Compiled by Dave Mears
(NOTE: The expression "ffd" at the end of a news item means "for
further details" and usually represents what is believe to be the most
helpful news resource if a reader wants more information on a particular item.)
(MON) General Electric's Transportation subsidiary debuted what it called a "new generation" of diesel-electric locomotives. A GE Transportation spokesman said that the new locomotives will emit 50 percent less smoke and 30 percent less nitrogen oxide in preparation for new and tougher locomotive emission standards scheduled to take effect in 2 years. (ffd: wire services)
(WED) India's capital of New Delhi opened the first 5 mile segment of its new subway system. Nearly a million persons rode the line on its first day of service. The new system will eventually total 37 miles of line by 2005. (ffd: wire services)
(WED) Russian officials announced that the Trans-Siberian rail line was now completely electrified. The officials said that the final 109 miles of electrification were completed last month, making the 5,578 mile-long route the world's longest electrified rail line. Electrification of the Trans-Siberian was started in 1928 and then completed in segments over the next 74 years. (ffd: wire services)
(FRI) Washington, DC. transit operator WMATA reported its intended Metrorail subway system improvement projects for 2003. The projects include opening a new $132 million maintenance and storage yard near the system's Branch Ave. station, expansion of the current New Carrollton maintenance and storage yard and continued construction of the Red Line's new station at New York Avenue and the extension of the Blue Line to Largo, MD. The latter 2 projects are expected to be complete by 2004. (ffd: Progressive Railroading)
(THU) For the week ending December 21, U.S. carload rail traffic was up 2.1 percent from the comparable week last year, down 0.2 percent in the East, but up 4.0 percent in the West. Also for the week ending December 21, U.S. intermodal rail traffic was up 8.6 percent, Canadian carload rail traffic was down 0.8 percent, Canadian intermodal rail traffic was up 27.2 percent, Mexico's Transportacion Ferroviaria Mexicana's carload rail traffic down 5.5 percent and TFM's intermodal rail traffic was up 27.1 percent, all when ranked with the comparable period last year.
For the period January 1 through December 21 and comparing with the like period last year, U.S. carload rail traffic was down 0.8 percent and U.S. intermodal rail traffic was up 4.5 percent. U.S. intermodal rail traffic also set a new U.S. record of 9,228,856 units handled this year, beating the old record of 9,176,890 units handled in 2000. Also for the period January 1 through December 21, Canadian carload rail traffic was down 2.7 percent, Canadian intermodal rail traffic was up 11.8 percent, TFM's carload rail traffic was up 3.3 percent and TFM's intermodal rail traffic was up 10.7 percent, all when ranked with the comparable period last year. (ffd: AAR)
(THU) Pursuant to agreements made to allow future construction of a public transportation system on its right-of-way out of San Jose, CA., Union Pacific sold approximately 15 miles of the former Western Pacific's Milpitas Line to California's Santa Clara Transportation Authority. (ffd: STB)
(FRI) The Airlake Terminal Railway filed to acquire, from Empire Builder, Inc., approximately 3 miles of line serving the Airlake Industrial Park in Lakeville, MN. (ffd: STB)
None of note this week.
Compiled by Dave Mears
(NOTE: The expression "ffd" at the end of a news item means "for
further details" and usually represents what is believe to be the most
helpful news resource if a reader wants more information on a particular item.)
(SUN) A railfan observing trains at Deshler, OH.'s Crossroads Park helped rescue a driver injured in a nearby highway-rail crossing crash. Bill Shaffer, Age 39, heard of the crash at the nearby crossing while listening on the railroad radio scanner he had with him. Mr. Shaffer, who was first at the crash scene, pulled the injured driver from her car just before it became totally consumed in flames. (ffd: Toledo Blade)
(MON) Norfolk Southern detailed its 2003 capital spending plans. An NS spokesman said that it would spend $499 million for roadway maintenance and improvement projects and $246 million for equipment. Including in the equipment spending is $183 million to purchase $100 6-axle locomotives and to continue upgrading multi-level freight cars. (ffd: NS Corp.)
(MON) Dallas, TX.'s Dallas Area Rapid Transit extended its light rail system several more miles to Plano, TX. The new extension follows an extension opened approximately 3 weeks ago to Garland, TX. (ffd: Plano Star Courier)
(MON) East Japan Railway opened an extension of its Shinkansen "bullet train" service, from Morioka to Hachinohe on Northern Honshu Island. The new segment extends Shinkansen service 59 more miles, totaling 348 miles from Tokyo north to Hachinohe. (ffd: wire services)
(TUE) Amtrak resumed serving Kansas City, MO. Union Station, which had recently undergone a $250 million publicly funding renovation to become a municipal center and attraction. Amtrak had stopped using the station in 1985, shifting its operation to a small building beneath Kansas City's Main Street viaduct. A formal dedication of the new rail station component of the Union Station facility was scheduled for December 17. (ffd: wire services)
(TUE) A Cuban passenger train carrying more than 800 persons derailed and crashed at the Coliseo, Cuba station, approximately 75 miles southeast of Havana. The accident killed 14 persons and injured more than 70 others. The cause of the accident was still under investigation at press time. (ffd: wire services)
(WED) New Jersey Transit's Board of Directors approved purchase of 100 new bi-level rail cars. The new cars, which will be designed to fit through Amtrak's Hudson River tunnels and on all NJT lines, will cost $250 million and begin being delivered in 2005. The cars will be built by Bombardier of Canada. (ffd: New York Times)
(WED) Trailer Train announced that it would double its previously announced 2003 rail car acquisitions. A TTX spokesman said that it would now also spend $247 million to acquire flat cars and 60-foot, cushioned boxcars. TTX had previously announced that it would spend $247 million to acquire 500 stand-alone, 53-foot, doublestack cars and 200 three-unit, articulated, 53-foot, doublestack cars in 2003. TTX is owned by North America's 9 largest railroads and operates a fleet totaling 127,000 freight cars. (ffd: TTX Corp.)
(WED) The U.S. Federal Railroad Administration announced grants of $5.4 million for "grade crossing hazard elimination programs." The grants are to improve crossings in 5 federally-designated, high-speed passenger rail corridors in 10 U.S. states. (ffd: USDOT)
(WED) Amtrak announced that it was increasing its base group discount from 5 percent to 20 percent for groups of 20 or more traveling together. The discount is applicable to the lowest fare available at time of booking. In a related matter, an Amtrak spokesman also reminded that Amtrak now gives travel agents a 10 percent commission when they book passengers onto Amtrak's long-distance trains. (ffd: Amtrak)
(THU) Boston, MA.' s Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority awarded the Mass Bay Commuter Railroad Company the franchise to operate MBTA commuter rail services beginning in Summer, 2003. The Mass Bay consortium consists of European passenger rail operator Connex, Canada's Bombardier Transportation and Boston-based Alternate Concepts, which employs a number of former MBTA officials. An MBTA spokesman said that the awarded contract, which totals $1.1 billion and runs for 5 years, will save MBTA $59 million and give them tighter control over commuter rail services. Mass Bay will take over from the current commuter rail operator, Amtrak, which declined to offer a new bid due to disagreement over contract stipulations. (ffd: Boston Herald)
(THU) Amtrak announced that it would no longer operate its Trains 43 and 44, the "Pennsylvanian," west of Pittsburgh, PA. starting January 28, 2003. However, the trains will continue to operate daily between New York, NY., Philadelphia, PA. and Pittsburgh. Industry analysts noted that the train carried only a few passenger cars and had been scheduled primarily to include express boxcar traffic, which Amtrak has announced it will no longer carry. (ffd: NARP)
(THU) Canadian Pacific Railway CEO Robert Ritchie said that CPR expected sales growth of between 3 and 4 percent in 2003. Mr. Ritchie also called for Canadian government help in expanding the rail corridor between Montreal, PQ. and Toronto, ON. Mr. Ritchie noted that it would cost approximately $2 billion to add another rail line between the 2 cities, of which Mr. Ritchie said CPR would contribute $100 million, versus $10 billion to build new highway capacity. (ffd: The Canadian Press)
(FRI) The Pennsylvania local of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees filed a class action suit against Norfolk Southern in federal court alleging that NS mismanagement had cost BMWE participants in NS's 401K plan millions of dollars. In a prepared statement, Jed Dodd, General Chairman of the Pennsylvania Federation BMWE, accused NS CEO David Goode of "attempting to bury bad business decisions in the employees' 401K plan." In response, an NS spokesman termed the lawsuit "surprising", adding that the BMWE had not yet approached NS about this matter. (ffd: Philadelphia Inquirer, wire services)
(FRI) The Railway Supply Association and the Railway Progress Institute announced the formal approval of their proposed merger. The merged entity will now be called The Railway Supply Institute and begin existence on January 1, 2003. In a related matter, a spokesman announced that one of the new entity's first public undertakings will be to help sponsor "Railroad Day On The Hill," in which rail industry representatives "will meet with as many congressional offices that represent rail industry constituents as possible." The event is scheduled for February 26, 2003. (ffd: Railway Age)
(THU) For the week ending December 7, U.S. carload rail traffic was down 0.4 percent from the comparable week last year, down 6.8 percent in the East, but up 4.8 percent in the West. This week this year versus this week last year, notable traffic increases included metallic ores up 53.5 percent, coke up 31.9 percent and chemicals up 10.8 percent; notable traffic decreases included crushed stone, sand and gravel down 15.9 percent, motor vehicles and equipment down 11.5 percent and primary forest products down 9.0 percent. Also for the week ending December 7, U.S. intermodal rail traffic was up 4.8 percent, Canadian carload rail traffic was down 3.4 percent, Canadian intermodal rail traffic was up 18.5 percent, Mexico's Transportacion Ferroviaria Mexicana's carload rail traffic was up 11.9 percent and TFM's intermodal rail traffic was up 37.4 percent, all when ranked with the comparable week last year.
For the period January 1 through December 7, U.S. carload rail traffic was down 0.9 percent, U.S. intermodal rail traffic was up 4.3 percent, Canadian carload rail traffic was down 2.7 percent, Canadian intermodal rail traffic was up 11.2 percent, TFM's carload rail traffic was up 3.7 percent and TFM's intermodal rail traffic was up 10.5 percent, all when ranked with the comparable period last year. (ffd: AAR)
(WED) Union Pacific announced that it had sold, to the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, approximately 15 miles of former Western Pacific line between San Jose, CA. and Fremont, CA. The sale, for $80 million, also gives the VTA a 1-year option to purchase an additional 3 miles of track immediately south of the 15 mile segment. (ffd: UP Corp.)
(MON) CSX Chairman John Snow was nominated by President Bush to become the new U.S. Secretary of the Treasury. If confirmed by Congress, Mr. Snow will replace Paul O'Neill, who left that post the previous week. In expectation of confirmation, Mr. Snow announced his retirement from CSX on Tuesday. Industry analysts speculated that CSX President Michael Ward was the top candidate to replace Mr. Snow as CSX chairman. (ffd: wire services)
(WED) Philadelphia, PA. transit and commuter rail operator SEPTA appointed Susan Van Buren Assistant General Manager & Chief Human Resource Officer and Juan Torres Assistant General Manager for Public & Government Affairs. (ffd: SEPTA)
(FRI) Canadian National appointed Hunter Harrison President & CEO. Mr. Harrison, who has been CN's EVP & COO since 1998, replaces Paul Tellier, who resigned to become head of rail equipment manufacturer Bombardier. Mr. Tellier replaced Robert Brown, who resigned as CEO of Bombardier the previous week.
Compiled by Dave Mears
(NOTE: The expression "ffd" at the end of a news item means "for
further details" and usually represents what is believe to be the most
helpful news resource if a reader wants more information on a particular item.)
(MON) Burlington Northern Santa Fe announced that it would contract with Alstom Transport for the maintenance of 434 EMD SD70MAC-type diesel locomotives based out of BNSF's Alliance, NE. locomotive shops. Under the terms of the contract, which is valued at $421 million over a 12-year period, BNSF employees will perform maintenance work under Alstom management. A spokesman said that this is Alstom's first locomotive maintenance contract of this size and scope with a U.S. Class 1 railroad and that final details of the contract agreement were still being worked out. (ffd: Railway Age)
(TUE) Amtrak announced a "Buy Two, Get One Free" offer for travel on its Acela Express or Metroliner trains. The offer, which requires enrollment in Amtrak's Guest Rewards frequent flyer-type program, gives those taking 2 roundtrips or 4 one-way trips on these trains between Boston, MA., New York, NY. and Washington, DC. a free round-trip travel certificate, which they may use or give to family or friends. Later in the week, Amtrak announced that it would make available for bid on eBay a limited number of tickets on a variety of Amtrak routes, as part of a three-month trial promotion. (ffd: Amtrak)
(WED) Via Rail Canada conceded that it was incurring operational problems with its new Renaissance passenger cars recently placed in service, attendant with the onset of the Canadian winter. The cars were originally built for but never used in English Channel tunnel service and 139 of them were sold to Via for $125 million. Canadian engineers examining the problems suggested that the cars were designed for Western European winters less harsh than those in Canada and would likely need to be retrofitted with small heaters placed near doors and other problem areas. (ffd: Kingston Whig-Standard)
(THU) The Association of American Railroads released the 2002 edition of its annual Railroad Facts booklet. Among the facts highlighted in this year's edition are that Class 1 U.S. railroads moved a record 1.5 trillion ton-miles of freight in 2001, that revenue per ton-mile has dropped in 9 of the past 10 years and that rail freight traffic per route mile has tripled over the past 20 years. The 80 page booklet, which costs $15 for non-AAR members and $5 per copy for AAR member railroads, may be ordered from the AAR by mail, fax, phone or through AAR's website. (ffd: AAR)
(FRI) The U.S. Federal Railroad Administration conducted a workshop in Washington, DC. on how to apply for Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Finance loans. Noting earlier criticism of the loan program for its complexity, Federal Railroad Administrator Allan Rutter said that "the industry has yet to take full advantage of the [loan] program. This workshop is designed to take the mystery out of the application process and encourage greater participation." (ffd: USDOT)
(THU) For the week ending November 30 - which this year included the Thanksgiving Holiday but last year, in the comparable week, did not - U.S. carload rail traffic was down 13.9 percent, down 26.4 percent in the East and down 3.2 percent in the West. Also for the week ending November 30, U.S. intermodal rail traffic was down 11.2 percent, Canadian carload rail traffic was down 9.5 percent and Canadian intermodal rail traffic was up 16.5 percent, all ranking with the comparable week last year.
For the month of November, 2002, U.S. carload rail traffic was up 0.8 percent, comparing with November, 2001. This November versus last November, notable traffic increases included metallic ores up 38.6 percent, coke up 21.6 percent and waste and scrap materials up 10.4 percent; notable traffic decreases included crushed stone, sand and gravel down 7.9 percent, grain mill products down 6.0 percent and coal down 3.5 percent. Also for the month of November, 2002, U.S. intermodal rail traffic was up 6.4 percent, Canadian carload rail traffic was down 3.2 percent, Canadian intermodal rail traffic was up 19.8 percent, Mexico's Transportacion Ferroviaria Mexicana's carload rail traffic was up 45.0 percent and TFM's intermodal rail traffic was up 129.0 percent, all when ranked with November, 2001.
