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Hot News! Edited by Bimal Shaha |
UPDATED APRIL 9, 2012:
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Following work set to begin April 16, Amtrak services for Wolverine and
Blue Water passengers can expect normal travel times on Norfolk
Southern Railway (NS) track in Michigan by early May.
While NS crews work to eliminate the temporary "slow orders" the
railroad imposed on March 15, certain trains will be cancelled, have
different schedules, or have segments covered by dedicated motor
coaches, to allow completion of track work on April 16, 17, 18 and 19
(see attached.) Amtrak service in mid-Michigan will continue to be
delayed from 45 to 90 minutes on Pontiac-Detroit-Chicago Wolverine
trains, with lesser delays to the Blue Water trains to and from Chicago
and Port Huron.
Train 350, the morning eastbound Wolverine from Chicago to Pontiac, will
terminate at Kalamazoo. Passengers continuing east of Kalamazoo will be
accommodated on a dedicated bus serving Battle Creek and Jackson, where
passengers will reboard a train for the remainder of the trip to
Dearborn and intermediate stations. Train 351, the morning westbound
Wolverine from Pontiac, will terminate at Jackson. Passengers continuing
west of Jackson will be provided with dedicated bus service to Battle
Creek and Kalamazoo, where they will reboard a train for service to
Chicago and intermediate stations. The Kalamazoo departure of the
continuation of train 351 will be 90 minutes later, at 11:20 a.m.,
arriving in Chicago at 12:54 p.m. CT.
The late morning Wolverine 353 from Pontiac to Chicago is cancelled. The
early afternoon Wolverine 352 from Chicago to Pontiac is also
cancelled. Wolverine trains 354 (Pontiac to Chicago) and Train 355
(Dearborn to Chicago) will continue to operate with delays until the
track repairs are completed.
Blue Water (Train 365) operating eastbound between Port Huron and
Chicago, will depart Port Huron two hours earlier at 4 a.m. All
intermediate stations between Port Huron and
Chicago also will be served two hours earlier than the published
schedule.
Amtrak has posted temporary schedules for service on the Wolverine and
the Blue Water (364 and 365.) The Blue Water uses NS-owned track between
Battle Creek and Kalamazoo.
Further significant temporary changes to accommodate track work after
April 19 will be announced as details become available in Passenger
Service Notices at stations, shown as part of the booking process on
Amtrak.com, and posted at Amtrak.com/Alerts.
(Amtrak - posted 4/06)
HISTORIC AMTRAK DOME CAR FEATURED ON MISSOURI RIVER RUNNER IN EARLY APRIL:
Passengers on Amtrak Missouri River Runner trains are in for a treat
April 7-12 as the historic Amtrak “Great Dome” rail car will provide a
unique opportunity to experience river and prairie views along the
train’s St. Louis to Kansas City, Mo., route.
The only remaining dome car in Amtrak service features an upper level
with windows on all sides – as well as overhead – to provide panoramic
views of springtime in Missouri. The dome section runs the full length
of the car, a rare feature even when dome cars were more numerous on the
nation’s railroads.
Seats in the dome car are not reserved and are available on a
first-come, first served basis. To access the dome, passengers climb a
short flight of stairs. No elevator is available. The dome car is
scheduled to operate on the Missouri River Runner as follows:
- April 7 Train 314 - Kansas City to St. Louis; Train 313 - St. Louis to Kansas City
- April 8 Train 314 - Kansas City to St. Louis; Train 313 - St. Louis to Kansas City
- April 9 Train 314 - Kansas City to St. Louis; Train 313 - St. Louis to Kansas City
- April 10 Train 314 - Kansas City to St. Louis only
- April 11 Train 311 - St. Louis to Kansas City; Train 316 - Kansas City to St. Louis
- April 12 Train 311 - St. Louis to Kansas City only
(Amtrak - posted 4/05)
PORT AUTHORITY BOARD AUTHORIZES REPLACEMENT OF PATH'S HARRISON RAIL STATION: A gleaming new glass-and-steel Harrison PATH rail station is now on track to replace the currently deteriorating 76-year-old facility after Port Authority commissioners last week authorized key steps to move the project forward. The Board's action to approve $256 million in project authorizations enables PATH officials to award contracts for professional and advisory services to finalize the station's design, hire a construction manager and acquire outstanding properties. The construction portion of the project is estimated at $153.8 million and this expedited process will shave two years off the expected timeframe. The move will help meet the city's growing residential and commercial needs, as well as those related to Red Bulls Stadium. The city of Harrison's ongoing renaissance, led by Mayor Raymond McDonough means significantly increased passenger use of the existing station, which was built in 1936 and is unable to be refurbished to meet the city's 21st century needs. The new station will accommodate increased ridership at Harrison and eventually along the entire Newark-World Trade Center PATH line, with the addition of longer platforms to accommodate 10-car trains instead of the current 8-car limit. "The replacement of the aging PATH station at Harrison, along with the addition of 340 new rail cars, demonstrates the Board of Commissioners' commitment to modernize the PATH system for the 76 million riders who use it each year," said Port Authority Chairman David Samson. "The new station will be a centerpiece for Harrison's revitalization and create over a thousand jobs and $344 million in economic activity." "Trimming two years off the construction timeline will enable us to deliver this important rail station in five years rather than seven," said Port Authority Executive Director Pat Foye. "This exemplifies the Port Authority's drive to regain its place as one of the region's most efficient economic engines by eliminating bureaucratic hurdles that will enable projects to be built in a timelier fashion." "Mayor Raymond McDonough has made this project a key priority for Harrison and for commuters across New Jersey," said Port Authority Deputy Executive Director Bill Baroni. "The mayor's leadership and tireless advocacy on behalf of modern and efficient public transportation, together with our new leadership team, have enabled the project to finally move forward after years of delay." "The Port Authority, under the leadership of Governors Chris Christie and Andrew Cuomo, has finally given the green light to the modernization and revitalization of the Harrison PATH station," said Harrison Mayor Raymond McDonough. "This project will provide numerous economic incentives not only to Harrison but to surrounding communities in New Jersey for years to come." Last year, the Port Authority completed its three-year phase-in of 340 new rail cars, a $744 million program that made PATH one of the nation's newest fleets after years of being one of the oldest. The $580 million computerized signal system will replace an aging, mechanized system and allow PATH trains to run closer together while maintaining safety requirements. Running trains more efficiently, combined with the 10-car platforms on the Newark-WTC line, will allow PATH to increase future ridership by more than 20 percent. This is important given that the Red Bulls soccer has brought increased ridership to Harrison's PATH station over the past two years and various developers are now planning significant residential and commercial construction projects within the city. The Port Authority took over PATH from the bankrupt Hudson and Manhattan Railroad in 1962. PATH set a record in its 50-year history in 2011 with 76.6 million passenger trips, surpassing the previous 2008 record by 1.7 million trips. Passengers took approximately 256,000 weekday trips and 211,000 weekend trips in 2011 on PATH, which comprises 43 miles of track and 13 stations in New Jersey and New York. Last year, the Harrison station experienced the highest weekday growth of the system's stations, jumping 8.7 percent above 2010 levels. Additionally, the Board approved a $71 million reauthorization to replace and upgrade the PATH's Christopher Street substation, which will maintain the facility that provides electrical power to the uptown PATH system in a state-of-good-repair. Authorization included a $31.8 million construction contract with Mass. Electric Construction Company following a publicly advertised bid solicitation. (PANYNJ - posted 4/05)
AAR REPORTS MIXED RAIL TRAFFIC FOR MARCH: WEEKLY RAIL TRAFFIC MIXED: The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail carloads originated in March 2012 totaled 1,123,298, down 69,190 carloads or 5.8 percent, compared with March 2011. Intermodal volume in March 2012 was 928,350 containers and trailers, up 31,348 units or 3.5 percent compared with March 2011. Detailed monthly data charts and tables will be available in the AAR’s Rail Time Indicators report released online tomorrow. Twelve of the 20 commodity groups tracked by AAR showed gains in March 2012 compared with the same month last year, including petroleum and petroleum products, up 9,052 carloads or 34.2 percent; motor vehicles and parts, up 9,032 carloads or 15.3 percent; steel and other primary metal products, up 3,459 carloads or 8.3 percent; crushed stone, gravel, and sand, up 3,211 carloads or 4.8 percent; and metallic ores, up 1,642 carloads or 8.1 percent. Commodities with carload declines in March were led by coal, down 84,854 carloads or 15.8 percent from March 2011. Other commodities with declines included grain, down 9,088 carloads or 9.7 percent; chemicals, down 4,278 carloads or 3.4 percent; nonmetallic minerals, down 1,863 carloads or 9.7 percent; and farm products excluding grain, down 479 carloads or 13.3 percent. Carloads excluding coal and grain were up 4.4 percent or 24,752 carloads in March 2012 over March 2011. “There is no denying that coal is a crucial commodity for railroads, and there’s also no denying that recent declines in coal traffic are presenting significant challenges to railroads right now,” said AAR Senior Vice President John T. Gray. “That said, it’s encouraging that many commodities that are better indicators of the state of the economy than coal is — things like motor vehicles, lumber and wood products, and crushed stone — saw higher rail carloadings in March.” Class I employment fell to 159,228 in February 2012, a decline of 105 employees from January 2012. Total Class I employment was 4,726 employees, or 3.1 percent, greater in February 2012 than in February 2011. In February 2012, most major classes of rail employees saw declines from the month before. The one exception was train and engine employees, whose employment rose by 170 in February 2012 over January 2012. As of April 1, 2012, 299,324 freight cars were in storage, an increase of 9,819 from March 1, 2012, and equal to 19.6 percent of the North American fleet. AAR today also reported mixed weekly rail traffic for the week ending March 31, 2012, with U.S. railroads originating 286,962 carloads, down 6.2 percent compared with the same week last year. Intermodal volume for the week totaled 242,772 trailers and containers, up 3.6 percent compared with the same week last year. Twelve of the 20 carload commodity groups posted increases compared with the same week in 2011, with petroleum products, up 38.2 percent; motor vehicles and equipment, up 17.2 percent, and metals and products, up 16.9 percent. The groups showing a significant decrease in weekly traffic included farm products excluding grain, down 19.7 percent; nonmetallic minerals, down 18.9 percent, and coal, down 18.2 percent. Weekly carload volume on Eastern railroads was down 3.2 percent compared with the same week last year. In the West, weekly carload volume was down 8.2 percent compared with the same week in 2011. For the first thirteen weeks of 2012, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 3,679,090 carloads, down 2.5 percent from last year, and 2,928,445 trailers and containers, up 2.5 percent from last year. Canadian railroads reported 79,654 carloads for the week, up 0.8 percent compared with the same week last year, and 52,710 trailers and containers, up 12.4 percent compared with 2011. For the first thirteen weeks of 2012, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 986,282 carloads, up 5.4 percent from the same point last year, and 632,934 trailers and containers, up 6.9 percent from last year. Mexican railroads reported 14,889 carloads for the week, down 3.4 percent compared with the same week last year, and 9,103 trailers and containers, up 27.8 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first thirteen weeks of 2012 is 176,345 carloads, down 5.8 percent compared with last year, and 114,817 trailers and containers, up 22.7 percent. Combined North American rail volume for the first thirteen weeks of 2012 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 4,841,717 carloads, down 1.1 percent compared with last year, and 3,676,196 trailers and containers, up 3.8 percent compared with last year (AAR - posted 4/05)
SHUTTLE BUSING SCHEDULED ON SEPTA'S WARMINSTER REGIONAL RAIL LINE: Restoration of overhead catenary wire along SEPTA's Warminster Regional Rail Line will result in mid-day weekday shuttle busing between Warminster and Willow Grove Stations from Monday, April 2, 2012 until August 2012. Shuttle buses will operate between Warminster and Willow Grove Stations on weekdays from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Passengers traveling to Center City will board shuttle buses at Warminster Station, 13 minutes before their regularly scheduled train times, as shown in the newly revised Regional Rail timetable. The buses will travel to Willow Grove Station where passengers will meet regularly scheduled trains to complete their trips to Center City. Trains traveling from Willow Grove Station to Center City will operate normally. Warminster bound trains will travel as far as Willow Grove Station and arrive at regularly scheduled train times. Passengers traveling to Hatboro and Warminster Stations should add approximately 10 minutes to their trips. These passengers will transfer from trains to waiting shuttle buses at Willow Grove Station to complete their trips. Bus departure times are included in the April 1st Warminster Regional Rail timetable. Passengers taking trains from Warminster Station before 9:00 a.m. and after 3:00 p.m. will follow directional signage to new boarding locations. Additionally, weekday and weekend trains will depart from Warminster Station two minutes earlier. Passengers can visit www.septa.org to view changes to their train lines and download new schedules. Riders can also contact SEPTA Customer Service representatives at (215) 580-7800. (SEPTA - posted 4/04) .
CN AND CSXT JOIN RANKS IN NEW CHICAGO ALL-RAIL INTERCHANGE: CN announced today a new steel-wheel-interchange service with CSXT Transportation (CSX) over Chicago. The service gives container imports moving over CN's network from the ports of Vancouver and Prince Rupert, B.C., efficient access to key Ohio Valley markets. Jean-Jacques Ruest, CN executive vice-president and chief marketing officer, said: "Our new interchange service will give CN's customers efficient and cost-effective access to CSX's new Northwest Ohio Terminal and to the important markets of Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati, Ohio, and Louisville, Ky." Prior to this agreement, CN and CSX exchanged container traffic in Chicago by truck, instead of directly between railroads. "Together, our interchange agreements with CSX and Norfolk Southern Corporation (NS) for container traffic moving over the Chicago gateway to northeast U.S. markets underscore CN's commitment to improving the efficiency of its customers' supply chains, with the goal of making them more competitive in their end markets," Ruest said. CSX and NS are the major rail carriers in the eastern United States. (CN - posted 4/02) .
VIRGINIA MUSEUM OF TRANSPORTATION ASSUMES FULL OWNERSHIP OF 611 AND 1218 AS 50TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION BEGINS: The City of Roanoke, with the support of the Norfolk Southern Corporation, gifted the Virginia Museum of Transportation the country’s last remaining examples of the most advanced steam engines of their kind– the Norfolk and Western Class J 611 and the Class A 1218. The proclamation was made on the Museum’s 50th Birthday at a press conference in Roanoke, VA. Roanoke Mayor David Bowers delivered the news. Members of Roanoke’s City Council, special guests, Museum board, members and volunteers were on hand to cheer the announcement. “What a wonderful birthday present,” says Beverly T. Fitzpatrick, Jr., the Museum’s executive director. “This gift shows great faith in the Virginia Museum of Transportation by our city leaders and administration. We can’t think of a better way to celebrate this important day and to kick off the next 50 years.” The VMT was originally known as the Roanoke Transportation Museum and was founded by the City of Roanoke. The charter was created on April 2, 1962. The Roanoke Transportation Museum opened its doors for the first time over the Memorial Day weekend in 1963. The City of Roanoke transferred operation of the Museum to a private non-profit organization in 1976. Because of the original charter, the city of Roanoke still owned 40 percent of the equipment on display at the Museum until recently. All the assets, with the exception of the Norfolk & Western (N&W) Class J 611 and the Class A 1218, became property of the Museum in February 2012. Today’s announcement transfers the two most significant pieces of Roanoke’s history to the Virginia Museum of Transportation. The J-611 and the A-1218: Reflections of our legacy and our future The massive Norfolk & Western locomotives were designed and built by people in the Roanoke Valley in the famous N&W Shops. They are known to be the most advanced steam locomotives of their kind ever built. They are also the only ones left in existence. The Class A 1218 was put into service during World War II transporting troops and supplies to the east coast so they could be shipped to Europe. The Class J 611 debuted during the post-war era and helped to fuel the massive growth and economic activity during the post-war boom years. “The Virginia Museum of Transportation celebrates the skilled craftsmen from the Roanoke Valley who designed and built the best steam locomotives in the world,” Mayor Bowers said. “The 611 and 1218 say a lot about our citizens, our legacy and our future.” In the past, the locomotives contributed to Roanoke’s economic success by hauling coal, freight and passengers. Today, the massive locomotives are world-renowned and are contributing to modern-day economic success for the city. “One third of our visitors come from out of state – and most come just to see these powerful locomotives up close,” Fitzpatrick says. “These visitors sleep, eat and shop in Roanoke and generate over $2.2 million in direct tourism spending.” Fitzpatrick says that people of all ages come to Roanoke and the Museum to learn about the great strength of these locomotives. “They are a wonderful educational asset to the community,” he says. “School children, scouts and adults can learn history, science and math through these massive machines.” (Virginia Museum of Transportation, Alex Mayes - posted 4/03) .
ILLINOIS HIGH-SPEED RAIL CORRIDOR WORK RESUMES: The Illinois Department of Transportation (Illinois DOT) and Union Pacific Railroad will again be upgrading Illinois’ signature high-speed route, Chicago-St. Louis, for future high-speed Amtrak trains, from April 16 through May 25. The improvements for 110 mph service include the installation of new premium rail with concrete ties and stone ballast; upgrades to bridges, culverts and drainage; signal and wayside equipment installations and upgrades; and roadway-rail grade crossing improvements. Most days, this work will lead to the substitution of chartered motorcoaches for Amtrak Lincoln Service (Trains 300-307) passengers at St. Louis, Alton and Carlinville. The Amtrak Texas Eagle (Trains 21/321/421 & 22/322/422) will detour between Chicago and St. Louis for the same period, with alternate transportation in both directions between Joliet and St. Louis. The attached Passenger Service Notice covers the details of the first phase of the 2012 work. The temporary changes will allow Union Pacific’s Track Renewal Train crews to improve infrastructure to enable Amtrak service to travel at speeds up to 110 mph (177 kph), an increase from the current maximum of 79 mph (127 kph). Illinois DOT and Amtrak are planning to preview higher speed trains in September 2012 from Dwight to Pontiac. This is the last scheduled year of large-scale construction leading to alternate transportation on the corridor. When this project began with a ground-breaking north of Alton in 2010, it was among the first high-speed rail projects in the country to start construction. Passenger Service Notices about this disruption are posted at stations and will be displayed as part of the booking process on Amtrak.com. Temporary road crossing closures due to construction will be updated on a nightly basis on the Official Illinois High-Speed Rail Chicago to St. Louis Project Website, www.idothsr.org . Further notices will be issued through the 2012 construction season. A stringent Quality Control/Quality Assurance program has been set up for the Illinois High-speed rail project for materials and equipment. During the 2010-11 construction seasons, certain concrete railroad ties installed in the corridor were failing a laboratory test predictive of durability. No ties have failed in service but as a precautionary measure all 115,000 of the implicated ties are scheduled for removal from service by the end of 2012 at Union Pacific’s expense (Amtrak - posted 3/30) .
NORFOLK SOUTHERN UNVEILS THE THIRD HERITAGE LOCOMOTIVE: Norfolk Southern's Juniata Locomotive Shop in Altoona, Pa has released the third Heritage locomotive... ES44AC 8100 in full Nickel Plate Road paint (John Krattinger, NS - posted 3/29) .
