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Hot News! Edited by Carl G. Perelman |
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RUSH HOUR BECOMES HUSH HOUR AS 'QUIET COMMUTE' PILOT LAUNCHES ON NJ TRANSIT: Starting today, rush hour has been transformed into “hush hour” for thousands of Northeast Corridor commuters seeking a more tranquil train experience. NJ TRANSIT Executive Director James Weinstein and NJ TRANSIT Board Member Flora Castillo introduced the agency’s first “Quiet Commute” amenity this morning with a rail trip from Trenton Transit Center. The 90-day pilot program on select express trains between Trenton and New York Penn Station will test the feasibility of offering Quiet Commute cars on NJ TRANSIT trains. Customers in the designated Quiet Commute cars—the first and last cars of the train—could have heard a pin drop as Train 3936, displaying the Quiet Commute logo, departed Trenton Transit Center at 9:14 a.m. with Mr. Weinstein and other officials on board. “Our customers have asked us to offer a Quiet Commute option in an effort to balance the needs of people who want to stay connected while aboard our trains with those who want to relax or work in a quiet atmosphere,” said Weinstein. “We are offering this amenity as a pilot program and will rely on customer feedback to determine whether to make Quiet Commute a permanent NJ TRANSIT amenity.” Beginning today, September 7, Quiet Commute cars will be offered weekdays on the first and last cars of Northeast Corridor express trains in the “3900-series” – which operate to and from the outer-zone stations of Trenton, Hamilton and Princeton Junction. The 3900-series was selected because the trains’ relatively long trip times and regularly high ridership provide an ideal testing environment. Quiet Commute cars are intended to provide a subdued environment for customers who wish to refrain from using cell phones and are willing to disable the sound feature on pagers, games, computers and other electronic devices. Conversations should be conducted in subdued voices, and headphones should be used at a volume that cannot be heard by other passengers. “As we continue to look for ways to improve the commuting experience for our riders, the Quiet Commute pilot will give us the opportunity to evaluate how the program works in reality rather than just as a concept,” said Ms. Castillo, who serves as Chair of the Customer Service Committee. “During the pilot, we encourage customers to tell us about their experiences with the program.” Conductors will inform customers of Quiet Commute expectations by using specially designed business cards that explain the program in English and Spanish. The cards, first used by SEPTA in their own Quiet Car program, are intended to gently remind customers of their location without disturbing others on the car. NJ TRANSIT will be collecting feedback from customers over the pilot period via njtransit.com and through electronic surveys, as well as onboard from customers and train crewmembers. NJ TRANSIT is now the largest transit agency in the nation to offer a Quiet Commute option. Other transit agencies that currently offer “Quiet Cars” include SEPTA, Virginia Railway Express (VRE), MARC (Maryland), Altamont Commuter Express (California) and the Capital Corridor (California). The idea of offering a Quiet Commute program has consistently ranked high among NJ TRANSIT customer suggestions. The Quiet Car concept was born in late 1999 when a small group of regular Amtrak commuters asked their conductor if one car of their early morning Philadelphia-Washington train could be designated as “cell phone-free.” The conductor agreed and Amtrak quickly expanded the concept. Within months, most weekday Amtrak trains on the Northeast Corridor featured Quiet Cars. (NJ Transit - posted 9/07) WEST CHESTER RAILROAD'S RAILFAN WEEKEND The West Chester Railroad will be hosting its first railfan weekend in over 10 years! Featured equipment will be our MLW C-424 & DRS-18, EMD GP-9, ex-Reading MU coaches, and various freight equipment.
AMTRAK STATEMENT ON PRESIDENT OBAMA’S INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT PLAN: “President Obama’s infrastructure investment plan to advance the development of a high-speed rail network and modernize Amtrak’s intercity passenger rail fleet is a smart move with major benefits for increasing personal mobility, jump-starting job creation and improving the environment. “President Obama understands passenger rail is a key component of America’s transportation system and connects the nation in ways no other mode can. We applaud his vision for the future and his commitment to make the needed investments now to advance and bring to reality the next generation of passenger rail.” (Amtrak press release - posted 9/07) NORFOLK SOUTHERN TARGETS CARBON EMISSIONS- REDUCED GOAL: Norfolk Southern Corporation announced a five-year goal to reduce its carbon footprint through fuel-savings technology and improvements in operating efficiencies. The freight rail transportation company said it plans to lower its greenhouse gas emissions per revenue ton-mile 10 percent by 2014, compared with 2009 emissions. "Establishing this goal is an important step toward fulfillment of Norfolk Southern's objective to achieve industry leadership in environmentally responsible business practices," said Blair Wimbush, vice president real estate and corporate sustainability