For the period January 1 through November 30, U.S. carload rail traffic was down 0.9 percent, U.S. intermodal rail traffic was up 4.2 percent, Canadian carload rail traffic was down 2.7 percent, Canadian intermodal rail traffic was up 11.0 percent, TFM's carload rail traffic was up 14.9 percent and TFM's intermodal rail traffic was up 33.0 percent, all when ranked with the comparable period last year. (ffd: AAR)
(THU) Norfolk Southern filed to abandon approximately 7 miles of line between Wyatt, VA. and Jewell Valley, VA. (ffd: STB)
(FRI) Union Pacific formally filed to abandon several line segments which it has sold to the Utah Transit Authority for potential future use for regional commuter rail services. The line segments for which abandonments were filed this date are approximately 24 miles of the Salt Lake Subdivision Line between Valencia, UT. and Ogden, UT., approximately 6 miles of the Bingham Industrial Lead between Bagley, UT. and Lead Mine, UT. and approximately 4 miles of the Provo Industrial Lead between Cutler, UT. and Mount, UT. (ffd: STB)
(TUE) Roger Nober was designated chairman of the U.S. Surface Transportation Board. Mr. Nober, who was previously Counselor to the Deputy Secretary of Transportation, succeeds Linda Morgan as chairman, whose term had expired. Mr. Nober's term runs through December 31, 1995. (ffd: STB)
(THU) Amtrak appointed William Crosbie SVP-Operations. Mr. Crosbie, who was previously the general superintendent of subway transportation for the Toronto, ON. Transit Commission, succeeds Stan Bagley, who resigned from that position on September 16. Amtrak also announced that the retirement of its Western Region General Manager Bill Duggan and the resignation of its Eastern Region General Manager Lynn Bowersox. Amtrak further announced that, following the departure of Mr. Duggan and Ms. Bowersox, their regional general manager positions have been abolished and that the Amtrak division general superintendents will now report directly to Amtrak VP-Operations Ed Walker. (ffd: Amtrak, NARP)
(THU) Regional and shortline conglomerate RailAmerica announced the appointment of Michael Howe as SVP & CFO. Mr. Howe, who was previously RailAmerica's VP & Treasurer, succeeds Bennett Marks, who recently left the company. RailAmerica also announced the following further appointments: Larry Bush to VP & Treasurer, Wayne August to VP-Administration & Investor Relations, Peter Turrell SVP-International Rail Group and Scott Williams to SVP & General Counsel. (ffd: RailAmerica)
Compiled by Dave Mears
(NOTE: The expression "ffd" at the end of a news item means "for
further details" and usually represents what is believe to be the most
helpful news resource if a reader wants more information on a particular item.)
(MON) The Chicago Transit Authority began use of its farecard to supplement fare tokens. A CTA spokesman said that the card, called "The Chicago Card" and which can be bought in varying values, has a 4 year life and greater durability than the magnetic strip cards used on other city transit systems. (ffd: wire services)
(MON) The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced that they were postponing indefinitely the scheduled opening of the JFK Airport AirTrain elevated line. The new line, which will first link the airport with the Howard Beach subway station and, later, with the Long Island Rail Road's Jamaica train station, was to have begun operation later this year. The postponement follows a testing accident on the line which killed a test train operator. (ffd: wire services)
(TUE) Canadian National announced that it would cut approximately 5 percent of its workforce. A CN spokesman said that the cuts would come mainly through attrition and retirement. "We take no joy in announcing these permanent job reductions, but CN must leave no stone unturned in this productivity initiative," said CN CEO Paul Tellier. (ffd: CN Corp.)
(TUE) The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board called for improvements in U.S. Department of Transportation data collection programs. The NTSB said that it was calling for the improvements in order to "better monitor accident risks, support the analysis of risk factors and evaluate the effectiveness of accident prevention strategies." The NTSB's call stemmed from a special study undertaken to examine data quality issues within the government's transportation agencies. (ffd: USDOT)
(WED) A key New York State official criticized Amtrak for delaying projects and demanding too much money from the state. In a letter to Amtrak that was released to the New York Times, State Transportation Commissioner Joseph Boardman cited actions that included Amtrak's refusal to accept for service several recently rebuilt Turbotrains targeted for Empire Corridor Service. Mr. Boardman noted that New York State had so far invested more than $100 million for high-speed rail service in that corridor. An Amtrak spokesman declined immediate comment. (ffd: New York Times)
(WED) Railroads began curtailing freight operations for the Thanksgiving Holiday. Of special note, Burlington Northern Santa Fe said that it would curtail all but its most critical rail operations between 10AM and 2PM on Thanksgiving Day, in order to give employees a chance to share Thanksgiving dinner with their families. (ffd: BNSF Corp.)
(FRI) A coalition that included passenger rail advocates, state transportation officials, rail suppliers, the United Transportation Union and representatives of the rail freight industry announced the results of a joint meeting held November 15. The coalition, representing organizations from New England to Texas, called for a 4 point plan that they said must be part of future federal transportation funding legislation. The 4 points are 1) a dedicated, multi-year capital-funding program patterned after the existing federal, highway, airport and mass-transit funding programs 2) a specific agency within USDOT devoted exclusively to overseeing the funding, management and policy development of a national passenger rail system 3) preservation of the current nationwide interconnected passenger rail system and its improvement and expansion 4) full funding of Amtrak so that it can effectively manage, market and operate the national passenger rail system. (ffd: National Corr! idors Initiative website)
(FRI) Virginia state officials announced that the first phase of rehabilitation of Richmond, VA.'s Main Street Station was nearing completion. The officials said that Amtrak passenger trains would begin serving the former Chesapeake & Ohio station, which is close to downtown Richmond but was closed in 1975, beginning in April, 2003. The officials added that a second phase of improvements, which will increase track capacity at and near the station, was expected to be complete by 2005. (ffd: Richmond Times Dispatch)
(THU) For the week ending November 23 - and largely due to the Thanksgiving Holiday last year falling on the comparable week - U.S. carload rail traffic was up 23.6 percent from that comparable week last year, up 35.0 percent in the East and up 16.0 percent in the West. Also for the week ending November and ranked with the comparable week last year, U.S. intermodal rail traffic was up 36.6 percent, Canadian carload rail traffic was up 5.6 percent, Canadian intermodal rail traffic was up 29.2 percent, Mexico's Transportation Ferroviaria Mexicana's carload rail traffic was up 27.9 percent and TFM's intermodal rail traffic was down 8.7 percent.
For the period January 1 through November 23, U.S. carload rail traffic was down 0.6 percent, U.S. intermodal rail traffic was up 4.6 percent, Canadian carload rail traffic was down 2.5 percent, Canadian intermodal rail traffic was up 10.9 percent, TFM's carload rail traffic was up 3.3 percent and TFM's intermodal rail traffic was up 8.4 percent, all when ranked with the comparable period last year. (ffd: AAR)
(WED) Union Pacific filed to abandon approximately 1 mile of line between Lakewood, CA. and Long Beach, CA. (ffd: STB)
(WED) Robert Grindrod was appointed president of the Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railroad, which has purchased the Bangor & Aroostook Railroad and affiliated companies and will begin operating them December 31. Mr. Grindrod was previously the Wisconsin Central's AVP-Equipment Management. (ffd: Railway Age)
(WED) Richard Grayson passed away at Age 81, in St. Louis, MO., from complications following open heart surgery. Mr. Grayson was CEO of Burlington Northern from 1980 through 1985. He started his railroad career in 1941 as a brakeman on the Frisco Railway, which BN acquired in 1980. (ffd: Railway Age)
Compiled by Dave Mears
(NOTE: The expression "ffd" at the end of a news item means "for
further details" and usually represents what is believe to be the most
helpful news resource if a reader wants more information on a particular item.)
(MON) Norfolk Southern suffered and on-duty employee fatality. Dennis Sellers, Age 49, was fatally injured when a hydraulic ramp collapsed on him. The accident occurred at NS's Enola, PA. rail yard. (ffd: wire services)
(MON) A scheduled arbitration hearing concerning locomotive remote control devices commenced in Cleveland, OH. The hearing, which included representatives from rail carriers, the United Transportation Union and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, seeks to determine what craft may operate the remote control devices. Arguments concluded later in the week, with a decision expected by the end of the year. (ffd: BofLE News)
(MON) Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Norfolk Southern jointly introduced a new service assurance program for selected refrigerated carload traffic. The program, which is from selected cities in the Pacific Northwest to the Midwest, Northeast and Southeast, allows shippers to purchase service assurance for a $500 carload premium. If that carload does not reach its destination on time, BNSF and NS will reimburse the shipper $1,000. (ffd: BNSF Corp., NS Corp.)
(MON) Dallas Area Rapid Transit opened a new extension of its light rail system. The extension, totaling 4.6 miles in length, is from the LBJ/Skillman Station northeast to Garland, TX. (ffd: NARP)
(MON) Kansas City Southern began a project to install power-assisted switches on its "dark territory" Vicksburg and Meridian Subdivisions lines. While KCS's System Transportation Center will continue to direct train movements on the lines, the switches will allow their remote control by train crews aboard approaching trains instead of their being hand-thrown on the ground. KCS SVP-Operations Jerry Heavin said that the new switches will "allow KCS to further reduce the risk of personal injuries, while at the same time expediting train meets." (ffd: KCS Corp.)
(TUE) Canadian Pacific Railway President Robert Ritchie criticized Canadian provinces for discriminatory policies against Canadian railways. In a speech to the Western Transportation Advisory Council, Mr. Ritchie noted that CPR pays property taxes varying from $913 per mile in one province to $8,802 per mile in another province. Mr. Ritchie called this and other related tax levies discriminatory because those who ship by truck do not have to pay, through their truck rates, property taxes for using Canadian highways. (ffd: CPR Corp.)
(TUE) Union Pacific agreed to pay the Arizona Corporation Commission a fine of $5,500 for having operated trains with only 1 engineer on 4 occasions last summer. The Commission, which polices Arizona's requirement of having 2 engine-qualified employees in an operating locomotive cab, cited UP for having a lone operator on 2 7-mile road runs and another lone operator on 2 20-mile road runs. Arizona does allow a lone operator to move cars for switching, inspection and maintenance purposes. (ffd: Arizona Daily Star)
(WED) Washington, DC.'s Metro subway system began returning newspaper recycling bins to subway stations. The bins, along with all other trash receptacles, had been removed from the stations following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. (ffd: wire services)
(THU) New York, NY.'s subway system suffered 2 on-duty employee fatalities in 2 successive days. On Thursday, Signal Maintainer Joy Antony was struck by a subway train while inspecting a signal control box. On Friday, Station Maintainer Kurien Baby was struck by a subway train while cleaning and changing lights on a subway system platform. The fatalities led the New York City Transit Authority to temporarily suspend maintenance activity, so that safety procedures could be validated. (ffd: wire services)
(THU) Amtrak countersued the Bombardier and Alstom consortium for what it called "extraordinary delays and pervasive failures" in carrying out the contract to build 20 Acela Express trainsets. The countersuit follows a suit launched by Bombardier last November that alleged that actions on the part of Amtrak brought about those trainset delivery and operational failures. The Amtrak countersuit seeks more than $200 million in damages from Bombardier and Alstom. (ffd: wire services)
(THU) Great Lakes Transportation LLC announced a restructuring of their Bessemer & Lake Erie and Pittsburgh & Conneaut Dock Railroads. Included in the restructuring is the relocation of key B&LE commercial and operating personnel to Greenville, PA. and the relocation of similar key P&C Dock personnel to Conneaut, OH. (ffd: ASLRRA)
(THU) WMATA, Washington, DC.'s bus and rail transit operating authority, approved future construction of a new Metrorail subway line from the current West Falls Church, VA. to Dulles International Airport via Tysons Corner, VA. A WMATA spokesman said that the new line, which as yet has no funding basis, would likely cost approximately $3.3 billion and was projected for completion by 2010. (ffd: Washington Post)
(THU) Burlington Northern Santa Fe transported what it said were the largest multiple load shipments ever carried on U.S. and Canadian Railways. A BNSF spokesman said that the loads were aboard a special BNSF train that left the Port of Duluth-Superior, MN. carrying 7 520-ton pieces of equipment on 14 12-axle rail cars and 2 200-ton pieces of equipment on 2 8-axle rail cars. The shipments were delivered to Ft. McMurray, AB., Canada, for use at an oil extraction plant. (ffd: BNSF Corp.)
(FRI) The U.S. Railroad Retirement Board announced an enhancement to its website. An RRB spokesman said that the enhancement will compute a railroad employee's service and compensation history. Further details are available on the website at www.rrb.gov. (ffd: RRB)
(FRI) Several railroads announced operation of traditional special holiday trains. CSX announced that its "Santa Special" would operate between Shelby, KY. and Kingsport, TN. on Saturday, November 23. Canadian Pacific Railway announced that its U.S. holiday train would start from Scranton, PA. on December 3; CPR is also operating a similar holiday train through Canada. And Kansas City Southern announced that its "Holiday Express" would operate on a to-be-announced schedule through 7 states, stopping in 23 communities. (ffd: CSX Corp., CPR Corp., KCS Corp.)
(THU) For the week ending November 16, U.S. carload rail traffic was down 0.2 from the comparable week last year, down 1.8 percent in the East and up 1.1 percent in the West. This week this year versus this week last year, notable traffic increases included metallic ores up 20.7 percent, waste and scrap materials up 9.8 percent and metals and metal products up 7.5 percent; notable traffic decreases included primary forest products down 13.9 percent, crushed stone, sand and gravel down 13.2 percent and grain down 10.6 percent. Also for the week ending November 16, U.S. intermodal rail traffic was up 5.4 percent, Canadian carload rail traffic was down 1.0 percent, Canadian intermodal rail traffic was up 19.2 percent, Mexico's Transportacion Ferroviaria Mexicana's carload rail traffic was up 10.4 percent and TFM's intermodal rail traffic was up 58.1 percent, all when ranked with the comparable week last year.
For the period January 1 through November 16, U.S. carload rail traffic was down 1.0 percent, U.S. intermodal rail traffic was up 4.1 percent, Canadian carload rail traffic was down 2.7 percent, Canadian intermodal rail traffic was up 10.5 percent, TFM's carload rail traffic was up 2.9 percent and TFM's intermodal rail traffic was up 8.9 percent, all when ranked with the comparable period last year. (ffd: AAR)
(TUE) Burlington Northern Santa Fe granted overhead trackage rights to Union Pacific between Argo, WA. and Black River, WA., totaling approximately 6 miles. Also, UP granted overhead trackage rights to BNSF between Rhodes, WA. and Black River, WA., totaling approximately 3 miles. The purpose of these trackage rights grants is to accommodate planned enhancements to commuter rail service between Seattle, WA. and Tacoma, WA. (ffd: AAR)
(WED) Norfolk Southern received preliminary environmental consideration approval from the U.S. Surface Transportation Board for its proposal to build a new line between Saltsburg, PA. and Clarksburg, PA., totaling approximately 6 miles, to serve a power plant facility. (ffd: STB)
(THU) The Indiana Northeastern Railroad filed to acquire, from the Branch and St. Joseph Counties Rail Users Association, and operate approximately 25 miles of line between Coldwater, MI. and Sturgis, MI. (ffd: STB)
(FRI) Union Pacific filed to abandon approximately 77 miles of its Phoenix Subdivision between Roll, AZ. and Arlington, AZ. (ffd: STB)
None of note this week.
Compiled by Dave Mears
(NOTE: The expression "ffd" at the end of a news item means "for
further details" and usually represents what is believe to be the most
helpful news resource if a reader wants more information on a particular item.)