TRAINS BACK ROLLING ON THE NS CHICAGO LINE: Norfolk Southern has restored operations at the derailment site near Ligonier, Indiana (between Elkhart and Toledo). Train operations are beginning to return to normal routes and schedules, but due to a number of shipments holding in the area, customers may continue to see some delays until the backlog is cleared. (NS - posted 3/29)
NORFOLK SOUTHERN'S NEW CHARLOTTE INTERMODAL TERMINAL: The City of Charlotte signed a lease agreement today with Norfolk Southern Corporation, a momentous move that will kick off construction of Charlottes new regional intermodal facility at CLT. Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx held a press conference at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center to formally sign the lease. Once operational, the facility is expected to generate $9 billion in economic impact over the next 20 years. The agreement culminates years of planning. This project was first envisioned in 1997 in the Airport's Strategic Development Plan - a process that included several Charlotte businesses. The facility, which will be built by Northern Southern, is scheduled to open in 2014. It will replace the existing 40-acre intermodal facility along North Davidson and North Brevard Streets in uptown. By relocating to the Airport, Norfolk Southern is able to expand to 200 acres and remove trucks off busy city streets. Land has already been graded for the intermodal facility that will sit along the southern end of CLT's center parallel runway and 40 feet underneath two taxiway bridges. The tracks will extend a mile along the airfield. For passengers landing at CLT, they will likely only see the tops of cranes. Daily operation at CLT will not be impacted once the facility is fully operational. The $90 million facility will be constructed with the assistance of $15.7 million in federal and state funds. In addition, the Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, North Carolina Department of Transportation and the City of Charlotte provided extensive help in planning the facility. (NS - posted 3/29)
AAR REPORTS MIXED WEEKLY RAIL TRAFFIC: The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported mixed weekly rail traffic for the week ending March 24, 2012, with U.S. railroads originating 278,393 carloads, down 7.2 percent compared with the same week last year. Intermodal volume for the week totaled 232,401 trailers and containers, up 4.2 percent compared with the same week last year. Twelve of the 20 carload commodity groups posted increases compared with the same week in 2011, with petroleum products, up 26.8 percent; coke, up 15.1 percent, and motor vehicles and equipment, up 13.8 percent. The groups showing a significant decrease in weekly traffic included coal, down 17.4 percent, and grain, down 14.2 percent. Weekly carload volume on Eastern railroads was down 4.3 percent compared with the same week last year. In the West, weekly carload volume was down 9.1 percent compared with the same week in 2011. For the first twelve weeks of 2012, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 3,392,128 carloads, down 2.2 percent from last year, and 2,685,673 trailers and containers, up 2.4 percent from last year. Canadian railroads reported 77,841 carloads for the week, up 0.4 percent compared with the same week last year, and 51,772 trailers and containers, up 10.7 percent compared with 2011. For the first twelve weeks of 2012, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 906,628 carloads, up 5.8 percent from the same point last year, and 580,224 trailers and containers, up 6.5 percent from last year. Mexican railroads reported 14,145 carloads for the week, up 1.7 percent compared with the same week last year, and 8,708 trailers and containers, up 32 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first twelve weeks of 2012 is 161,456 carloads, down 6 percent compared with last year, and 105,714 trailers and containers, up 22.3 percent. Combined North American rail volume for the first twelve weeks of 2012 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 4,460,212 carloads, down 0.8 percent compared with last year, and 3,371,611 trailers and containers, up 3.6 percent compared with last year (AAR - posted 3/29)
NS DERAILMENT UPDATE: Norfolk Southern is continuing work to clear the site where a train derailed early Tuesday morning, west of Ligonier, Indiana (between Elkhart and Toledo). Once cleared, track repairs will immediately get underway and based on preliminary estimates, some train operations should be restored early Thursday. Norfolk Southern is continuing to reroute trains normally moving over this route in coordination with other carriers as well as over alternate routes on Norfolk Southern. (NS- posted 3/28)
METROLINX PURCHASES TORONTO AREA CN TRACKAGE: CN announced today the sale of two rail line segments in the Greater Toronto Area to Metrolinx for C$310.5 million. GO Transit's Richmond Hill commuter rail service operates over a portion of CN's Bala Subdivision. Metrolinx is acquiring a segment of the subdivision from approximately Rosedale Valley Road north through the Don Valley to CN's main east-west freight line north of Steeles Avenue near the Toronto-York Region border. Metrolinx is also acquiring a segment of CN's Oakville Subdivision from a point near 30th Street in the Etobicoke area of Toronto and terminating just west of the Fourth Line in Oakville, Ont. Luc Jobin, CN executive vice-president and chief financial officer, said: "We are pleased to transfer ownership of these important commuter rail lines to Metrolinx to further its future service objectives, while protecting CN's operating rights to ensure continued service to its freight customers. CN has a strong partnership with Metrolinx and we will continue to support commuter rail as a sustainable mode of transport in the Greater Toronto Area." GO Transit, a division of Metrolinx, is Ontario's inter-regional public transit system linking Toronto with the surrounding regions of the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. GO carries more than 57 million passengers a year in an extensive network of train and bus services that spans over 10,000 square kilometres. (CN - posted 3/27)
NORFOLK SOUTHERN CHICAGO LINE DERAILMENT: An eastbound Norfolk Southern train derailed early Tuesday morning, west of Ligonier, Indiana (between Elkhart and Toledo), impacting both main lines at this location. Norfolk Southern is rerouting trains normally moving over this route in coordination with other carriers as well as over alternate routes on Norfolk Southern. (NS - posted 3/27)
AMTRAK NIANTIC RIVER BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PROJECT: Amtrak is reaching a significant milestone in its efforts to replace the existing 104-year old Niantic River Bridge in East Lyme, Conn., with the float-in of the new bascule lift span to the new alignment south of the existing bridge. After the float-in of the new bridge span is completed later today, crews will begin the process of connecting it to the new pivot girders located on the land side of the marine channel. As a result, access to the channel beneath the structure will be closed to the maritime community beginning today, March 26, through Friday, March, 30 to allow for the safe movement of construction equipment. Amtrak does not anticipate any significant impact to its rail operations during this time, but some minor delays may be encountered as a result the scheduled single track operations on the existing bridge. The next major milestone for bridge-related elements of the project will be to shift rail traffic to the new structure with the first track scheduled to open later this summer followed by the second track sometime this fall. Then, next spring the existing bridge will be demolished. The three-year project, which began in April 2010, is being constructed at a cost of $140 million. It remains on-schedule with an estimated completion date of May 2013.. (Amtrak - 3/26)
MTA SETS NEW RIDERSHIP RECORD : The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) set a new record for ridership last month. The average weekday ridership system-wide hit 414,867 in February, 2012. The previous high was 411,785 recorded in September, 2008. The MARC Train service led the surge. The average weekday ridership on MARC rose to 35,210, pushing ridership up 6.1% system-wide over the same time period one year ago. MTA Administrator Ralign T. Wells said, “The growth in ridership reflects Governor O’Malley’s investment in new equipment, and our commitment to improved performance. Both of those factors contributed to the record ridership we’re experiencing.” Ridership on the MARC Penn Line, which carries approximately 21,000 passengers daily, jumped 6.7% last month. The Camden Line experienced the largest growth. It recorded a 7.9% increase. Ridership on the Brunswick Line was up by 3.2% over the same period last year. The previous record high ridership on the MARC Train system was 34,618. That record was set in November 2011. Commuter Bus service also surpassed its previous record for riders. Average weekday ridership in February 2012 reached 17,690, eclipsing the old record of 17,390 (MTA - 3/26)
CSX TRAIN STRIKES LANDSLIDE: A train struck a landslide early today, derailing a locomotive and some empty hopper cars at Hoover, Ala., just south of Birmingham. No one was injured in the incident that has blocked the mainline on the Lineville Subdivision. Work equipment and personnel are on site, and an update will be provided on efforts to clear the line. The blockage is between LaGrange, Ga., and Birmingham, and is expected to cause delays of 24-48 hours to trains that operate over that route. (CSX- 3/26)
ONTARIO NORTHLAND RAILROAD FOR SALE: The Province of Ontario has announced plans to sell the Ontario Northland Railroad as one step to reduce Ontario's $16 billion deficit for this year. Plans are to cancel passenger train service between Toronto and Cochrane, replacing it with improved bus service. (posted 3/23)
AMTRAK MAKES TEMPORARY MICHIGAN SERVICE CHANGES DUE TO NORFOLK SOUTHERN SLOW ORDERS: Amtrak has temporarily altered schedules and has begun truncating services in Michigan due to Norfolk Southern Railway’s (NS) orders to slow passenger trains to 25-to-30 mph on certain track segments. These changes will account for the NS “slow orders” and this is the first in a series of announcements of service changes that will also accommodate NS infrastructure repairs expected to begin next month. The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has been working with NS to perform the work to restore normal track speeds up to 79 mph in advance of the state’s purchase of much of the line. That transaction is expected to be completed later this year, subject to federal regulatory review. Effective March 26, as detailed in the attached Passenger Service Notice, Train 350, the morning eastbound Wolverine from Chicago, will terminate in Dearborn rather than Pontiac. Train 355, the evening westbound Wolverine, will originate in Dearborn rather than Pontiac and operate 65 minutes earlier than the regular schedule to Chicago. Amtrak has also posted temporary schedules in Western Michigan for the Blue Water (Trains 364 & 365), which uses NS-owned track between Battle Creek and Kalamazoo On or before the end of next week (March 30), Amtrak and MDOT intend to have more information for passengers who are planning to travel in April. NS is preparing to make repairs to its tracks, starting early in that month. More schedule changes will be made by Amtrak to preserve as much service as possible while NS crews expedite repairs to be complete before the end of the semesters at colleges and universities along the route and in advance of the summer travel season. In the meantime, passengers affected by this service disruption can use the Amtrak Blue Water trains at East Lansing and Flint or Amtrak Thruway Motorcoaches as a substitute means to reach Central, Southern and Eastern Michigan. Amtrak Lake Shore Limited (Trains 48/448 & 49/449) and Capitol Limited (Trains 29 & 30) in Toledo, Ohio, and at Waterloo, Elkhart and South Bend, Ind., are other alternate choices. The Amtrak Pere Marquette (Trains 370 & 371) to and from Grand Rapids via Holland and St. Joseph-Benton Harbor is not affected by the drastic NS slow orders and can also be an option for some passengers. (Amtrak - posted 3/23)
CN TO ACQUIRE 161 NEW LOCOMOTIVES: CN announced today a major locomotive acquisition program to accommodate anticipated traffic growth and to improve operational efficiency, enabling the railway to better serve its customers. CN will acquire 65 new high-horsepower locomotives as well as 96 second-hand high-horsepower locomotives that will be upgraded. Keith Creel, executive vice-president and chief operating officer, said: "CN's locomotive acquisition program represents a balanced, capital-effective approach to handle expected volume growth over the next two to five years and to meet the locomotive requirements resulting from customer focused service plans. "The new and used motive power will enhance operational efficiency and reduce fuel consumption by permitting the retirement of older, high-maintenance locomotives and the cascading of less fuel-efficient main-line units into less-demanding yard and local switching operations, while providing additional locomotives to accommodate increased traffic." CN will take delivery in 2013-14 of 35 new ES44AC locomotives from GE Transportation (GE), and 30 new SD70ACe locomotives from Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD). The GE units have 4,400 and the SD70ACe units 4,300 horsepower. Creel added: "The program includes the acquisition of alternating-current locomotives (AC), which will represent a first for CN. Our current fleet of approximately 1,900 locomotives employs direct-current (DC) traction technology, which has served us well because of the overall favourable grades of our network. "We will harness the key advantage of AC traction - much higher adhesion or train-pulling ability at low speeds -- in assigning the new AC units to heavy-haul coal service in northern British Columbia and Alberta, where steep grades and sharp rail curvature make heavy demands on our locomotives." CN will purchase this year 42 second-hand GE Dash 8-40C locomotives, 11 leased GE Dash 8-40C locomotives, and 43 second-hand EMD SD60 locomotives. The Dash 8 units have 4,000 and the SD60s 3,800 horsepower. These direct-current technology locomotives will be upgraded to CN specifications. The new locomotives CN is purchasing are equipped with distributed power technology (DP), a GE product, which improves train handling and fuel efficiency. The company expects that 50 per cent of its high-horsepower locomotive fleet will have DP by the end of 2013. DP technology permits remote control of a locomotive or locomotives throughout a train from the lead control unit. DP provides faster, smoother train starts, improved braking and lower pulling forces at the head-end and within a train, contributing significantly to improved safety. With more optimum matching of motive power to train weight, DP locomotives also allow CN to reduce fuel consumption and reduce emissions. Creel said: "A robust, fuel-efficient locomotive fleet is critical to CN's plan to take advantage of the traffic growth we expect in the years ahead and to ensure we have the motive-power assets to improve the supply chains of our customers and enhance their competitiveness in domestic and global markets." (CN - posted 3/22)
AMTRAK TO MORE THAN TRIPLE THE NUMBER OF TRACK-MILES EQUIPPED WITH POSITIVE TRAIN CONTROL: By the end of 2012, Amtrak expects to more than triple the number of track-miles on its own railroad where Positive Train Control (PTC) safety technology is installed as part of an aggressive program begun more than two years ago. “PTC is the most important rail safety advancement of our time and Amtrak is strongly committed to its expanded use to enhance safety for our passengers, employees and others with whom we share the tracks across our national network,” said President and CEO Joe Boardman. PTC technology can control train movements to prevent train-to-train collisions, derailments caused by excessive speed and certain human-caused incidents such as misaligned track switches. It also can protect rail workers along the tracks by slowing or stopping trains from entering work zones. Boardman explained that today Amtrak has a PTC system in operation on approximately 530 track-miles, including on some sections of the Amtrak-owned Northeast Corridor (NEC) and the entirety of its Michigan Line. By the end of 2012, Amtrak will have installed PTC on an additional 1,200 track-miles which will build-out all remaining Amtrak-owned sections of the NEC and cover the full length of its Keystone Corridor in Pennsylvania. This new territory will be fully functional when the locomotive fleet is PTC-equipped in 2013. In addition, later this year Amtrak anticipates it will begin installing PTC components in 50 locomotives that will operate on tracks owned by other railroads for use when those railroads install and make operational their own PTC systems. Boardman stated that Amtrak has long been a leader in the development of PTC and has successfully operated two PTC systems for years. Amtrak also was the first railroad to receive approval from the Federal Railroad Administration for its PTC Implementation Plan under a federal law requiring PTC on most main line tracks by the end of 2015. Since 2000, Amtrak has operated PTC technology known as the Advanced Civil Speed Enforcement System (ACSES) on many sections of the Amtrak-owned NEC between Washington and Boston allowing safe operations at speeds up to 150 mph. Since 2001, PTC technology known as the Incremental Train Control System (ITCS) has been in operation along sections of the Amtrak-owned Michigan Line between Kalamazoo, Mich., and Porter, Ind. In the past two years, Amtrak expanded ITCS to cover all remaining sections of its Michigan Line, and with federal approval, began operating 110 mph service in February 2012. Amtrak also is working closely with freight and commuter railroads that operate on Amtrak-owned tracks as well as with the host railroads on whose tracks Amtrak trains operate to ensure the different types of PTC systems being deployed across the country are interoperable. Interoperability is essential to maintain safety by ensuring freight and passenger train locomotives can seamlessly communicate with different PTC systems as they operate on tracks owned by other railroads. For example, the Amtrak locomotives used for the state-supported Heartland Flyer service in Texas and Oklahoma are now PTC-equipped and Amtrak currently is working with the BNSF Railway to ensure interoperability with the PTC system they have installed on their line. In the fall of 2012, Amtrak anticipates operating 110 mph service on a section of the Lincoln Service route between Chicago and St. Louis under a cab signal and ITCS system installed on tracks owned by the Union Pacific Railroad. Boardman added that beyond the important safety benefits and serving as the foundation for higher intercity passenger train speeds in certain instances, PTC technology also can support additional communication, train management and operational efficiency improvements that the passenger and freight rail industry are only now beginning to envision. (Amtrak - posted 3/22)
AAR REPORTS MIXED WEEKLY RAIL TRAFFIC: The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported mixed weekly rail traffic for the week ending March 17, 2012, with U.S. railroads originating 278,420 carloads, down 5.3 percent compared with the same week last year. Intermodal volume for the week totaled 227,138 trailers and containers, up 2 percent compared with the same week last year. Eleven of the 20 carload commodity groups posted increases compared with the same week in 2011, with petroleum products, up 32 percent; motor vehicles and equipment, up 15.5 percent, and stone, clay and glass products, up 11.3 percent. The groups showing a significant decrease in weekly traffic included farm products excluding grain, down 21.9 percent, and coal, down 14.7 percent. Weekly carload volume on Eastern railroads was down 4.9 percent compared with the same week last year. In the West, weekly carload volume was down 5.5 percent compared with the same week in 2011. For the first eleven weeks of 2012, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 3,112,940 carloads, down 1.8 percent from last year, and 2,453,272 trailers and containers, up 2.3 percent from last year. Canadian railroads reported 77,876 carloads for the week, up 3.2 percent compared with the same week last year, and 46,200 trailers and containers, down 1.4 percent compared with 2011. For the first eleven weeks of 2012, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 828,787 carloads, up 6.4 percent from the same point last year, and 528,452 trailers and containers, up 6.1 percent from last year. Mexican railroads reported 14,607 carloads for the week, down 1.3 percent compared with the same week last year, and 9,481 trailers and containers, up 36.5 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first eleven weeks of 2012 is 147,311 carloads, down 6.7 percent compared with last year, and 97,006 trailers and containers, up 21.5 percent. Combined North American rail volume for the first eleven weeks of 2012 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 4,089,038 carloads, down 0.4 percent compared with last year, and 3,078,730 trailers and containers, up 3.4 percent compared with last year (AAR - posted 3/22)
RAILROAD RUNNING WELL AFTER BEST-EVER YEAR IN 2011, NORFOLK SOUTHERN CEO SAY IN ANNUAL REPORT: After setting performance records in 2011, Norfolk Southern Corporation looks ahead to its 30th anniversary in 2012 and beyond “with confidence, optimism, and a great deal of enthusiasm,” CEO Wick Moorman tells stockholders in the 2011 annual report, posted today on the company’s website. “The railroad is running well, we have a strong capital budget, and the right projects are under way to enhance our business franchises,” Moorman says. Improving markets and corporate initiatives combined to make 2011 the company’s “best-ever year,” he notes, with record revenues, operating income, net income, and earnings per share. “Perhaps most importantly, everything that was achieved in 2011 was achieved safely.” Employees posted their lowest-ever injury ratio. “That kind of accomplishment happens only through personal commitment and a culture that puts safety first, and I could not be prouder of our people,” Moorman says in his letter to stockholders. “We have come an incredible distance” since the modern Norfolk Southern was founded 30 years ago in 1982, “and yet we have not strayed an inch from our core beliefs,” Moorman says. “You can be sure that we will continue to do the right things for our customers, our communities, our investors, and our employees.” Some 175,000 copies of the annual report are distributed to stockholders, the financial community, news media, and libraries. To request a copy, call 800-531-6757, email annualreport@nscorp.com, or write to Norfolk Southern Corp., Corporate Communications Department, Three Commercial Place, Norfolk, Va. 23510-9217. ( Norfolk Southern Corporation - posted 3/21)
NEW GRAND CENTRAL ANNIVERSARY LOGO: Grand Central Terminal is one of New York’s great public spaces, a grand gateway to and beloved symbol of the city. Opened in 1913, the historic landmark is an architectural treasure, famously saved from demolition in the 1970s and fully restored in the 1990s. It is also one of New York’s most important transportation hubs, serving over 700,000 people daily and home to the nation’s largest commuter rail system, the Metro-North Railroad. Next year the building will celebrate its 100th anniversary, which officially kicks off with a birthday rededication on February 1, 2013. Now, as Grand Central prepares to commemorate this milestone, Pentagram’s Michael Bierut and his team have designed a new logo for the Terminal that will be launched in conjunction with the anniversary. The logo debuts publicly on Terminal screens today; commuters and visitors will begin seeing it throughout the Terminal later this year. The new logo takes as its inspiration one of the landmark building’s most well known icons—the century-old Tiffany clock atop the information booth in the center of the Main Concourse. The stylized version of the clock, drawn by Joe Marianek, has its hands positioned at 7:13, or 19:13 in trainmaster’s time, a nod to the opening year. The image is centered over the name “Grand Central”; the word “Terminal” has been left out of the logo in recognition of how most people actually refer to the place. Beneath the logo is the simple phrase “100 Years,” which will be dropped when the centennial ends in 2014.To develop the logo, Bierut looked for something more immediately identifiable as Grand Central, different than the antique interlocking-letter monogram that has been in use for many years. “No matter where you are in the main hall, the clock and the information booth are visible,” says Bierut. “In this vast space, the clock and the information booth are designed to be of human scale, which is why people are drawn there, and why ‘meet me at the clock’ is something that all New Yorkers understand.” Bierut knows the station well: since he moved to Westchester County in 1984 he has passed through Grand Central twice a day for nearly every day of his working life––a total of easily over 10,000 visits The strikingly modern sans serif typeface Avenir was chosen for the logo in recognition that the Terminal will continue to have a vital role in the future of the city. “Creating a new identity for Grand Central is not just about looking back and acknowledging an historic place,” says Bierut. “It’s also the idea that it will remain a vital center for New York City, an emblem of New York throughout the world, and a place to have an exciting life seven days a week.” Avenir reproduces well at many sizes, and will be used in logo applications from signage to patches on staff uniforms. Since its renovation in 1998, Grand Central has become one of New York’s most popular shopping and dining destinations. As part of the identity the designers have created a distinctive graphic language for Terminal marketing, built around the word “Grand.” (Pentagram - posted 3/21)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRAND CENTRAL: INITIAL PLANS REVEALED FOR TERMINAL'S 2013 CENTENNIAL: The Metropolitan Transportation Authority of New York and Metro-North Railroad announced initial plans today for Grand Central Terminal's 100th anniversary celebration beginning in February 2013 and continuing throughout the year. Among the details released: (
PORT AUTHORITY BOARD AUTHORIZES REPLACEMENT OF PATH'S HARRISON RAIL STATION: A gleaming new glass-and-steel Harrison PATH rail station is now on track to replace the currently deteriorating 76-year-old facility after Port Authority commissioners last week authorized key steps to move the project forward. The Board's action to approve $256 million in project authorizations enables PATH officials to award contracts for professional and advisory services to finalize the station's design, hire a construction manager and acquire outstanding properties. The construction portion of the project is estimated at $153.8 million and this expedited process will shave two years off the expected timeframe. The move will help meet the city's growing residential and commercial needs, as well as those related to Red Bulls Stadium. The city of Harrison's ongoing renaissance, led by Mayor Raymond McDonough means significantly increased passenger use of the existing station, which was built in 1936 and is unable to be refurbished to meet the city's 21st century needs. The new station will accommodate increased ridership at Harrison and eventually along the entire Newark-World Trade Center PATH line, with the addition of longer platforms to accommodate 10-car trains instead of the current 8-car limit. "The replacement of the aging PATH station at Harrison, along with the addition of 340 new rail cars, demonstrates the Board of Commissioners' commitment to modernize the PATH system for the 76 million riders who use it each year," said Port Authority Chairman David Samson. "The new station will be a centerpiece for Harrison's revitalization and create over a thousand jobs and $344 million in economic activity." "Trimming two years off the construction timeline will enable us to deliver this important rail station in five years rather than seven," said Port Authority Executive Director Pat Foye. "This exemplifies the Port Authority's drive to regain its place as one of the region's most efficient economic engines by eliminating bureaucratic hurdles that will enable projects to be built in a timelier fashion." "Mayor Raymond McDonough has made this project a key priority for Harrison and for commuters across New Jersey," said Port Authority Deputy Executive Director Bill Baroni. "The mayor's leadership and tireless advocacy on behalf of modern and efficient public transportation, together with our new leadership team, have enabled the project to finally move forward after years of delay." "The Port Authority, under the leadership of Governors Chris Christie and Andrew Cuomo, has finally given the green light to the modernization and revitalization of the Harrison PATH station," said Harrison Mayor Raymond McDonough. "This project will provide numerous economic incentives not only to Harrison but to surrounding communities in New Jersey for years to come." Last year, the Port Authority completed its three-year phase-in of 340 new rail cars, a $744 million program that made PATH one of the nation's newest fleets after years of being one of the oldest. The $580 million computerized signal system will replace an aging, mechanized system and allow PATH trains to run closer together while maintaining safety requirements. Running trains more efficiently, combined with the 10-car platforms on the Newark-WTC line, will allow PATH to increase future ridership by more than 20 percent. This is important given that the Red Bulls soccer has brought increased ridership to Harrison's PATH station over the past two years and various developers are now planning significant residential and commercial construction projects within the city. The Port Authority took over PATH from the bankrupt Hudson and Manhattan Railroad in 1962. PATH set a record in its 50-year history in 2011 with 76.6 million passenger trips, surpassing the previous 2008 record by 1.7 million trips. Passengers took approximately 256,000 weekday trips and 211,000 weekend trips in 2011 on PATH, which comprises 43 miles of track and 13 stations in New Jersey and New York. Last year, the Harrison station experienced the highest weekday growth of the system's stations, jumping 8.7 percent above 2010 levels. Additionally, the Board approved a $71 million reauthorization to replace and upgrade the PATH's Christopher Street substation, which will maintain the facility that provides electrical power to the uptown PATH system in a state-of-good-repair. Authorization included a $31.8 million construction contract with Mass. Electric Construction Company following a publicly advertised bid solicitation. (PANYNJ - posted 4/05)
AAR REPORTS MIXED RAIL TRAFFIC FOR MARCH: WEEKLY RAIL TRAFFIC MIXED: The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail carloads originated in March 2012 totaled 1,123,298, down 69,190 carloads or 5.8 percent, compared with March 2011. Intermodal volume in March 2012 was 928,350 containers and trailers, up 31,348 units or 3.5 percent compared with March 2011. Detailed monthly data charts and tables will be available in the AAR’s Rail Time Indicators report released online tomorrow. Twelve of the 20 commodity groups tracked by AAR showed gains in March 2012 compared with the same month last year, including petroleum and petroleum products, up 9,052 carloads or 34.2 percent; motor vehicles and parts, up 9,032 carloads or 15.3 percent; steel and other primary metal products, up 3,459 carloads or 8.3 percent; crushed stone, gravel, and sand, up 3,211 carloads or 4.8 percent; and metallic ores, up 1,642 carloads or 8.1 percent. Commodities with carload declines in March were led by coal, down 84,854 carloads or 15.8 percent from March 2011. Other commodities with declines included grain, down 9,088 carloads or 9.7 percent; chemicals, down 4,278 carloads or 3.4 percent; nonmetallic minerals, down 1,863 carloads or 9.7 percent; and farm products excluding grain, down 479 carloads or 13.3 percent. Carloads excluding coal and grain were up 4.4 percent or 24,752 carloads in March 2012 over March 2011. “There is no denying that coal is a crucial commodity for railroads, and there’s also no denying that recent declines in coal traffic are presenting significant challenges to railroads right now,” said AAR Senior Vice President John T. Gray. “That said, it’s encouraging that many commodities that are better indicators of the state of the economy than coal is — things like motor vehicles, lumber and wood products, and crushed stone — saw higher rail carloadings in March.” Class I employment fell to 159,228 in February 2012, a decline of 105 employees from January 2012. Total Class I employment was 4,726 employees, or 3.1 percent, greater in February 2012 than in February 2011. In February 2012, most major classes of rail employees saw declines from the month before. The one exception was train and engine employees, whose employment rose by 170 in February 2012 over January 2012. As of April 1, 2012, 299,324 freight cars were in storage, an increase of 9,819 from March 1, 2012, and equal to 19.6 percent of the North American fleet. AAR today also reported mixed weekly rail traffic for the week ending March 31, 2012, with U.S. railroads originating 286,962 carloads, down 6.2 percent compared with the same week last year. Intermodal volume for the week totaled 242,772 trailers and containers, up 3.6 percent compared with the same week last year. Twelve of the 20 carload commodity groups posted increases compared with the same week in 2011, with petroleum products, up 38.2 percent; motor vehicles and equipment, up 17.2 percent, and metals and products, up 16.9 percent. The groups showing a significant decrease in weekly traffic included farm products excluding grain, down 19.7 percent; nonmetallic minerals, down 18.9 percent, and coal, down 18.2 percent. Weekly carload volume on Eastern railroads was down 3.2 percent compared with the same week last year. In the West, weekly carload volume was down 8.2 percent compared with the same week in 2011. For the first thirteen weeks of 2012, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 3,679,090 carloads, down 2.5 percent from last year, and 2,928,445 trailers and containers, up 2.5 percent from last year. Canadian railroads reported 79,654 carloads for the week, up 0.8 percent compared with the same week last year, and 52,710 trailers and containers, up 12.4 percent compared with 2011. For the first thirteen weeks of 2012, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 986,282 carloads, up 5.4 percent from the same point last year, and 632,934 trailers and containers, up 6.9 percent from last year. Mexican railroads reported 14,889 carloads for the week, down 3.4 percent compared with the same week last year, and 9,103 trailers and containers, up 27.8 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first thirteen weeks of 2012 is 176,345 carloads, down 5.8 percent compared with last year, and 114,817 trailers and containers, up 22.7 percent. Combined North American rail volume for the first thirteen weeks of 2012 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 4,841,717 carloads, down 1.1 percent compared with last year, and 3,676,196 trailers and containers, up 3.8 percent compared with last year (AAR - posted 4/05)
SHUTTLE BUSING SCHEDULED ON SEPTA'S WARMINSTER REGIONAL RAIL LINE: Restoration of overhead catenary wire along SEPTA's Warminster Regional Rail Line will result in mid-day weekday shuttle busing between Warminster and Willow Grove Stations from Monday, April 2, 2012 until August 2012. Shuttle buses will operate between Warminster and Willow Grove Stations on weekdays from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Passengers traveling to Center City will board shuttle buses at Warminster Station, 13 minutes before their regularly scheduled train times, as shown in the newly revised Regional Rail timetable. The buses will travel to Willow Grove Station where passengers will meet regularly scheduled trains to complete their trips to Center City. Trains traveling from Willow Grove Station to Center City will operate normally. Warminster bound trains will travel as far as Willow Grove Station and arrive at regularly scheduled train times. Passengers traveling to Hatboro and Warminster Stations should add approximately 10 minutes to their trips. These passengers will transfer from trains to waiting shuttle buses at Willow Grove Station to complete their trips. Bus departure times are included in the April 1st Warminster Regional Rail timetable. Passengers taking trains from Warminster Station before 9:00 a.m. and after 3:00 p.m. will follow directional signage to new boarding locations. Additionally, weekday and weekend trains will depart from Warminster Station two minutes earlier. Passengers can visit www.septa.org to view changes to their train lines and download new schedules. Riders can also contact SEPTA Customer Service representatives at (215) 580-7800. (SEPTA - posted 4/04) .