officer. "Disclosing our carbon footprint last year was the first step. Now, we move forward with an aggressive yet realistic goal, and we have the tools to measure our progress toward attaining it." In 2009, Norfolk Southern transported 158.5 billion ton-miles of freight, producing 4.7 million metric tons of greenhouse gases, mostly from diesel-burning locomotives. Emissions per revenue ton-mile were 30.0 grams. Using 2009 as the baseline and at the same traffic level, a 10 percent reduction of emissions - to 27.0 grams per revenue ton-mile - would result in 475,000 fewer metric tons going into the atmosphere annually by 2014. Wimbush said the company's emissions reduction strategy will focus on ways to achieve better fuel economy, including purchase of new, more fuel-efficient locomotives; continued deployment of idle-reduction and train handling technologies; and refined engine maintenance practices. Further efforts will address direct and indirect emissions from energy used for heating, cooling, and lighting buildings and other facilities on the railroad. Nearing completion is a systemwide lighting upgrade that is reducing electricity consumption, and the company continues to adjust its nonrail vehicle fleet to save fuel and emissions. In addition, Norfolk Southern expects significant efficiency gains from its major infrastructure improvement projects, such as the Heartland and Crescent corridors. The Heartland Corridor is a three-year project to upgrade Norfolk Southern's rail route between the busy Virginia ports and the Midwest by modifying 28 tunnels and other facilities to accommodate double-stack containers. Set to open Sept. 9, the new gateway will cut about 250 route miles and a day or more of transit time from current train schedules. The Crescent Corridor consists of a program of improvements to infrastructure and other facilities geared toward creating a high-capacity, 2,500-mile intermodal route spanning from Louisiana to New Jersey. The improvements will enable Norfolk Southern to handle more rail freight traffic faster and more reliably. Both the Heartland and Crescent corridors are being developed through public-private partnerships between Norfolk Southern and government agencies to meet the rising demand for freight transportation services that keep America's economy competitive. More information about Norfolk Southern environmental initiatives is available on the company's sustainability website, Footprints. For more about public-private partnerships that reduce fuel consumption and atmospheric emissions while creating green jobs and making highways less congested and safer, go to TheFutureNeedsUs.com. (Norfolk Southern Corporation, Randy Kotuby - posted 9/03) SEPTA TO SAVE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON ELECTRICITY PROCUREMENT: With energy rate caps set to expire this year, SEPTA has taken a proactive approach to save money for customers and taxpayers, including a recent procurement that could result in a savings of more than $8 million through the end of 2012. Mondre Energy, Inc. (MEI), a leading energy strategies and management firm based in Philadelphia, recently provided strategic advice, analysis, and final recommendations to SEPTA for its procurement of approximately 40 megawatts of electric power - an estimated $20 million annual expense - for a portion of the Authority's propulsion power accounts. The electricity delivered to these accounts is used to power subway, trolley, and Regional Rail lines. The procurement included coordination with Amtrak, which helped in providing the background to the soliciting process with competing electric generation companies. "The removal of PECO rate caps in January 2011 means that all energy users in the Philadelphia region now have the opportunity to shop for their electricity needs," said Judith Mondre, president and founder of MEI. "For SEPTA, we were able to provide insights and advice that saved millions of dollars and helped to significantly lower the Authority's electricity costs." "We look upon the ability to procure electricity on the open market as an opportunity to save money," said Richard Burnfield, SEPTA's Chief Financial Officer. "Working with the team at Mondre Energy provided us with confidence that we were addressing the procurement process strategically, asking the right questions, and making better decisions that will help hold down costs for our ridership." MEI and SEPTA are also working together to procure electricity for use in SEPTA offices, maintenance yards and other facilities. For more information on MEI, visit www.mondreenergy.com. (SEPTA - posted 9/02) U.S. TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY LAHOOD ANNOUNCES $3.6 MILLION FOR MICHIGAN HIGH-SPEED RAIL: U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced $3.6 million for the State of Michigan to begin work on the rehabilitation of the Battle Creek railroad station. The Department of Transportation will ultimately provide a total of $40 million to Michigan under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for its high-speed intercity passenger rail program. “President Obama’s bold vision for high-speed rail is a game-changer for transportation in Michigan and the United States,” said Secretary LaHood. “This undertaking will not only create good jobs and reinvigorate our manufacturing base, it’s also going to relieve congestion on our roadways and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.” The $3.6 million in Recovery Act funds will be used to renovate the station’s interior lobby, bathrooms, ticketing areas and offices, lighting, signage, and to make the station Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant. The exterior of the station will also see significant upgrades. The building will be refaced with new and restored masonry and new exterior lighting will be installed. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is actively working with the Michigan Department of Transportation on additional grant agreements to further develop the Detroit-Chicago route. “Improving railroad infrastructure, including stations, is a vital part of our high-speed intercity passenger rail program,” said Federal Railroads Administrator Joseph C. Szabo. “The customer experience of train travel will be greatly enhanced by the station improvements, making rail an attractive option for travelers.” FRA has released more than $591 million of the $8 billion down payment provided in the Recovery Act for the development of a national network of interconnected high-speed rail corridors. (FRA - posted 9/02) U.S. TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY LAHOOD ANNOUNCES $3.6 MILLION FOR MICHIGAN HIGH-SPEED RAIL: U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced $3.6 million for the State of Michigan to begin work on the rehabilitation of the Battle Creek railroad station. The Department of Transportation will ultimately provide a total of $40 million to Michigan under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for its high-speed intercity passenger rail program. “President Obama’s bold vision for high-speed rail is a game-changer for transportation in Michigan and the United States,” said Secretary LaHood. “This undertaking will not only create good jobs and reinvigorate our manufacturing base, it’s also going to relieve congestion on our roadways and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.” The $3.6 million in Recovery Act funds will be used to renovate the station’s interior lobby, bathrooms, ticketing areas and offices, lighting, signage, and to make the station Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant. The exterior of the station will also see significant upgrades. The building will be refaced with new and restored masonry and new exterior lighting will be installed. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is actively working with the Michigan Department of Transportation on additional grant agreements to further develop the Detroit-Chicago route. “Improving railroad infrastructure, including stations, is a vital part of our high-speed intercity passenger rail program,” said Federal Railroads Administrator Joseph C. Szabo. “The customer experience of train travel will be greatly enhanced by the station improvements, making rail an attractive option for travelers.” FRA has released more than $591 million of the $8 billion down payment provided in the Recovery Act for the development of a national network of interconnected high-speed rail corridors. (FRA - posted 9/02) AAR REPORTS WEEKLY RAIL TRAFFIC CONTINUES TO SET RECORDS: The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported weekly rail traffic continues to set records with U.S. railroads posting their highest numbers for 2010 in both rail carloads and intermodal volume for the week ending Aug. 28, 2010. U.S. railroads originating 302,358 carloads for the week, up 5.8 percent compared with the same week in 2009, but down 11.3 percent from the same week in 2008. Intermodal traffic totaled 237,194 trailers and containers, up 17.1 percent from the same week in 2009, but down 1.2 percent compared with 2008. In order to offer a complete picture of the progress in rail traffic, AAR reports 2010 weekly rail traffic with comparison weeks in both 2009 and 2008. Compared with the same week in 2009, container volume, a subset of intermodal, increased 18.1 percent and trailer volume rose 11.4 percent. Compared with the same week in 2008, container volume increased 7 percent and trailer volume dropped 31.7 percent. Fifteen of the 19 carload commodity groups increased from the comparable week in 2009 with significant increases in metallic ores, up 62.2 percent; metals and metal products, up 40.2 percent; and farm product excluding grain, up 33.4 percent. In comparison to 2008, only one carload commodity group, farm products excluding grain, posted an increase. Carload volume on Eastern railroads was up 4.7 percent from the same week last year, but down 12.5 percent from 2008. In the West, carload volume was up 6.6 percent from the same week last year but down 10.5 percent from two years ago. For the first 34 weeks of 2010, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 9,640,718 carloads, up 7.1 percent from 2009, but down 12.9 percent from 2008, and 7,257,418 trailers or containers, up 14.3 percent from 2009, but down 5.3 percent from 2008. Canadian railroads reported volume of 76,064 cars for the week, up 16.5 percent from last year, and 53,747 trailers or containers, up 24.4 percent from 2009. For the first 34 weeks of 2010, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 2,458,747 carloads, up 20.6 percent from last year, and 1,585,669 trailers or containers, up 15.7 percent from last year. Mexican railroads reported originated volume of 14,531 cars, up 1 8 percent from the