(SUN) A string of tornadoes hit the U.S. Midwest. In East Hamler, OH., a CSX intermodal train consisting primarily of empty containers was struck by a tornado, which scattered many of the containers off the train and onto the right-of-way. In Fostoria, OH., another CSX train was struck by a tornado, which derailed a multi-level car, fouling both tracks of the CSX main line. No crewpersons were injured in either incident. (ffd: CRTS)
(MON) Los Angeles, CA. area commuter rail operator Metrolink extended service on its Ventura County Line 5 miles from Oxnard, CA. to Montalvo, CA. 2 roundtrips a day now serve the new Montalvo station, which is adjacent to a Metrolink train storage yard. (ffd: NARP)
(MON) Amtrak announced that, for the Thanksgiving Holiday week, it would add additional cars to its trains totaling 50,000 additional passenger seats. Amtrak also announced that during the holiday week nearly all Northeast Corridor trains would be all-reserved, as would Empire Corridor and Surfliner Corridor trains, the latter two services being all-reserved for the first time during a holiday period. The Thanksgiving Holiday is customarily Amtrak's busiest holiday period. (ffd: Amtrak)
(WED) The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey unveiled the first tentative designs for a permanent PATH subway station at the World Trade Center site. The permanent station will follow a temporary station at the site now under construction. A PANYNJ spokesman cautioned that the design plans, which include new access links to neighboring New York City subway lines, were tentative and would likely change as a master plan is developed for rebuilding the World Trade Center site. (ffd: BofLE News, New York Times)
(WED) CSX introduced its newly redesigned corporate website. The new website consolidates all earlier CSX and subsidiary websites and related online applications, such as ShipCSX and e-business tools. (ffd: CSX Corp.)
(WED) New Jersey Transit Executive Director George Warrington announced that the NJT board had approved expansion of the Hudson-Bergen light rail line further north and south. Mr. Warrington said that the southern expansion will extend the line to 8th Street in Bayonne, NJ. and that the northern expansion will extend the line to an unspecified destination in Bergen County, possibly Tenafly, NJ. An existing expansion project for the line is already underway - south to 21st St. in Bayonne and north to North Bergen, NJ. - which is expected to be complete and operational by 2005. (ffd: wire services)
(THU) U.S. Senator John McCain, who will head the Republican controlled Senate's Commerce Committee in January, reiterated his earlier opposition to continued large and long-term subsidies for Amtrak. "Forever subsidization of Amtrak is nothing this senator will ever support", Senator McCain said. However, the senator added that he was pleased with new Amtrak President David Gunn, saying that "he was doing a much better job of making tough decisions" than his predecessor, George Warrington. Mr. McCain replaces Democrat Ernest Hollings as head of the Senate Commerce Committee, which has Senate jurisdiction over Amtrak. (ffd: wire services)
(THU) The membership of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees rejected a proposed merger with the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers. A total of 54 percent of BMWE's voting membership voted against the proposed merger with the IBB. A similar merger proposal was rejected by the BMWE in September, 2001. (ffd: Progressive Railroading)
(THU) Construction began on a new Amtrak maintenance facility in West Oakland, CA. The $65 million project is being funded jointly by Amtrak and Caltrans and is expected to be complete by 2004. The new facility will allow Amtrak to vacate part of a Union Pacific rail yard and, also, end the practice of sending some locomotives to Los Angeles, CA. for maintenance. (ffd: NARP)
(FRI) CSX suffered an on-duty employee fatality. Gary Oak, Age 51, was driving a CSX vehicle across tracks in CSX's Queensgate Yard near Cincinnati, OH. when it was struck by a cut of freight cars. Mr. Oak was a lead carman with 29 years service on CSX and predecessor railroads. (ffd: CRTS)
(FRI) The U.S. Surface Transportation Board announced that it was ending as scheduled its special 3 year study of rail freight rates in the Buffalo, NY. area, which the STB mandated as a part of CSX's and Norfolk Southern's co-takeover of Conrail in 1999. In a prepared statement, the STB said that it had found that rail freight rates for Buffalo area shippers had not changed significantly during the last 3 years and that, inflation adjusted, they are generally lower than rates in effect for comparable movements prior to the June 1, 1999 Conrail split-up. (ffd: STB)
(THU) For the week ending November 9, U.S. carload rail traffic was down 2.4 percent from the comparable week last year, down 3.0 percent in the East and down 2.0 percent in the West. This week this year versus this week last year, notable traffic increases included metallic ores up 54.3 percent, waste and scrap material up 7.9 percent and lumber and wood products up 6.4 percent; notable traffic decreases included non-grain farm products down 38.1 percent, coal down 8.1 percent and grain down 7.1 percent. Also for the week ending November 9, U.S. intermodal rail traffic was up 2.6 percent, Canadian carload rail traffic was down 7.1 percent, Canadian intermodal rail traffic was up 14.9 percent, Mexico's Transportacion Ferroviaria Mexicana's carload rail traffic was down 2.9 percent and TFM's intermodal rail traffic was up 13.8 percent, all when ranked with the comparable week last year.
For the period January 1 through November 9, U.S. carload rail traffic was down 1.1 percent, U.S. intermodal rail traffic was up 4.0 percent, Canadian carload rail traffic was down 2.8 percent, Canadian intermodal rail traffic was up 10.3 percent, TFM's carload rail traffic was up 2.7 percent and TFM's intermodal rail traffic was up 8.0 percent, all when ranked with the comparable period last year. (ffd: AAR)
(THU) Burlington Northern Santa Fe filed to abandon approximately 1 mile of line in Ottawa, KS. (ffd: STB)
(THU) Santa Maria Valley Railroad filed to abandon approximately 5 miles of line in Santa Maria, CA. (ffd: STB)
(FRI) Union Pacific granted overhead trackage rights to Canadian National-Illinois Central over approximately 10 miles of UP line between Kinmundy, IL. and Salem, IL. UP granted the rights so that CN-IC could interchange with the UP at Salem. (ffd: STB)
None of note this week.
(CORRECTION: In WRR for the week ending November 2, I mentioned that "New York State announced that it would raise clearances on the Metro North Railroad's Hudson Line to accommodate double stack freight trains." As it turns out, this was an overstatement. Corrections were received from WRR Readers David Nelson and Jack Madden, the latter advising that "as part of the $40 million from PANYNJ, NYSDOT AND MTA-MNR, MNR station pedestrian bridges, which are being replaced in the PA territory on the Hudson Line, will be raised to 23' 0" and about 4 highway bridges will also be raised to allow clearance for future double stack. This won't vertically clear the Hudson Line route to the Oak Point Link for double stack, but it is a start in that direction." Come to think of it, $40 million did seem a little light for retrofitting the entire line for double stack! My thanks to Dave and Jack for their updates.)
Compiled by Dave Mears
(NOTE: The expression "ffd" at the end of a news item means "for
further details" and usually represents what is believe to be the most
helpful news resource if a reader wants more information on a particular item.)
(MON) CSX announced that it was planning a $6 million expansion of its Williams St. intermodal rail terminal in Buffalo, NY. CSX spokesman John Casellini said that it would seek a total of $3 million in state funding for the project, New York State already having committed $1 million of that amount. Mr. Casellini added that Williams St. was the fastest growing CSX intermodal terminal in its Northeastern U.S. region, having experienced a 21 percent growth in business in the last 12 months. (ffd: Buffalo News)
(TUE) Voters around the country decided the fate of several regional transportation initiatives. In Miami-Dade County, FL., voters approved a half cent sales tax increase to expand mass transit, including commuter rail. In Seattle, WA., voters approved $1.75 billion to expand Seattle's famed monorail, opened on the occasion of the 1962 Seattle World's Fair, from West Seattle to Ballard, totaling 14 miles. However in Cincinnati-Hamilton County, OH., voters rejected a half cent sales tax increase to build a light rail system and expand bus transit. (ffd: NARP, wire services)
(TUE) Canadian Pacific Railway CEO Robert Ritchie said that expanded rail freight and passenger use could do much to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Canada. Relating to Canada's effort to comply with terms of the Kyoto Protocol, Mr. Ritchie noted that the "environmental benefits of rail are too significant to ignore." Mr. Ritchie made his remarks to the Calgary, AB. Chamber of Commerce. (ffd: CPR Corp.)
(TUE) In a presentation to investors and analysts, Canadian National CEO Paul Tellier noted that CN will this year see more revenue from rail operations within the U.S. than it will from rail operations within Canada. Noting CN's recent acquisition of the Wisconsin Central and its earlier acquisition of the Illinois Central, Mr. Tellier said that 26 percent of CN's revenue this year would come from within U.S. borders and 24 percent from within Canadian borders, while 32 percent would come from business between the 2 countries and 18 percent from business to and from seaports. (ffd: CN Corp.)
(TUE) Burlington Northern Santa Fe announced that it had completed installation of "Idaho shield" warning devices at 150 grade crossings in New Mexico. A BNSF spokesman said that the devices were placed at crossings equipped with only crossbuck warning signs. The devices, which are placed under the crossbucks, warn motorists in both directions by reflecting light from approaching trains and oncoming vehicles back in the vision of motorists. (ffd: Progressive Railroading)
(WED) CSX suffered an on-duty employee fatality, but which did not occur while engaging in train operations. A CSX conductor was killed while being transported in a jitney, which collided with another vehicle near the entrance to CSX's North Bergen intermodal terminal. The crash also seriously injured a CSX engineer also riding in the jitney. (ffd: CRTS)
(WED) The U.S. Surface Transportation Board announced that it had concluded the 3rd year of its 5 year general oversight of the co-takeover of Conrail by CSX and Norfolk Southern. In a prepared statement, the STB said that service problems earlier in the takeover haven't recurred, imposed conditions are working as intended and that there are no competitive or market dominance problems. The STB statement went on to refer to the Conrail takeover as "perhaps the most complicated railroad merger transaction in American history" and that "certain parties still have concerns about its future course." (ffd: STB)
(WED) The Detroit, MI. city council adopted a resolution banning the use of remotely controlled locomotives within city limits. The resolution further called for the U.S. Federal Railroad Administration to adopt comprehensive regulations governing the use of remote control technology. (ffd: BofLE)
(WED) Britain's rail oversight board, the Strategic Rail Authority, awarded the Stagecoach consortium a 7 year franchise to operate Southwest England rail passenger services. An SRA spokesman said that the 7 year franchise length would replace earlier franchise awards totaling 20 years. The spokesman added that the SRA would act to revoke franchises for unsatisfactory performance and that this and future franchise awards would ensure that all of the major London rail stations were served by only one franchise. (ffd: The Guardian)
(THU) In a prepared statement, the United Transportation Union criticized U.S. railroads for the number of hours and days train employees are required to work without adequate rest. In the statement, UTU President Byron Boyd said that the situation "violates the right to a safe work place, endangers the public health and puts railroad assets in jeopardy." Adding to Mr. Boyd's statement, a UTU spokesman said that the carriers did not adequately forecast the accelerated pace of retirements resulting from railroad retirement reform and that they have had "substantial difficulty retaining potential hires once the recruits learn that it is not uncommon to work a month or longer without a day off and to be on call 24 hours a day." (ffd: Traffic World, UTU)
(THU) The Association of American Railroads and the National Grain and Feed Association announced agreement on continuing indefinitely their agreed upon rail arbitration rules. Under the agreement, NGFA member companies agree to accept arbitration for specific classes of rail disputes. An AAR spokesman said that the rules are believed to be the oldest industry-based arbitration system in North America, having been conducted for more than a century. (ffd: AAR)
(THU) The New York State Department of Transportation accepted the first of the rebuilt Rohr turbotrains for service on Amtrak's Empire Service Corridor between New York, NY. and Niagara Falls, NY. An NYDOT spokesman said that a total of 7 turbotrains are to be rebuilt by SuperSteel Schenectady Corp. of Glenville, NY. for a total cost of $98.5 million. The turbotrains originally entered service in the 1970s. (ffd: Albany Business Review)
(FRI) New York State's Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced that a projected $663 million budget gap was forcing consideration of hiking the New York City base bus and subway base fare from $1.50 to $2. The $1.50 base fare has been in place since November, 1995. An MTA spokesman said that the organization was also considering some bus, subway and commuter rail service reductions to help close the gap. (ffd: New York Post, wire services)
(FRI) In an effort to discourage graffiti artists and vandals, Australia's Queensland Rail has begun playing classical music over the loudspeakers at several railway stations into the late night. A Queensland Rail spokesman said that the music appeared to "deter young people from hanging about and getting into mischief" and that the program would likely be expanded. The spokesman added that residents near the stations had "often put in requests to hear their favorite concertos." (ffd: The Sunday Mail)
(THU) For the week ending November 2, U.S. carload rail traffic was down 4.7 percent from the comparable week last year, down 5.2 percent in the East and down 4.3 percent in the West. Also for the week ending November 2, U.S. intermodal rail traffic was up 7.4 percent, Canadian carload rail traffic was down 4.1 percent and Canadian intermodal rail traffic was up 11.4 percent, all when ranked with the comparable week last year.
For the month of October, 2002, U.S. carload rail traffic was down 1.6 percent from October, 2001. Notable traffic increases included metallic ores up 15.6 percent, motor vehicles and equipment up 6.0 percent and primary metal products up 8.3 percent; notable traffic decreases include coal down 3.9 percent, grain down 10.5 percent and crushed stone, sand and gravel down 6.8 percent. Also for the month, U.S. intermodal rail traffic was down 5.1 percent (effects of the work stoppage at West Coast ports), Canadian carload rail traffic was down 1.2 percent, Canadian intermodal rail traffic was up 13.6 percent, Mexico's Transportacion Mexicana Ferroviaria's carload rail traffic was up 49.9 percent and TFM's intermodal rail traffic was up 96.9 percent, all when compared with October last year.
The period January 1 through October 31, U.S. carload rail traffic was down 1.0 percent, U.S. intermodal rail traffic was up 4.1 percent, Canadian carload rail traffic was down 2.7 percent and Canadian intermodal rail traffic was up 10.2 percent, all when ranked with the comparable period last year. (ffd: AAR)
(MON) CSX filed to abandon approximately 3 miles of line between Painesville, OH. and Grand River, OH. (ffd: STB)
(TUE) Union Pacific and California's Valley Transportation Authority announced that UP had agreed to sell 15 miles of line through East San Jose, CA. for future mass transit use. Under the agreement, UP will retain the rights to run freight trains along the corridor, but on a separate set of tracks to be built concurrent with the line's conversion for mass transit. (San Jose Mercury News)
(WED) Norfolk Southern granted CSX trackage rights on approximately 2 miles of its Lima Running Track in Lima, OH. (ffd: STB)
(THU) The Connotton Valley Railey filed to lease, from the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway, approximately 11 miles of line between Cleveland, OH. and Glenwillow, OH. (ffd: STB)
(FRI) R.J. Corman Railroad filed to abandon approximately 4 miles of its Walden Running Track and approximately 1 mile of its JD Running Track in Erie County, NY. (ffd: STB)
None of note this week.
Compiled by Dave Mears
(NOTE: The expression "ffd" at the end of a news item means "for
further details" and usually represents what is believe to be the most
helpful news resource if a reader wants more information on a particular item.)