CN AND CSXT JOIN RANKS IN NEW CHICAGO ALL-RAIL INTERCHANGE: CN announced today a new steel-wheel-interchange service with CSXT Transportation (CSX) over Chicago. The service gives container imports moving over CN's network from the ports of Vancouver and Prince Rupert, B.C., efficient access to key Ohio Valley markets. Jean-Jacques Ruest, CN executive vice-president and chief marketing officer, said: "Our new interchange service will give CN's customers efficient and cost-effective access to CSX's new Northwest Ohio Terminal and to the important markets of Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati, Ohio, and Louisville, Ky." Prior to this agreement, CN and CSX exchanged container traffic in Chicago by truck, instead of directly between railroads. "Together, our interchange agreements with CSX and Norfolk Southern Corporation (NS) for container traffic moving over the Chicago gateway to northeast U.S. markets underscore CN's commitment to improving the efficiency of its customers' supply chains, with the goal of making them more competitive in their end markets," Ruest said. CSX and NS are the major rail carriers in the eastern United States. (CN - posted 4/02) .
VIRGINIA MUSEUM OF TRANSPORTATION ASSUMES FULL OWNERSHIP OF 611 AND 1218 AS 50TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION BEGINS: The City of Roanoke, with the support of the Norfolk Southern Corporation, gifted the Virginia Museum of Transportation the country’s last remaining examples of the most advanced steam engines of their kind– the Norfolk and Western Class J 611 and the Class A 1218. The proclamation was made on the Museum’s 50th Birthday at a press conference in Roanoke, VA. Roanoke Mayor David Bowers delivered the news. Members of Roanoke’s City Council, special guests, Museum board, members and volunteers were on hand to cheer the announcement. “What a wonderful birthday present,” says Beverly T. Fitzpatrick, Jr., the Museum’s executive director. “This gift shows great faith in the Virginia Museum of Transportation by our city leaders and administration. We can’t think of a better way to celebrate this important day and to kick off the next 50 years.” The VMT was originally known as the Roanoke Transportation Museum and was founded by the City of Roanoke. The charter was created on April 2, 1962. The Roanoke Transportation Museum opened its doors for the first time over the Memorial Day weekend in 1963. The City of Roanoke transferred operation of the Museum to a private non-profit organization in 1976. Because of the original charter, the city of Roanoke still owned 40 percent of the equipment on display at the Museum until recently. All the assets, with the exception of the Norfolk & Western (N&W) Class J 611 and the Class A 1218, became property of the Museum in February 2012. Today’s announcement transfers the two most significant pieces of Roanoke’s history to the Virginia Museum of Transportation. The J-611 and the A-1218: Reflections of our legacy and our future The massive Norfolk & Western locomotives were designed and built by people in the Roanoke Valley in the famous N&W Shops. They are known to be the most advanced steam locomotives of their kind ever built. They are also the only ones left in existence. The Class A 1218 was put into service during World War II transporting troops and supplies to the east coast so they could be shipped to Europe. The Class J 611 debuted during the post-war era and helped to fuel the massive growth and economic activity during the post-war boom years. “The Virginia Museum of Transportation celebrates the skilled craftsmen from the Roanoke Valley who designed and built the best steam locomotives in the world,” Mayor Bowers said. “The 611 and 1218 say a lot about our citizens, our legacy and our future.” In the past, the locomotives contributed to Roanoke’s economic success by hauling coal, freight and passengers. Today, the massive locomotives are world-renowned and are contributing to modern-day economic success for the city. “One third of our visitors come from out of state – and most come just to see these powerful locomotives up close,” Fitzpatrick says. “These visitors sleep, eat and shop in Roanoke and generate over $2.2 million in direct tourism spending.” Fitzpatrick says that people of all ages come to Roanoke and the Museum to learn about the great strength of these locomotives. “They are a wonderful educational asset to the community,” he says. “School children, scouts and adults can learn history, science and math through these massive machines.” (Virginia Museum of Transportation, Alex Mayes - posted 4/03) .
ILLINOIS HIGH-SPEED RAIL CORRIDOR WORK RESUMES: The Illinois Department of Transportation (Illinois DOT) and Union Pacific Railroad will again be upgrading Illinois’ signature high-speed route, Chicago-St. Louis, for future high-speed Amtrak trains, from April 16 through May 25. The improvements for 110 mph service include the installation of new premium rail with concrete ties and stone ballast; upgrades to bridges, culverts and drainage; signal and wayside equipment installations and upgrades; and roadway-rail grade crossing improvements. Most days, this work will lead to the substitution of chartered motorcoaches for Amtrak Lincoln Service (Trains 300-307) passengers at St. Louis, Alton and Carlinville. The Amtrak Texas Eagle (Trains 21/321/421 & 22/322/422) will detour between Chicago and St. Louis for the same period, with alternate transportation in both directions between Joliet and St. Louis. The attached Passenger Service Notice covers the details of the first phase of the 2012 work. The temporary changes will allow Union Pacific’s Track Renewal Train crews to improve infrastructure to enable Amtrak service to travel at speeds up to 110 mph (177 kph), an increase from the current maximum of 79 mph (127 kph). Illinois DOT and Amtrak are planning to preview higher speed trains in September 2012 from Dwight to Pontiac. This is the last scheduled year of large-scale construction leading to alternate transportation on the corridor. When this project began with a ground-breaking north of Alton in 2010, it was among the first high-speed rail projects in the country to start construction. Passenger Service Notices about this disruption are posted at stations and will be displayed as part of the booking process on Amtrak.com. Temporary road crossing closures due to construction will be updated on a nightly basis on the Official Illinois High-Speed Rail Chicago to St. Louis Project Website, www.idothsr.org . Further notices will be issued through the 2012 construction season. A stringent Quality Control/Quality Assurance program has been set up for the Illinois High-speed rail project for materials and equipment. During the 2010-11 construction seasons, certain concrete railroad ties installed in the corridor were failing a laboratory test predictive of durability. No ties have failed in service but as a precautionary measure all 115,000 of the implicated ties are scheduled for removal from service by the end of 2012 at Union Pacific’s expense (Amtrak - posted 3/30) .
NORFOLK SOUTHERN UNVEILS THE THIRD HERITAGE LOCOMOTIVE: Norfolk Southern's Juniata Locomotive Shop in Altoona, Pa has released the third Heritage locomotive... ES44AC 8100 in full Nickel Plate Road paint (John Krattinger, NS - posted 3/29) .
TRAINS BACK ROLLING ON THE NS CHICAGO LINE: Norfolk Southern has restored operations at the derailment site near Ligonier, Indiana (between Elkhart and Toledo). Train operations are beginning to return to normal routes and schedules, but due to a number of shipments holding in the area, customers may continue to see some delays until the backlog is cleared. (NS - posted 3/29)
NORFOLK SOUTHERN'S NEW CHARLOTTE INTERMODAL TERMINAL: The City of Charlotte signed a lease agreement today with Norfolk Southern Corporation, a momentous move that will kick off construction of Charlottes new regional intermodal facility at CLT. Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx held a press conference at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center to formally sign the lease. Once operational, the facility is expected to generate $9 billion in economic impact over the next 20 years. The agreement culminates years of planning. This project was first envisioned in 1997 in the Airport's Strategic Development Plan - a process that included several Charlotte businesses. The facility, which will be built by Northern Southern, is scheduled to open in 2014. It will replace the existing 40-acre intermodal facility along North Davidson and North Brevard Streets in uptown. By relocating to the Airport, Norfolk Southern is able to expand to 200 acres and remove trucks off busy city streets. Land has already been graded for the intermodal facility that will sit along the southern end of CLT's center parallel runway and 40 feet underneath two taxiway bridges. The tracks will extend a mile along the airfield. For passengers landing at CLT, they will likely only see the tops of cranes. Daily operation at CLT will not be impacted once the facility is fully operational. The $90 million facility will be constructed with the assistance of $15.7 million in federal and state funds. In addition, the Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, North Carolina Department of Transportation and the City of Charlotte provided extensive help in planning the facility. (NS - posted 3/29)
AAR REPORTS MIXED WEEKLY RAIL TRAFFIC: The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported mixed weekly rail traffic for the week ending March 24, 2012, with U.S. railroads originating 278,393 carloads, down 7.2 percent compared with the same week last year. Intermodal volume for the week totaled 232,401 trailers and containers, up 4.2 percent compared with the same week last year. Twelve of the 20 carload commodity groups posted increases compared with the same week in 2011, with petroleum products, up 26.8 percent; coke, up 15.1 percent, and motor vehicles and equipment, up 13.8 percent. The groups showing a significant decrease in weekly traffic included coal, down 17.4 percent, and grain, down 14.2 percent. Weekly carload volume on Eastern railroads was down 4.3 percent compared with the same week last year. In the West, weekly carload volume was down 9.1 percent compared with the same week in 2011. For the first twelve weeks of 2012, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 3,392,128 carloads, down 2.2 percent from last year, and 2,685,673 trailers and containers, up 2.4 percent from last year. Canadian railroads reported 77,841 carloads for the week, up 0.4 percent compared with the same week last year, and 51,772 trailers and containers, up 10.7 percent compared with 2011. For the first twelve weeks of 2012, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 906,628 carloads, up 5.8 percent from the same point last year, and 580,224 trailers and containers, up 6.5 percent from last year. Mexican railroads reported 14,145 carloads for the week, up 1.7 percent compared with the same week last year, and 8,708 trailers and containers, up 32 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first twelve weeks of 2012 is 161,456 carloads, down 6 percent compared with last year, and 105,714 trailers and containers, up 22.3 percent. Combined North American rail volume for the first twelve weeks of 2012 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 4,460,212 carloads, down 0.8 percent compared with last year, and 3,371,611 trailers and containers, up 3.6 percent compared with last year (AAR - posted 3/29)
NS DERAILMENT UPDATE: Norfolk Southern is continuing work to clear the site where a train derailed early Tuesday morning, west of Ligonier, Indiana (between Elkhart and Toledo). Once cleared, track repairs will immediately get underway and based on preliminary estimates, some train operations should be restored early Thursday. Norfolk Southern is continuing to reroute trains normally moving over this route in coordination with other carriers as well as over alternate routes on Norfolk Southern. (NS- posted 3/28)
METROLINX PURCHASES TORONTO AREA CN TRACKAGE: CN announced today the sale of two rail line segments in the Greater Toronto Area to Metrolinx for C$310.5 million. GO Transit's Richmond Hill commuter rail service operates over a portion of CN's Bala Subdivision. Metrolinx is acquiring a segment of the subdivision from approximately Rosedale Valley Road north through the Don Valley to CN's main east-west freight line north of Steeles Avenue near the Toronto-York Region border. Metrolinx is also acquiring a segment of CN's Oakville Subdivision from a point near 30th Street in the Etobicoke area of Toronto and terminating just west of the Fourth Line in Oakville, Ont. Luc Jobin, CN executive vice-president and chief financial officer, said: "We are pleased to transfer ownership of these important commuter rail lines to Metrolinx to further its future service objectives, while protecting CN's operating rights to ensure continued service to its freight customers. CN has a strong partnership with Metrolinx and we will continue to support commuter rail as a sustainable mode of transport in the Greater Toronto Area." GO Transit, a division of Metrolinx, is Ontario's inter-regional public transit system linking Toronto with the surrounding regions of the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. GO carries more than 57 million passengers a year in an extensive network of train and bus services that spans over 10,000 square kilometres. (CN - posted 3/27)
NORFOLK SOUTHERN CHICAGO LINE DERAILMENT: An eastbound Norfolk Southern train derailed early Tuesday morning, west of Ligonier, Indiana (between Elkhart and Toledo), impacting both main lines at this location. Norfolk Southern is rerouting trains normally moving over this route in coordination with other carriers as well as over alternate routes on Norfolk Southern. (NS - posted 3/27)
AMTRAK NIANTIC RIVER BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PROJECT: Amtrak is reaching a significant milestone in its efforts to replace the existing 104-year old Niantic River Bridge in East Lyme, Conn., with the float-in of the new bascule lift span to the new alignment south of the existing bridge. After the float-in of the new bridge span is completed later today, crews will begin the process of connecting it to the new pivot girders located on the land side of the marine channel. As a result, access to the channel beneath the structure will be closed to the maritime community beginning today, March 26, through Friday, March, 30 to allow for the safe movement of construction equipment. Amtrak does not anticipate any significant impact to its rail operations during this time, but some minor delays may be encountered as a result the scheduled single track operations on the existing bridge. The next major milestone for bridge-related elements of the project will be to shift rail traffic to the new structure with the first track scheduled to open later this summer followed by the second track sometime this fall. Then, next spring the existing bridge will be demolished. The three-year project, which began in April 2010, is being constructed at a cost of $140 million. It remains on-schedule with an estimated completion date of May 2013.. (Amtrak - 3/26)
MTA SETS NEW RIDERSHIP RECORD : The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) set a new record for ridership last month. The average weekday ridership system-wide hit 414,867 in February, 2012. The previous high was 411,785 recorded in September, 2008. The MARC Train service led the surge. The average weekday ridership on MARC rose to 35,210, pushing ridership up 6.1% system-wide over the same time period one year ago. MTA Administrator Ralign T. Wells said, “The growth in ridership reflects Governor O’Malley’s investment in new equipment, and our commitment to improved performance. Both of those factors contributed to the record ridership we’re experiencing.” Ridership on the MARC Penn Line, which carries approximately 21,000 passengers daily, jumped 6.7% last month. The Camden Line experienced the largest growth. It recorded a 7.9% increase. Ridership on the Brunswick Line was up by 3.2% over the same period last year. The previous record high ridership on the MARC Train system was 34,618. That record was set in November 2011. Commuter Bus service also surpassed its previous record for riders. Average weekday ridership in February 2012 reached 17,690, eclipsing the old record of 17,390 (MTA - 3/26)
CSX TRAIN STRIKES LANDSLIDE: A train struck a landslide early today, derailing a locomotive and some empty hopper cars at Hoover, Ala., just south of Birmingham. No one was injured in the incident that has blocked the mainline on the Lineville Subdivision. Work equipment and personnel are on site, and an update will be provided on efforts to clear the line. The blockage is between LaGrange, Ga., and Birmingham, and is expected to cause delays of 24-48 hours to trains that operate over that route. (CSX- 3/26)
ONTARIO NORTHLAND RAILROAD FOR SALE: The Province of Ontario has announced plans to sell the Ontario Northland Railroad as one step to reduce Ontario's $16 billion deficit for this year. Plans are to cancel passenger train service between Toronto and Cochrane, replacing it with improved bus service. (posted 3/23)
AMTRAK MAKES TEMPORARY MICHIGAN SERVICE CHANGES DUE TO NORFOLK SOUTHERN SLOW ORDERS: Amtrak has temporarily altered schedules and has begun truncating services in Michigan due to Norfolk Southern Railway’s (NS) orders to slow passenger trains to 25-to-30 mph on certain track segments. These changes will account for the NS “slow orders” and this is the first in a series of announcements of service changes that will also accommodate NS infrastructure repairs expected to begin next month. The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has been working with NS to perform the work to restore normal track speeds up to 79 mph in advance of the state’s purchase of much of the line. That transaction is expected to be completed later this year, subject to federal regulatory review. Effective March 26, as detailed in the attached Passenger Service Notice, Train 350, the morning eastbound Wolverine from Chicago, will terminate in Dearborn rather than Pontiac. Train 355, the evening westbound Wolverine, will originate in Dearborn rather than Pontiac and operate 65 minutes earlier than the regular schedule to Chicago. Amtrak has also posted temporary schedules in Western Michigan for the Blue Water (Trains 364 & 365), which uses NS-owned track between Battle Creek and Kalamazoo On or before the end of next week (March 30), Amtrak and MDOT intend to have more information for passengers who are planning to travel in April. NS is preparing to make repairs to its tracks, starting early in that month. More schedule changes will be made by Amtrak to preserve as much service as possible while NS crews expedite repairs to be complete before the end of the semesters at colleges and universities along the route and in advance of the summer travel season. In the meantime, passengers affected by this service disruption can use the Amtrak Blue Water trains at East Lansing and Flint or Amtrak Thruway Motorcoaches as a substitute means to reach Central, Southern and Eastern Michigan. Amtrak Lake Shore Limited (Trains 48/448 & 49/449) and Capitol Limited (Trains 29 & 30) in Toledo, Ohio, and at Waterloo, Elkhart and South Bend, Ind., are other alternate choices. The Amtrak Pere Marquette (Trains 370 & 371) to and from Grand Rapids via Holland and St. Joseph-Benton Harbor is not affected by the drastic NS slow orders and can also be an option for some passengers. (Amtrak - posted 3/23)
CN TO ACQUIRE 161 NEW LOCOMOTIVES: CN announced today a major locomotive acquisition program to accommodate anticipated traffic growth and to improve operational efficiency, enabling the railway to better serve its customers. CN will acquire 65 new high-horsepower locomotives as well as 96 second-hand high-horsepower locomotives that will be upgraded. Keith Creel, executive vice-president and chief operating officer, said: "CN's locomotive acquisition program represents a balanced, capital-effective approach to handle expected volume growth over the next two to five years and to meet the locomotive requirements resulting from customer focused service plans. "The new and used motive power will enhance operational efficiency and reduce fuel consumption by permitting the retirement of older, high-maintenance locomotives and the cascading of less fuel-efficient main-line units into less-demanding yard and local switching operations, while providing additional locomotives to accommodate increased traffic." CN will take delivery in 2013-14 of 35 new ES44AC locomotives from GE Transportation (GE), and 30 new SD70ACe locomotives from Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD). The GE units have 4,400 and the SD70ACe units 4,300 horsepower. Creel added: "The program includes the acquisition of alternating-current locomotives (AC), which will represent a first for CN. Our current fleet of approximately 1,900 locomotives employs direct-current (DC) traction technology, which has served us well because of the overall favourable grades of our network. "We will harness the key advantage of AC traction - much higher adhesion or train-pulling ability at low speeds -- in assigning the new AC units to heavy-haul coal service in northern British Columbia and Alberta, where steep grades and sharp rail curvature make heavy demands on our locomotives." CN will purchase this year 42 second-hand GE Dash 8-40C locomotives, 11 leased GE Dash 8-40C locomotives, and 43 second-hand EMD SD60 locomotives. The Dash 8 units have 4,000 and the SD60s 3,800 horsepower. These direct-current technology locomotives will be upgraded to CN specifications. The new locomotives CN is purchasing are equipped with distributed power technology (DP), a GE product, which improves train handling and fuel efficiency. The company expects that 50 per cent of its high-horsepower locomotive fleet will have DP by the end of 2013. DP technology permits remote control of a locomotive or locomotives throughout a train from the lead control unit. DP provides faster, smoother train starts, improved braking and lower pulling forces at the head-end and within a train, contributing significantly to improved safety. With more optimum matching of motive power to train weight, DP locomotives also allow CN to reduce fuel consumption and reduce emissions. Creel said: "A robust, fuel-efficient locomotive fleet is critical to CN's plan to take advantage of the traffic growth we expect in the years ahead and to ensure we have the motive-power assets to improve the supply chains of our customers and enhance their competitiveness in domestic and global markets." (CN - posted 3/22)
AMTRAK TO MORE THAN TRIPLE THE NUMBER OF TRACK-MILES EQUIPPED WITH POSITIVE TRAIN CONTROL: By the end of 2012, Amtrak expects to more than triple the number of track-miles on its own railroad where Positive Train Control (PTC) safety technology is installed as part of an aggressive program begun more than two years ago. “PTC is the most important rail safety advancement of our time and Amtrak is strongly committed to its expanded use to enhance safety for our passengers, employees and others with whom we share the tracks across our national network,” said President and CEO Joe Boardman. PTC technology can control train movements to prevent train-to-train collisions, derailments caused by excessive speed and certain human-caused incidents such as misaligned track switches. It also can protect rail workers along the tracks by slowing or stopping trains from entering work zones. Boardman explained that today Amtrak has a PTC system in operation on approximately 530 track-miles, including on some sections of the Amtrak-owned Northeast Corridor (NEC) and the entirety of its Michigan Line. By the end of 2012, Amtrak will have installed PTC on an additional 1,200 track-miles which will build-out all remaining Amtrak-owned sections of the NEC and cover the full length of its Keystone Corridor in Pennsylvania. This new territory will be fully functional when the locomotive fleet is PTC-equipped in 2013. In addition, later this year Amtrak anticipates it will begin installing PTC components in 50 locomotives that will operate on tracks owned by other railroads for use when those railroads install and make operational their own PTC systems. Boardman stated that Amtrak has long been a leader in the development of PTC and has successfully operated two PTC systems for years. Amtrak also was the first railroad to receive approval from the Federal Railroad Administration for its PTC Implementation Plan under a federal law requiring PTC on most main line tracks by the end of 2015. Since 2000, Amtrak has operated PTC technology known as the Advanced Civil Speed Enforcement System (ACSES) on many sections of the Amtrak-owned NEC between Washington and Boston allowing safe operations at speeds up to 150 mph. Since 2001, PTC technology known as the Incremental Train Control System (ITCS) has been in operation along sections of the Amtrak-owned Michigan Line between Kalamazoo, Mich., and Porter, Ind. In the past two years, Amtrak expanded ITCS to cover all remaining sections of its Michigan Line, and with federal approval, began operating 110 mph service in February 2012. Amtrak also is working closely with freight and commuter railroads that operate on Amtrak-owned tracks as well as with the host railroads on whose tracks Amtrak trains operate to ensure the different types of PTC systems being deployed across the country are interoperable. Interoperability is essential to maintain safety by ensuring freight and passenger train locomotives can seamlessly communicate with different PTC systems as they operate on tracks owned by other railroads. For example, the Amtrak locomotives used for the state-supported Heartland Flyer service in Texas and Oklahoma are now PTC-equipped and Amtrak currently is working with the BNSF Railway to ensure interoperability with the PTC system they have installed on their line. In the fall of 2012, Amtrak anticipates operating 110 mph service on a section of the Lincoln Service route between Chicago and St. Louis under a cab signal and ITCS system installed on tracks owned by the Union Pacific Railroad. Boardman added that beyond the important safety benefits and serving as the foundation for higher intercity passenger train speeds in certain instances, PTC technology also can support additional communication, train management and operational efficiency improvements that the passenger and freight rail industry are only now beginning to envision. (Amtrak - posted 3/22)
AAR REPORTS MIXED WEEKLY RAIL TRAFFIC: The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported mixed weekly rail traffic for the week ending March 17, 2012, with U.S. railroads originating 278,420 carloads, down 5.3 percent compared with the same week last year. Intermodal volume for the week totaled 227,138 trailers and containers, up 2 percent compared with the same week last year. Eleven of the 20 carload commodity groups posted increases compared with the same week in 2011, with petroleum products, up 32 percent; motor vehicles and equipment, up 15.5 percent, and stone, clay and glass products, up 11.3 percent. The groups showing a significant decrease in weekly traffic included farm products excluding grain, down 21.9 percent, and coal, down 14.7 percent. Weekly carload volume on Eastern railroads was down 4.9 percent compared with the same week last year. In the West, weekly carload volume was down 5.5 percent compared with the same week in 2011. For the first eleven weeks of 2012, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 3,112,940 carloads, down 1.8 percent from last year, and 2,453,272 trailers and containers, up 2.3 percent from last year. Canadian railroads reported 77,876 carloads for the week, up 3.2 percent compared with the same week last year, and 46,200 trailers and containers, down 1.4 percent compared with 2011. For the first eleven weeks of 2012, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 828,787 carloads, up 6.4 percent from the same point last year, and 528,452 trailers and containers, up 6.1 percent from last year. Mexican railroads reported 14,607 carloads for the week, down 1.3 percent compared with the same week last year, and 9,481 trailers and containers, up 36.5 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first eleven weeks of 2012 is 147,311 carloads, down 6.7 percent compared with last year, and 97,006 trailers and containers, up 21.5 percent. Combined North American rail volume for the first eleven weeks of 2012 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 4,089,038 carloads, down 0.4 percent compared with last year, and 3,078,730 trailers and containers, up 3.4 percent compared with last year (AAR - posted 3/22)
RAILROAD RUNNING WELL AFTER BEST-EVER YEAR IN 2011, NORFOLK SOUTHERN CEO SAY IN ANNUAL REPORT: After setting performance records in 2011, Norfolk Southern Corporation looks ahead to its 30th anniversary in 2012 and beyond “with confidence, optimism, and a great deal of enthusiasm,” CEO Wick Moorman tells stockholders in the 2011 annual report, posted today on the company’s website. “The railroad is running well, we have a strong capital budget, and the right projects are under way to enhance our business franchises,” Moorman says. Improving markets and corporate initiatives combined to make 2011 the company’s “best-ever year,” he notes, with record revenues, operating income, net income, and earnings per share. “Perhaps most importantly, everything that was achieved in 2011 was achieved safely.” Employees posted their lowest-ever injury ratio. “That kind of accomplishment happens only through personal commitment and a culture that puts safety first, and I could not be prouder of our people,” Moorman says in his letter to stockholders. “We have come an incredible distance” since the modern Norfolk Southern was founded 30 years ago in 1982, “and yet we have not strayed an inch from our core beliefs,” Moorman says. “You can be sure that we will continue to do the right things for our customers, our communities, our investors, and our employees.” Some 175,000 copies of the annual report are distributed to stockholders, the financial community, news media, and libraries. To request a copy, call 800-531-6757, email annualreport@nscorp.com, or write to Norfolk Southern Corp., Corporate Communications Department, Three Commercial Place, Norfolk, Va. 23510-9217. ( Norfolk Southern Corporation - posted 3/21)
NEW GRAND CENTRAL ANNIVERSARY LOGO: Grand Central Terminal is one of New York’s great public spaces, a grand gateway to and beloved symbol of the city. Opened in 1913, the historic landmark is an architectural treasure, famously saved from demolition in the 1970s and fully restored in the 1990s. It is also one of New York’s most important transportation hubs, serving over 700,000 people daily and home to the nation’s largest commuter rail system, the Metro-North Railroad. Next year the building will celebrate its 100th anniversary, which officially kicks off with a birthday rededication on February 1, 2013. Now, as Grand Central prepares to commemorate this milestone, Pentagram’s Michael Bierut and his team have designed a new logo for the Terminal that will be launched in conjunction with the anniversary. The logo debuts publicly on Terminal screens today; commuters and visitors will begin seeing it throughout the Terminal later this year. The new logo takes as its inspiration one of the landmark building’s most well known icons—the century-old Tiffany clock atop the information booth in the center of the Main Concourse. The stylized version of the clock, drawn by Joe Marianek, has its hands positioned at 7:13, or 19:13 in trainmaster’s time, a nod to the opening year. The image is centered over the name “Grand Central”; the word “Terminal” has been left out of the logo in recognition of how most people actually refer to the place. Beneath the logo is the simple phrase “100 Years,” which will be dropped when the centennial ends in 2014.To develop the logo, Bierut looked for something more immediately identifiable as Grand Central, different than the antique interlocking-letter monogram that has been in use for many years. “No matter where you are in the main hall, the clock and the information booth are visible,” says Bierut. “In this vast space, the clock and the information booth are designed to be of human scale, which is why people are drawn there, and why ‘meet me at the clock’ is something that all New Yorkers understand.” Bierut knows the station well: since he moved to Westchester County in 1984 he has passed through Grand Central twice a day for nearly every day of his working life––a total of easily over 10,000 visits The strikingly modern sans serif typeface Avenir was chosen for the logo in recognition that the Terminal will continue to have a vital role in the future of the city. “Creating a new identity for Grand Central is not just about looking back and acknowledging an historic place,” says Bierut. “It’s also the idea that it will remain a vital center for New York City, an emblem of New York throughout the world, and a place to have an exciting life seven days a week.” Avenir reproduces well at many sizes, and will be used in logo applications from signage to patches on staff uniforms. Since its renovation in 1998, Grand Central has become one of New York’s most popular shopping and dining destinations. As part of the identity the designers have created a distinctive graphic language for Terminal marketing, built around the word “Grand.” (Pentagram - posted 3/21)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRAND CENTRAL: INITIAL PLANS REVEALED FOR TERMINAL'S 2013 CENTENNIAL: The Metropolitan Transportation Authority of New York and Metro-North Railroad announced initial plans today for Grand Central Terminal's 100th anniversary celebration beginning in February 2013 and continuing throughout the year. Among the details released: (
- · Events Begin February 1, 2013 – A day-long birthday celebration on February 1, 2013, features music and public performances, and the opening of a dramatic multimedia exhibition.