same week last year, and 8,168 trailers or containers, up 26.7 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 34 weeks of 2010 was reported as 467,060 carloads, up 20.6 percent from last year; and 222,064 trailers or containers, up 30.8 percent. Combined North American rail volume for the first 34 weeks of 2010 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 12,566,525 carloads, up 10 percent from last year, and 9,065,151 trailers and containers, up 14.9 percent from last year. (AAR - posted 9/02) PROGRESS RAIL, NORFOLK SOUTHERN ANNOUNCE ORDER OF FOUR ADDITIONAL HIGH-HORSEPOWER LOCOMOTIVES POWERED BY NEW GENERATION OF CATERPILLAR ENGINES: Progress Rail Services Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Caterpillar Inc., and Norfolk Southern have announced the order of additional EPA Tier 2 compliant, high-horsepower repower locomotives – designated the PR43C. In 2008, Norfolk Southern and Progress Rail began a cooperative effort to develop the PR43C locomotive. Since then, two PR43C prototype locomotives have been built and placed in service on the Norfolk Southern system. These locomotives have been closely monitored during a series of developmental and operational testing. With the testing of the first two prototypes coming to a close, Progress Rail is pleased to announce Norfolk Southern has ordered four additional PR43C locomotives, scheduled for delivery later this year. The PR43C locomotives are unique in the industry. Remanufactured from reusable locomotive cores, the PR43C locomotives have a dual-engine configuration. The primary engine, a Caterpillar C-175 rated at 3,600 horsepower, and a secondary engine, a Caterpillar C-18 rated at 700 horsepower, work in tandem to power the locomotive. By rebuilding the PR43C from a reusable locomotive core and providing 4,300 total horsepower, the PR43C locomotive serves as an environmentally-friendly solution for the rail industry. “The PR43C’s performance is optimized for the current duty cycle and operational needs of the railroads,” said Ken Hofacker, senior vice-president of locomotive development for Progress Rail. “Our concept of large and small diesel engines working intelligently together maximizes fuel savings while minimizing emissions and lowering life-cycle costs.” “Progress Rail is extremely pleased to have had the opportunity to jointly develop this locomotive with Norfolk Southern,” said Billy Ainsworth, president and CEO of Progress Rail. “Progress Rail and our parent company, Caterpillar Inc., share Norfolk Southern’s passion for environmentally-friendly locomotives. This project is about maximizing fuel efficiency and reducing emissions, while taking a locomotive that was built 20-plus years ago and giving it another 20-plus years of life. Simply put, this is about building a sustainable locomotive.” “The PR43C meets Norfolk Southern’s standards for high-quality locomotive performance, while at the same time satisfying our corporate sustainability objectives,” said Tim Heilig, Norfolk Southern’s chief mechanical officer. “Progress Rail deserves credit for building a fuel-efficient, low-emission locomotive that can handle heavy, long-haul freight demands.” The four new PR43C locomotives will feature upgraded traction systems, control systems, and modernized cabs. (NS - posted 9/01) NEXT GENERATION BI-LEVEL PASSENGER RAIL CAR DESIGN APPROVED BY AMTRAK, FRA, AND STATES The approval of performance and technical design specifications for next generation bi-level passenger rail cars is a major achievement that supports Amtrak’s plans to advance and support the growth of new or existing state-supported corridor service, renew and replace its national fleet and foster the development of a domestic rail manufacturing industry. “This clears the tracks and provides strong direction so Amtrak and states can move forward with modern bi-level equipment designed with updated passenger comfort, conveniences and safety features to meet the ever-increasing demand for more rail service,” said Amtrak President and CEO Joseph Boardman. Today, Amtrak, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), and interested states approved the new design as part of a Next Generation Corridor Equipment Pool Committee established under Section 305 of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act (PRIIA) of 2008. Host freight railroads, passenger railroad equipment manufacturers and other passenger rail operators participated in the technical discussions as well. The bi-level passenger car specifications are the first to be issued by the Section 305 committee and include three car types for use in corridor intercity passenger rail service: coach car, cab / baggage car, and café / lounge car. It is the third generation of the popular California Car design first introduced in the 1990s and subsequently advanced with Amtrak’s Surfliner equipment. The approved design specifications are available here. Approval of this design supports the growth of state-supported passenger rail routes because the FRA has indicated that Federal funding support for the acquisition for equipment used in corridor services must meet the design specifications resulting from the work of the Section 305 committee. Boardman explained that the finalization of this design also supports Amtrak’s implementation of a comprehensive Fleet Strategy Plan to replace and expand its national fleet of locomotives and passenger