(MON) New York State announced that it would raise clearances on the Metro North Railroad's Hudson Line to accommodate doublestack freight trains. The project, which is being done in partnership with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, will cost approximately $40 million. Work is scheduled to begin in Spring, 2003 and is projected to be complete by the end of the year. (ffd: AAR)
(MON) Florida East Coast Industries, the parent of the Florida East Coast Railway, announced that it was discontinuing regional long-haul trucking operations. An FECI spokesman said that it would continue to operate and expand FEC intermodal train services and would also continue intermodal drayage services within a 250 mile radius of FEC intermodal terminals in Atlanta, GA. (operated in partnership with Norfolk Southern), Jacksonville, FL. and Miami, FL. (ffd: AAR)
(MON) The U.S. Federal Railroad Administration confirmed that it had issued a notice of proposed rulemaking related to accident and incident reporting. The proposed rulemaking would conform FRA accident and incident reporting to that of the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. FRA said that it would accept written comments on the proposal and also public hearing requests through November 6. (ffd: Keystone State Railroad Association Bulletin)
(TUE) CSX announced that it had begun an initiative it called "Zero Defect Management." Under the initiative, which is being administered by CSX's Customer Service Department, selected customers are assigned a CSX "service reliability official" who initiates a detailed review process that includes more than 20 service elements affecting performance and reliability. A CSX spokesman added that reliability has proven to be at least 90 percent effective at more than 140 customer facilities or traffic lanes where the initiative has been applied. (ffd: Railway Age)
(TUE) San Francisco, CA.'s Bay Area Rapid Transit System inaugurated its newly improved and expanded Daly City, CA. Shop and Maintenance Yard. A BART spokesman said that the improved and expanded facility at Daly City was part of a 10 year, $1.2 billion Systemwide Renovation Program, which also includes refurbishing 439 BART subway cars, installing new automatic fare equipment and improving and expanding all 4 BART major maintenance facilities. (ffd: UTU News)
(WED) The Port of New York and New Jersey announced that it has begun design work for a new ExpressRail intermodal facility at its Port Elizabeth-Port Newark complex. A PANYNJ spokesman said that the new 70 acre facility, which will replace ExpressRail's existing 32 acre facility, will cost $20 million to construct and is expected to be open by Spring, 2004. (ffd: JofC)
(THU) Amtrak announced that it had restored a full complement of Acela Express service between New York, NY. and Boston, MA., and for the first time since mechanical problems sidelined the high-speed trainsets beginning last summer. An Amtrak spokesman said that 9 Acela Express round trips now operate between New York and Boston and 12 round trips now operate between Washington and New York. Also and on Friday, Amtrak announced a systemwide fall travel promotion of 30 percent off best available fares, subject to certain restrictions. (ffd: AAR, Amtrak)
(THU) British Columbia's BC Rail operated the final run of its "Cariboo Prospector" passenger train between North Vancouver, BC. and Prince George, BC. The discontinuance leaves BC Rail operating only one remaining passenger train service, between Darcy, BC. and Lillooet, BC. (ffd: Canadian Press)
(THU) Amtrak, in conjunction with the Illinois Department of Transportation, operated a special test train equipped with Positive Train Control technology on Union Pacific's Chicago, IL.-St. Louis, MO. line. The PTC-equipped train attained speeds of 109.6 mph on a special 16 mile test section of the line between Normal, IL. and Lexington, IL. where the normal passenger train speed is 79 mph. An IDOT spokesman said that a 123 mile section between Springfield, IL. and Mazonia, IL. would be ready for 110 mph speeds by early 2004. (ffd: NARP, wire services)
(THU) As part of service improvement effort, Norfolk Southern's Harrisburg Division designated 7 freight trains as "Focus 7 Trains." A division notice said that the 7 trains are ranked in the bottom ten percent of all trains operating on NS. The notice went on to request all division transportation employees to assist in moving these trains in a safe and timely fashion as would allow removal of these trains and the Harrisburg Division from the worst performing list. (ffd: CRTS)
(THU) For the week ending October 26, U.S. carload rail traffic was down 0.6 percent from the comparable week last year, down 0.1 percent in the East and down 1.1 percent in the West. This week this year versus this week last year, notable traffic increases included metallic ores up 27.3 percent, waste and scrap materials up 9.6 percent, and motor vehicles and equipment up 8.6 percent; notable traffic decreases included nonmetallic minerals down 17.2 percent, primary forest products down 9.2 percent and coal down 3.3 percent. Also for the week ending October 26, U.S. intermodal rail traffic was up 7.1 percent, Canadian carload rail traffic was up 1.7 percent, Canadian intermodal rail traffic was up 14.4 percent, Transportacion Ferroviaria Mexicana's carload rail traffic was up 17.3 percent and TFM's intermodal rail traffic was down 5.5 percent, all when ranked with the comparable week last year.
For the period January 1 through October 26, U.S. carload rail traffic was down 0.9 percent, U.S. intermodal rail traffic was up 4.0 percent, Canadian carload rail traffic was down 2.6 percent, Canadian intermodal rail traffic was up 10.2 percent, TFM's carload rail traffic was up 2.6 percent and TFM's intermodal rail traffic was up 7.7 percent, all when ranked with the comparable period last year. (ffd: AAR)
(MON) Rockwood Service Corporation, parent of Sperry Rail, announced that it had acquired Harsco Corporation's Rail Flaw Detection Group. A Rockwood spokesman said that they would merge the group into Sperry Rail. (ffd: RT&S)
(WED) Regional and shortline holding company Summit View, Inc., whose railroads include the Ohio Central, announced that it had acquired the Aliquippa & Southern from LTV Steel Corporation. A Summit View spokesman said that they would rename the 21 mile railroad, which interchanges with the CSX at Aliquippa, PA., the Aliquippa & Ohio River Railroad. (ffd: UTU News)
(FRI) The Illinois Indiana Development Corporation filed to acquire approximately 6 miles of line from the Chicago, South Shore & South Bend Railroad between 115th St., Chicago, IL. and the Illinois-Indiana border, opposite Hammond, IN. (ffd: STB)
(MON) Burlington Northern Santa Fe announced the following Mechanical Department appointments: Brandon Mabry as Shop Superintendent-Barstow, CA.; Richard Olsen as Shop Superintendent-Northtown, MN.; and Gary Parsons as Shop Superintendent-Topeka, KS. (ffd: BNSF Corp.)
(THU) Burlington Northern Santa Fe announced that Charles Schultz, its EVP and Chief Marketing Officer, would retire in mid-2003. (ffd: BNSF Corp.)
(FRI) Norfolk Southern appointed Michael Fesen Resident VP-Pennsylvania. Mr. Fesen was previously with the Williams Companies, where he had been Manager-State Government Affairs. (ffd: NS Corp.)
Compiled by Dave Mears
(NOTE: The expression "ffd" at the end of a news item means "for
further details" and usually represents what is believe to be the most
helpful news resource if a reader wants more information on a particular item.)
(MON) China's Minster of Railways, Fu Zhihuan, reported that China's national railway system would total approximately 47,000 route miles by 2005. Mr. Zhihuan also reported that this would include approximately 15,700 miles of double track lines and approximately 12,500 miles of electrified lines. (ffd: Xinhua News Agency)
(WED) Canadian National announced that it had become the first North American railroad to gain membership in the U.S. Customs Service's Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT.) A CN spokesman said that T-CTPAT is a joint public-private initiative "designed to build cooperative relationships that strengthen overall supply chain and border security." (ffd: CN Corp.)
(THU) Amtrak announced that it had accepted delivery of its 19th Acela Express trainset and expected to take delivery of its 20th and final one shortly. An Amtrak spokesman said that Amtrak and the trainset manufacturer, Bombardier, had agreed to a schedule whereby the trainsets will be rotated out of service for repairs and necessary equipment modifications. The trainsets have encountered various operational problems since Acela Express service began on Amtrak more than a year ago. (ffd: wire services)
(FRI) The Association of American Railroads announced that U.S. freight and passenger railroads would be on a heightened state of alert in response to recent reports of possible terrorist activity against them. In a prepared statement, AAR President Edward Hamberger said that "the nation's railroads will not be a soft target for terrorists." Wire services reported that U.S. military and intelligence forces had recently found photographs of U.S. railroad locomotives, cars and crossings at former al-Qaida locations. (ffd: AAR, wire services)
(FRI) The Indiana Rail Road marked completion of its $1.5 million Linton, IN. bypass project. The project, made possible by IRR's acquisition and rehabilitation of 6 miles of abandoned track, will allow IRR to interchange with Canadian Pacific Railway at Jasonville, IN. Previously, IRR has had to interchange with CPR in central Linton, with necessary switching often taking several hours and blocking many crossings in the town. (ffd: Progressive Railroading)
(THU) For the week ending October 19, U.S. carload rail traffic was down 0.1 percent from the comparable week last year, up 0.1 percent in the East, but down 0.3 percent in the West. This week this year versus this week last year, notable traffic increases included metals and metal products up 14.2 percent, waste and scrap materials up 9.2 percent and motor vehicles and equipment up 8.4 percent; notable traffic decreases included primary forest products down 13.4 percent, petroleum products down 12.5 percent and grain down 8.6 percent. Also for the week ending October 19, U.S. intermodal rail traffic was up 7.4 percent, Canadian carload rail traffic was down 4.0 percent, Canadian intermodal rail traffic was up 2.2 percent, Mexico's Transportacion Ferroviaria Mexicana's carload rail traffic was up 15.4 percent and TFM's intermodal rail traffic was up 14.4 percent, all when ranked with the comparable week last year.
For the period January 1 through October 19, U.S. carload rail traffic was down 0.9 percent, U.S. intermodal rail traffic was up 3.9 percent, Canadian carload rail traffic was down 2.7 percent, Canadian intermodal rail traffic was up 10.0 percent, TFM's carload rail traffic was up 2.2 percent and TFM's intermodal rail traffic was up 8.1 percent, all when ranked with the comparable period last year. (ffd: AAR)
STATS CONTINUED - 3RD QTR., 2002 RESULTS:
(MON) Canadian Pacific Railway reported net income of $65 million, down from $114 million in the third quarter last year, on revenues of $917 million, up from $898 million in the third quarter last year. In a prepared statement, CPR attributed the drop in net income mainly to a $47 million foreign exchange rate loss. CPR also reported their 3rd Qtr., 2002 operating ratio to be 75.6 percent, worsening slightly from 75.3 percent in the third quarter last year. (ffd: CPR Corp.)
(TUE) Canadian National reported net income of $268 million, up from $252 million in the third quarter last year, on revenues of $1.503 billion, up from $1.325 billion in the third quarter last year. CN also reported their 3rd Qtr., 2002 operating ratio to be 67.8 percent, worsening slightly from 67.5 percent in the third quarter last year. (ffd: CN Corp.)
(WED) Burlington Northern Santa Fe reported net income of $192 million, down from $225 million in the third quarter last year, on revenues of $2.31 billion, down from $2.34 billion in the third quarter last year. In a prepared statement, BNSF attributed the drop in net income and revenue mainly to the West Coast port shutdown and also slack agricultural shipments. BNSF also reported their 3rd Qtr., 2002 operating ratio to be 81.6 percent, worsening slightly from 78.3 percent in the third quarter last year. (ffd: BNSF Corp.)
(THU) CSX reported operating income for its rail and intermodal business units of $227 million, down from $237 million in the third quarter last year. CSX revenues were for the third quarter were $1.79 billion, virtually unchanged from the third quarter last year. (ffd: CSX Corp.)
(THU) Union Pacific reported net income of $437 million, up from $267 million in the third quarter last year, on revenues of $3.2 billion, up from $3.0 billion in the third quarter last year. In a prepared statement, UP reported that the increase in net income included one-time gains from its sale of right-of-way for possible future commuter rail services to the Utah Transit Authority and also to a tax settlement. (ffd: UP Corp.)
(FRI) Norfolk Southern reported net income of $126 million, up from $79 million in the third quarter last year, on revenues of $1.598 billion, up from $1.508 billion in the third quarter last year. NS also reported their 3rd Qtr., 2002 operating ratio to be 80.5 percent, an improvement from 83.8 percent in the third quarter last year. (ffd: NS Corp.)
(MON) CSX filed to abandon approximately 1 mile of line in Cloverdale, IN. (ffd: STB)
(THU) Regional and shortline conglomerate Genesee & Wyoming announced that it had concluded an agreement with Burlington Northern Santa Fe to lease and operate approximately 76 miles of line between Salem, OR. and Eugene, OR. The line is contiguous with G&W's Portland & Western Railroad and increases the size of G&W's Oregon Region to 523 miles. (ffd: G&W;Corp.)
None of note this week.
Compiled by Dave Mears
(NOTE: The expression "ffd" at the end of a news item means "for
further details" and usually represents what is believe to be the most
helpful news resource if a reader wants more information on a particular item.)
(MON) Police in Denison, IA. discovered the bodies of 11 persons in a Union Pacific covered hopper car, on a siding at an Archer Daniel Midlands grain elevator. A police spokesman said that the bodies were possibly immigrants smuggled illegally across the U.S. border from Mexico and then became trapped inside the car. (ffd: wire services)
(MON) Burlington Northern Santa Fe opened a new all-in-one multimodal facility near Elwood, IL., on grounds of the former Joliet Arsenal. The new facility, called "BNSF Logistics Park-Chicago," includes an auto terminal, intermodal terminal and bulk transloading terminal, as well as warehousing and related temporary storage. The new facility covers 621 acres and was built at a cost of $241 million. (ffd: BNSF Corp.)
(MON) Canadian Transport Minister David Collenette said that he was taking a "serious look" at Via Rail Canada Chairman Jean Pelletier's proposal to establish a high-speed passenger rail line between Quebec City, PQ. and Windsor, ON. via Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. The proposal would be structured around a track exchange between Canadian National and Canadian Pacific wherein one railroad's line would be used for passenger and the other for freight. The proposal also includes provisions that would allow Via Rail Canada to raise much of the $3 billion necessary for the project through commercial investment markets. (ffd: National Post)
(MON) Montana agricultural officials announced that they were continuing to try to work with the Canadian Pacific Railway to ship Montana grain, but were unable to conclude an agreement at their most recent meeting with CP. "I'm learning that railroads don't move very fast, " said State Agriculture Director Ralph Peck, "but I think they're very open to continued discussion." Montana officials made the initiative to CP in an effort to give farmers a competitive alternative to using Burlington Northern Santa Fe to ship grain to West Coast ports. (ffd: Billings Gazette)
(MON) New Jersey Transit awarded a $2.8 million contact to redesign Trenton, NJ.'s rail station. An NJT spokesman said that the design would enlarge the station and also include more office and retail space. (ffd: wire services)
(TUE) The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers announced that they had reached an agreement with representatives of Class I carriers that restricts train crews from operating locomotive remote control devices while inside the cabs of locomotives, except during emergencies. A BofLE spokesman said that the ban would be in effect until an arbitrator resolves the current dispute between the BofLE, the United Transportation Union and the railroads regarding who can operate remote control devices. (ffd: Progressive Railroading)
(TUE) In a speech before the Canadian Railway Club, Canadian National EVP Hunter Harrison championed CN's new contract covering selected CN Wisconsin Division train crew personnel under which they would now be paid under an hourly system. Mr. Harrison added that the agreement, along with CN's effort to schedule nearly all its freight train operations, proved that workers can get better working conditions while improving productivity. "This agreement virtually guarantees that 90 to 95 percent [of crew calls will be] regular assignments," Mr. Harrison said. "It addresses something we ignored for a long time: the quality of life of our operating trades." (ffd: Ottawa Citizen)
(TUE) Bombardier debuted its "JetTrain" high-speed, turbine-powered passenger locomotive prototype at Washington, DC. Union Station. The streamlined locomotive, whose design is modeled on the power car for Bombardier's problem-plagued Acela Express trainset, was developed in a $25 million partnership with the U.S. Federal Railroad Administration for potential use in non-electrified, high-speed passenger rail corridors. A Bombardier spokesman said that the locomotive was equipped with tilting technology that would allow it to maintain 100mph speeds on curves. (ffd: CRTS)
(WED) U.S. Steel Corporation announced that it would sell 5 shortline railroads to a new company being formed by Apollo Management, a New York, NY. based equity firm. The shortlines, currently a part of U.S. Steel's Transtar subsidiary company, are the Birmingham Southern, the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern, the Lake Terminal, the McKeesport Connecting and the Union. A U.S. Steel spokesman said that they would enter into a long-term contract with the new company to supply transportation services for the plants they serve. (ffd: Railway Age, wire services)
(WED) In a speech to the annual "Passenger Trains On Freight Railroads Conference," sponsored by Railway Age Magazine, Amtrak President David Gunn proposed creation of a federal trust fund for U.S. passenger rail services similar to that which helps build roads and airports. Mr. Gunn went on to forum a scenario for future U.S. intercity passenger rail operations, suggesting that federal and state governments pay for capital costs including tracks, locomotives and cars, with state governments paying most train operating costs not covered by ticket revenue. Mr. Gunn called on freight railroads to join him in seeking more stable funding for Amtrak, which he said might provide them with badly needed capital improvements for freight lines on which passenger trains operate. (ffd: Washington Post)
(THU) The U.S. Surface Transportation Board negated the 2 year old purchase agreement enabling SF&L Railway to purchase the 72 mile line between La Harpe, IL. and Peoria, IL. from the Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway. The STB said that they had determined that the agreement had been structured to make the line unprofitable to operate and thus facilitate abandonment. The STB added that SF&L's owner, A&K Materials, had a prior record of buying rail lines and using STB's processes to then abandon and salvage them. (ffd: Progressive Railroading, STB)
(THU) Norfolk Southern broke ground for a new intermodal terminal on a portion of the former Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in Philadelphia, PA. The new terminal will cover 50 acres and is projected to handle 60,000 lifts annually. Costing $16 million, the facility is expected to open in 2004. (ffd: Progressive Railroading) STATS:
(THU) For the week ending October 12, U.S. carload rail traffic was down 0.4 percent from the comparable week last year, up 0.4 percent in the East, but down 1.1 percent in the West. This week this year versus this week last year, notable traffic increases included metallic ores up 25.8 percent, metals and metal products up 11.6 percent and lumber and wood products up 11.3 percent; notable traffic decreases included grain down 14.0 percent, primary forest products down 18.1 percent and petroleum products down 10.3 percent. Also for the week ending October 12, U.S. intermodal rail traffic, interrupted by the work stoppage at U.S. West Coast ports, was down 18.5 percent, Canadian carload rail traffic was up 1.1 percent, Canadian intermodal rail traffic was up 26.5 percent, Mexico's Transportacion Ferroviaria Mexicana's carload rail traffic was up 16.9 percent and TFM's intermodal rail traffic was up 32.2 percent, all when ranked with the comparable week last year.