- · Centennial Logo Revealed – Grand Central's new logo was inspired by one of the landmark building's most well-known icons: the clock atop the main hall information booth. The logo is a stylized version of the clock with hands positioned at 7:13 (19:13 in military time used by the railroad, a nod to the opening year) and centered over the words "Grand Central."
- · Committee Members Reflect New York City – A committee of prominent New Yorkers will come together to celebrate the Terminal's Centennial. Honorary Chair is attorney and author Caroline Kennedy, whose mother Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was instrumental in saving Grand Central in the 1970s. Leaders in New York City business, real estate, entertainment and non-profit – including filmmaker Spike Lee and opera legend Jessye Norman – are part of the growing committee.
The February 2013 birthday celebration is one of several headline events
organized around the four Centennial themes of "Birthday/Rededication,"
"Preserving a Landmark, Creating a Legacy," "A Parade of Historic
Trains/Transportation Month," and "Grand Central: The Next 100 Years." A
year-round calendar of sponsored programs and family-friendly
activities will include
:
- · Five historical exhibitions curated by The New York Transit Museum;
- · Release of a beautifully illustrated coffee-table-style book about the Terminal;
- · "Centennial Editions" of the Transit Museum's annual Holiday Train Show and the Terminal's annual Holiday Fair;
- · Special sales and promotions from Grand Central Terminal retailers.
In addition to being a major transportation hub, Grand Central Terminal
is a New York City shopping and dining destination known for its mix of
restaurants, cocktail lounges, gourmet food and wine shops, and a
vibrant array of specialty and internationally renowned
shops.
Visit www.mta.info for more information. A comprehensive website will
debut in June of this year with ongoing details about Centennial
activities in 2013.
(Randy Kotuby, MTA
- posted 3/20)
NORFOLK SOUTHERN'S SECOND HERITAGE LOCOMOTIVE: Norfolk Southern's Chattanoga, Tennessee shop has repainted NS 8099 in the Southern Railway green and white livery. Next, the unit will be lettered for the Southern Railway. It will mark the second of 19 Heritage units to commemorate NS's 30th anniversary. (John Krattinger - posted 3/19)
SEPTA RELEASES PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2013 CAPITAL BUDGET: For the third straight year, SEPTA expects to defer critical improvement projects due to funding cuts, according to the Authority's Fiscal Year 2013 Capital Budget proposal. The $303 million spending plan reflects a 25 percent reduction compared to the funding levels of three years ago, and will leave SEPTA unable to move forward on dozens of improvement projects vital to the short- and long-term health of the transit system. The capital funds available for Fiscal Year 2013, which covers the 12-month period from July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013, will go largely toward mandates such as Regional Rail signal system upgrades and other safety improvements. The Authority must also set aside funds for equipment overhauls, and the purchase of new buses and paratransit vehicles to replace those that are being removed from service. Without additional funding, much-needed upgrades - from critical overhauls to electrical substations to bridge repairs and station renovations - are pushed back indefinitely. In recent years, SEPTA has deferred a number of projects that were expected to move forward under Act 44. Pennsylvania lawmakers passed Act 44 in 2007 to provide a dedicated source of transportation funding. Act 44, however, required new revenue streams and was never fully funded - in large part due to the federal government's rejection of a plan to add tolls on Interstate 80. SEPTA remains optimistic funding for infrastructure improvements will be addressed. Gov. Tom Corbett, in his state budget address last month, noted the need for a "lasting" solution for transportation funding. "SEPTA will continue to work with Gov. Corbett and the General Assembly to secure a long-term, growing and predictable funding source for transportation throughout Pennsylvania," said SEPTA General Manager Joseph M. Casey. SEPTA will hold public hearings on the Fiscal Year 2013 Capital Budget on April 11th at 11:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. The sessions will be held on the mezzanine level at SEPTA Headquarters, 1234 Market Street. (SEPTA - posted 3/19)
CANADIAN PACIFIC TO PRESENT OPERATIONAL PROGRESS AND ROADMAP TO FURTHER OPERATING RATIO IMPROVEMENT: Canadian Pacific Railway Limited will make a public presentation to investors and analysts detailing its progress against key operational metrics and outlining its plan for continuing improvement to the Company's operating ratio ("OR"). CP's Investor Day will be held in Toronto, Ontario on Tuesday, March 27, 2012 from 9:00 am - 12:00 noon Eastern Time (7:00 am - 10:00 am Mountain Time). Those wishing to attend the event in person will need to pre-register at www.CPonTrack.com . A live webcast of the event and the presentation materials will also be available on the website. "This will be a valuable opportunity to update shareholders on the demonstrable progress we are making at CP as we execute against our detailed plan to achieve our targeted operating ratio goal of 70 to 72 per cent for 2014," said Fred Green, President and CEO of CP. "Canadian Pacific entered 2012 with record operating metrics and we expect these metrics to translate into improved financial results beginning in the first quarter of 2012. The CP management team is focused on continuing to deliver on our Multi-Year Plan to create long-term value for shareholders." CP ended 2011 with record operating metrics including car miles per car day and terminal dwell, which both improved 20 per cent during the fourth quarter compared to the fourth quarter of 2010. CP also made further improvements in 2012. Year-to-date February, CP saw significant improvements compared to the 3 year average for the same period in terminal dwell (29 per cent), active cars online (26 per cent), AAR train speed (15 per cent) and car miles per car day (45 per cent), which set a new performance record of 208 miles per day. Presenters will include: Fred Green, President and Chief Executive Officer, and members of the senior executive team who will update investors on progress against key operating metrics and advancing the Multi-Year Plan; members of CP's Board of Directors; and representatives of Oliver Wyman (part of Marsh & McLennan Companies), highly qualified, independent railroad industry experts retained by CP's Board of Directors, which will present elements of its independent assessment of CP's Multi-Year Plan and its analysis of the feasibility of Pershing Square's publicly stated projections and timeframe for CP's OR improvement. (CP - posted 3/19)
NORFOLK SOUTHERN ROLLS OUT FIRST HERITAGE LOCOMOTIVE: PENN CENTRAL PAINT SCHEME ADDED TO HERITAGE LINE-UP: The first locomotive to be painted in Norfolk Southern’s 30th anniversary heritage paint schemes rolled out of the company’s Juniata Locomotive Shop here yesterday. Locomotive NS 8098, a GE ES44AC, bears the “Conrail Blue” scheme. It is a 4,400-horsepower, EPA Tier-3 compliant Evolution Series locomotive equipped with distributed power capability. It will be run to Conway, Pa., and enter active transportation service. Norfolk Southern also announced that an additional legacy railroad, Penn Central, has been added to the 18 heritage schemes previously announced. This will be an SD70Ace to be painted at Progress Rail Services’ facility in Muncie, Ind. The Penn Central Transportation Company was created in 1968 from the merger of the New York Central and the Pennsylvania Railroad, and the New York, New Haven and Hartford was added shortly afterward. Penn Central formed the core of Conrail when Conrail was created in 1976. A photo of the first unit and a rendering of the Penn Central paint scheme , as well as the original heritage scheme announcement and graphics are available at Norfolk Southern’s website. (Norfolk Southern Corporation- posted 3/16)
AMTRAK SERVICE IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN MICHIGAN DELAYED DUE TO NORFOLK SOUTHERN DECISION: Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) has ordered passenger trains to slow to 25-to-30 mph on certain Michigan track segments it owns and controls between Kalamazoo and Ann Arbor, starting today. These restrictions from previous top speeds of up to 79 mph have an even larger impact than those imposed by NS last year. Amtrak is advising passengers to expect delays of 45 to 90 minutes on Wolverine Service trains to and from Chicago and Detroit/Pontiac, including Jackson and Dearborn, with lesser delays on the Amtrak Blue Water to and from Chicago and Port Huron, via East Lansing and Flint. “The decision by Norfolk Southern to reduce train speeds on the track shared with the Amtrak Wolverine and Blue Water services will have a serious impact on passenger service, and could cause delays for freight shippers, too,” said Tim Hoeffner, director of the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) Office of Rail. “Last year, MDOT invested millions of dollars to upgrade this line at the state’s expense, and we hope Norfolk Southern will bear that in mind and work to minimize slow-downs that inconvenience businesses and travelers,” Hoeffner added. The duration of the service delays is unknown. NS has said it would begin track improvement work in three weeks. Amtrak will issue a detailed Passenger Service Notice when more details are available. Amtrak believes that temporary repairs could be made promptly by NS to significantly reduce the impact of these slow orders,” said Paul Vilter, Amtrak Assistant Vice President, after Amtrak engineering experts inspected the NS-owned portion of the route earlier this week. “The NS slow orders will affect operations of Wolverine trains to popular destinations across Michigan and will also somewhat delay Blue Water trains between Battle Creek and Kalamazoo,” said Morrell Savoy, the Chicago-based Amtrak Superintendent responsible for train service in Michigan. Passengers affected by this service disruption can use the Amtrak Blue Water trains at East Lansing and Flint or Amtrak Thruway Motorcoaches as a substitute means to reach Central, Southern and Eastern Michigan. Amtrak Lake Shore Limited and Capitol Limited trains in Toledo and at Waterloo, Elkhart and South Bend, Ind., are another alternate choice. The Amtrak Pere Marquette trains to and from Grand Rapids via Holland and St. Joseph-Benton Harbor are not affected by the NS action and can also be an option for some passengers. “Ridership was just returning to normal since the last service disruption and lowered speeds in the summer of 2011,” Savoy added. From October 2011 through February 2012, ridership on Amtrak Wolverine Service (Trains 350-355, three daily round-trips, Pontiac-Detroit-Ann Arbor-Chicago) was 184,781; Amtrak Blue Water (Trains 364 & 365, one daily round-trip, Port Huron-East Lansing-Chicago) was 71,572; and the Amtrak Pere Marquette (Trains 370 & 371, one daily round-trip, Grand Rapids-Chicago) was 40,785. All three routes posted year-to-year gains in February ridership. The slow orders from NS come while it is negotiating to complete the sale of the line to the State of Michigan. These orders come less than four weeks after a celebration of increased speeds up to 110 mph on the Amtrak-owned portion of this line in Western Michigan and Northwest Indiana. (Amtrak - posted 3/16)
NORFOLK SOUTHERN SLOWS TRAIN SPEEDS BETWEEN DEARBORN AND KALAMAZOO: Effective March 15, 2012, Norfolk Southern lowered the railroad operating speed limits on certain sections of the Michigan Line between Dearborn and Kalamazoo that handle both Amtrak's passenger service and Norfolk Southern's freight service. These lower speed limits have been imposed to reflect the maximum safe operating speeds for the line, given the line's condition. Safety is of paramount importance in both passenger and freight rail operations. The reduction in railroad operating speed limits both has been anticipated over time and is in conformance with existing agreements between Norfolk Southern and Amtrak. Other portions of the Michigan mainline experienced similar reductions in railroad operating speed limits in 2011. Some of those 2011 speed reductions were later eliminated as the result of work funded by Michigan DOT. The Michigan Line is currently the subject of an existing agreement that anticipates the acquisition of the rail line by Michigan, and the subsequent rehabilitation of the line to handle maximum authorized speeds of up to 110 mph for passenger trains. That transaction is expected to be completed later this year, pending Federal regulatory review. "Until ownership of the Michigan Line is transferred, Norfolk Southern is willing to perform work on the line on behalf of Amtrak or Michigan DOT to address any passenger operating concerns," said John V. Edwards, Norfolk Southern's general director passenger policy. "This work is not necessary to provide freight service, but if the passenger service providers want to provide the necessary funding, we will do it. (Norfolk Southern Corporation- posted 3/16)
VIA TRAINS TO MOVE TO NEW STATION IN BELLEVILLE NEXT TUESDAY: VIA Rail Canada wishes to advise travellers that trains will begin stopping at a new station in Belleville, ON, starting next Tuesday, March 20, 2012. The new station is located at 250 Station Street, just to the east of the current station. This move to the new station building marks the end of the initial phase of construction. The project is expected to be fully completed later this year. Passengers are advised that for several months, all trains will arrive at and depart from a new island platform, accessible by an overhead walkway. During this time, VIA will be rebuilding the main station platform and completing other work on the surrounding tracks in order to improve train movements and enhance capacity. (VIA Rail Canada - posted 3/16)
FIRST NS HERITAGE LOCOMOTIVE RELEASED: The first Norfolk Southern heritage locomotive, "Conrail" 8098 , was released from Altoona today. Scheduled to be picked up by train 11A and taken to Conway to be put in service. (John Krattinger - posted 3/15)
AMTRAK EXHIBIT TRAIN COMING TO WILMINGTON: In celebration of Amtrak’s 40th anniversary, America’s Railroadsm is offering the public an opportunity to view an Exhibit Train, a unique traveling display showcasing the railroad’s history. The train will stop at the Wilmington Train Station on March 31 and April 1. The free exhibit will be open from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., both days. The exhibit showcases Amtrak history over the decades, displaying memorabilia such as vintage advertising, past menus and dinnerware, and period uniforms. The display will also include train-themed kid activities at Chuggington Depot, based on the popular children’s animated television series on Disney Junior. In addition, commemorative 40th anniversary merchandise will be available for purchase onboard the train including: Amtrak: An American Story, a 144-page commemorative book that chronicles the history of the railroad with archival photographs, a historical timeline and personal narratives for each decade; Amtrak: The First 40 Years, a documentary DVD that provides an exclusive look inside America’s Railroadsm with hard-to-find photographs and video footage as well as interviews with past and present leaders. For more information on Amtrak’s 40th anniversary, visit the official website at Amtrak40th.com. The site provides details of the anniversary celebration and tells the Amtrak story by allowing users to explore 40 years of historic photographs and other materials in an extensive and dynamic archive. The site also hosts a blog, provides a link to an online store, and allows individuals to sign up to receive an email alert when the Exhibit Train is coming near their town. (Amtrak - posted 3/15)
AAR REPORTS MIXED WEEKLY RAIL TRAFFIC: The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported mixed weekly rail traffic for the week ending March 10, 2012, with U.S. railroads originating 278,728 carloads, down 4.8 percent compared with the same week last year. Intermodal volume for the week totaled 226,039 trailers and containers, up 4.2 percent compared with the same week last year. Eleven of the 20 carload commodity groups posted increases compared with the same week in 2011, with petroleum products, up 39.9 percent; motor vehicles and equipment, up 14.8 percent, and metallic ores, up 11.5 percent. The groups showing a significant decrease in weekly traffic included coal, down 13.1 percent, and coke, down 10.3 percent. Weekly carload volume on Eastern railroads was down 3.8 percent compared with the same week last year. In the West, weekly carload volume was down 5.4 percent compared with the same week in 2011. For the first ten weeks of 2012, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 2,834,520 carloads, down 1.4 percent from last year, and 2,226,134 trailers and containers, up 2.3 percent from last year. Canadian railroads reported 75,100 carloads for the week, up 4.8 percent compared with the same week last year, and 49,253 trailers and containers, up 16.8 percent compared with 2011. For the first ten weeks of 2012, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 750,911 carloads, up 6.7 percent from the same point last year, and 482,252 trailers and containers, up 6.9 percent from last year. Mexican railroads reported 13,945 carloads for the week, down 2.5 percent compared with the same week last year, and 7,786 trailers and containers, up 17.3 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first ten weeks of 2012 is 132,704 carloads, down 7.2 percent compared to last year, and 87,525 trailers and containers, up 20 percent. Combined North American rail volume for the first ten weeks of 2012 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 3,718,135 carloads, down 0.1 percent compared to last year, and 2,795,911 trailers and containers, up 3.5 percent compared with last year . (AAR - posted 3/15)
CANADIAN PACIFIC AND UNIMIN CORPORATION ANNOUNCE NEW LONG-TERM AGREEMENT FOR THE MOVEMENT OF FRAC SAND: Canadian Pacific Railway Limited today announced a multi-year agreement with Unimin Corporation of New Canaan, Connecticut, for the movement of frac sand from Unimin's facility in Wisconsin. Unimin Corporation is North America's leading producer of industrial minerals. The facility, the Company's newest and most productive, will open in 2013 in Tunnel City, Wisconsin and will produce two million tons of frac sand annually for energy markets in North Dakota, Texas, Colorado and elsewhere. Under the agreement CP will become the exclusive rail service provider at this facility for the movement of frac sand to Unimin Corporation's destination markets. "We have a long relationship with CP at many of our plants in North America and we are delighted to expand this longstanding partnership," said Kevin F. Crawford, President and Chief Executive Officer at Unimin. "Rail is an effective way to move our products and CP is a reliable partner that will enable us to continue to deliver products to critical energy markets." "Canadian Pacific has been serving Unimin, one of our largest Industrial Products customers, for more than three decades and we are pleased to continue to grow this partnership through service at its new facility," said Jane O'Hagan, Canadian Pacific's Chief Marketing Officer and EVP Marketing & Sales. "Canadian Pacific's scheduled railway will ensure we efficiently manage their increasing volumes with reliable service." "This agreement showcases the strength of CP's network through Wisconsin with service to key energy regions throughout North America. CP has proven performance in our ability to move energy-related products and materials, such as frac sand, to important oil and gas producing formations," said O'Hagan. "Canadian Pacific has extended our energy franchise with ongoing capital investments on our U.S. Midwest network and is moving forward with our 2012 accelerated capital plan which includes investments that support our energy growth strategy. We are pleased to be in a position to provide the capacity to our customers to respond to the strong growth in the energy-related markets." Canadian Pacific is the only North American railroad to serve the Bakken Formation, the Alberta Industrial Heartland, and the Marcellus Shale. In addition, CP is the only Class I railway to connect the energy hubs of the U.S. Midwest, Alberta and Saskatchewan to the Northeast U.S. Through its network to the Northeast U.S. and through the Kansas City gateway to the U.S. Gulf Coast, CP is able to partner with the energy industry to facilitate growth in moving oil and energy-related materials. Each year, CP moves hundreds of thousands of carloads of energy-related products, including crude oil, sulphur, fuels, diluents and materials key to the energy industry, such as pipe and frac sand. (Randy Kotuby, CP - posted 3/15)
CATENARY WIRE REPLACEMENT WORK RESUMES ON NEW HAVEN LINE: The replacement of century-old catenary wire that powers New Haven Line trains will resume on Monday March 19th, on two tracks between Southport and Bridgeport, and will continue through the end of November. During this work, only two of four tracks will be in service in this seven-mile area, impacting the operating flexibility of the rail service and Metro-North's ability to respond to potential service disruptions during emergencies. "Metro-North will work diligently to ensure that we provide our customers with the best commute possible during this period," said Metro-North President Howard Permut. "However, some of you may experience occasional train delays and service disruptions." Over the winter, only one track (eastbound track) was out of service for the ongoing catenary and bridge replacement project. To accomplishment this next phase of work—which includes catenary wire replacement, bridge construction and installation of interlocking wire, Metro-North will take out the adjacent westbound track in order for the Connecticut Department of Transportation's contractor to continue work. Each bridge, or span, carries two tracks and the contractor needs an adjacent track for work equipment. For most of 2011, Tracks 2 & 4 were out of service for this project. The wire replacement above Track 4 was completed and the track was returned to service in December 2011so that the railroad could be as prepared as possible in the event of any winter weather-related emergencies. During the phase of work that begins March 19, Track 1 and Track 2, the two inside tracks, will be out of service. Much will be accomplished, including: --Four open-deck bridges in Bridgeport and Fairfield (at North Benson Rd., Fairfield Ave., South Ave. and Main St.) are being replaced with closed deck, ballast-style ones to provide a smoother ride. The support girders of these bridges rest on two tracks, making it necessary to take them out simultaneously. This work is scheduled to take place from April to November. --New interlocking wire (basically the wire for track switches) will be replaced at Bridgeport Station where Tracks 1 & 2 intersect. This work is slated from July to September. --About seven miles of new catenary wire will be installed over Track 2 between Bridgeport and Southport. This work will occur from September to November. Underway since 1991, this project will replace the original catenary wire, which was first erected in 1907. Currently about 70% of the catenary replacement work has been finished. Wires over the Connecticut portion of the New Haven Line have been replaced from Port Chester to just east of South Norwalk; and from Milford to New Haven, including an interface with the Amtrak Shoreline East catenary system east of New Haven Terminal. From 1991 to 1995, on the New York State portion of the New Haven Line, third rail replaced existing catenary wire from Woodlawn to just north of Mt. Vernon East, and new catenary wire was installed from Pelham to Port Chester. The upgrade of the power system for the entire New Haven Line is set to be complete in 2017 (MTA- posted 3/14)
NEW SCHEDULE FOR SUNSET LIMITED BENEFITS PASSENGERS AND IMPROVES FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE: A new schedule for the Amtrak Sunset Limited is planned to take effect on May 7 for the New Orleans-Los Angeles route that will change the days of westbound operations and provide better connections for passengers travelling to and through California. These changes are expected to increase ridership and revenue, and reduce crew layover costs. “The passenger benefits and financial improvement resulting from changing the Sunset Limited schedule are two-fold: Amtrak is providing better service and acting to improve our bottom line,” said President and CEO Joe Boardman. “These are improvements that can be implemented quickly, require no capital investment and will enhance connectivity across our national network.” The westbound Sunset Limited (Train 1) will depart from New Orleans on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays almost three hours earlier each day than the current Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule. While there is no change to the eastbound Sunset Limited (Train 2) days of operations from Los Angeles on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays, it will depart seven hours later each day in order to restore connections between the Sunset Limited and the Amtrak Coast Starlight (Trains 11 & 14) and to make possible an attractive next morning arrival to Arizona destinations. In addition, the change will significantly reduce the layover for through passengers at San Antonio by more than seven hours for eastbound passengers and by more than three hours for westbound passengers when railcars are exchanged between the Sunset Limited and the Texas Eagle (Trains 21 & 22). Better connections between the Sunset Limited, Coast Starlight, Texas Eagle and Amtrak corridor services in California are predicted to increase the ridership and revenue of these trains Those passengers who have already purchased tickets for the period affected by the schedule change will be notified and offered rebooking at no charge. Inaugurated by the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1894, the Sunset Limited has been operated by Amtrak since its inception in 1971. Nearly 100,000 passengers rode the Sunset Limited last year, an increase of almost nine percent over the previous fiscal year (Amtrak - posted 3/14)
NKP 765 TO HAUL NORFOLK SOUTHERN 30TH ANNIVERSARY TRAINS: The Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society is proud to announce that restored Nickel Plate Road steam locomotive no. 765 has been tapped to help celebrate Norfolk Southern's 30th Anniversary. The locomotive will pull a special business train, operating out of the railroad's terminals in Fort Wayne, Elkhart, and Muncie, Indiana as well as in Bellevue and Toledo, Ohio. Created in 1982 with the merger of the Southern Railway and Norfolk and Western Railway, the railway operates 20,000 miles in 22 states with 28,000 employees. As part of its celebration, Norfolk Southern is honoring its corporate heritage by painting 18 of its locomotives in historic paint schemes that commemorate the dozens of railroad companies that were eventually merged into the system Norfolk Southern presently operates. Included will be a vintage livery that pays homage to the New York, Chicago, & St. Louis or Nickel Plate Road, the railroad that the 765 was originally built for. Founded in 1972, the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society, Inc will also be celebrating its own 40th Anniversary in 2012. The railroad historical society was the first all volunteer, non-profit to restore and operate a mainline steam locomotive after removing no. 765 from Fort Wayne's Lawton Park in 1974 and rehabilitating it to operating condition in 1979. The 1944-built locomotive has traveled over 50,000 miles in public exhibition and excursion service and was recently rebuilt in 2005. (Alexander D. Mitchell IV, The Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society - posted 3/13
PITTSBURGH'S NORTH SHORE CONNECTOR OPENS THIS MONTH: The Pittsburgh Port Authority will commence regular service on the 1.2 mile North Shore Connector on March 25. The new light rail extension will link the new Gateway Center Station at Liberty Avenue and Stanwix Street, Downtown, with an underground station near PNC Park and an elevated station near Heinz Field. The Pittsburgh Gazette reports that "All service on the Blue and Red lines will continue from Downtown to the North Shore, with cars changing directions at Allegheny Station (like they currently do at Wood Street). The authority has launched an ad campaign called "T-Plus" to emphasize that it won't be necessary to change cars to ride the new section. Service will operate every four minutes during weekday peak hours, to encourage commuters to park in North Shore garages and lots and ride to Downtown Rides will be free for at least three years, underwritten by the Steelers, the casino, Alco Parking and the Pittsburgh Stadium Authority. The expanded free-fare zone from Allegheny Station to First Avenue Station includes six stops." (Alex Mayes, Pittsburgh Gazette - posted 3/13
CN INTRODUCES NEW PRINCE RUPERT INTERMODAL SERVICE: CN announced today new import/export container train services between the Port of Prince Rupert, B.C., and Calgary (now in operation) and Edmonton, starting in June 2012. Alberta is one of the fastest growing industrial and consumer based economies in North America and has a fast increasing need for efficient supply chains. To support Alberta's growing transportation requirements, CN is relocating its Calgary Intermodal Terminal to a new, larger 680-acre logistic park in Rocky View County, near the airport in Calgary. Construction is underway and the facility will open in January 2013. Jean-Jacques Ruest, CN executive vice-president and chief marketing officer, said: "The C$200-million new logistics park, along with new connectivity to both the Port of Prince Rupert and Vancouver, will provide Alberta fluid access to world markets for consumer goods and industrial materials, as well as two prime export routes for its forest products, plastics and agri-products. As for CN, it puts us in a lead position." (CN - posted 3/13)
