroading.com, 6-3-05]
BENJAMIN BIAGGINI DIES, FORMER SOUTHERN PACIFIC PRESIDENT: Benjamin Franklin Biaggini, who started in the railroad business at the bottom and rose to become president of the Southern Pacific Co. when it was the largest transportation enterprise in California, died at his San Francisco home on Saturday. He was 89. Mr. Biaggini spent his entire 47-year career working for the railroad. He was one of the last of the old-time railroad chief executives, a man who ruled his huge company with an iron hand. He almost never gave interviews, and traveled aboard a luxurious private car on the end of a special train. In 1988, The Chronicle called him "a formidable business titan." His own personal code called for "hard work and determination," and Mr. Biaggini had that quality in spades. Born in New Orleans, he began working for the railroad right out of St. Mary's University of Texas. He began with an entry-level job in the engineering department in Texas, worked his way up to the executive ranks, became vice president of the company's Texas and Louisiana lines in 1956, vice president of the whole company in 1963, and president in 1964. At the beginning of Mr. Biaggini's reign as president of the Southern Pacific, the company was the fourth largest railroad in the country, with 13,000 miles of track stretching from Oregon to Louisiana. It was also the largest single private landowner in California, with property in California and the West that was greater than the entire state of Connecticut. It had nearly 60,000 employees and revenues in the billions. The Southern Pacific, which had grown out of the first transcontinental railroad, was a huge force in California for 135 years, until the company was acquired by the Union Pacific railroad in 1996. [United Tansportation Union, 6-2-05, from San Francisco Chronicle report]
JOSEPH BOARDMAN BEGINS ROLE AS NEW FRA ADMINISTRATOR: Joseph H. Boardman will begin his new duties as the Administrator for the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) June 1, U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta announced. Mr. Boardman was nominated by President George W. Bush to be the FRA Administrator on March 17 and he received U.S. Senate confirmation on April 28. Since 1997, Mr. Boardman has served as the Commissioner of the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT). For four years he also served as the Chairman of American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials' Standing Committee on Rail Transportation. Prior to his service at the NYSDOT, Mr. Boardman was the Chief Operating Officer of Progressive Transportation Services, Inc., in Elmira, NY, a transportation company that helped provide local and regional transportation services in eleven communities across New York State. [Federal Railroad Administration, 6-1-05]
BALD KNOB, ARKANSAS, DEPOT RESTORED: The former Missouri Pacific depot in Bald Knob is being given a new life, thanks to Craig Christiansen, owner of Arkansas Traveler Hobbies. He spent 18 months renovating this historic depot and has moved his hobby shop from Pine Bluff into the renovated Bald Knob depot. The grand opening was May 7. The depot will also house a museum, mini-theater and a photograph display. [Arkansas Railroader, 6-05]
CN'S KINGHORN SUBDIVISION FOR SALE: The Canadian National Railway Co. (CN) is trying to sell one of its Northern Ontario rail lines, according to this report by Ward Holland published by the Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal. Graham Dallas, a CN spokesman, said any potential buyer would have until Febr. 6 to express their interest in buying the Kinghorn subdivision. "Certainly, if there are buyers, they will be coming to us and talking to us," Dallas said Tuesday (May 31) in an interview. The Kinghorn, a 313-kilometre line which stretches from Thunder Bay to Longlac, is owned by CN and has been used since the early 20th century. On May 15, the Kinghorn was closed to all railway traffic. Before it was shut down, two trains would travel on it each day: one from Thunder Bay to Longlac; and one in the other direction. Jim Feeny, another CN spokesman, said the company is required by law to offer the line for sale as a railway. If no other company or the government is interested in buying it, only then can the track be removed, Feeny said. [United Transportation Union, 6-1-05, from Thunjder Bay Chronicle-Journal report by Ward Holland]
GERMANY'S LNVG ORDERS MORE DOUBLE-DECK COACHES, LOCOMOTIVES: Germany's Landesnahverkehrsgesellschaft Niedersachsen (LNVG) recently awarded a $172-million contract to Bombardier Transportation to supply 78 double-deck coaches and nine locomotives. The vehicles will be delivered between May 2006 and December 2007. The order is an add-on to a contract LNVG awarded to Bombardier in 2001 for 66 double-deck coaches and 10 electric locomotives. In 2003, the railway exercised an option for 40 additional coaches and eight locomotives. [ProgressiveRailroading.com, 6-1-05]
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