For the period January 1 through October 12, U.S. carload rail traffic was down 1.0 percent, U.S. intermodal rail traffic was up 3.8 percent, Canadian carload rail traffic was down 2.7 percent, Canadian intermodal rail traffic was up 10.3 percent, TFM's carload rail traffic was up 1.9 percent and TFM's intermodal rail traffic was up 7.9 percent, all when ranked with the comparable period last year.
(TUE) Union Pacific filed to abandon approximately 12 miles of its Akeny Subdivision between Slater, IA. and Woodward, IA. (ffd: STB)
(WED) Rail supplier Timken Corporation announced that it would acquire the Torrington Corporation, a producer of roller and ball bearings, for $840 million. A Timken spokesman said that the acquisition would make Timken the world's third largest bearing supplier. (ffd: Progressive Railroading)
(WED) CSX filed to abandon approximately 1mile of line in Cloverdale, IN. (ffd: STB)
(WED) The South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad filed to abandon approximately 1 mile of line in Pittsburg, KS. (ffd: STB)
(FRI) Canadian National announced that it had entered into exclusive negotiations to purchase the Ontario Northland Railroad. Ontario Northland, also known as ONRail, operates rail freight and passenger service over an approximately 700 mile system and is currently owned by the Ontario Province government. (ffd: CN Corp.)
(WED) John Wright died in Glasgow, Scotland, UK. Mr. Wright was the chief engineer of the Glasgow Underground Railway and oversaw the complete rehabilitation of the system, which features a 4'0" gauge, in the 1970's. (ffd: Courtesy of WRR Reader Iain Frew)
(THU) CSX appointed David Baggs Managing Director-Banking and Finance. Also, CSX VP and Treasurer David Boor was given additional responsibilities by CSX Vice Chairman and CFO Paul Goodwin; specifically, Mr. Boor will now also be in charge of all corporate insurance activities previously handled directly by Mr. Goodwin. (ffd: CSX Corp.)
(FRI) In a press release, Norfolk Southern announced that NS Chairman, President and CEO David Goode would undergo surgery for prostate cancer on October 24. The announcement said that Mr. Goode's cancer was discovered during a routine physical and that he is expected to make a full recovery following surgery. (ffd: NS Corp.)
Compiled by Dave Mears
(NOTE: The expression "ffd" at the end of a news item means "for
further details" and usually represents what is believe to be the most
helpful news resource if a reader wants more information on a particular item.)
(MON) Following public outcry, the Alaska Railroad opted not to cancel its "Hurricane Turn," its mainly flag stop passenger trains. Residents contended that the train was the only practical way through the dense wilderness between Talkeetna, AK. and Hurricane, AK. Alaska Railroad officials had earlier looked to discontinue the train to help make up a budget shortfall following the railroad's recent loss of a $4 million annual coal hauling contract. (ffd: wire services)
(MON) Burlington Northern Santa Fe began offering what it said was the railroad industry's first full money-back guarantee for carload rail service. Under the offer, shippers will have the option to purchase, for a premium, a guarantee for on-time carload rail service in selected lanes. A BNSF spokesman said that, initially, the guarantee would be for carload traffic moving in selected lanes between the U.S. Pacific Northwest and the Midwest or Texas, but that BNSF is also looking to offer the guarantee from northern or southern California origins in the near future. (ffd: BNSF Corp.)
(TUE) U.S. West Coast ports resumed operation, following President Bush's use of the Taft-Hartley Act to order an 80 day cooling-off period. The ports had been shutdown in a lockout due to management and labor unable to reach terms related mainly to new work rules. A spokesman for CSX said that they, like other Class I railroads, were bracing for a surge of traffic and that CSX expected to recover 80 to 90 percent of their estimated $1 million daily revenue shortfalls resulting from the shutdown, as held traffic was delivered. (ffd: CSX, wire services)
(TUE) New York State officials announced that they had finally reached formal agreement to acquire the Farley Post Office Building in Manhattan from the U.S. Postal Service for $230 million, so that it may be converted into the new Pennsylvania Station. Under the plan, USPS would retain some space in the building for mail handling and postal customer services, mainly on the 9th Avenue side. The Farley Building was completed by the same architects, at the same time and on the same scale as the original Pennsylvania Station, which was demolished in the mid-1960's. Conversion of the building into a rail station and retail complex, which is already funded, is expected to be complete in 5 to 6 years. (ffd: Newsday, wire services)
(TUE) An Ohio state senator introduced a bill in the Ohio Legislature to ban remote controlled locomotives from being operated over public railroad crossings. In offering the bill, State Sen. Bob Hagan, who also has locomotive engineer qualifications, said that "my issue is one of safety, more than anything." Both CSX and NS are testing remote controlled use of switcher locomotives at several rail yards in Ohio. (ffd: Toledo Blade)
(WED) New York State's Metropolitan Transportation Authority announce that it would restructure, merging its Long Island Rail Road and Metro North Railroad into a single entity called MTA Rail Road. Also under the restructuring plan, New York City Transit subway service and Staten Island Rapid Transit would merge into MTA Subway and bus services would be unified into MTA Bus. Also created in the restructuring would be MTA Bridges and Tunnels and MTA Capital, the latter to handle major renovation and expansion initiatives. An MTA spokesman said that the restructuring, which was expected to be completed by January 1, 2004, was in response to a directive from the New York Governor's office charging state agencies and authorities to devises ways to operate at less expense. The following day and in response to public outcry over the possible end of the Long Island Rail Road name and possible lessened focus on Long Island rail transportation needs, another MT! A spokesman said that "it is possible that the railroad names in some form would remain." (ffd: NARP, Newsday)
(THU) 2 Norfolk Southern freight trains collided in a slow-speed head-on collision near Reddick, IL. on NS's Kankakee Belt Line. The accident injured all 4 crewpersons of the 2 trains and derailed several locomotives and cars. The cause of the collision was still being investigated at press time. (ffd: CRTS, WGN Radio)
(THU) The Transportation Communications Union and the National Carriers Conference Committee announced that they had agreed to submit their dispute over a new labor agreement to binding arbitration. An NCCC spokesman said that the agreement meant that they had brought to conclusion negotiations with unions representing approximately two-thirds of Class I railroad labor personnel. (ffd: AAR)
(FRI) Amtrak announced that they would discontinue their unconditional "Satisfaction Guaranteed" program effective November 1. An Amtrak spokesman said that the program had become increasingly unworkable due to delays caused by rail freight congestion and equipment problems caused by decreased maintenance funding. The spokesman added "customer satisfaction would remain an absolute priority" and that transportation vouchers and refunds would still be available at Amtrak's discretion to dissatisfied customers. (ffd: NARP)
(FRI) The Timken Company announced that it had developed and was testing a new bearing apparatus equipped with self-powered sensors. A Timken spokesman said that the new technology was capable of automatically transmitting bearing and related wheel speed, temperature and vibration data to a receiver either on board the train or along the right-of-way. (ffd: Timken Corp.)
(FRI) The U.S. Department of Transportation debuted an online information resource describing significant transportation rulemakings currently under development and recently completed. For each rulemaking, the information will include basic particulars, a summary and the anticipated effects of the regulation. The online information may be accessed via the USDOT website at regs.dot.gov. (ffd: USDOT)
(FRI) Southern California commuter rail operator Metrolink marked its 10th anniversary. Metrolink spokesman Steve Brown said that the system now serves 6 counties and 33,000 weekday riders, adding that fares cover nearly 50 percent of its operating costs. "As fast as we open stations and lines, ridership fills them right away," added Mr. Brown. (ffd: Orange County Register)
(THU) For the week ending October 5, U.S. carload rail traffic was down 1.9 percent from the comparable week last year, down 1.8 percent in the East and down 2.0 percent in the West. This week this year versus this week last year, notable traffic increases included non-grain farm products up 33.6 percent, waste and scrap materials up 12.7 percent and metals and metal products up 8.7 percent; notable traffic decreases included grain down 12.5 percent, primary forest products down 11.5 percent and petroleum products down 10.1 percent. Also for the week ending October 5, U.S. intermodal rail traffic was down 29.0 percent, most of that decrease related to the shutdown that week of U.S. West Coast ports. Also for the week ending October 5, Canadian carload rail traffic was down 0.5 percent, Canadian intermodal rail traffic was up 15.9 percent, Mexico's Transportacion Ferroviaria Mexicana's carload rail traffic was down 1.2 percent and TFM's intermodal rail traffic! was up 7.8 percent, all when ranked with the comparable week last year.
For the period January 1 through October 5, U.S. carload rail traffic was down 1.0 percent, U.S. intermodal rail traffic was up 4.4 percent, Canadian carload rail traffic was down 2.8 percent, Canadian intermodal rail traffic was up 9.9 percent, TFM's carload rail traffic was up 1.6 percent and TFM's intermodal rail traffic was up 7.4 percent, all when ranked with the comparable period last year. (ffd: AAR)
(TUE) A U.S. bankruptcy court approved the sale of the Bangor & Aroostook System to 2 subsidiary railroads belonging to the consortium headed by Chicago, IL.-based Rail World. One of these subsidiary railroads, the Montreal, Maine & Atlantic, will operate the U.S. portion of former B&A family railroads, while the other, the Montreal, Maine & Atlantic of Canada, will operate the Canadian portion. (ffd: The Maine Deal)
(FRI) CSX filed to abandon approximately 6 miles of line between Holland, MI. and Hamilton, MI. (ffd: STB)
(FRI) Montana Rail Link filed to abandon approximately 4 miles of line in and near Polson, MT. (ffd: STB)
(MON) The U.S. Surface Transportation Board announced the selection of new appointees to serve on the STB's Railroad-Shipper Transportation Advisory Board. Railroaders on the advisory board are Bob Bailey, VP and COO of the Port Jersey Railroad; James Foote, EVP-Sales & Marketing, Canadian National; James Howarth, VP-Merchandise Marketing, CSX; Charles Marshall, President and COO, Genesee & Wyoming; Gary Spiegel, EVP and COO, RailAmerica; Peter Gilbertson, Chairman, Chicago, South Shore & South Bend; and Steve Bobb, Group VP, Burlington Northern Santa Fe. Also appointed to the advisory board is James Brunkenhoefer, U.S. National Legislative Director, UTU, as well as 7 shipper representatives. (ffd: STB)
Compiled by Dave Mears
(NOTE: The expression "ffd" at the end of a news item means "for
further details" and usually represents what is believe to be the most
helpful news resource if a reader wants more information on a particular item.)
(SUN) New Jersey Transit opened its extension of its Hudson-Bergen light rail line into Hoboken Terminal. The next day, NJT opened its new Montclair Connection, utilizing it to reroute Boonton Line trains to Hoboken via Newark's Broad Street Station. NJT also began using its new extension of electrification on the line west to Great Notch. (ffd: NARP, Progressive Railroading)
(SUN) A judge in Egypt acquitted 11 lower level railway employees of criminal culpability in the deaths of 360 persons aboard a passenger train operating from Cairo to Luxor last February. The employees had been charged with counts including that they allowed the train to continue underway while in flames. "Judges are sick and tired of cases where the underdogs are being brought for trial while the chiefs are left untouched," Egyptian Judge Saad Abdel Wahid said in his decision. (ffd: wire services)
(MON) A management lockout following failure to reach agreement with dock workers idled western U.S. ports. The next day, Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Union Pacific, whose shipments to and from these ports represent between 25 percent and 33 percent of these railroads' total intermodal volumes, embargoed all marine container traffic to these ports to help head off potential congestion there. Issues of contention between management and labor centered on accommodating new technologies that management said would make the ports more competitive. (ffd: JofC, wire services)
(MON) Rail equipment lessor CIT Rail Resources said that it had acquired 50 new EMD-built locomotives and 1,700 new railcars in the first half of 2002. A CIT spokesman said that these recent acquisitions increased to 500 the number of their locomotives and to 45,000 the number of their railcars serving customers in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. (ffd: CIT Corp.)
(MON) The Association of American Railroads released its new Railroad Equipment Report. An AAR spokesman said that, for the first time, the report included detailed statistics of car and locomotive fleets of the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The report, for which there is a charge, may be ordered via the AAR website. (ffd: AAR)
(TUE) A U.S. General Accounting Office report stated that Amtrak, if liquidated, would likely be able to repay only a portion of its indebtedness. The report detailed that indebtedness to include $3.8 billion secured by equipment and property, $4.8 billion in unsecured liabilities and $14.2 billion to the federal government on a 970 year promissory note. The report also calculated that liquidation would result in railroad unemployment taxes having to rise to 12.5 percent between 2002 and 2004. (ffd: wire services)
(TUE) The Director for High-Speed Rail of the International Union of Railways forecasted that European high-speed passenger rail services would double by 2010. Dr. Ing Gunther Ellwanger noted that high-speed services in Europe have experienced passenger and service growth of approximately 12 percent annually between 1995 and 2001 and that high-speed rail now represents 40 percent of all German passenger rail traffic and 66 percent of all French passenger rail traffic. (ffd: International Railway Journal)
(WED) A week after Tropical Storm Isidore, New Orleans, LA. again closed its city floodgates in anticipation of storm surge flooding from Hurricane Lili. As with Isidore, freight railroads serving New Orleans suspended services in, through and out of the city and Amtrak turned its trains serving New Orleans at operationally convenient locations east, north and west of the city. The storm lessened somewhat prior to making landfall and railroads resumed most normal operations by late Thursday or early Friday. (ffd: CRTS, wire services)
(WED) Port Authority of New York and New Jersey officials announced that they had acquired a parcel of land in Union County, NJ. that will allow connection between the out-of-service rail freight line serving Staten Island, NY. and Conrail-Shared Asset's Chemical Coast Line. A PANYNJ spokesman said that the connection should be complete and rail service resumed by 2004. The spokesman added that the line would then serve Staten Island's Howland Hook Marine Terminal, as well as other prospective rail customers in Staten Island. (ffd: PANYNJ)
(THU) Continuing forecasts by various railway and supplier industry representative organizations, a committee of the Railway Progress Institute forecasted that new freight car deliveries would total 14,573 in 2002, 21,639 in 2003 and 28,761 in 2004. The committee noted that the 2002 delivery total will be the 4th straight year of decline and the worst year for new freight car deliveries in the past 15 years. (ffd: AAR)
(THU) The U.S. Department of Transportation debuted Freight Analysis Framework, a new multi-modal database with accompanying analytical tools. A USDOT spokesman said that the new database includes economic forecasts through 2010 and 2020, translating data "into transportation demand to evaluate the effect of expected volumes on the transportation network, mode by mode." Additional information is available at the USDOT's Office of Freight Management and Operations's website, ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight. (ffd: USDOT)
(FRI) Network Rail, a quasi-public entity, formally took over ownership and operation of Britain's rail infrastructure from bankrupt Railtrack. Network Rail's new chief executive, John Armitt, told reporters that "we will see some improvements in the next 12 to 24 months. It's not an overnight thing." Network Rail's system includes 23,000 miles and 2,500 stations. (ffd: wire services)
(THU) For the week ending September 28, U.S. carload rail traffic was down 0.8 percent from the comparable week last year, down 1.3 percent in the East and down 0.3 percent in the West. Also for the week ending September 28, U.S. intermodal rail traffic was up 1.2 percent, Canadian carload rail traffic was down 0.9 percent and Canadian intermodal rail traffic was up 9.3 percent, all when ranked with the comparable week last year.