AMTRAK EXHIBIT TRAIN COMING TO CHARLESTON, S.C.: In celebration of the 40th anniversary of Amtrak, America’s Railroad® is offering the public an opportunity to view an Exhibit Train, a unique traveling display showcasing the railroad’s history. The train will stop at Ansonborough Field in Charleston, S.C. on March 24 and 25. The exhibit will be open from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. both days. The free exhibit showcases Amtrak history over the decades, displaying memorabilia such as vintage advertising, past menus and dinnerware, and period uniforms. The display will also include train-themed kids’ activities at Chuggington Depot (weather permitting), based on the popular children’s animated television series on Disney Junior. In addition, commemorative 40th anniversary merchandise will be available for purchase onboard the train including: Amtrak: An American Story, a 144-page commemorative book that chronicles the history of the railroad with archival photographs, a historical timeline and personal narratives for each decade; Amtrak: The First 40 Years, a documentary DVD that provides an exclusive look inside America’s Railroad® with hard-to-find photographs and video footage as well as interviews with past and present leaders. (Amtrak - posted 3/12)
READING & NORTHERN RAILROAD RECORDS SUCCESSFUL 2011: Reading and Northern Railroad announced today that despite a challenging national economy, the company is continuing to see major growth in operations. In 2011 the railroad saw double-digit traffic growth. RBMN handled close to 24,000 carloads over its tracks, which represented the highest carloadings in the company’s 20-plus year history. Because of this strong performance, officials at the railroad believe that 2012 will be even brighter as they continue to build on recent industrial development successes. “In a time where companies are feeling the pressures of a weak national economy, we here at Reading and Northern Railroad are striving to meet those challenges head-on,” said Andrew M. Muller Jr., CEO of Reading and Northern Railroad. “By making wise business choices and investments, we have continually surpassed our expectations and are working toward building a brighter future for our company, our employees, and most importantly, for our customers. “Without the continued support of our customers, Reading and Northern would not be able to overcome these current economic challenges that businesses are facing today,” Muller continued. During 2011, in addition to its normal freight operations in Eastern Pennsylvania, Reading and Northern Railroad also invested and expanded operations into the fields of natural gas supplies and anthracite coal transportation. The Pittston Yards project, which the railroad partnered with D&I Silica to develop a 140-year-old rail yard into a regional frac sand terminal, saw a continuation of its monumental first year, handling well over 1,000 carloads of business. The company’s second endeavor was investing in port facilities along the Delaware River near Philadelphia, where it could export anthracite coal to international customers. Reading and Northern partnered with Kinder Morgan to invest in setting up a facility and transport hundreds of carloads of anthracite to the new port. By the end of the year, the railroad had secured a long-term contract with Rio Tinto, the company’s largest coal consumer. As part of its commitment to this facility, RBMN purchased 180 aluminum rapid discharge railcars at a cost of approximately $4 million in the fourth quarter of 2011. “After Reading and Northern was faced with the loss of the Port of Baltimore as an outlet for our Pennsylvania anthracite business, we embarked on an extensive search for a port that would be able to meet our needs, with the option of expansion,” said Wayne Michel, president of Reading and Northern Railroad. “The port of Fairless Hills met our needs. The development of this port with Kinder Morgan will provide our anthracite customers with access to international markets for years to come. “What these industrial development projects show is that the men and women of Reading and Northern will stop at nothing to grow our business and serve our customers in the most efficient manner possible,” Michel continued. Reading and Northern Railroad, with its corporate headquarters in Port Clinton, is a privately held railroad company serving major businesses in eight counties in Eastern Pennsylvania, including Carbon, Schuylkill, Luzerne, Northumberland, Bradford, Lackawanna, Berks, and Wyoming counties. It has expanded its operations over the last 27 years and has grown into one of the premier railroads in the state — being named the 2011 Regional Railroad of the Year — with both freight services and passenger excursion operations. Reading and Northern continues to grow and currently employs over 150 employees. (R&N - posted 3/12)
END OF THE LINE FOR THE ACES TRAIN: The ACES, Atlantic City Express Service, has been discontinued. The train, had operated several weekly round trips from New York City to Atlantic City to whisk gamblers to a trio of casinos. The service, commmenced in February 2009 by three casinos — Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City, and the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa are the others — with the purpose of luring New Yorkers who didn’t want to ride a bus or sit in three hours of car traffic on the Garden State Parkway. However, the train has been losing a substantial amount of money. In addition, it was difficult for the ACES train to be scheduled during peak times along the congested Northeast Corridor, between New York and Philadelphia. The three casinos had originally invested $19 million to get the service started. The service has never turned a profit. The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority pumped $2 million into it the first year to help cover the $5.9 million in loses. Although money losing, ridership was good during peak times, including Friday evenings, averaging 90% of capacity. On holidays and special occasions, such as the Dave Matthews Band concerts last summer, the train was sold out. Each train had 300 seats. But the casinos could not charge enough for tickets to come close to covering the cost of running the train — a common problem with almost all rail service, public or private. The casinos will seek to sell or lease the eight rail cars they bought before the service began. The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority paid $4.5 million over a three year period to lease four Amtrak P40DC locomotives.(Associated Press, Alex Mayes, Randy Kotuby - posted 3/08)
AAR REPORTS MIXED RESULTS FOR FEBRUARY RAIL TRAFFIC: The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail carloads originated in February 2012 totaled 1,410,992, down 27,555 carloads or 1.9 percent, compared with February 2011. Intermodal volume in February 2012 was 1,122,458 containers and trailers, up 26,284 units or 2.4 percent compared with February 2011. February’s average of 224,492 intermodal units per week was the third highest ever for a February for U.S. railroads. Detailed monthly data charts and tables will be available in the AAR’s Rail Time Indicators report released online tomorrow. Fourteen of the 20 commodity groups tracked by AAR showed gains in February 2012 compared with the same month last year, including motor vehicles and parts, up 14,995 carloads or 22.1 percent; petroleum and petroleum products, up 9,347 carloads or 28.7 percent; steel and other primary metal products, up 8,833 carloads or 18.1 percent; crushed stone, gravel, and sand, up 7,715 carloads or 10.9 percent; and metallic ores, up 3,297 carloads or 15.7 percent. Commodities with carload declines in February were led by coal, down 70,583 carloads or 10.6 percent from February 2011. Other commodities with declines included grain, down 8,009 carloads or 7 percent; nonmetallic minerals, down 1,966 carloads or 8.5 percent; and farm products excluding grain, down 514 carloads or 11.3 percent. Carloads excluding coal and grain were up 7.7 percent or 51,037 carloads in February 2012 over February 2011. “If you exclude carloads of coal and grain, which are down for reasons that have little to do with the state of the economy, rail traffic in February was encouraging,” said AAR Senior Vice President John T. Gray. “Intermodal traffic was up for the 27th straight month, while carloads of a wide range of commodities—lumber, chemicals, petroleum, paper, steel and more—saw increases in February. Time will tell, but we’re hopeful it’s a sign of broad-based improvement in economic conditions.” Today, AAR also reported mixed weekly rail traffic for the week ending March 3, 2012, with U.S. railroads originating 283,312 carloads, down 6.2 percent compared with the same week last year. Intermodal volume for the week totaled 227,256 trailers and containers, up 6 percent compared with the same week last year. Seven of the 20 carload commodity groups posted increases compared with the same week in 2011, with petroleum products, up 22.6 percent; metals and products, up 19.3 percent, and lumber and wood products, up 16.4 percent. The groups showing a significant decrease in weekly traffic included farm products excluding grain, down 20.5 percent, and coal, down 16.6 percent. Weekly carload volume on Eastern railroads was down 6.9 percent compared with the same week last year. In the West, weekly carload volume was down 5.7 percent compared with the same week in 2011. Canadian railroads reported 76,253 carloads for the week, up 8.3 percent compared with the same week last year, and 46,645 trailers and containers, up 7 percent compared with 2011. For the first nine weeks of 2012, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 675,811 carloads, up 7 percent from the same point last year, and 432,999 trailers and containers, up 5.8 percent from last year. Mexican railroads reported 13,965 carloads for the week, down 1.8 percent compared with the same week last year, and 7,880 trailers and containers, up 9.4 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first nine weeks of 2012 is 118,759 carloads, down 7.8 percent compared with last year, and 79,739 trailers and containers, up 20.3 percent. Combined North American rail volume for the first nine weeks of 2012 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 3,350,362 carloads, up 0.2 percent compared with last year, and 2,512,833 trailers and containers, up 3.2 percent compared with last year. (AAR - posted 3/08)
RAILWAY AGE NAMES 2012 SHORT LINE OF THE YEAR, 2012 REGIONAL RAILROAD OF THE YEAR: Railway Age magazine has named Vermont Railway the 2012 Short Line Railroad of the Year, and the Indiana Rail Road Co. its 2012 Regional Railroad of the Year. The awards will be presented at the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association's annual meeting in Indianapolis, Ind., Tuesday evening, April 24, 2012. "Short line and regional railroads are a critical part of any economic recovery," says Railway Age Publisher Jonathan Chalon. "The business opportunities and obstacles may differ, but the entrepreneurial spirit of the two winners affects and assists their customers large and small, making efficient business possible with the most efficient surface mode—rail." Burlington, Vt.-based Vermont Railway (VTR), part of Vermont Rail System, serves its namesake state and a portion of New York. But variable weather in 2011 pressed the railroad to the limits, as VTR endured very heavy snows during the winter, then resulting floods and washouts in the spring. Not yet content with its obstacle course, Mother Nature visited Tropical Storm Irene upon Vermont late last August, causing unprecedented washouts and damage to VTR bridges and right-of-way. By arranging detours and transloads for customer freight, Vermont Railway kept customer traffic moving, while its rail infrastructure was largely and rapidly repaired within just three weeks. The short line's efforts extended beyond one mode: In conjunction with New England Central Railroad, Vermont Railways helped repair a key state roadway by moving 130,000 tons of rock during a 10-week period. Amidst that effort, and with the state's Agency of Transportation, Vermont Railway's operations and maintenance-of-way forces successfully implemented a plan to better Amtrak's Ethan Allen service on the railroad's right-of-way, with the train notching a dramatic improvement in on-time performance in 2011. "Short lines such as Vermont Railways offer tangible proof that the American work ethic is alive and well," says Railway Age Managing Editor Douglas John Bowen. That certainly includes sound and profitable business practices, but Vermont Railway also stands as testament to the idea of shared, proactive community involvement, in good times and in difficult moments—and Vermont certainly had its share of the latter in 2011." Indianapolis, Ind.-based Indiana Railroad marked its 25th anniversary in 2011 by setting several records related to operating performance. It also invested a record $22 million in private capital for infrastructure and technology improvements, and received accolades for its employee wellness program, instituted in conjunction with Union Hospital of Terre Haute, Ind. "The Indiana Rail Road has proven it is an industry leader in numerous categories, such as capital investment, technology, and marketing," says Railway Age Editor William C. Vantuono. "But frankly, it was the letters of recommendation from INRD's customers that made it clear to us that Indiana Rail Road was deserving of this honor." Both Vermont Railway, the Short Line Railroad of the Year, and the Indiana Rail Road, the Regional Railroad of the Year, will be featured in Railway Age's April 2012 issue. (Railway Age - posted 3/07)
WORLD CLASS: METRO-NORTH WINS THE INTERNATIONAL BRUNEL AWARD FOR DESIGN EXHIBITION PLANNED IN GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL: MTA Metro-North Railroad, winner of the Brunel Jury Prize for overall design excellence, hosts an exhibit of contest entries from 43 passenger and freight railways from 15 countries on three continents from March 19-30 in Grand Central Terminal's Vanderbilt Hall. The scope and variety of the entries illustrates the intense competition for the prestigious prize, which is given every three years by The Watford Group and The Center for Industrial Design in Transportation. "The award is recognition of Metro-North's 30-year-long sea change from an unreliable and decrepit railroad into the premier passenger railroad in North America," said Metro-North President Howard Permut, who accepted the Jury Prize from U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood late last year at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. "The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is gratified by the recognition bestowed upon Metro-North by the Watford Group," said MTA Chairman Joseph J. Lhota. "This award illustrates the level of excellence that we continually strive for across the entire MTA family." Metro-North is the first American railroad to win this coveted award in its 26-year history. The award is named after the famous railway inventor Isambard Brunel, founder and builder of the UK's Great Western Railway. The Brunel Award competition is open to all passenger and freight railways, public or private, throughout the world to recognize and promote the best in railway architecture, engineering, landscape and environmental design, product design, locomotive and car design, graphic arts, and corporate branding amongst the world's railways. In describing the selection, the report of the Awards Jury stated: "Metro-North carries the most passengers every year on the American continent and has undergone both extraordinary changes of company culture as well as the shift to incorporation of design as a strategic business tool." The distinguished international jury was chaired by Professor Ronald Keminitzer, FIDSA, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, USA. Other jurors were: Roy Allen, CEO, Transportation Technology Center, Inc. USA; Ignacio Barron, Passenger and High-Speed Rail Department Head of the International Union of Railways (UIC), France; Angela Brady, FRIBA, President, Royal Institute of British Architects, UK; Niels Diffrient, FIDSA, Industrial Designer, USA; Professor Lars Lallerstedt, Industrial Designer, Sweden; Pamela Loeffelman, FAIA, Executive Director, Perkins Eastman, USA; and Chase Rynd, CEO, National Building Museum, USA. The Jury Prize is only eligible to a railroad that enters project in all five categories, which Metro-North did, winning first place in the "Freight and Railway Support Buildings" category for its Croton-Harmon Locomotive and Coach Shops. These two 21st century facilities are designed for a 21st century fleet, with ultra-modern equipment maintenance capability that provides employees with a safe, clean work environment. They represent the largest capital and engineering project ever undertaken by Metro-North. Metro-North's other entries:
NORFOLK SOUTHERN'S SECOND HERITAGE LOCOMOTIVE: Norfolk Southern's Chattanoga, Tennessee shop has repainted NS 8099 in the Southern Railway green and white livery. Next, the unit will be lettered for the Southern Railway. It will mark the second of 19 Heritage units to commemorate NS's 30th anniversary. (John Krattinger - posted 3/19)
SEPTA RELEASES PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2013 CAPITAL BUDGET: For the third straight year, SEPTA expects to defer critical improvement projects due to funding cuts, according to the Authority's Fiscal Year 2013 Capital Budget proposal. The $303 million spending plan reflects a 25 percent reduction compared to the funding levels of three years ago, and will leave SEPTA unable to move forward on dozens of improvement projects vital to the short- and long-term health of the transit system. The capital funds available for Fiscal Year 2013, which covers the 12-month period from July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013, will go largely toward mandates such as Regional Rail signal system upgrades and other safety improvements. The Authority must also set aside funds for equipment overhauls, and the purchase of new buses and paratransit vehicles to replace those that are being removed from service. Without additional funding, much-needed upgrades - from critical overhauls to electrical substations to bridge repairs and station renovations - are pushed back indefinitely. In recent years, SEPTA has deferred a number of projects that were expected to move forward under Act 44. Pennsylvania lawmakers passed Act 44 in 2007 to provide a dedicated source of transportation funding. Act 44, however, required new revenue streams and was never fully funded - in large part due to the federal government's rejection of a plan to add tolls on Interstate 80. SEPTA remains optimistic funding for infrastructure improvements will be addressed. Gov. Tom Corbett, in his state budget address last month, noted the need for a "lasting" solution for transportation funding. "SEPTA will continue to work with Gov. Corbett and the General Assembly to secure a long-term, growing and predictable funding source for transportation throughout Pennsylvania," said SEPTA General Manager Joseph M. Casey. SEPTA will hold public hearings on the Fiscal Year 2013 Capital Budget on April 11th at 11:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. The sessions will be held on the mezzanine level at SEPTA Headquarters, 1234 Market Street. (SEPTA - posted 3/19)
CANADIAN PACIFIC TO PRESENT OPERATIONAL PROGRESS AND ROADMAP TO FURTHER OPERATING RATIO IMPROVEMENT: Canadian Pacific Railway Limited will make a public presentation to investors and analysts detailing its progress against key operational metrics and outlining its plan for continuing improvement to the Company's operating ratio ("OR"). CP's Investor Day will be held in Toronto, Ontario on Tuesday, March 27, 2012 from 9:00 am - 12:00 noon Eastern Time (7:00 am - 10:00 am Mountain Time). Those wishing to attend the event in person will need to pre-register at www.CPonTrack.com . A live webcast of the event and the presentation materials will also be available on the website. "This will be a valuable opportunity to update shareholders on the demonstrable progress we are making at CP as we execute against our detailed plan to achieve our targeted operating ratio goal of 70 to 72 per cent for 2014," said Fred Green, President and CEO of CP. "Canadian Pacific entered 2012 with record operating metrics and we expect these metrics to translate into improved financial results beginning in the first quarter of 2012. The CP management team is focused on continuing to deliver on our Multi-Year Plan to create long-term value for shareholders." CP ended 2011 with record operating metrics including car miles per car day and terminal dwell, which both improved 20 per cent during the fourth quarter compared to the fourth quarter of 2010. CP also made further improvements in 2012. Year-to-date February, CP saw significant improvements compared to the 3 year average for the same period in terminal dwell (29 per cent), active cars online (26 per cent), AAR train speed (15 per cent) and car miles per car day (45 per cent), which set a new performance record of 208 miles per day. Presenters will include: Fred Green, President and Chief Executive Officer, and members of the senior executive team who will update investors on progress against key operating metrics and advancing the Multi-Year Plan; members of CP's Board of Directors; and representatives of Oliver Wyman (part of Marsh & McLennan Companies), highly qualified, independent railroad industry experts retained by CP's Board of Directors, which will present elements of its independent assessment of CP's Multi-Year Plan and its analysis of the feasibility of Pershing Square's publicly stated projections and timeframe for CP's OR improvement. (CP - posted 3/19)
NORFOLK SOUTHERN ROLLS OUT FIRST HERITAGE LOCOMOTIVE: PENN CENTRAL PAINT SCHEME ADDED TO HERITAGE LINE-UP: The first locomotive to be painted in Norfolk Southern’s 30th anniversary heritage paint schemes rolled out of the company’s Juniata Locomotive Shop here yesterday. Locomotive NS 8098, a GE ES44AC, bears the “Conrail Blue” scheme. It is a 4,400-horsepower, EPA Tier-3 compliant Evolution Series locomotive equipped with distributed power capability. It will be run to Conway, Pa., and enter active transportation service. Norfolk Southern also announced that an additional legacy railroad, Penn Central, has been added to the 18 heritage schemes previously announced. This will be an SD70Ace to be painted at Progress Rail Services’ facility in Muncie, Ind. The Penn Central Transportation Company was created in 1968 from the merger of the New York Central and the Pennsylvania Railroad, and the New York, New Haven and Hartford was added shortly afterward. Penn Central formed the core of Conrail when Conrail was created in 1976. A photo of the first unit and a rendering of the Penn Central paint scheme , as well as the original heritage scheme announcement and graphics are available at Norfolk Southern’s website. (Norfolk Southern Corporation- posted 3/16)
AMTRAK SERVICE IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN MICHIGAN DELAYED DUE TO NORFOLK SOUTHERN DECISION: Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) has ordered passenger trains to slow to 25-to-30 mph on certain Michigan track segments it owns and controls between Kalamazoo and Ann Arbor, starting today. These restrictions from previous top speeds of up to 79 mph have an even larger impact than those imposed by NS last year. Amtrak is advising passengers to expect delays of 45 to 90 minutes on Wolverine Service trains to and from Chicago and Detroit/Pontiac, including Jackson and Dearborn, with lesser delays on the Amtrak Blue Water to and from Chicago and Port Huron, via East Lansing and Flint. “The decision by Norfolk Southern to reduce train speeds on the track shared with the Amtrak Wolverine and Blue Water services will have a serious impact on passenger service, and could cause delays for freight shippers, too,” said Tim Hoeffner, director of the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) Office of Rail. “Last year, MDOT invested millions of dollars to upgrade this line at the state’s expense, and we hope Norfolk Southern will bear that in mind and work to minimize slow-downs that inconvenience businesses and travelers,” Hoeffner added. The duration of the service delays is unknown. NS has said it would begin track improvement work in three weeks. Amtrak will issue a detailed Passenger Service Notice when more details are available. Amtrak believes that temporary repairs could be made promptly by NS to significantly reduce the impact of these slow orders,” said Paul Vilter, Amtrak Assistant Vice President, after Amtrak engineering experts inspected the NS-owned portion of the route earlier this week. “The NS slow orders will affect operations of Wolverine trains to popular destinations across Michigan and will also somewhat delay Blue Water trains between Battle Creek and Kalamazoo,” said Morrell Savoy, the Chicago-based Amtrak Superintendent responsible for train service in Michigan. Passengers affected by this service disruption can use the Amtrak Blue Water trains at East Lansing and Flint or Amtrak Thruway Motorcoaches as a substitute means to reach Central, Southern and Eastern Michigan. Amtrak Lake Shore Limited and Capitol Limited trains in Toledo and at Waterloo, Elkhart and South Bend, Ind., are another alternate choice. The Amtrak Pere Marquette trains to and from Grand Rapids via Holland and St. Joseph-Benton Harbor are not affected by the NS action and can also be an option for some passengers. “Ridership was just returning to normal since the last service disruption and lowered speeds in the summer of 2011,” Savoy added. From October 2011 through February 2012, ridership on Amtrak Wolverine Service (Trains 350-355, three daily round-trips, Pontiac-Detroit-Ann Arbor-Chicago) was 184,781; Amtrak Blue Water (Trains 364 & 365, one daily round-trip, Port Huron-East Lansing-Chicago) was 71,572; and the Amtrak Pere Marquette (Trains 370 & 371, one daily round-trip, Grand Rapids-Chicago) was 40,785. All three routes posted year-to-year gains in February ridership. The slow orders from NS come while it is negotiating to complete the sale of the line to the State of Michigan. These orders come less than four weeks after a celebration of increased speeds up to 110 mph on the Amtrak-owned portion of this line in Western Michigan and Northwest Indiana. (Amtrak - posted 3/16)
NORFOLK SOUTHERN SLOWS TRAIN SPEEDS BETWEEN DEARBORN AND KALAMAZOO: Effective March 15, 2012, Norfolk Southern lowered the railroad operating speed limits on certain sections of the Michigan Line between Dearborn and Kalamazoo that handle both Amtrak's passenger service and Norfolk Southern's freight service. These lower speed limits have been imposed to reflect the maximum safe operating speeds for the line, given the line's condition. Safety is of paramount importance in both passenger and freight rail operations. The reduction in railroad operating speed limits both has been anticipated over time and is in conformance with existing agreements between Norfolk Southern and Amtrak. Other portions of the Michigan mainline experienced similar reductions in railroad operating speed limits in 2011. Some of those 2011 speed reductions were later eliminated as the result of work funded by Michigan DOT. The Michigan Line is currently the subject of an existing agreement that anticipates the acquisition of the rail line by Michigan, and the subsequent rehabilitation of the line to handle maximum authorized speeds of up to 110 mph for passenger trains. That transaction is expected to be completed later this year, pending Federal regulatory review. "Until ownership of the Michigan Line is transferred, Norfolk Southern is willing to perform work on the line on behalf of Amtrak or Michigan DOT to address any passenger operating concerns," said John V. Edwards, Norfolk Southern's general director passenger policy. "This work is not necessary to provide freight service, but if the passenger service providers want to provide the necessary funding, we will do it. (Norfolk Southern Corporation- posted 3/16)
VIA TRAINS TO MOVE TO NEW STATION IN BELLEVILLE NEXT TUESDAY: VIA Rail Canada wishes to advise travellers that trains will begin stopping at a new station in Belleville, ON, starting next Tuesday, March 20, 2012. The new station is located at 250 Station Street, just to the east of the current station. This move to the new station building marks the end of the initial phase of construction. The project is expected to be fully completed later this year. Passengers are advised that for several months, all trains will arrive at and depart from a new island platform, accessible by an overhead walkway. During this time, VIA will be rebuilding the main station platform and completing other work on the surrounding tracks in order to improve train movements and enhance capacity. (VIA Rail Canada - posted 3/16)
FIRST NS HERITAGE LOCOMOTIVE RELEASED: The first Norfolk Southern heritage locomotive, "Conrail" 8098 , was released from Altoona today. Scheduled to be picked up by train 11A and taken to Conway to be put in service. (John Krattinger - posted 3/15)
AMTRAK EXHIBIT TRAIN COMING TO WILMINGTON: In celebration of Amtrak’s 40th anniversary, America’s Railroadsm is offering the public an opportunity to view an Exhibit Train, a unique traveling display showcasing the railroad’s history. The train will stop at the Wilmington Train Station on March 31 and April 1. The free exhibit will be open from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., both days. The exhibit showcases Amtrak history over the decades, displaying memorabilia such as vintage advertising, past menus and dinnerware, and period uniforms. The display will also include train-themed kid activities at Chuggington Depot, based on the popular children’s animated television series on Disney Junior. In addition, commemorative 40th anniversary merchandise will be available for purchase onboard the train including: Amtrak: An American Story, a 144-page commemorative book that chronicles the history of the railroad with archival photographs, a historical timeline and personal narratives for each decade; Amtrak: The First 40 Years, a documentary DVD that provides an exclusive look inside America’s Railroadsm with hard-to-find photographs and video footage as well as interviews with past and present leaders. For more information on Amtrak’s 40th anniversary, visit the official website at Amtrak40th.com. The site provides details of the anniversary celebration and tells the Amtrak story by allowing users to explore 40 years of historic photographs and other materials in an extensive and dynamic archive. The site also hosts a blog, provides a link to an online store, and allows individuals to sign up to receive an email alert when the Exhibit Train is coming near their town. (Amtrak - posted 3/15)
AAR REPORTS MIXED WEEKLY RAIL TRAFFIC: The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported mixed weekly rail traffic for the week ending March 10, 2012, with U.S. railroads originating 278,728 carloads, down 4.8 percent compared with the same week last year. Intermodal volume for the week totaled 226,039 trailers and containers, up 4.2 percent compared with the same week last year. Eleven of the 20 carload commodity groups posted increases compared with the same week in 2011, with petroleum products, up 39.9 percent; motor vehicles and equipment, up 14.8 percent, and metallic ores, up 11.5 percent. The groups showing a significant decrease in weekly traffic included coal, down 13.1 percent, and coke, down 10.3 percent. Weekly carload volume on Eastern railroads was down 3.8 percent compared with the same week last year. In the West, weekly carload volume was down 5.4 percent compared with the same week in 2011. For the first ten weeks of 2012, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 2,834,520 carloads, down 1.4 percent from last year, and 2,226,134 trailers and containers, up 2.3 percent from last year. Canadian railroads reported 75,100 carloads for the week, up 4.8 percent compared with the same week last year, and 49,253 trailers and containers, up 16.8 percent compared with 2011. For the first ten weeks of 2012, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 750,911 carloads, up 6.7 percent from the same point last year, and 482,252 trailers and containers, up 6.9 percent from last year. Mexican railroads reported 13,945 carloads for the week, down 2.5 percent compared with the same week last year, and 7,786 trailers and containers, up 17.3 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first ten weeks of 2012 is 132,704 carloads, down 7.2 percent compared to last year, and 87,525 trailers and containers, up 20 percent. Combined North American rail volume for the first ten weeks of 2012 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 3,718,135 carloads, down 0.1 percent compared to last year, and 2,795,911 trailers and containers, up 3.5 percent compared with last year . (AAR - posted 3/15)
CANADIAN PACIFIC AND UNIMIN CORPORATION ANNOUNCE NEW LONG-TERM AGREEMENT FOR THE MOVEMENT OF FRAC SAND: Canadian Pacific Railway Limited today announced a multi-year agreement with Unimin Corporation of New Canaan, Connecticut, for the movement of frac sand from Unimin's facility in Wisconsin. Unimin Corporation is North America's leading producer of industrial minerals. The facility, the Company's newest and most productive, will open in 2013 in Tunnel City, Wisconsin and will produce two million tons of frac sand annually for energy markets in North Dakota, Texas, Colorado and elsewhere. Under the agreement CP will become the exclusive rail service provider at this facility for the movement of frac sand to Unimin Corporation's destination markets. "We have a long relationship with CP at many of our plants in North America and we are delighted to expand this longstanding partnership," said Kevin F. Crawford, President and Chief Executive Officer at Unimin. "Rail is an effective way to move our products and CP is a reliable partner that will enable us to continue to deliver products to critical energy markets." "Canadian Pacific has been serving Unimin, one of our largest Industrial Products customers, for more than three decades and we are pleased to continue to grow this partnership through service at its new facility," said Jane O'Hagan, Canadian Pacific's Chief Marketing Officer and EVP Marketing & Sales. "Canadian Pacific's scheduled railway will ensure we efficiently manage their increasing volumes with reliable service." "This agreement showcases the strength of CP's network through Wisconsin with service to key energy regions throughout North America. CP has proven performance in our ability to move energy-related products and materials, such as frac sand, to important oil and gas producing formations," said O'Hagan. "Canadian Pacific has extended our energy franchise with ongoing capital investments on our U.S. Midwest network and is moving forward with our 2012 accelerated capital plan which includes investments that support our energy growth strategy. We are pleased to be in a position to provide the capacity to our customers to respond to the strong growth in the energy-related markets." Canadian Pacific is the only North American railroad to serve the Bakken Formation, the Alberta Industrial Heartland, and the Marcellus Shale. In addition, CP is the only Class I railway to connect the energy hubs of the U.S. Midwest, Alberta and Saskatchewan to the Northeast U.S. Through its network to the Northeast U.S. and through the Kansas City gateway to the U.S. Gulf Coast, CP is able to partner with the energy industry to facilitate growth in moving oil and energy-related materials. Each year, CP moves hundreds of thousands of carloads of energy-related products, including crude oil, sulphur, fuels, diluents and materials key to the energy industry, such as pipe and frac sand. (Randy Kotuby, CP - posted 3/15)
CATENARY WIRE REPLACEMENT WORK RESUMES ON NEW HAVEN LINE: The replacement of century-old catenary wire that powers New Haven Line trains will resume on Monday March 19th, on two tracks between Southport and Bridgeport, and will continue through the end of November. During this work, only two of four tracks will be in service in this seven-mile area, impacting the operating flexibility of the rail service and Metro-North's ability to respond to potential service disruptions during emergencies. "Metro-North will work diligently to ensure that we provide our customers with the best commute possible during this period," said Metro-North President Howard Permut. "However, some of you may experience occasional train delays and service disruptions." Over the winter, only one track (eastbound track) was out of service for the ongoing catenary and bridge replacement project. To accomplishment this next phase of work—which includes catenary wire replacement, bridge construction and installation of interlocking wire, Metro-North will take out the adjacent westbound track in order for the Connecticut Department of Transportation's contractor to continue work. Each bridge, or span, carries two tracks and the contractor needs an adjacent track for work equipment. For most of 2011, Tracks 2 & 4 were out of service for this project. The wire replacement above Track 4 was completed and the track was returned to service in December 2011so that the railroad could be as prepared as possible in the event of any winter weather-related emergencies. During the phase of work that begins March 19, Track 1 and Track 2, the two inside tracks, will be out of service. Much will be accomplished, including: --Four open-deck bridges in Bridgeport and Fairfield (at North Benson Rd., Fairfield Ave., South Ave. and Main St.) are being replaced with closed deck, ballast-style ones to provide a smoother ride. The support girders of these bridges rest on two tracks, making it necessary to take them out simultaneously. This work is scheduled to take place from April to November. --New interlocking wire (basically the wire for track switches) will be replaced at Bridgeport Station where Tracks 1 & 2 intersect. This work is slated from July to September. --About seven miles of new catenary wire will be installed over Track 2 between Bridgeport and Southport. This work will occur from September to November. Underway since 1991, this project will replace the original catenary wire, which was first erected in 1907. Currently about 70% of the catenary replacement work has been finished. Wires over the Connecticut portion of the New Haven Line have been replaced from Port Chester to just east of South Norwalk; and from Milford to New Haven, including an interface with the Amtrak Shoreline East catenary system east of New Haven Terminal. From 1991 to 1995, on the New York State portion of the New Haven Line, third rail replaced existing catenary wire from Woodlawn to just north of Mt. Vernon East, and new catenary wire was installed from Pelham to Port Chester. The upgrade of the power system for the entire New Haven Line is set to be complete in 2017 (MTA- posted 3/14)
NEW SCHEDULE FOR SUNSET LIMITED BENEFITS PASSENGERS AND IMPROVES FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE: A new schedule for the Amtrak Sunset Limited is planned to take effect on May 7 for the New Orleans-Los Angeles route that will change the days of westbound operations and provide better connections for passengers travelling to and through California. These changes are expected to increase ridership and revenue, and reduce crew layover costs. “The passenger benefits and financial improvement resulting from changing the Sunset Limited schedule are two-fold: Amtrak is providing better service and acting to improve our bottom line,” said President and CEO Joe Boardman. “These are improvements that can be implemented quickly, require no capital investment and will enhance connectivity across our national network.” The westbound Sunset Limited (Train 1) will depart from New Orleans on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays almost three hours earlier each day than the current Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule. While there is no change to the eastbound Sunset Limited (Train 2) days of operations from Los Angeles on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays, it will depart seven hours later each day in order to restore connections between the Sunset Limited and the Amtrak Coast Starlight (Trains 11 & 14) and to make possible an attractive next morning arrival to Arizona destinations. In addition, the change will significantly reduce the layover for through passengers at San Antonio by more than seven hours for eastbound passengers and by more than three hours for westbound passengers when railcars are exchanged between the Sunset Limited and the Texas Eagle (Trains 21 & 22). Better connections between the Sunset Limited, Coast Starlight, Texas Eagle and Amtrak corridor services in California are predicted to increase the ridership and revenue of these trains Those passengers who have already purchased tickets for the period affected by the schedule change will be notified and offered rebooking at no charge. Inaugurated by the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1894, the Sunset Limited has been operated by Amtrak since its inception in 1971. Nearly 100,000 passengers rode the Sunset Limited last year, an increase of almost nine percent over the previous fiscal year (Amtrak - posted 3/14)
NKP 765 TO HAUL NORFOLK SOUTHERN 30TH ANNIVERSARY TRAINS: The Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society is proud to announce that restored Nickel Plate Road steam locomotive no. 765 has been tapped to help celebrate Norfolk Southern's 30th Anniversary. The locomotive will pull a special business train, operating out of the railroad's terminals in Fort Wayne, Elkhart, and Muncie, Indiana as well as in Bellevue and Toledo, Ohio. Created in 1982 with the merger of the Southern Railway and Norfolk and Western Railway, the railway operates 20,000 miles in 22 states with 28,000 employees. As part of its celebration, Norfolk Southern is honoring its corporate heritage by painting 18 of its locomotives in historic paint schemes that commemorate the dozens of railroad companies that were eventually merged into the system Norfolk Southern presently operates. Included will be a vintage livery that pays homage to the New York, Chicago, & St. Louis or Nickel Plate Road, the railroad that the 765 was originally built for. Founded in 1972, the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society, Inc will also be celebrating its own 40th Anniversary in 2012. The railroad historical society was the first all volunteer, non-profit to restore and operate a mainline steam locomotive after removing no. 765 from Fort Wayne's Lawton Park in 1974 and rehabilitating it to operating condition in 1979. The 1944-built locomotive has traveled over 50,000 miles in public exhibition and excursion service and was recently rebuilt in 2005. (Alexander D. Mitchell IV, The Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society - posted 3/13
PITTSBURGH'S NORTH SHORE CONNECTOR OPENS THIS MONTH: The Pittsburgh Port Authority will commence regular service on the 1.2 mile North Shore Connector on March 25. The new light rail extension will link the new Gateway Center Station at Liberty Avenue and Stanwix Street, Downtown, with an underground station near PNC Park and an elevated station near Heinz Field. The Pittsburgh Gazette reports that "All service on the Blue and Red lines will continue from Downtown to the North Shore, with cars changing directions at Allegheny Station (like they currently do at Wood Street). The authority has launched an ad campaign called "T-Plus" to emphasize that it won't be necessary to change cars to ride the new section. Service will operate every four minutes during weekday peak hours, to encourage commuters to park in North Shore garages and lots and ride to Downtown Rides will be free for at least three years, underwritten by the Steelers, the casino, Alco Parking and the Pittsburgh Stadium Authority. The expanded free-fare zone from Allegheny Station to First Avenue Station includes six stops." (Alex Mayes, Pittsburgh Gazette - posted 3/13
CN INTRODUCES NEW PRINCE RUPERT INTERMODAL SERVICE: CN announced today new import/export container train services between the Port of Prince Rupert, B.C., and Calgary (now in operation) and Edmonton, starting in June 2012. Alberta is one of the fastest growing industrial and consumer based economies in North America and has a fast increasing need for efficient supply chains. To support Alberta's growing transportation requirements, CN is relocating its Calgary Intermodal Terminal to a new, larger 680-acre logistic park in Rocky View County, near the airport in Calgary. Construction is underway and the facility will open in January 2013. Jean-Jacques Ruest, CN executive vice-president and chief marketing officer, said: "The C$200-million new logistics park, along with new connectivity to both the Port of Prince Rupert and Vancouver, will provide Alberta fluid access to world markets for consumer goods and industrial materials, as well as two prime export routes for its forest products, plastics and agri-products. As for CN, it puts us in a lead position." (CN - posted 3/13)
AMTRAK EXHIBIT TRAIN COMING TO CHARLESTON, S.C.: In celebration of the 40th anniversary of Amtrak, America’s Railroad® is offering the public an opportunity to view an Exhibit Train, a unique traveling display showcasing the railroad’s history. The train will stop at Ansonborough Field in Charleston, S.C. on March 24 and 25. The exhibit will be open from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. both days. The free exhibit showcases Amtrak history over the decades, displaying memorabilia such as vintage advertising, past menus and dinnerware, and period uniforms. The display will also include train-themed kids’ activities at Chuggington Depot (weather permitting), based on the popular children’s animated television series on Disney Junior. In addition, commemorative 40th anniversary merchandise will be available for purchase onboard the train including: Amtrak: An American Story, a 144-page commemorative book that chronicles the history of the railroad with archival photographs, a historical timeline and personal narratives for each decade; Amtrak: The First 40 Years, a documentary DVD that provides an exclusive look inside America’s Railroad® with hard-to-find photographs and video footage as well as interviews with past and present leaders. (Amtrak - posted 3/12)
READING & NORTHERN RAILROAD RECORDS SUCCESSFUL 2011: Reading and Northern Railroad announced today that despite a challenging national economy, the company is continuing to see major growth in operations. In 2011 the railroad saw double-digit traffic growth. RBMN handled close to 24,000 carloads over its tracks, which represented the highest carloadings in the company’s 20-plus year history. Because of this strong performance, officials at the railroad believe that 2012 will be even brighter as they continue to build on recent industrial development successes. “In a time where companies are feeling the pressures of a weak national economy, we here at Reading and Northern Railroad are striving to meet those challenges head-on,” said Andrew M. Muller Jr., CEO of Reading and Northern Railroad. “By making wise business choices and investments, we have continually surpassed our expectations and are working toward building a brighter future for our company, our employees, and most importantly, for our customers. “Without the continued support of our customers, Reading and Northern would not be able to overcome these current economic challenges that businesses are facing today,” Muller continued. During 2011, in addition to its normal freight operations in Eastern Pennsylvania, Reading and Northern Railroad also invested and expanded operations into the fields of natural gas supplies and anthracite coal transportation. The Pittston Yards project, which the railroad partnered with D&I Silica to develop a 140-year-old rail yard into a regional frac sand terminal, saw a continuation of its monumental first year, handling well over 1,000 carloads of business. The company’s second endeavor was investing in port facilities along the Delaware River near Philadelphia, where it could export anthracite coal to international customers. Reading and Northern partnered with Kinder Morgan to invest in setting up a facility and transport hundreds of carloads of anthracite to the new port. By the end of the year, the railroad had secured a long-term contract with Rio Tinto, the company’s largest coal consumer. As part of its commitment to this facility, RBMN purchased 180 aluminum rapid discharge railcars at a cost of approximately $4 million in the fourth quarter of 2011. “After Reading and Northern was faced with the loss of the Port of Baltimore as an outlet for our Pennsylvania anthracite business, we embarked on an extensive search for a port that would be able to meet our needs, with the option of expansion,” said Wayne Michel, president of Reading and Northern Railroad. “The port of Fairless Hills met our needs. The development of this port with Kinder Morgan will provide our anthracite customers with access to international markets for years to come. “What these industrial development projects show is that the men and women of Reading and Northern will stop at nothing to grow our business and serve our customers in the most efficient manner possible,” Michel continued. Reading and Northern Railroad, with its corporate headquarters in Port Clinton, is a privately held railroad company serving major businesses in eight counties in Eastern Pennsylvania, including Carbon, Schuylkill, Luzerne, Northumberland, Bradford, Lackawanna, Berks, and Wyoming counties. It has expanded its operations over the last 27 years and has grown into one of the premier railroads in the state — being named the 2011 Regional Railroad of the Year — with both freight services and passenger excursion operations. Reading and Northern continues to grow and currently employs over 150 employees. (R&N - posted 3/12)
END OF THE LINE FOR THE ACES TRAIN: The ACES, Atlantic City Express Service, has been discontinued. The train, had operated several weekly round trips from New York City to Atlantic City to whisk gamblers to a trio of casinos. The service, commmenced in February 2009 by three casinos — Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City, and the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa are the others — with the purpose of luring New Yorkers who didn’t want to ride a bus or sit in three hours of car traffic on the Garden State Parkway. However, the train has been losing a substantial amount of money. In addition, it was difficult for the ACES train to be scheduled during peak times along the congested Northeast Corridor, between New York and Philadelphia. The three casinos had originally invested $19 million to get the service started. The service has never turned a profit. The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority pumped $2 million into it the first year to help cover the $5.9 million in loses. Although money losing, ridership was good during peak times, including Friday evenings, averaging 90% of capacity. On holidays and special occasions, such as the Dave Matthews Band concerts last summer, the train was sold out. Each train had 300 seats. But the casinos could not charge enough for tickets to come close to covering the cost of running the train — a common problem with almost all rail service, public or private. The casinos will seek to sell or lease the eight rail cars they bought before the service began. The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority paid $4.5 million over a three year period to lease four Amtrak P40DC locomotives.(Associated Press, Alex Mayes, Randy Kotuby - posted 3/08)
AAR REPORTS MIXED RESULTS FOR FEBRUARY RAIL TRAFFIC: The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail carloads originated in February 2012 totaled 1,410,992, down 27,555 carloads or 1.9 percent, compared with February 2011. Intermodal volume in February 2012 was 1,122,458 containers and trailers, up 26,284 units or 2.4 percent compared with February 2011. February’s average of 224,492 intermodal units per week was the third highest ever for a February for U.S. railroads. Detailed monthly data charts and tables will be available in the AAR’s Rail Time Indicators report released online tomorrow. Fourteen of the 20 commodity groups tracked by AAR showed gains in February 2012 compared with the same month last year, including motor vehicles and parts, up 14,995 carloads or 22.1 percent; petroleum and petroleum products, up 9,347 carloads or 28.7 percent; steel and other primary metal products, up 8,833 carloads or 18.1 percent; crushed stone, gravel, and sand, up 7,715 carloads or 10.9 percent; and metallic ores, up 3,297 carloads or 15.7 percent. Commodities with carload declines in February were led by coal, down 70,583 carloads or 10.6 percent from February 2011. Other commodities with declines included grain, down 8,009 carloads or 7 percent; nonmetallic minerals, down 1,966 carloads or 8.5 percent; and farm products excluding grain, down 514 carloads or 11.3 percent. Carloads excluding coal and grain were up 7.7 percent or 51,037 carloads in February 2012 over February 2011. “If you exclude carloads of coal and grain, which are down for reasons that have little to do with the state of the economy, rail traffic in February was encouraging,” said AAR Senior Vice President John T. Gray. “Intermodal traffic was up for the 27th straight month, while carloads of a wide range of commodities—lumber, chemicals, petroleum, paper, steel and more—saw increases in February. Time will tell, but we’re hopeful it’s a sign of broad-based improvement in economic conditions.” Today, AAR also reported mixed weekly rail traffic for the week ending March 3, 2012, with U.S. railroads originating 283,312 carloads, down 6.2 percent compared with the same week last year. Intermodal volume for the week totaled 227,256 trailers and containers, up 6 percent compared with the same week last year. Seven of the 20 carload commodity groups posted increases compared with the same week in 2011, with petroleum products, up 22.6 percent; metals and products, up 19.3 percent, and lumber and wood products, up 16.4 percent. The groups showing a significant decrease in weekly traffic included farm products excluding grain, down 20.5 percent, and coal, down 16.6 percent. Weekly carload volume on Eastern railroads was down 6.9 percent compared with the same week last year. In the West, weekly carload volume was down 5.7 percent compared with the same week in 2011. Canadian railroads reported 76,253 carloads for the week, up 8.3 percent compared with the same week last year, and 46,645 trailers and containers, up 7 percent compared with 2011. For the first nine weeks of 2012, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 675,811 carloads, up 7 percent from the same point last year, and 432,999 trailers and containers, up 5.8 percent from last year. Mexican railroads reported 13,965 carloads for the week, down 1.8 percent compared with the same week last year, and 7,880 trailers and containers, up 9.4 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first nine weeks of 2012 is 118,759 carloads, down 7.8 percent compared with last year, and 79,739 trailers and containers, up 20.3 percent. Combined North American rail volume for the first nine weeks of 2012 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 3,350,362 carloads, up 0.2 percent compared with last year, and 2,512,833 trailers and containers, up 3.2 percent compared with last year. (AAR - posted 3/08)
RAILWAY AGE NAMES 2012 SHORT LINE OF THE YEAR, 2012 REGIONAL RAILROAD OF THE YEAR: Railway Age magazine has named Vermont Railway the 2012 Short Line Railroad of the Year, and the Indiana Rail Road Co. its 2012 Regional Railroad of the Year. The awards will be presented at the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association's annual meeting in Indianapolis, Ind., Tuesday evening, April 24, 2012. "Short line and regional railroads are a critical part of any economic recovery," says Railway Age Publisher Jonathan Chalon. "The business opportunities and obstacles may differ, but the entrepreneurial spirit of the two winners affects and assists their customers large and small, making efficient business possible with the most efficient surface mode—rail." Burlington, Vt.-based Vermont Railway (VTR), part of Vermont Rail System, serves its namesake state and a portion of New York. But variable weather in 2011 pressed the railroad to the limits, as VTR endured very heavy snows during the winter, then resulting floods and washouts in the spring. Not yet content with its obstacle course, Mother Nature visited Tropical Storm Irene upon Vermont late last August, causing unprecedented washouts and damage to VTR bridges and right-of-way. By arranging detours and transloads for customer freight, Vermont Railway kept customer traffic moving, while its rail infrastructure was largely and rapidly repaired within just three weeks. The short line's efforts extended beyond one mode: In conjunction with New England Central Railroad, Vermont Railways helped repair a key state roadway by moving 130,000 tons of rock during a 10-week period. Amidst that effort, and with the state's Agency of Transportation, Vermont Railway's operations and maintenance-of-way forces successfully implemented a plan to better Amtrak's Ethan Allen service on the railroad's right-of-way, with the train notching a dramatic improvement in on-time performance in 2011. "Short lines such as Vermont Railways offer tangible proof that the American work ethic is alive and well," says Railway Age Managing Editor Douglas John Bowen. That certainly includes sound and profitable business practices, but Vermont Railway also stands as testament to the idea of shared, proactive community involvement, in good times and in difficult moments—and Vermont certainly had its share of the latter in 2011." Indianapolis, Ind.-based Indiana Railroad marked its 25th anniversary in 2011 by setting several records related to operating performance. It also invested a record $22 million in private capital for infrastructure and technology improvements, and received accolades for its employee wellness program, instituted in conjunction with Union Hospital of Terre Haute, Ind. "The Indiana Rail Road has proven it is an industry leader in numerous categories, such as capital investment, technology, and marketing," says Railway Age Editor William C. Vantuono. "But frankly, it was the letters of recommendation from INRD's customers that made it clear to us that Indiana Rail Road was deserving of this honor." Both Vermont Railway, the Short Line Railroad of the Year, and the Indiana Rail Road, the Regional Railroad of the Year, will be featured in Railway Age's April 2012 issue. (Railway Age - posted 3/07)