For the month of September, 2002, U.S. carload rail traffic was up 1.2 percent from September, 2001. Comparing with last September, notable traffic increases included metallic ores up 16.6 percent, motor vehicles and equipment up 7.6 percent, primary metal products up 8.3 percent and nonmetallic minerals up 10.3 percent; notable traffic decreases included grain down 8.1 percent, primary forest products down 16.3 percent and coal down 0.6 percent. Also for the month, U.S. intermodal rail traffic was up 7.0 percent, Canadian carload rail traffic was down 1.0 percent, Canadian intermodal rail traffic was up 14.8 percent, Mexico's Transportacion Ferroviaria Mexicana's carload rail traffic was up 54.5 percent and TFM's intermodal rail traffic was up 48.8 percent, all when compared with September, 2001.
For the 3rd Qtr., 2002, U.S. carload rail traffic was up 1.8 percent, U.S. intermodal rail traffic was up 7.7 percent, Canadian carload rail traffic was down 2.5 percent, Canadian intermodal rail traffic was up 15.1 percent, TFM's carload rail traffic was up 21.3 percent, and TFM's intermodal rail traffic was up 28.0 percent, all when ranked the 3rd qtr. last year.
For the period January 1 through September 30, U.S. carload rail traffic was down 1.0 percent, U.S. intermodal rail traffic was up 5.3 percent, Canadian carload rail traffic was down 2.8 percent, Canadian intermodal rail traffic was up 9.7 percent, TFM's carload rail traffic was up 8.2 percent, and TFM's intermodal rail traffic was up 19.8 percent, all when ranked with the comparable period last year. (ffd: AAR)
(TUE) Burlington Northern Santa Fe repurchased approximately 100 miles of line between Council Bluffs, IA. and Bayard, IA. The line had been sold in 1982 by BNSF predecessor Burlington Northern to a group of grain and grain processing shippers known as Shippers Consortium, Inc. (ffd: BNSF Corp.)
(TUE) The Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad filed to lease, from Union Pacific, and operate approximately 27 miles of line between Newton, KS. and McPherson, KS. (ffd: STB)
(WED) The Kiowa, Hardtner & Pacific Railroad filed to abandon its entire railroad, totaling approximately 9 miles in length, between Kiowa, KS. and Hardtner, KS. (ffd: STB)
(FRI) The U.S. Surface Transportation Board approved Union Pacific's bid to build an approximately 1 mile line to access Midwest Generation's Joliet, IL. generating station. The line will cross Canadian National-Illinois Central's right-of-way to access the facility; both CN-IC and UP will then serve the facility. (ffd: STB)
(MON) Burlington Northern Santa Fe announced the following appointments: Mark Schulze to VP and Chief Sourcing Officer; Dave Stropes to AVP-Consumer Products Marketing; Paul Anderson to AVP-Financial Planning and Strategic Studies; Kathy Johnson to AVP-Manpower Training and Operating Practices; and George Smallwood to AVP-Crew Support. (ffd: BNSF Corp.)
Compiled by Dave Mears
(NOTE: The expression "ffd" at the end of a news item means "for
further details" and usually represents what is believe to be the most
helpful news resource if a reader wants more information on a particular item.)
(SUN) Albany, NY.'s Capital District Transportation Authority opened its new Amtrak passenger station in Rensselaer, NY. The new station locates directly south of the existing Amtrak station, which is Amtrak's 10th busiest. The station includes 2 high-level platforms serving 4 tracks, and its multistory station building and adjoining parking garage make it the largest building in Rensselaer. (ffd: NARP)
(MON) New Jersey Transit opened its new $125 million, 50,000 square foot passenger concourse in New York, NY.'s Pennsylvania Station. The new concourse, which will improve access and mobility for New Jersey Transit passengers, is in the southeast area of the station and features a new waiting area, new ticket windows and 7 new escalators and 6 new stairways to and from station platforms used by NJT trains. (ffd: wire services)
(MON) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regional administrator Tom Skinner debuted experimental improvements made to 7 locomotives operating in the Chicago, IL. area. The locomotives were modified with component parts that allow shut off instead of idle, but that still heat engine oil and coolant, charge batteries and power cab heaters while shut off. Mr. Skinner said that the experimental improvements have the potential to reduce noise pollution per unit up to 80 percent and reduce annual diesel fuel emissions per unit up to 90 percent, while also allowing significant fuel savings. (ffd: Chicago Sun Times)
(TUE) New Jersey Transportation Commissioner Jamie Fox said he had tried to halt construction of the new light rail line between Trenton, NJ. and Camden, NJ., but said that "it would cost as much money to stop the project as it would to complete the project." In testimony before the state legislature's Light Rail Panel, Mr. Fox called the line, now nearing completion, "ill-advised and ill-planned." He added that, due to low ridership expectations, it is the only light rail project in the U.S. being built without any federal funding assistance. (ffd: Philadelphia Inquirer)
(THU) The U.S. House Appropriations Committee approved a FY2003 appropriation for Amtrak totaling only $760 million, approximately $500 million less than the $1.2 billion approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee and budgeted for by Amtrak. The House committee also at first included a clause denying a subsidy of more than $200 per passenger on any Amtrak route, which Amtrak then said would result in the discontinuance of at least 5 routes, but that clause was later deleted. The committee's appropriation now faces debate by the full House and then reconciliation with the full Senate's appropriation. (ffd: wire services)
(THU) Tropical Storm Isidore made landfall in southeastern Louisiana. In preparation for the storm's surge, New Orleans, LA., which sits below sea level, closed its floodgates surrounding the city, prompting serving railroads to suspense services in and out of town. Amtrak also suspended services, turning trains at stations east, north and west of the city. Later Thursday, the storm exited the region and moved on a northeasterly swing through the Midwest and Northeast before dissipating. Most railroad damage was found to be minor and railroads resumed serving New Orleans on Friday and Saturday. (ffd: Railpace)
(THU) The Railway Progress Institute and the Railway Supply Association announced that they had reached agreement "in principal" to combine the 2 trade associations into a single organization, to be known as the Railway Supply Institute. In a joint statement, the 2 associations said that a consolidated organization "will preserve the best and primary functions of each while strengthening the effectiveness of the voice of all companies involved in supplying products and services to the railroad industry." (ffd: Railway Age)
(THU) The U.S. Surface Transportation Board announced that it had compiled and published a report covering its activities between October 1, 1997 and September 30, 2001. An STB spokesman said that this is the third such report issued by the STB since its January 1, 1996 inception in replacement of the former Interstate Commerce Commission. More information on obtaining copies of the report, for which there is a charge, may be found on the STB's website. (ffd: STB)
(FRI) Chicago, IL. commuter rail operator METRA said that it expects to double service on 2 of its lines by 2005. A METRA spokesman said that construction work now underway on its North Central Line between Chicago and Antioch will allow an increase of from 10 weekday trains operating on single track to 22 weekday trains operating on double and triple track. The spokesman added that similar construction work also now underway on its Southwest Line between the Chicago Loop and Orland Park will increase service from 16 to 29 trains daily. (ffd: Chicago Sun Times)
(FRI) The U.S. Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics debuted its new TransStats feature on its website. A bureau spokesman said that the new feature allows access to more than 100 transportation-related databases and may be accessed via the bureau's website at transtats.bts.gov. (ffd: USDOT)
(THU) For the week ending September 21, U.S. carload rail traffic was down 0.1 percent from the comparable week last year, up 2.7 percent in the East, but down 2.3 percent in the West. This week this year versus this week last year, notable traffic increases included nonmetallic minerals up 13.9 percent, metallic ores up 10.4 percent and motor vehicles and equipment up 10.1 percent; notable traffic decreases included primary forest products down 15.6 percent, grain down 15.0 percent and petroleum products down 10.8 percent. Also for the week ending September 21, U.S. intermodal rail traffic was up 9.6 percent, totaling 202,551 containers and trailers, a new weekly U.S. record. Also for the week ending September 21, Canadian carload rail traffic was down 0.2 percent, Canadian intermodal rail traffic was up 11.0 percent, Mexico's Transportacion Ferroviaria Mexicana's carload rail traffic was down 14.4 percent and TFM's intermodal rail traffic was up 31.6 perce nt, all when ranked with the comparable week last year.
For the period January 1 through September 21, U.S. carload rail traffic was down 1.0 percent, U.S. intermodal rail traffic was up 5.5 percent, Canadian carload rail traffic was down 2.9 percent, Canadian intermodal rail traffic was up 9.7 percent, TFM's carload rail traffic was up 1.2 percent and TFM's intermodal rail traffic was up 6.8 percent, all when ranked with the comparable period last year. (ffd: AAR)
(MON) SF&L Railway filed to abandon its entire line of railroad between La Harpe, IL. and Peoria, IL., totaling approximately 72 miles. (ffd: STB)
(TUE) Elk River Railroad filed to acquire, from CSX, and operate the portion of CSX's Elk River Subdivision between Gilmer, WV. and Hartland, WV., totaling approximately 62 miles. (ffd: STB)
(FRI) Rail Management Corp. announced that it would lease, from St. Joe Corp., the Apalachicola & Northern Railroad. The acquisition of A&N, which runs between Port St. Joe, FL. and Chattahoochee, FL., brings to 13 the number of shortlines owned and/or operated by Rail Management. (ffd: AAR)
(TUE) Burlington Northern Santa Fe appointed Greg Fox VP-Engineering. Mr. Fox was most recently BNSF's VP-Technology Services and Chief Information Officer. BNSF also appointed Jeff Campbell as its new CIO. Mr. Campbell was most recently BNSF's Chief Sourcing Officer. (ffd: BNSF Corp.)
(THU) Burlington Northern Santa Fe appointed Dr. Thomas Pace AVP-Medical, Environmental and Health. Dr. Pace was previously divisional health and medical services director for Delphi Corporation. (ffd: BNSF Corp.)
(FRI) Union Pacific President Dick Davidson was appointed chairman of the newly created federal National Infrastructure Advisory Committee. The purpose of the committee, according to a White House statement, is to "make recommendations regarding the security of the cyber and information systems of the United States' national security and economic-critical infrastructures." Mr. Davidson will continue as Union Pacific president while serving on the committee. (ffd: Traffic World)
Compiled by Dave Mears
(NOTE: The expression "ffd" at the end of a news item means "for
further details" and usually represents what is believe to be the most
helpful news resource if a reader wants more information on a particular item.)
(SUN) The New York City Transit Authority reopened the No. 1/9 subway line to South Ferry in Manhattan. The line, a portion of which winds through the World Trade Center complex, had been partially collapsed in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Although the line's Rector Street and South Ferry stations were reopened, the line's Cortlandt Street station, will remain closed pending finalization of World Trade Center redevelopment plans. (ffd: wire services)
(MON) U.S. FBI agents foiled an attempted robbery of merchandise from a Union Pacific freight train. The agents, who had been tipped off, waited inside a boxcar for the train bandits and engaged in hand-to-hand combat with them once they had been discovered. The agents, 2 of whom were injured in the ensuing scuffle, arrested 15 suspects. The incident occurred in Sunland Park, NM., near the Mexican border and on the UP's line west of El Paso, TX. (ffd: Reuters)
(MON) Norfolk Southern temporarily closed its recently rebuilt hump at its Enola, PA. freight yard, located near Harrisburg. An NS spokesman said that the closure was to examine matters related to safe operation of the hump. During the closure, NS is diverting traffic normally classed at Enola to Allentown Yard and also to Conway Yard for classification. (ffd: Harrisburg Patriot News)
(TUE) A Norfolk Southern freight train derailed 2 locomotives and 22 cars near Knoxville, TN. Included in the derailed cars was one carrying sulfuric acid, which leaked vapors and which lead to the precautionary evacuation of 3,000 area residents. The residents were allowed to return to their homes on Tuesday. (ffd: wire services)
(WED) Burlington Northern Santa Fe suffered an on duty employee fatality. Bernie Balkus, Age 52 and a 33 year BNSF employee, was killed when he was leaning over the front of his train's locomotive, fell and was run over. The incident occurred in Yutan, NE. near Omaha. (ffd: UTU News)
(WED) Intermodal rail industry analysts Thomas Brown and Anthony Hatch released a study predicting that, by 2003, intermodal would overtake coal as the greatest source of rail freight revenue. The study also projected a 5 percent annual growth rate for intermodal rail over the next several years, exceeding the projected 3.3 percent annual growth rate for the U.S. GDP. "Intermodal is less expensive and less disruptive than trucks on highways, which makes it universally beneficial," Mr. Brown stated, adding that "hands down, it is the best means for addressing expected increases in freight traffic." (ffd: Railpace)
(THU) California Governor Gray Davis signed legislation for a ballot question in 2004 for a state high-speed rail network. If passed, the state would be authorized to issue $9.95 billion in bonds for construction of a high-speed rail line linking the San Francisco area with the Los Angeles area, with future extensions to Sacramento and San Diego. (ffd: NARP)
(THU) The U.S. Surface Transportation Board announced a settlement between Union Pacific and Dupont Corporation concerning car charges. The settlement stemmed from one of 5 filings by Dupont and other private freight car operators against UP and Burlington Northern Santa Fe asking the STB to declare that certain UP and BNSF charges for storing or diverting cars were improper because they were already covered under existing tank car allowance formulas. An STB spokesman noted this most recent settlement brings to 4 the number of filings now settled, with one still outstanding. (ffd: STB)
(FRI) Amtrak President David Gunn formally presented Amtrak's proposed FY2003 to the Amtrak Board of Directors. The budget, totaling $1.2 billion, includes continuation of all current passenger train services, but postpones planned service expansions, such as along Florida's East Coast. The budget also postpones major Northeast Corridor trackwork, but continues passenger car repairs and overhauls. The budget further calls for phaseout of express service, although mail service would be continued. If approved by the Amtrak board, the budget still requires congressional approval via the FY2003 transportation spending bill, which must still be approved by the full House and Senate. (ffd: Washington Post, wire services)
(FRI) Kansas City Southern announced that it would report lower than expected third quarter earnings due to problems implementing its new all-inclusive Management Control System (MCS.) In a prepared statement, KCS said that "despite months of planning and extensive training, office and field personnel experienced considerable difficulties implementing the new system. As a result, KCS experienced considerable congestion throughout its rail network." KCS changed over to the new system on July 14. (ffd: KCS Corp.)