WORLD CLASS: METRO-NORTH WINS THE INTERNATIONAL BRUNEL AWARD FOR DESIGN EXHIBITION PLANNED IN GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL: MTA Metro-North Railroad, winner of the Brunel Jury Prize for overall design excellence, hosts an exhibit of contest entries from 43 passenger and freight railways from 15 countries on three continents from March 19-30 in Grand Central Terminal's Vanderbilt Hall. The scope and variety of the entries illustrates the intense competition for the prestigious prize, which is given every three years by The Watford Group and The Center for Industrial Design in Transportation. "The award is recognition of Metro-North's 30-year-long sea change from an unreliable and decrepit railroad into the premier passenger railroad in North America," said Metro-North President Howard Permut, who accepted the Jury Prize from U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood late last year at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. "The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is gratified by the recognition bestowed upon Metro-North by the Watford Group," said MTA Chairman Joseph J. Lhota. "This award illustrates the level of excellence that we continually strive for across the entire MTA family." Metro-North is the first American railroad to win this coveted award in its 26-year history. The award is named after the famous railway inventor Isambard Brunel, founder and builder of the UK's Great Western Railway. The Brunel Award competition is open to all passenger and freight railways, public or private, throughout the world to recognize and promote the best in railway architecture, engineering, landscape and environmental design, product design, locomotive and car design, graphic arts, and corporate branding amongst the world's railways. In describing the selection, the report of the Awards Jury stated: "Metro-North carries the most passengers every year on the American continent and has undergone both extraordinary changes of company culture as well as the shift to incorporation of design as a strategic business tool." The distinguished international jury was chaired by Professor Ronald Keminitzer, FIDSA, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, USA. Other jurors were: Roy Allen, CEO, Transportation Technology Center, Inc. USA; Ignacio Barron, Passenger and High-Speed Rail Department Head of the International Union of Railways (UIC), France; Angela Brady, FRIBA, President, Royal Institute of British Architects, UK; Niels Diffrient, FIDSA, Industrial Designer, USA; Professor Lars Lallerstedt, Industrial Designer, Sweden; Pamela Loeffelman, FAIA, Executive Director, Perkins Eastman, USA; and Chase Rynd, CEO, National Building Museum, USA. The Jury Prize is only eligible to a railroad that enters project in all five categories, which Metro-North did, winning first place in the "Freight and Railway Support Buildings" category for its Croton-Harmon Locomotive and Coach Shops. These two 21st century facilities are designed for a 21st century fleet, with ultra-modern equipment maintenance capability that provides employees with a safe, clean work environment. They represent the largest capital and engineering project ever undertaken by Metro-North. Metro-North's other entries:
- Yankees-E. 153rd Street Station (Passenger Station Buildings) -This built-from-scratch station, which was constructed on time and within budget, was designed to provide Yankees fans as well as Bronx customers with yet another transportation gateway. Contemporary lines and high-tech features define the facility which is a regular stop on the Hudson Line.
- Operations Control Center (Technical Infrastructure and Design)-Rail traffic control was brought into the 21st century with construction of the new OCC. New hardware and software such as a two-story-high wall display of the entire territory and larger, easier-to-use digital monitors for rail traffic controllers help to make directing 100s of trains daily a simpler task.
- M8 Rail Cars (Rolling Stock)-The sleek contemporary M8s are built exclusively for our New Haven Line. Designed with computerized software and built for better weather resistance, the M8s also provide customers with a host of amenities including wider more comfortable seats, convenience outlets, bigger windows and better lighting.
- "The Home of the Stars" MTA Arts for Transit (Industrial Design, Graphics and Art Branding) - This public art work installed on the south wall of the Yankees-E. 153rd Street Station pedestrian overpass is based on an ideally spectacular Bronx sky in April. The 11-panel, 200-foot-long mosaic depicts the sky at intervals from bright afternoon to starry night. It is sited to mask a fire wall that separates the new construction from an adjacent warehouse. .
(MTA
- posted 3/06)
CP EXPANDS BAKKEN CRUDE-BY-RAIL ORIGINATION CAPABILITY ON NORTH DAKOTA NETWORK: Canadian Pacific today announced that it will be moving additional Bakken crude oil by unit train rail from a planned industry logistics hub served by its North Dakota network. The Van Hook, North Dakota, facility, to be developed by U.S. Development Group (USD), will handle crude oil and related products from the Bakken formation and will have initial capacity to handle up to 35,000 barrels per day at eight automated truck-unloading positions. Located on CP's Bakken North Dakota network, the hub will efficiently facilitate the loading of product via onsite tankage from truck or pipeline to rail car for movement to markets across North America. This high-capacity facility will become part of the largest crude-by-rail network in the U.S. and will initially allow for the assembly of 15 to 17 crude unit trains per month, numbering up to 104 rail cars, for haulage on CP's extensive network and to all parts of North America. Capacity will expand to accommodate up to 30 unit trains per month once the terminal is fully developed. "CP's commitment to joint market development, service and infrastructure enhancements in the Bakken region make them an important partner as USD continues to grow our network of crude origins and destinations," said Dan Borgen, USD President and CEO. "We have a strong market opportunity in front of us -- by working in close collaboration with CP, our customers and the community, we can safely and rapidly maximize rail shipments of Bakken crude." "This partnership with USD strengthens our network and advances our strategy to drive volume growth, expand network capacity and achieve targeted improvements in our operating efficiency," said Jane O'Hagan, CP Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. "This agreement reinforces our railway's established reputation for safely moving energy products and delivering these products to market. We remain committed to continuing to provide the capacity our customers need to grow and to continue growing alongside them." "We have extended our energy franchise with ongoing capital investments on our U.S. Midwest network and are moving forward with our 2012 accelerated capital plan which includes investments that support our energy growth strategy," O'Hagan said. "These investments expand network capacity and enhance our proven oil-by-rail service model in order to meet increased traffic demands from the Bakken play and the input growth it will drive for inbound materials such as frac sand and pipe. By taking advantage of our network to the Northeast U.S. and through our Kansas City gateway to the U.S. Gulf Coast, Canadian Pacific is able to partner with the energy industry to facilitate further growth in moving oil and energy-related materials." The new Bakken crude origination terminal will join USD's St. James Rail Terminal (Louisiana), Eagle Ford Crude Terminal (Texas), Niobrara Crude Terminal (Colorado) and Houston Rail Terminal as part of a nationwide network of crude oil and related products terminals. USD, which pioneered the hub concept, is actively developing additional terminal locations for safe and efficient rail movements of oil, condensate, and related products from major production areas to refining and distribution centres across North America. Canadian Pacific is the only North American railroad to serve the Bakken Formation, the Alberta Industrial Heartland, and the Marcellus Shale. In addition, CP is the only Class I railway to connect the energy hubs of the U.S. Midwest, Alberta and Saskatchewan to the Northeast U.S. Through its network to the Northeast U.S., and through the Kansas City gateway to the U.S. Gulf Coast, CP is able to partner with the energy industry to facilitate growth in moving oil and energy-related materials. Each year, CP moves hundreds of thousands of carloads of energy-related products, including crude oil, sulphur, fuels, diluents and materials key to the energy industry, such as pipe and frac sand. (CP, Randy Kotuby - posted 3/06)
MAERSK LINE BRINGS FLAGSHIP SERVICE POWERED BY BNSF RAILWAY TO NORTH AMERICA: Maersk Line, the leading containerized shipping carrier in the world, announces an ultra-reliable, new Flagship import service direct from Asia to five key markets in North America – Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Memphis, and Northwest Ohio. In 2011, Maersk Line announced a new operational model ‘Absolute Reliability’ when it introduced the Daily Maersk service in the Asia-Europe trade. This model based on total transportation time and cargo arriving at a promised delivery date, every single time, effectively streamlines supply chains and improves time to market. Now, Maersk Line takes another step toward achieving ‘Absolute Reliability’ by offering this new Flagship service, powered by BNSF Railway, in North America. Maersk Line’s Flagship service offers five products: Chicago Flagship, Dallas Flagship, Houston Flagship, Memphis Flagship, and Northwest Ohio Flagship. Each features dedicated, non-stop rail service that arrives at an agreed time, every time in each key market location. Flagship trains bypass connecting points along the route allowing for unmatched service velocity. By ensuring on-time delivery, Maersk Line becomes an extension of a customer’s production line to increase supply chain efficiencies, improve inventory management, and help move products to market as planned. Flagship service has been made possible in part due to investments made by Maersk Line and BNSF over the last several years. These investments have allowed for BNSF rail network expansion, state-of-the-art intermodal facilities, and increased loading capabilities at the ports. This commitment will enable the two companies to offer customers fixed transits and unmatched 95% on-time delivery. This inland North America investment by two industry leaders has the potential to create a healthier, more balanced U.S. import and export system. With regular non-stop inland rail service, greater reliability and equipment availability, this new intermodal offering will help increase and advance U.S. export growth. The five markets represent the initial implementation of this Flagship service with possible expansion to follow. Three services of Maersk Line’s ultra-reliable Transpacific import service network will offer Flagship service, the TP5, TP6 and TP8. Each connects with Flagship service at the port of Los Angeles. TP5 and TP6 were rated 100% reliable based on Drewry Maritime Research’s Q1 2012 report. By strategically aligning with BNSF Railway, the U.S. intermodal carrier with the highest on-time performance, Maersk Line has the one-two reliability punch necessary for ‘Absolute Reliability’ in North America. “We are extremely excited to introduce this highly reliable and innovative new Transpacific Flagship service to our dry and reefer cargo customers. While we understand that having a competitive transit is important, speed is not the essence of this service, being on-time is. With Flagship service and intermodal leader BNSF, we’ll further support shippers in North America to optimize their supply chains,” said Timothy O’Connell, Sr. Director Trade and Marketing, Maersk Line North America. “Absolute Reliability is not about being faster. It’s about being absolutely reliable based on time.” “BNSF is pleased to collaborate with Maersk Line, a long-term customer, to once again bring next generation intermodal solutions to customers around the world. We look forward to delivering the best on-time performance levels and service reliability to help shippers achieve superior supply chain performance,” said Steve Branscum, BNSF group vice president, Consumer Products Marketing. “Supply chains continue to be finely tuned and are a business area that companies focus on more and more to help improve overall operational performance. We understand that our customers must be more efficient to compete. This means that they can’t afford to have high inventory safety stocks and supply chain disruptions that result in unnecessary costs,” commented Craig Mygatt, Sr. Vice President of Inland Operations, Maersk Line North America. “That is why we continue to innovate and introduce products such as this Flagship service. It is an exciting solution for today’s supply chains. We have listened to shippers and know that reliability is a key feature that supports their supply chains. We’re pushing to extend our highly reliable ocean performance to key inland markets in order to provide a more robust service to our customers.” Visit howwemoveyou.com for further information including transits and an interactive map with origin and destination points. (Maersk - posted 3/05)
CAPE COD CENTRAL GREATLY EXPANDING OFFERINGS THIS YEAR: The alliance between Cape Rail Inc. and Edaville Railroad, now entering its first full year, will yield an expanded schedule for the Cape Cod Central Railroad, which will include the ever popular dinner trains as well as several firsts for the venerable scenic railway. Brenda Johnson, General Manager at Edaville Railroad in Carver, owned by Jon Delli Priscoli, now CEO of Cape Rail, Inc., was named GM of Cape Cod Central as well effective Jan. 1. Having worked at Edaville in some capacity since 1974, and for six years at Cape Cod Central during the 1990’s, Johnson has an abundance of experience in the tourist rail area. She has put together an ambitious schedule of events for the railroad this coming season. “We want to emphasize the charm of railroads while entertaining and educating our guests,” Johnson said. “While Edaville and Cape Cod Central are two distinct companies, there are a lot of opportunities for cross marketing.” Back by popular demand, patrons may ride the rails to the Bourne Scallop Festival and various Sunday Brunch Excursions, including a Mother’s Day Brunch. Expanding on the success of the romantic dinner trains, for which the Cape Cod Central is known, this year’s schedule will also feature several exciting murder mystery dinner trains and five distinct gourmet wine tasting trains. There will also be an expanded schedule of scenic trains, which will include a whistle stop where patrons can get round trip bus transportation to the historic Heritage Plantation or the Boardwalk in Sandwich. New family entertainment opportunities include the Easter Bunny Train, featuring a traditional Easter Egg Hunt, the Berenstain Bears Train, the Curious George Train and the ever popular Polar Express, the latter three of which have all been big hits at Edaville in the past. Christopher Podgurski, President of Cape Rail, Inc., the parent company of the Cape Cod Central and Massachusetts Coastal railroads, said these are the kind of opportunities he envisioned when Cape Rail decided last year to forge an operating agreement with Delli Priscoli, who also owns the Grafton and Upton Railroad in Central Massachusetts. “I knew this kind of cross marketing would be the key to revitalizing the Cape Cod Central,” Podgurski said. “We can now realize its full potential as a vehicle for top notch, affordable family entertainment.” “Our companies are a great fit for each other,” Delli Priscoli said. “Combining the expertise and rolling stock of our operations will mean great things for both companies and for our customers.” This year will also see the revival of the Cape Cod Central’s New Year’s Eve Gala train, so riders can ring in the New Year in an elegant yesteryear style. For the full schedule, call 508-771-3800 or log on to www.capetrain.com. (Cape Cod Central - posted 3/05)
U.S. TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY LAHOOD ANNOUNCES $17 MILLION FOR RAIL LINE RELOCATION PROJECTS ACROSS THE U.S: . U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced that twelve cities and states will share $16.9 million to relocate, replace, and improve segments of railroad track under the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)’s Rail Line Relocation and Improvement competitive grant program. The FRA received more than $67 million in state and local government requests for these funds, which will be used to enhance safety, livability, and economic development in American communities. “The overwhelming number of applications we received for this program shows that state and local officials recognize the economic boost that comes with improving transportation infrastructure,” said Secretary LaHood. “These investments will help advance President Obama’s vision of an ‘America Built to Last’ by putting people back to work on transportation projects while creating livable communities and stimulating economic growth.” FRA’s rail line relocation competitive grant program funds projects that reduce the adverse effects of rail infrastructure on safety, motor vehicle and pedestrian traffic, community quality of life, or economic development. Funding for these grants is made available through annual appropriations and requires a 10 percent contribution from the project sponsor. Rail line relocation dollars announced today will fund the following projects:
CP EXPANDS BAKKEN CRUDE-BY-RAIL ORIGINATION CAPABILITY ON NORTH DAKOTA NETWORK: Canadian Pacific today announced that it will be moving additional Bakken crude oil by unit train rail from a planned industry logistics hub served by its North Dakota network. The Van Hook, North Dakota, facility, to be developed by U.S. Development Group (USD), will handle crude oil and related products from the Bakken formation and will have initial capacity to handle up to 35,000 barrels per day at eight automated truck-unloading positions. Located on CP's Bakken North Dakota network, the hub will efficiently facilitate the loading of product via onsite tankage from truck or pipeline to rail car for movement to markets across North America. This high-capacity facility will become part of the largest crude-by-rail network in the U.S. and will initially allow for the assembly of 15 to 17 crude unit trains per month, numbering up to 104 rail cars, for haulage on CP's extensive network and to all parts of North America. Capacity will expand to accommodate up to 30 unit trains per month once the terminal is fully developed. "CP's commitment to joint market development, service and infrastructure enhancements in the Bakken region make them an important partner as USD continues to grow our network of crude origins and destinations," said Dan Borgen, USD President and CEO. "We have a strong market opportunity in front of us -- by working in close collaboration with CP, our customers and the community, we can safely and rapidly maximize rail shipments of Bakken crude." "This partnership with USD strengthens our network and advances our strategy to drive volume growth, expand network capacity and achieve targeted improvements in our operating efficiency," said Jane O'Hagan, CP Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. "This agreement reinforces our railway's established reputation for safely moving energy products and delivering these products to market. We remain committed to continuing to provide the capacity our customers need to grow and to continue growing alongside them." "We have extended our energy franchise with ongoing capital investments on our U.S. Midwest network and are moving forward with our 2012 accelerated capital plan which includes investments that support our energy growth strategy," O'Hagan said. "These investments expand network capacity and enhance our proven oil-by-rail service model in order to meet increased traffic demands from the Bakken play and the input growth it will drive for inbound materials such as frac sand and pipe. By taking advantage of our network to the Northeast U.S. and through our Kansas City gateway to the U.S. Gulf Coast, Canadian Pacific is able to partner with the energy industry to facilitate further growth in moving oil and energy-related materials." The new Bakken crude origination terminal will join USD's St. James Rail Terminal (Louisiana), Eagle Ford Crude Terminal (Texas), Niobrara Crude Terminal (Colorado) and Houston Rail Terminal as part of a nationwide network of crude oil and related products terminals. USD, which pioneered the hub concept, is actively developing additional terminal locations for safe and efficient rail movements of oil, condensate, and related products from major production areas to refining and distribution centres across North America. Canadian Pacific is the only North American railroad to serve the Bakken Formation, the Alberta Industrial Heartland, and the Marcellus Shale. In addition, CP is the only Class I railway to connect the energy hubs of the U.S. Midwest, Alberta and Saskatchewan to the Northeast U.S. Through its network to the Northeast U.S., and through the Kansas City gateway to the U.S. Gulf Coast, CP is able to partner with the energy industry to facilitate growth in moving oil and energy-related materials. Each year, CP moves hundreds of thousands of carloads of energy-related products, including crude oil, sulphur, fuels, diluents and materials key to the energy industry, such as pipe and frac sand. (CP, Randy Kotuby - posted 3/06)
MAERSK LINE BRINGS FLAGSHIP SERVICE POWERED BY BNSF RAILWAY TO NORTH AMERICA: Maersk Line, the leading containerized shipping carrier in the world, announces an ultra-reliable, new Flagship import service direct from Asia to five key markets in North America – Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Memphis, and Northwest Ohio. In 2011, Maersk Line announced a new operational model ‘Absolute Reliability’ when it introduced the Daily Maersk service in the Asia-Europe trade. This model based on total transportation time and cargo arriving at a promised delivery date, every single time, effectively streamlines supply chains and improves time to market. Now, Maersk Line takes another step toward achieving ‘Absolute Reliability’ by offering this new Flagship service, powered by BNSF Railway, in North America. Maersk Line’s Flagship service offers five products: Chicago Flagship, Dallas Flagship, Houston Flagship, Memphis Flagship, and Northwest Ohio Flagship. Each features dedicated, non-stop rail service that arrives at an agreed time, every time in each key market location. Flagship trains bypass connecting points along the route allowing for unmatched service velocity. By ensuring on-time delivery, Maersk Line becomes an extension of a customer’s production line to increase supply chain efficiencies, improve inventory management, and help move products to market as planned. Flagship service has been made possible in part due to investments made by Maersk Line and BNSF over the last several years. These investments have allowed for BNSF rail network expansion, state-of-the-art intermodal facilities, and increased loading capabilities at the ports. This commitment will enable the two companies to offer customers fixed transits and unmatched 95% on-time delivery. This inland North America investment by two industry leaders has the potential to create a healthier, more balanced U.S. import and export system. With regular non-stop inland rail service, greater reliability and equipment availability, this new intermodal offering will help increase and advance U.S. export growth. The five markets represent the initial implementation of this Flagship service with possible expansion to follow. Three services of Maersk Line’s ultra-reliable Transpacific import service network will offer Flagship service, the TP5, TP6 and TP8. Each connects with Flagship service at the port of Los Angeles. TP5 and TP6 were rated 100% reliable based on Drewry Maritime Research’s Q1 2012 report. By strategically aligning with BNSF Railway, the U.S. intermodal carrier with the highest on-time performance, Maersk Line has the one-two reliability punch necessary for ‘Absolute Reliability’ in North America. “We are extremely excited to introduce this highly reliable and innovative new Transpacific Flagship service to our dry and reefer cargo customers. While we understand that having a competitive transit is important, speed is not the essence of this service, being on-time is. With Flagship service and intermodal leader BNSF, we’ll further support shippers in North America to optimize their supply chains,” said Timothy O’Connell, Sr. Director Trade and Marketing, Maersk Line North America. “Absolute Reliability is not about being faster. It’s about being absolutely reliable based on time.” “BNSF is pleased to collaborate with Maersk Line, a long-term customer, to once again bring next generation intermodal solutions to customers around the world. We look forward to delivering the best on-time performance levels and service reliability to help shippers achieve superior supply chain performance,” said Steve Branscum, BNSF group vice president, Consumer Products Marketing. “Supply chains continue to be finely tuned and are a business area that companies focus on more and more to help improve overall operational performance. We understand that our customers must be more efficient to compete. This means that they can’t afford to have high inventory safety stocks and supply chain disruptions that result in unnecessary costs,” commented Craig Mygatt, Sr. Vice President of Inland Operations, Maersk Line North America. “That is why we continue to innovate and introduce products such as this Flagship service. It is an exciting solution for today’s supply chains. We have listened to shippers and know that reliability is a key feature that supports their supply chains. We’re pushing to extend our highly reliable ocean performance to key inland markets in order to provide a more robust service to our customers.” Visit howwemoveyou.com for further information including transits and an interactive map with origin and destination points. (Maersk - posted 3/05)
CAPE COD CENTRAL GREATLY EXPANDING OFFERINGS THIS YEAR: The alliance between Cape Rail Inc. and Edaville Railroad, now entering its first full year, will yield an expanded schedule for the Cape Cod Central Railroad, which will include the ever popular dinner trains as well as several firsts for the venerable scenic railway. Brenda Johnson, General Manager at Edaville Railroad in Carver, owned by Jon Delli Priscoli, now CEO of Cape Rail, Inc., was named GM of Cape Cod Central as well effective Jan. 1. Having worked at Edaville in some capacity since 1974, and for six years at Cape Cod Central during the 1990’s, Johnson has an abundance of experience in the tourist rail area. She has put together an ambitious schedule of events for the railroad this coming season. “We want to emphasize the charm of railroads while entertaining and educating our guests,” Johnson said. “While Edaville and Cape Cod Central are two distinct companies, there are a lot of opportunities for cross marketing.” Back by popular demand, patrons may ride the rails to the Bourne Scallop Festival and various Sunday Brunch Excursions, including a Mother’s Day Brunch. Expanding on the success of the romantic dinner trains, for which the Cape Cod Central is known, this year’s schedule will also feature several exciting murder mystery dinner trains and five distinct gourmet wine tasting trains. There will also be an expanded schedule of scenic trains, which will include a whistle stop where patrons can get round trip bus transportation to the historic Heritage Plantation or the Boardwalk in Sandwich. New family entertainment opportunities include the Easter Bunny Train, featuring a traditional Easter Egg Hunt, the Berenstain Bears Train, the Curious George Train and the ever popular Polar Express, the latter three of which have all been big hits at Edaville in the past. Christopher Podgurski, President of Cape Rail, Inc., the parent company of the Cape Cod Central and Massachusetts Coastal railroads, said these are the kind of opportunities he envisioned when Cape Rail decided last year to forge an operating agreement with Delli Priscoli, who also owns the Grafton and Upton Railroad in Central Massachusetts. “I knew this kind of cross marketing would be the key to revitalizing the Cape Cod Central,” Podgurski said. “We can now realize its full potential as a vehicle for top notch, affordable family entertainment.” “Our companies are a great fit for each other,” Delli Priscoli said. “Combining the expertise and rolling stock of our operations will mean great things for both companies and for our customers.” This year will also see the revival of the Cape Cod Central’s New Year’s Eve Gala train, so riders can ring in the New Year in an elegant yesteryear style. For the full schedule, call 508-771-3800 or log on to www.capetrain.com. (Cape Cod Central - posted 3/05)
U.S. TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY LAHOOD ANNOUNCES $17 MILLION FOR RAIL LINE RELOCATION PROJECTS ACROSS THE U.S: . U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced that twelve cities and states will share $16.9 million to relocate, replace, and improve segments of railroad track under the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)’s Rail Line Relocation and Improvement competitive grant program. The FRA received more than $67 million in state and local government requests for these funds, which will be used to enhance safety, livability, and economic development in American communities. “The overwhelming number of applications we received for this program shows that state and local officials recognize the economic boost that comes with improving transportation infrastructure,” said Secretary LaHood. “These investments will help advance President Obama’s vision of an ‘America Built to Last’ by putting people back to work on transportation projects while creating livable communities and stimulating economic growth.” FRA’s rail line relocation competitive grant program funds projects that reduce the adverse effects of rail infrastructure on safety, motor vehicle and pedestrian traffic, community quality of life, or economic development. Funding for these grants is made available through annual appropriations and requires a 10 percent contribution from the project sponsor. Rail line relocation dollars announced today will fund the following projects:
- Massachusetts – Massachusetts DOT – Patriot Corridor Double-Stack Clearance Initiative – $2,000,000 to complete preliminary engineering and environmental analysis for the removal of 19 obstructions in two tunnels and 17 roadway, railroad or pedestrian bridges that would prevent a double-stack train from operating along the Patriot Corridor between Mechanicville, New York, and Ayer, Massachusetts. A large component of the overall project involves raising the vertical clearance of the 4.75-mile Hoosac Tunnel in Florida, Massachusetts. Removing the vertical obstructions will improve freight operations and capacity by allowing double-stacked container trains to operate over the line.
- Pennsylvania – County of Lycoming – Lycoming Valley Railroad Improvement – $2,437,388 for construction improvements to track and related rail infrastructure in Lycoming County that suffered damage from Tropical Storm Lee in September 2011. The work will restore rail freight service to customers and eliminate costly re-routings.
- South Carolina – South Carolina Department of Commerce – South Carolina Public Railways S-Curve Realignment – $248,934 to relocate and realign an S-curve in North Charleston that has contributed to several derailments. The reduced curvature will also improve operating efficiency by alleviating restrictions on train speeds and enhancing line capacity.
- Alabama – City of Sylacauga – Sylacauga Railroad Interchange Relocation – $1,595,994 to relocate an interchange two miles west of downtown Sylacauga in order to alleviate traffic delays and congestion caused by blocked grade crossings at the town’s primary North-South thoroughfare and three other roadways. The construction of two new sidings will also increase freight capacity.
- Florida – City of Ocala – Florida Northern Railroad Relocation and Railway Improvement – $2,220,000 to relocate a rail line running along a city street to improve safety in an area with a history of motor vehicle-train collisions. The project will further improve safety and freight rail operations by replacing degraded track and upgrading advance warning systems at four highway-rail grade crossings.
- Iowa – City of Sioux City – Southbridge Rail Yard – $2,000,000 to construct a new rail yard in Sioux City to alleviate traffic congestion and safety issues caused by freight trains blocking grade crossings. The new rail yard will also enhance railroad switching operations and accommodate current and future freight demand.
- Indiana – Indiana DOT – Daviess County-Elnora Siding – $1,608,029 to construct a new siding in Elnora to improve freight capacity and efficiency by eliminating a bottleneck that prevents northbound and southbound trains from passing each other. The project will also allow the Indiana Southern Railroad to relocate its switching and staging operations to the new siding.
- Indiana – City of Indianapolis – Indianapolis Downtown Rail Relocation – $896,949 to complete preliminary engineering and environmental analysis for the relocation of freight traffic from downtown Indianapolis to the nearby Indianapolis Belt Railroad. Ultimately, separating freight and passenger rail service will improve the safety and efficiency of current operations.
- South Dakota – South Dakota DOT – Sioux Valley Railroad Relocation – $1,803,801 to relocate a section of rail that runs along the side of a hill near the Big Sioux River at the South Dakota/Iowa border. This relocation will eliminate frequent service interruptions that are required to maintain the existing track.
- Alaska – Alaska Railroad Corporation – MP 407 Curve Realignment – $819,900 to realign a curve and stabilize the embankment at Mile Post 407 of the Alaska Railroad. This segment of track is located along a tributary of the Nenana River that has experienced numerous flood events, including flooding that resulted in a disaster declaration in 2008. The project will ensure the continuation of operations on the line.
- California – City of West Sacramento – Port of West Sacramento Loop Track – $960,567 to construct a loop track at the Port of West Sacramento, which will improve freight capacity and efficiency by enabling switching and storage operations to take place solely on Port property. The project will also significantly reduce the amount of time a major highway-rail grade crossing is blocked by freight traffic and provide for a more secure perimeter at the Port.
- Texas – City of Big Spring – Rail Spur Rehabilitation – $299,423 to rehabilitate approximately two miles of spur track that serves an industrial park in Big Spring. These improvements will allow freight rail services to be provided to additional local manufacturers and suppliers..
(FRA - posted 3/02)
NORFOLK SOUTHERN CELEBRATES COLORFUL HERITAGE WITH HISTORIC PAINT SCHEMES: Norfolk Southern is honoring its predecessor railroads during 2012, its 30th anniversary year, by painting 18 new locomotives in commemorative schemes that reflect the heritage of those predecessors. Since the 1820s, hundreds of railroad companies were built, merged, reorganized, and consolidated into what eventually became Norfolk Southern, itself created from the consolidation of Southern Railway and Norfolk and Western Railway in 1982. In 1999, Norfolk Southern expanded the scope of its heritage with its acquisition of a portion of Conrail. The heritage locomotives will represent most of the railroads that played significant roles in Norfolk Southern’s history. The first units will be delivered in March, and all units are expected to be riding the rails by June 1, Norfolk Southern’s 30th anniversary date. “The heritage locomotives reflect the pride we take in our long and colorful history,” said Norfolk Southern CEO Wick Moorman. “As they travel through our system, these state-of-the-art units in vintage livery will serve as reminders to our customers, employees, and communities that the modern rail network that keeps America competitive today and into the future has deep roots in the nation’s past.” Each paint scheme will be modified to fit contemporary locomotives while staying as true as possible to the original designs. Norfolk Southern employees in Altoona, Pa., and Chattanooga, Tenn., will paint GE ES44AC locomotives, while the EMD SD70ACe units will be painted at Progress Rail Services’ facility in Muncie, Ind. The heritage locomotives will be used to haul freight across Norfolk Southern’s 20,000-mile, 22-state network. The predecessor companies to be represented are listed below. In parentheses are the respective roads each became part of (NW=Norfolk & Western, SR=Southern, CR=Conrail) and the make of locomotives to be painted. Images of the color schemes are available on Norfolk Southern’s web site
NORFOLK SOUTHERN CELEBRATES COLORFUL HERITAGE WITH HISTORIC PAINT SCHEMES: Norfolk Southern is honoring its predecessor railroads during 2012, its 30th anniversary year, by painting 18 new locomotives in commemorative schemes that reflect the heritage of those predecessors. Since the 1820s, hundreds of railroad companies were built, merged, reorganized, and consolidated into what eventually became Norfolk Southern, itself created from the consolidation of Southern Railway and Norfolk and Western Railway in 1982. In 1999, Norfolk Southern expanded the scope of its heritage with its acquisition of a portion of Conrail. The heritage locomotives will represent most of the railroads that played significant roles in Norfolk Southern’s history. The first units will be delivered in March, and all units are expected to be riding the rails by June 1, Norfolk Southern’s 30th anniversary date. “The heritage locomotives reflect the pride we take in our long and colorful history,” said Norfolk Southern CEO Wick Moorman. “As they travel through our system, these state-of-the-art units in vintage livery will serve as reminders to our customers, employees, and communities that the modern rail network that keeps America competitive today and into the future has deep roots in the nation’s past.” Each paint scheme will be modified to fit contemporary locomotives while staying as true as possible to the original designs. Norfolk Southern employees in Altoona, Pa., and Chattanooga, Tenn., will paint GE ES44AC locomotives, while the EMD SD70ACe units will be painted at Progress Rail Services’ facility in Muncie, Ind. The heritage locomotives will be used to haul freight across Norfolk Southern’s 20,000-mile, 22-state network. The predecessor companies to be represented are listed below. In parentheses are the respective roads each became part of (NW=Norfolk & Western, SR=Southern, CR=Conrail) and the make of locomotives to be painted. Images of the color schemes are available on Norfolk Southern’s web site
- · Central of Georgia Railway (SR, GE) was formed in 1833 to connect Macon, Ga., with Savannah, completing a rail link between Chattanooga and the port. It was famed for two passenger trains named after prize-winning race horses, the Nancy Hanks and the Man O’ War.
- · Central Railroad of New Jersey (CR, EMD) was the first American railroad to have its employees wear uniforms, and in 1892 one of its locomotives set a world speed record of 105 mph.
- · Conrail (GE) was created by the U.S. government in 1976 from the bankrupt Penn Central, Lehigh & Hudson River, Erie Lackawanna, Central Railroad of New Jersey, Lehigh Valley, Reading and Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines, becoming the largest railroad at the time, with 34,000 route miles.
- · Delaware, Lackawanna and Western (CR, EMD) was created in 1849 to connect the rich anthracite coalfields of the Lackawanna Valley of Pennsylvania to northern New Jersey. A hurricane in 1955 knocked the railroad out of operation for a month, with the resulting financial difficulties forcing it to merge with the Erie Railroad in 1960 to form the Erie Lackawanna Railroad.
- · Erie Railroad (CR, EMD) was key to economic development along the Southern Tier, which includes Binghamton and Elmira, N.Y. In 1851, Secretary of State Daniel Webster was strapped to a rocking chair on an open flatcar, wrapped in a blanket and clutching a bottle of rum, so he could ride the just-completed railroad.
- · Illinois Terminal Railroad (NW, EMD) began life as the Illinois Traction System in 1896 as an interurban electric railroad in central and southern Illinois. Hit by the Great Depression, it was reorganized as the Illinois Terminal in 1937 and attempted to survive as a passenger railroad until relinquishing that business in 1956, when it was acquired by a consortium of railroads. It was operated as a freight railroad until acquired by NW in 1982.
- · Interstate Railroad (SR, GE) was incorporated in 1896 to serve southwestern Virginia coalfields. Despite its name, it operated entirely within Virginia. It was acquired by Southern in 1961.
- · Lehigh Valley Railroad (CR, GE) was built to haul coal, replacing water transport down the Lehigh River, and was also known as the Route of the Black Diamond.
- · New York Central Railroad (CR, EMD) was organized from 10 roads paralleling the Erie Canal between Albany and Buffalo, N.Y., and became known as the “Water Level Route.” Today, the former NYC line between Cleveland and Chicago is the busiest on the NS system, with more than 100 freight trains daily.
- · New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad (NW, GE) was commonly referred to as the Nickel Plate Road, a moniker it acquired when the Norwalk (Ohio) Chronicle referred to it in 1881 as “the great New York and St. Louis double track, nickel plated railroad,” supposedly indicative of its solid financial backing.
- · Norfolk Southern Railway (SR, EMD) (not to be confused with today’s Norfolk Southern) was a line serving southeast Virginia and northeast North Carolina, chartered in 1883 and acquired by Southern Railway in 1974.
- · Norfolk & Western Railway (GE) originated as City Point Railroad, a 9-mile road between Petersburg and City Point, Va., in 1836. Following numerous mergers and acquisitions, it became the Norfolk & Western in 1881.
- · Pennsylvania Railroad (CR, GE), incorporated in 1846, billed itself as the “Standard Railroad of the World” and was for many years the largest American railroad by tonnage and revenues. PRR opened the Horseshoe Curve railroad engineering marvel; carried President Lincoln to his inauguration; implemented the “line and staff” organizational structure used by business today; built Pennsylvania Station in Manhattan; and electrified the route between New York and Washington, among its many achievements.
- · Reading Company (CR, EMD) was one of the first railroads built in America, and built its fortune hauling coal. It featured the first iron railroad bridge in America.
- · Savannah & Atlanta Railway (SR, EMD), began life as the Brinson Railway in 1906, slowly expanding from Savannah toward the Northwest. It was consolidated with other small railroads to become the Savannah & Atlanta in 1917. Central of Georgia bought the S&A in 1951.
- · Southern Railway (GE) originated as the South Carolina Canal and Rail Road Company in 1827. It put into service the nation’s first regularly scheduled steam passenger service on Christmas Day, 1830, with the locomotive “The Best Friend of Charleston.” The Southern was incorporated in 1894 from the reorganization and consolidation of numerous predecessors and absorbed another 68 railroad companies over the next six years.
- · Virginian Railway (NW, EMD) was the only railroad created through the capital and credit of one man, oil magnate Henry Huttleston Rogers. After building a short line, the Deepwater Railway, to haul coal out of West Virginia and then being blocked by the bigger railroads, he created another railroad, the Tidewater Railway, to reach Norfolk, Va., then combined the two into the Virginian in 1907. It was acquired by N&W in 1959.
- · Wabash Railroad (NW, EMD) was formed in 1877 and served the mid-central U.S. It was acquired by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1927 and leased to Norfolk & Western in 1960. In 1991, N&W, by then part of Norfolk Southern, purchased the Wabash outright. Made famous by the 1904 song “Wabash Cannonball,” there was in fact no such train by that name until 1949.
( Norfolk Southern Corporation - posted 3/01)
AMTRAK AND TXDOT ANNOUNCE START OF STUDY Amtrak and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) have agreed on the scope of a feasibility study for new Amtrak service between the Bossier City -Shreveport area in Northwest Louisiana and along the Interstate 20 (I-20) corridor to Dallas and Fort Worth. Today, members of the East Texas Corridor Council (ETCC) were joined by TxDOT and Amtrak officials to formally recognize the start of work to study new service by conventional trains with a maximum speed of 79 mph. The report by Amtrak will estimate order-of-magnitude capital requirements and operating costs needed to provide state-sponsored passenger rail service, with trains making up to seven intermediate stops and operating up to two daily round-trips. The study will consider factors such as potential schedules, train operating costs, revenue and ridership, railcar and locomotive requirements, and capital needs for route infrastructure improvements to accommodate new passenger service. Rail capacity modeling will be performed by Union Pacific Railroad, which owns much of the route. The rail segment between Marshall, Texas, and Fort Worth is served now by the popular Amtrak Texas Eagle, as part of its Chicago-San Antonio/Los Angeles route with one daily frequency in each direction and intermediate stops in Longview, Mineola and Dallas. TxDOT has requested the study evaluate schedules with potential new Amtrak stops at Centre Port/DFW Airport (along the Trinity Railway Express commuter route), Mesquite, Forney, Terrell and Wills Point. The stops TxDOT selects for inclusion in the final provisional schedules will depend on a number of factors, such as estimated ridership and revenue, community demographics and railroad operating issues. The costs of building new stations or improving existing facilities are not within the scope of the study, since those are considered to be local expenses. TxDOT has received $265,000 in federal funds for the I-20 corridor study through the ETCC, which represents the communities and government agencies at the local and regional level in Texas and Louisiana. Also at the event today was a representative of U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison. “The council has been working on this project for more than four years. It has been a ‘bottoms up’ process, with the Corridor Council taking the lead in working with Senator Hutchison’s office in obtaining two grants totaling almost $750,000 for the purpose of conducting planning and engineering work on the Interstate 20 corridor passenger rail enhancement. We very much appreciate the Senator’s efforts on our behalf,” said Richard Anderson, ETCC Chairman and a former Texas State Senator and Harrison County Judge. “The study should produce a review of increasing the efficiency of passenger rail in our Ark-La-Tex region by complementing existing rail service and determining projected costs for this project. The results of this study will then take us to the next level,” Judge Anderson added. “As always, TxDOT is pleased to partner with Amtrak to advance a much-needed study on the feasibility of passenger rail service between Shreveport/Bossier City and the Metroplex,” said Bill Glavin, TxDOT Rail Division director. “Passenger and freight rail services are important components of the state’s multi-modal transportation system and a major player in expanding economic opportunity in Texas. These funds will advance the initiative to strategically plan and coordinate rail corridors across the state.” “If the study shows evidence that state-funded Amtrak service should be considered, both state legislatures would decide if they should support an expanded service,” said Michael Franke, P.E., an Amtrak Assistant Vice President and leader of the Chicago-based study team. “We look forward to providing a report by the end of the year to aid in that decision-making.” Shreveport and Bossier City are served by Amtrak with Thruway Motorcoach Service connecting to or from the Texas Eagle at Longview. Shreveport has not had passenger train service since December 1969, when it was discontinued prior to the formation of Amtrak. (Amtrak - posted 3/01)
AMTRAK AND TXDOT ANNOUNCE START OF STUDY Amtrak and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) have agreed on the scope of a feasibility study for new Amtrak service between the Bossier City -Shreveport area in Northwest Louisiana and along the Interstate 20 (I-20) corridor to Dallas and Fort Worth. Today, members of the East Texas Corridor Council (ETCC) were joined by TxDOT and Amtrak officials to formally recognize the start of work to study new service by conventional trains with a maximum speed of 79 mph. The report by Amtrak will estimate order-of-magnitude capital requirements and operating costs needed to provide state-sponsored passenger rail service, with trains making up to seven intermediate stops and operating up to two daily round-trips. The study will consider factors such as potential schedules, train operating costs, revenue and ridership, railcar and locomotive requirements, and capital needs for route infrastructure improvements to accommodate new passenger service. Rail capacity modeling will be performed by Union Pacific Railroad, which owns much of the route. The rail segment between Marshall, Texas, and Fort Worth is served now by the popular Amtrak Texas Eagle, as part of its Chicago-San Antonio/Los Angeles route with one daily frequency in each direction and intermediate stops in Longview, Mineola and Dallas. TxDOT has requested the study evaluate schedules with potential new Amtrak stops at Centre Port/DFW Airport (along the Trinity Railway Express commuter route), Mesquite, Forney, Terrell and Wills Point. The stops TxDOT selects for inclusion in the final provisional schedules will depend on a number of factors, such as estimated ridership and revenue, community demographics and railroad operating issues. The costs of building new stations or improving existing facilities are not within the scope of the study, since those are considered to be local expenses. TxDOT has received $265,000 in federal funds for the I-20 corridor study through the ETCC, which represents the communities and government agencies at the local and regional level in Texas and Louisiana. Also at the event today was a representative of U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison. “The council has been working on this project for more than four years. It has been a ‘bottoms up’ process, with the Corridor Council taking the lead in working with Senator Hutchison’s office in obtaining two grants totaling almost $750,000 for the purpose of conducting planning and engineering work on the Interstate 20 corridor passenger rail enhancement. We very much appreciate the Senator’s efforts on our behalf,” said Richard Anderson, ETCC Chairman and a former Texas State Senator and Harrison County Judge. “The study should produce a review of increasing the efficiency of passenger rail in our Ark-La-Tex region by complementing existing rail service and determining projected costs for this project. The results of this study will then take us to the next level,” Judge Anderson added. “As always, TxDOT is pleased to partner with Amtrak to advance a much-needed study on the feasibility of passenger rail service between Shreveport/Bossier City and the Metroplex,” said Bill Glavin, TxDOT Rail Division director. “Passenger and freight rail services are important components of the state’s multi-modal transportation system and a major player in expanding economic opportunity in Texas. These funds will advance the initiative to strategically plan and coordinate rail corridors across the state.” “If the study shows evidence that state-funded Amtrak service should be considered, both state legislatures would decide if they should support an expanded service,” said Michael Franke, P.E., an Amtrak Assistant Vice President and leader of the Chicago-based study team. “We look forward to providing a report by the end of the year to aid in that decision-making.” Shreveport and Bossier City are served by Amtrak with Thruway Motorcoach Service connecting to or from the Texas Eagle at Longview. Shreveport has not had passenger train service since December 1969, when it was discontinued prior to the formation of Amtrak. (Amtrak - posted 3/01)
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