(FRI) New Jersey Transit announced that they would hold their annual "Try Transit Festival" at NJT's Hoboken Terminal on September 29. An NJT spokesman said that the festival would coincide with the opening of the new extension of the Hudson-Bergen light rail line into Hoboken Terminal. Later in the week, another NJT spokesman said that the Secaucus Transfer Station, now nearly complete, will likely not open until early 2004. The spokesman said that the delay will allow time for Port Authority Trans Hudson service to Lower Manhattan, curtailed since the PATH Station was destroyed in the World Trade Center attack, to resume to a new station there, which will then free up space aboard NJT trains needed for passengers transferring at Secaucus. (ffd: NARP)
(THU) For the week ending September 14, U.S. carload rail traffic was up 1.9 percent from the comparable week last year, up 2.4 percent in the East and up 1.5 percent in the West. This week this year versus this week last year, notable traffic increases included non-grain farm products up 23.4 percent, metallic ores up 22.6 percent and coke up 14.1 percent; notable traffic decreases included primary forest products down 16.5 percent and grain down 10.1 percent. Also for the week ending September 14, U.S. intermodal rail traffic was up 10.2 percent (totaling 201,459 trailers and containers, the second highest weekly volume ever), Canadian carload rail traffic was up 1.4 percent, Canadian intermodal rail traffic was up 15.4 percent, Mexico's Transportacion Ferroviaria Mexicana's carload rail traffic was up 18.0 percent and TFM's intermodal rail traffic was up 23.8 percent, all when ranked with the comparable week last year.
For the period January 1 through September 14, U.S. carload rail traffic was down 1.0 percent, U.S. intermodal rail traffic was up 5.4 percent, Canadian carload rail traffic was down 3.0 percent, Canadian intermodal rail traffic was up 9.7 percent, TFM's carload rail traffic was up 1.7 percent and TFM's intermodal rail traffic was up 6.3 percent, all when ranked with the comparable period last year. (ffd: AAR)
(WED) Burlington Northern Santa Fe granted Union Pacific temporary trackage rights on BNSF's line between Fort Worth, TX. and Temple, TX., totaling 129 miles. The purpose of the trackage rights is to allow UP to temporarily close its neighboring line to perform a "blitz" maintenance project. (ffd: STB)
(FRI) Utah Transit Authority and Union Pacific announced that they had formalized an agreement whereby UTA will pay UP $185 million 1) for space for a commuter rail track on UP's line between Salt Lake City, UT. and Ogden, UT. 2) for space for a commuter rail track on UP's line between Salt Lake City and Spanish Fork, UT. 3) for future access to UP's line between Ogden and Brigham City, UT. 4) to acquire abandoned UP lines to Roy, Orem, Payson and South Jordan, all in Utah. A UTA spokesman said that plan to start commuter rail service between Salt Lake City and Ogden by 2007. (ffd: NARP)
(MON) Stan Bagley resigned as Amtrak's Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Bagley was a 28 year veteran of Amtrak and had been president of its Northeast Corridor Business Group prior to assuming the EVP-COO position. (ffd: Progressive Railroading)
* * *
(CORRECTION: For WRR for the week ending September 7, I reported on a CSX on-duty employee fatality as having occurred in Madisonville, IN. Madisonville is actually in Kentucky, approximately 45-50 miles south of Evansville, IN. on CSX's Henderson Subdivision. Thanks to WRR Reader Brian Carlson for his update.)
Compiled by Dave Mears
(NOTE: The expression "ffd" at the end of a news item means "for
further details" and usually represents what is believe to be the most
helpful news resource if a reader wants more information on a particular item.)
(MON) A passenger train in India derailed while crossing a bridge near Fafiganj, approximately 420 miles southeast of New Delhi. The accident killed at least 118 persons, with the death toll expected to rise as more bodies were recovered. Investigators were still determining the cause of the accident at press time. (ffd: wire services)
(TUE) Countering a proposal for open access, the Canadian Transportation Agency denied an application by Ferroequus Railway to unilaterally operate its trains on Canadian National's line between Camrose, AB. and Port of Prince Rupert, BC. The application had been filed on FE's behalf by the Canadian Wheat Board, which sought increased rail competition to haul grain from Western Canada farms. (ffd: BofLE News)
(TUE) The Association of Regional Railways of Canada, Canada's equivalent of the U.S.'s ASLRRA, announced that it had established a new confidential membership category to enable regional, shortline and commuter railroads to join their association anonymously. An ARRC spokesman said that the new category had been created "for railroads that might be concerned about how their relationship with Canada's 2 Class 1 railroads [Canadian National and Canadian Pacific) would be affected if they were to become association members." (ffd: Progressive Railroading)
(WED) Rail and transit organizations throughout the U.S. commemorated the one year anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Amtrak marked the occasion by sounding all locomotive horns for a moment before 8:46AM, the time when the first plane hit the World Trade Center's North Tower, and then observing a minute of silence on board all trains and in its stations and offices. Also marking the occasion was Boston's MA.'s Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, which halted all its buses, subway trains and streetcars for a moment of remembrance and reflection. (ffd: wire services)
(WED) Canada's Transport Minister David Collenette announced to that he would continue working to provide better passenger rail services for Canada. Following up the Canadian government's announcement that it would work to ratify the Kyoto Protocol, Mr. Collenette said: "With population growth and congestion, Via Rail Canada has a very good potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by getting cars off the highway. Plus, people want an alternative to Air Canada." Mr. Collenette noted that train travel has become even more important since the September 11 terrorist attacks, after which Via Rail Canada saw growth of more than 70 percent on some services. (ffd: BofLE News)
(THU) Marking the growing importance of trash shipments by rail, CSX was named 23rd overall among the top 100 waste carriers of all modes by Waste News Magazine. The magazine also named CSX highest of all rail carriers. The annual list ranks according to all revenue generated from waste hauling, disposal and transfer. (ffd: CSX Corp.)
(THU) San Francisco, CA.'s Bay Area Rapid Transit subway system marked its 30th anniversary. The system, which was originally 72 miles with 33 stations, is now 95 miles with 39 stations and will shortly expand to 103 miles with 43 stations, attendant with the coming opening of its extension serving San Francisco International Airport. Those on hand for anniversary ceremonies included 6 year old Stephany Ann Marie Ehler, the only baby ever born - inadvertently of course - on a BART train. (ffd: Railway Track and Structures)
(FRI) Amtrak announced that the partial cancellation of its Acela Express services last month had caused it to lose approximately $9 million in ticket revenue, representing approximately 76,000 passengers. Amtrak took the trainsets out of service following detection of cracks in yaw dampening assemblies in their undercarriages. Amtrak and trainset manufacturer Bombardier have since repaired and restored to service 12 of 15 trainsets. (ffd: wire services)
(SAT) The American Shortline and Regional Railroad Association announced that the first RRIF fund check had been delivered, the recipient being the Mount Hood Railroad in Oregon. A Mount Hood spokesman said that the $1,005,216 check would be used for track improvements that would allow 286K capacity freight cars to operate on their line. The Federal Railroad Administration has approved 2 other loans from the fund, which was created by the U.S. government several years ago to help prosper rail infrastructure improvements. (ffd: ASLRRA)
(THU) For the week ending September 7, U.S. carload rail traffic was up 4.3 percent from the comparable week last year, up 4.4 percent in the East and up 4.2 percent in the West. This week this year versus this week last year, notable traffic increases included metallic ores up 22.2 percent, nonmetallic minerals up 16.6 percent, waste and scrap material up 10.9 percent and coal up 4.5 percent; notable traffic decreases included coke down 17.9 percent and primary forest products down 15.3 percent. Also for the week ending September 7, U.S. intermodal rail traffic was up 7.6 percent, Canadian carload rail traffic was down 4.5 percent, Canadian intermodal rail traffic was up 26.1 percent, Mexico's Transportacion Ferroviaria Mexicana's carload rail traffic was up 65.4 percent and TFM's intermodal rail traffic was down 5.0 percent, all when ranked with the comparable week last year.
For the period January 1 through September 7, U.S. carload rail traffic was down 1.1 percent, U.S. intermodal rail traffic was up 5.2 percent, Canadian carload rail traffic was down 3.1 percent, Canadian intermodal rail traffic was up 9.5 percent, TFM's carload rail traffic was up 1.3 percent and TFM's intermodal rail traffic was up 5.8 percent, all when ranked with the comparable period last year. (ffd: AAR)
None of note this week.
None of note this week.
Compiled by Dave Mears
(NOTE: The expression "ffd" at the end of a news item means "for
further details" and usually represents what is believe to be the most
helpful news resource if a reader wants more information on a particular item.)
(SUN) Vancouver, BC. began operation of its new Millennium SkyTrain light rail line. The new line operates between the suburban town of New Westminster and East Vancouver, totals approximately 12 miles in length and serves 11 stations. (ffd: Vancouver Province)
(MON) CSX suffered an on-duty employee fatality. Conductor Jerry Duncan, Age 52, was killed when he was run over by boxcars he was switching. The accident occurred in Madisonville, IN. near Evansville. (ffd: wire services)
(MON) Canadian Pacific Railway announced that it had been designated a "low risk carrier" by Canada's Customs and Revenue Agency. A CPR spokesman said that the designation will allow shippers, who are themselves also approved as low risk by the agency, to "have their goods enter Canada as if the border did not exist" when routing to CPR Canada destinations. (ffd: CPR Corp.)
(MON) Continuing direction toward increased government re-involvement with its national rail network, Britain's Strategic Rail Authority announced that it would take control of the $2.25 billion, multiyear project to rebuild rail infrastructure on lines southeast out of London, England. An SRA spokesman said that the move was being done "to ensure completion of the project as early as possible." Later in the week, SRA announced that it was limiting the franchise of Anglo-French consortium GoVia to operate "south central England" passenger rail services to 7 years, instead of the 20 year franchise originally planned. (ffd: The Guardian)
TUE) Following up earlier announced intentions, a lawsuit was filed in U.S. district court in New Orleans, LA. seeking reparations from CSX for its predecessor companies having profited from slave labor prior to 1865. Prior to filing, the lawsuit was expanded to also seek reparations from 3 other railroads, Canadian National-Illinois Central, Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific. A CN spokesman called the suit "wholly without merit" and said that "CN will defend itself vigorously." (ffd: wire services)
(TUE) Norfolk Southern debuted "NS Focus," a videotaped news program for all levels of NS employees. An NS spokesman said that the program would be viewed at regular company meetings and "is designed to offer employees the latest updates on the railroad's business initiatives and other issues of interest." (ffd: NS Corp.)
(TUE) The west African nation of Nigeria approved a 25 year plan to improve its state railway system. A government spokesman said that the plan includes rehabilitation or replacement of all locomotives, building new rail lines such that all major Nigerian cities will be linked and constructing a high-speed passenger rail service between Abuja and Lagos, Nigeria's capital. (ffd: Johannesburg Business Day)
(WED) Canadian National opened its new intermodal terminal in Montreal, PQ. The new terminal is situated on approximately 230 acres of CN's Taschereau Yard and includes room for future expansion. The terminal features 9 lift cranes and cost $47 million total to construct. (ffd: CN Corp.)
(THU) Canadian National CEO Paul Tellier criticized efforts of the transportation department of the western Canadian province of Alberta to explore open access of Canadian rail lines. Calling such efforts harmful to the Canadian rail industry, Mr. Tellier went on to refer to any government-mandated open access as "regulatory poaching." "Rail access agreements must be driven by commercial pacts with negotiated rates reflecting fixed costs, variable costs and a host railway's lost opportunities," Mr. Tellier said. (ffd: Progressive Railroading)
(THU) Burlington Northern Santa Fe opened its new automotive terminal near Joliet, IL. The new terminal is part of BNSF's new 400 acre Logistics Park facility, which will also include new intermodal and transloading terminals still being completed. Attendant with the opening of the Logistics Park automotive terminal, BNSF will close its existing Naperville, IL. automotive terminal effective September 15. (ffd: BNSF Corp.)
(THU) Amtrak operated a special passenger train carrying members of the U.S. Congress, their staff and spouses to a special congressional session in New York City. A government spokesman said that the special session was scheduled to demonstrate solidarity with New York City on the eve of the one year anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attack on the city. Historians noted that the special session marked only the second time in U.S. history that Congress has held session outside Washington, DC. (ffd: wire services)
(FRI) Massachusetts's Department of Environmental Affairs approved state plans to extend the current commuter rail line between Boston, MA. and Stoughton, MA. further south to Bedford and Fall River. The planned extension would include rebuilding 14 miles of abandoned railroad between Stoughton and Taunton, where it would then join an existing freight line to Bedford and Fall River. Start of work on the extension, which is projected to cost $669 million, is not expected to begin for another 2 years. (ffd: Brockton Enterprise)
(FRI) Intermodal carrier Maersk Sealand marked the third week of operation of its new Pier 400 intermodal terminal at the Port of Los Angeles, CA. The new terminal encompasses 484 acres and includes 12 loading tracks on dock. A Maersk Sealand spokesman referred to the facility as "the largest proprietary intermodal terminal in the world." (ffd: BNSF Corp.)
(FRI) Metro North Commuter Railroad awarded Bombardier Corporation a $322 million contract to build 180 Class M-7 electrical multiple unit commuter rail cars. A Metro North spokesman said that the cars would be used to replace its remaining Class M-1 cars, which started service in the early 1970's. (ffd: BofLE News)
(SAT) Union Pacific debuted a new public outreach video entitled "Adolescents and Sleep." A UP spokesman said that the 10 minute video is intended to demonstrate to young people the consequences of fatigue and the value of sleep. The video continues UP's campaign against fatigue that it began following several train collisions in the last several years that were linked to fatigued train crews. (ffd: UP Corp.)
(SAT) Via Rail Canada began operation of a special train chartered by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation to celebrate CBC's 50th anniversary. The train, whose locomotive has been repainted in the CBC logo and whose cars feature exhibits of CBC programming history, will travel across Canada and back through October 5, stopping in major cities along its route. (ffd: AAR)
(THU) For the week ending August 31, U.S. carload rail traffic was down 0.1 from the comparable week last year, up 2.0 percent in the East, but down 1.7 percent in the West. Also for the week ending August 31, U.S. intermodal rail traffic was up 8.3 percent, Canadian carload rail traffic was down 3.5 percent and Canadian intermodal rail traffic was up 14.8 percent, all when ranked with the comparable week last year.
For the month of August, 2002, U.S. carload rail traffic was up 1.5 percent, compared with August, 2001. Notable traffic increases included metallic ores up 17.5 percent, metals and metal products up 11.0 percent, waste and scrap materials up 7.9 percent and chemicals up 3.6 percent; notable traffic decreases included coal down 0.8 percent, grain down 4.6 percent and primary forest products down 12.3 percent. Also for the month of August, 2002, U.S. intermodal rail traffic was up 8.0 percent, Canadian carload rail traffic was unchanged, Canadian intermodal rail traffic was up 15.6 percent, Mexico's Transportacion Ferroviaria Mexicana's carload rail traffic was down 34.0 percent and TFM's intermodal rail traffic was up 18.4 percent, all when ranked with August last year.
For the period January 1 through August 31, U.S. carload rail traffic was down 1.2 percent, U.S. intermodal rail traffic was up 5.1 percent, Canadian carload rail traffic was down 3.1 percent, Canadian intermodal rail traffic was up 9.1 percent, TFM's carload rail traffic was up 3.9 percent and TFM's intermodal rail traffic was up 16.5 percent, all when ranked with the same period last year. (ffd: AAR)
(TUE) Burlington Northern Santa Fe announced that they it would lease, to the Timber Rock Railroad for their operation, approximately 100 miles of line between Kirbyville, TX. and Tenaha, TX. (ffd: BNSF Corp.)
(TUE) The U.S. Surface Transportation Board granted preliminary approval for the Alamo North Texas Railroad to construct a new line between Alamo North's Chico, TX. quarry and a connection with the Union Pacific approximately 2 miles away. Both Alamo North Texas Railroad and Alamo North are subsidiaries of Martin Marietta Materials Southwest Corp. (ffd: STB)
(FRI) Chicago, Central & Pacific Railroad filed to abandon approximately 2 miles of its Marion-Louisa Industrial Lead Track between Cedar Rapids, IA. and Marion, IA. (ffd: STB)
(WED) Kansas City Southern appointed Ronald Poulsen VP and Chief Engineer. Mr. Poulsen, who was most recently with Amtrak, replaces Jerry Heavin, who was recently promoted to KCS SVP-Operations. (ffd: STB)
(WED) Philadelphia, PA.'s Delaware River Port Authority appointed Cheryl Spicer Assistant GM of its PATCO High-Speed Line operating between Philadelphia and Lindenwold, NJ. Ms. Spicer is a former AGM of Philadelphia rail and transit operator SEPTA. (ffd: Philadelphia Inquirer)
(THU) The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee interviewed Roger Nober for the chairmanship of the U.S. Surface Transportation Board. Mr. Nober, most recently with the office of U.S. Deputy Transportation Secretary Michael Jackson, has been nominated to replace Linda Morgan as chairman, although Ms. Morgan will continue as an STB commissioner. Also interviewed by the committee was David Laney to fill the vacancy on the Amtrak Board of Directors last held by current U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson. (ffd: UTU News)
(THU) Washington, DC.'s transit operator WMATA announced that its Assistant General Manager, Fred Goodine, had been designated a "Certified Safety and Security Director" by the World Safety Organization. A WMATA spokesman said that Mr. Goodine is the first U.S. transit professional to receive this certification by the WSO. (ffd: Progressive Railroading)
(FRI) Amtrak announced the appointment of Deno Bokas as Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Bokas, who has been with Amtrak since 1995, replaces Arlene Friner, who left Amtrak earlier this summer. Amtrak also announced the appointment of David Hughes as Chief Engineer. Mr. Hughes was earlier Chief Engineer of the Boston & Maine and most recently a domestic and international rail consultant. (ffd: Amtrak)
Compiled by Dave Mears
(NOTE: The expression "ffd" at the end of a news item means "for
further details" and usually represents what is believe to be the most
helpful news resource if a reader wants more information on a particular item.)
(MON) The U.S. Transportation Security Administration continued to progress plans for development of a mandatory identification card for selected U.S. transportation workers. A spokesman for the agency said that the card would be required for transportation workers in both the public and private sectors with access "to secure areas of the U.S. transportation system." The cards would include biometric identification, such as that gleaned from eyes, voice, palms, or fingerprints. (ffd: Boston Globe)
(TUE) At a press conference in New York City, Charles Gargano, the head of New York State's Pennsylvania Station Redevelopment Corporation, said that the project to convert the Farley Post Office Building into the new Pennsylvania Station was "back on track." Mr. Gargano noted that the project had been delayed by prolonged negotiations with the U.S. Postal Service over portions of the building they would continue to use. Mr. Gargano added that he expects to conclude an agreement with USPS "in the very near future" that would allow conversion work to proceed. (ffd: New York Times)
(TUE) Officials held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Harrisburg, PA. Airport rail station to be built on Amtrak's Keystone Corridor Line. The station, which will also replace the current Middletown, PA. stop, is expected to open by Summer, 2004. (ffd: NARP)
(TUE) Burlington Northern Santa Fe hosted a symposium for representatives from over 40 trucking companies to better acquaint them with BNSF intermodal rail services. BNSF Group Vice President Steve Branscum said that the symposium was held to show how the railroad's intermodal operations could benefit trucking companies and included in its agenda a comprehensive tour of BNSF's Alliance, TX. intermodal terminal. "Our goal was to educate these motor carriers that BNSF can offer them, speed, savings and solutions," Mr. Branscum said. (ffd: BNSF Corp.)
(WED) The U.S. Surface Transportation Board said that it was revising its regulations concerning rail cost recovery to reflect changes made by the ICC Termination Act of 1995. The STB also said that it was removing procedures for publication of separate rates for distinct services, because it said the statutory basis for these regulations was eliminated by the Act. Further information on these changes may be found on the STB's website at www.dot.stb.gov. (ffd: STB)
(WED) Deutsche Bahn, Germany's state railway system, said that it would take approximately 2-½ years to fully restore its railway infrastructure damaged by recent severe flooding in eastern and southern Germany. A Deutsche Bahn spokesman said that more than 250 miles of track, 94 bridges and 200 stations were badly damaged by the flooding. The spokesman added that the first priority would be rebuild infrastructure in the Leipzig-Dresden-Chemnitz "triangle." (ffd: Deutsche Welle)
(THU) The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers retracted its claim made earlier in the week that a UTU-represented train crew member had been killed where a locomotive remote control device had been in service. The change followed a statement from the Federal Railroad Administration confirming the on-duty death of H. Michael Lowe, who was crushed between cars August 8 on a switching railroad serving a Cleveland, OH. steel plant, but noting that the remote control device was not in use there at the time of the accident. (ffd: Trains Magazine, UTU News)
(FRI) Amtrak announced that it would have 7 Acela Express trainsets in service for the Labor Day weekend, down from the earlier daily norm of 15. The high-speed trainsets have been intermittently out of service following discovery of cracks in the brackets anchoring the assemblies that retard train sway. An Amtrak spokesman said that other Amtrak locomotives and cars would substitute for trainsets out of service. The spokesman added that Amtrak is continuing to work with the trainset manufacturer, Bombardier, to inspect and repair bracket and related cracks on the 18 trainsets acquired by Amtrak. (ffd: CNN)
(FRI) North and South Korea agreed to repair and reconnect the rail line separating their countries through Korea's demilitarized zone. Spokesmen for the 2 governments said that work would begin September 18 and was expected to be complete by year's end. The spokesmen added that a major challenge for the project would be to clear thousands of land mines along the rail line route through the zone. (ffd: wire services)
(THU) For the week ending August 24, U.S. carload rail traffic was down 0.2 percent from the comparable week last year, up 2.9 percent in the East, but down 2.6 percent in the West. This week this year versus this week last year, notable traffic increases included metallic ores up 22.5 percent, waste and scrap materials up 8.2 percent and pulp and paper products up 8.2 percent; notable traffic decreases included primary forest products down 16.5 percent and coal down 5.2 percent. Also for the week ending August 24, U.S. intermodal rail traffic was up 7.4 percent (the highest level of weekly growth since October 20, 2000), Canadian carload rail traffic was up 3.3 percent, Canadian intermodal rail traffic was up 19.2 percent, Mexico's Transportacion Ferroviaria Mexicana's carload rail traffic was up 10.9 percent and TFM's intermodal rail traffic was down 21.7 percent, all when ranked with the comparable week last year.
For the period January 1 through August 24, U.S. carload rail traffic was down 1.2 percent, U.S. intermodal rail traffic was up 5.0 percent, Canadian carload rail traffic was down 3.0 percent, Canadian intermodal rail traffic was up 8.9 percent, TFM's carload rail traffic was down 1.0 percent and TFM's intermodal rail traffic was up 6.2 percent, all when ranked with the comparable period last year. (ffd: AAR)
(WED) The U.S. Surface Transportation Board granted preliminary approval for Burlington Northern Santa Fe to build a new line serving the Bayport, TX. chemical plant complex. The new line, totaling approximately 13 miles in length, will run between Bayport and a connection with the Union Pacific, at which BNSF has trackage rights. (ffd: STB)
(THU) CSX granted trackage rights to the Central Michigan Railway over approximately 4 miles of CSX line in and near Saginaw, MI. (ffd: STB)
(FRI) CSX filed to abandon approximately 6 miles of its Hamilton Industrial Track between Holland, MI. and Hamilton, MI. (ffd: STB)
(TUE) Canadian regional railroad BC Rail appointed Bob Phillips Acting President, succeeding Mark Mudie, who resigned the previous week. (ffd: Vancouver Sun)
(THU) Attendant with a recent reorganization of its Customer Service Department, Kansas City Southern Railway appointed Marcus Burns General Director-Data Quality, Darin Selby Assistant Director-Rail Operations-Transcontinental Division and Shreveport Terminal, Mike Bryant Assistant Director-Rail Operations-Midcontinental Division and Kansas City Terminal, and Jennifer Fussell Assistant Director-Customer Service. (ffd: KCS Inc.)
(FRI) CSX appointed David Hemphill Director-Industrial Development-South Carolina. Mr. Hemphill was most recently deputy county administrator of Jasper County, SC. (ffd: CSX Corp.)
Compiled by Dave Mears
(NOTE: The expression "ffd" at the end of a news item means "for
further details" and usually represents what is believe to be the most
helpful news resource if a reader wants more information on a particular item.)
(MON) Albany, NY.'s Capital District Transportation Authority announced that it had reached tentative agreement with Amtrak to use the new and nearly complete 80,000 square foot train station constructed by the CDTA to replace Amtrak's current and smaller station in Renssaeler, NY. Amtrak President David Gunn had earlier stated that Amtrak might not be able to afford use of the new station, but the Albany Times-Union reported that the tentative agreement leases space to Amtrak at a lesser rate in return for a greater share of station concession and related revenues. The Albany-Renssaeler station is Amtrak's 10th busiest, serving approximately 630,000 passengers annually. (ffd: Albany Times-Union, wire services)
(MON) CSX revised its heat restriction policy, which had drawn criticism from commuter rail operators using CSX tracks, who said it had been unnecessarily slowing commuter train operations. Under the new guidelines, passenger trains using CSX tracks will slow to 20 mph less than maximum passenger train track speed on CSX subdivisions experiencing extreme hot temperatures or extreme temperature fluctuation. CSX heat restrictions stem from the July 28 Amtrak "Capitol Limited" derailment in Kensington, MD., which was initially linked to a possible heat kink in a rail. In a related story later in the week, a National Transportation Safety Board preliminary report on the derailment stated that a CSX track supervisor had mistakenly lifted a slow order for the section of track where the Amtrak train derailed, although the NTSB cautioned that the exact cause of the derailment had not yet been conclusively determined. (ffd: WJLA, wire services)
(TUE) A federal district court judge in West Virginia rejected a lawsuit filed by CSX, Norfolk Southern and American Premium Underwriters, the latter the successor company to the former Penn Central, over West Virginia's consolidation of asbestos-related cases as class actions. The lawsuit alleged that the consolidation "effectively forces defendants…to settle because of the risk of bankrupting judgments in mass cases." There are currently 5,592 asbestos-related claims filed against railroads in West Virginia state courts. The plaintiffs are expected to appeal the district court's decision. (ffd: wire services)
(WED) Colorado Railcar Corp. debuted a new prototype diesel multiple unit (DMU) passenger car. The prototype includes single-level seating for 92, can accelerate from 0mph to 55mph in 38 seconds, and is fully compliant with FRA specifications for passenger cars. A spokesman for Colorado Railcar said that the prototype is now being tested at the Transportation Technology Center in Pueblo, CO. and that a double-decker design is also available. (ffd: AAR)
(WED) Pennsylvania State Rep. George Gekas noted work underway to improve "Keystone Corridor" passenger rail services on Amtrak's line between Philadelphia, PA. and Harrisburg, PA. In a prepared statement, Mr. Gekas noted that work has already begun on signaling improvements and catenary renewal. A total of $140 million in federal, state and local spending is planned for the line over the next several years, which will fund renewal of infrastructure, new locomotives and cars, construction of a station serving Harrisburg's airport and other line station improvements. (ffd: NARP)
(WED) Union Pacific noted their continuing rollout of their new Crew Management and Timekeeping System (CMTS.) A UP spokesman said that the new system will automate many existing manual crew management processes by including such features as an outgoing automated voice response function to dispatch crews and another function whereby the crews themselves will enter end-of-shift reporting and related pay information. UP said that it expects to begin cutover to the new system later this year. (ffd: UP Corp.)
(WED) The Delaware River Port Authority, operators of the PATCO transit line between Philadelphia, PA. and Lindenwold, NJ., announced plans to replace their fare collection system with more modern technology. A DRPA spokesman said that the existing fare collection system, one in the first in the U.S. to be completely automated, dates from the line's opening in 1969. DRPA said that it expects the new system to be operational within 3 years. (ffd: UTU News)
(THU) Logistics Management Magazine announced the results of a satisfaction survey conducted of U.S. rail freight customers. The survey noted slightly increased customer satisfaction with standard rail freight service from a similar survey conducted 2 years ago. Customers surveyed also gave the rail industry improved ratings for on-time performance, value, information technology, and customer service. (ffd: AAR)
(THU) Union Pacific announced that it would undertake a special disinfection of its South Morrill Shops near Scottsbluff, NE. after a worker there died of hantavirus, which is contracted from exposure to rodent excretions. A UP spokesman said that the disinfection was being done as a precautionary effort, as it has not yet been conclusively determined where the deceased worker, Steven Harberts, Age 30, contracted hantavirus. (ffd: Omaha Times Herald)
(FRI) Traffic World Magazine reported that CSX and NS have reached agreement on splitting up the Detroit, MI. intermodal terminal operated by its Conrail Shared Assets subsidiary. The report said that the split is designed to improve delivery of each railroad's intermodal services to and from the Detroit area, which have lately experienced significant growth. In a related story, Conrail Shared Assets will dissolve its police force effective September 1, with its officers becoming members of either the CSX or NS police forces. (ffd: UTU News, NJOLS)
(FRI) Chicago, IL. newspapers noted the retirement of Union Pacific locomotive engineer, Edward Yost, after 53 years' railroad service. Mr. Yost, who was originally with the Chicago & North Western, was believed to be the last locomotive engineer remaining on UP's work roster to have operated steam locomotives in regular service. Mr. Yost's retirement was marked with a special ceremony at Chicago's Ogilvie Transportation Center, which is the former C&NW's North Western station. (ffd: Chicago Sun Times)
(THU) For the week ending August 17, U.S. carload rail traffic was up 3.8 percent from the comparable week last year, up 4.1 percent in the East and up 3.5 percent in the West. This week this year versus this week last year, notable traffic increases included nonmetallic ores up 16.6 percent, metallic ores up 12.5 percent, metals and metal products up 12.1 percent and coal up 5.0 percent; notable traffic decreases included primary forest products down 13.7 percent and coke down 13.0 percent. Also for the week ending August 17, U.S. intermodal rail traffic was up 8.2 percent, Canadian carload rail traffic was up 1.4 percent, Canadian intermodal rail traffic was up 18.4 percent, Mexico's Transportacion Ferroviaria Mexicana's carload rail traffic was up 15.5 percent and TFM's intermodal rail traffic was down 2.9 percent, all when ranked with the comparable week last year.
For the period January 1 through August 17, U.S. carload rail traffic was down 1.3 percent, U.S. intermodal rail traffic was up 5.0 percent, Canadian carload rail traffic was down 3.2 percent, Canadian intermodal rail traffic was up 8.6 percent, TFM's carload rail traffic was down 1.3 percent and TFM's intermodal rail traffic was up 7.4 percent, all when ranked with the comparable period last year. (ffd: AAR)
(TUE) Shortline/regional rail conglomerate Genesee & Wyoming acquired the Utah Railway for $54 million. The UTAH owns 45 miles of track and 378 miles of trackage rights, operates between Ogden, UT. and Grand Junction, CO. and had $23.7 million in revenues for the year ending June 30. Genesee & Wyoming also appointed James Davis as GM of the UTAH. (ffd: Railway Track and Structures)
W. Dan Pickett was reelected president of the Brotherhood of Railway Signalmen. The reelection marks the 3rd term for Mr. Pickett as head of the BofRS. (ffd: AAR)