rail cars. This plan includes the priority replacement of approximately 250 of its bi-level Superliner 1 equipment that have been in service for nearly 30 years. With the bi-level design specifications now in place for corridor service, Amtrak can move forward with using this design as the foundation for the development of new bi-level long-distance equipment to replace these aging Superliners. The PRIIA Section 305 requirements were developed to primarily promote the creation of a pool of standardized, interoperable equipment for Amtrak and the states to use in various state-sponsored corridors with flexibility and efficiency. This pool equipment is meant to largely share design elements and systems in order to improve maintainability and lower design and acquisition costs. It can also incentivize the creation of domestic manufacturing capacity for intercity passenger rail equipment. (Amtrak - posted 8/31) WABTEC'S MOTIVE POWER UNIT SIGNS CONTRACT WITH MBTA FOR NEW PASSENGER LOCOMOTIVES: MotivePower, a unit of Wabtec Corporation , has signed a contract with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) to supply 20 next-generation HSP46 passenger locomotives to be delivered in 2012-2013. The order is valued at $114.63 million including training, manuals and spare parts. The EPA Tier 3-compliant locomotives will be manufactured in Boise, Idaho with major components supplied by GE Transportation of Erie, Pa. GE also will work closely with MotivePower on design, integration and testing. Major components supplied by GE from its Erie and Grove City, Pa. facilities will include diesel engines, head-end power systems, computer control systems and its unique individual-axle AC traction systems. The project is expected to create or retain 1,246 jobs. "Commuter rail agencies across North America demand safe, reliable, cost-effective and environmentally responsible service, and locomotive power is a key ingredient," said Albert J. Neupaver, Wabtec's President and Chief Executive Officer. "Our next-generation locomotives and this order from MBTA solidify MotivePower as the leading supplier of passenger locomotives in North America. The new design, with advanced AC traction and remotely monitored on-board diagnostics technologies, also positions us to lead the way in developing locomotives for the higher-speed rail corridors of the future." MotivePower's new HSP46 design leverages a broad spectrum of U.S.-based engineering and manufacturing capabilities to set the new standard for performance expectations in the industry, with improved fuel efficiency, reduced emissions and lower life-cycle costs compared to DC-traction locomotives. The locomotives include the following components and systems manufactured by Wabtec units: Fastbrake electronic air brakes, air compressors, event recorders, tread brake units, brake shoes, aftercoolers and radiators. The combination of MPI's leading integration expertise and GE's fuel savings, emissions reduction and AC traction technologies is poised to deliver the most reliable and efficient passenger locomotive to date. "The MPI and GE Transportation partnership provides passenger application expertise from the two largest North America passenger locomotive manufacturers and the highest level of USA-manufactured locomotive content," said Lorenzo Simonelli, President and CEO of GE Transportation. "We look forward to helping to produce the nation's next-generation higher-speed passenger locomotives." GE's leading technology components were developed for GE's Evolution Series Locomotive, which represents a $400 million, eight-year investment by GE. Today more than 3,700 GE Evolution Series locomotives are in revenue service around the world. The Evolution Series locomotives are noted for fuel savings, emissions reduction, reliable performance and lower total life-cycle cost. (Randy Kotuby - posted 8/31) “GREAT DOME” CAR RETURNS TO ADIRONDACK SERVICE AS RIDERSHIP APPROACHES RECORD LEVEL: Passengers riding Amtrak’s Adirondack train north of Albany will once again have the unique opportunity to experience the spectacular view of New York State’s fall foliage season when the historic “Great Dome” rail car makes a special four-week return appearance from September 23 through October 24, 2010. With its partners the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) and the National Park Service Trails & Rails program, Amtrak worked cooperatively to bring its only Dome Car back to upstate New York. The car features an upper level with windows on all sides as well as overhead to provide passengers with panoramic views of the changing colors of the trees and of Lake Champlain as the train travels from Albany and across the Canadian border into Montreal. The return of this immensely popular feature coincides with a dramatic rise in overall ridership on the Adirondack service that operates between New York and Montreal with counts approaching their highest totals in nearly 30 years. The historic upstate New York service has carried over 92,000 passengers so far this fiscal year (October 2009 – July 2010), representing a 15 percent increase in ridership over same time for the prior year, including a 25 percent hike in July alone, when compared to the same month a year ago. “The ‘Great Dome’ car and the overall traveling experience on our Adirondack service continue to be a favorite among passengers as the recent ridership trends would indicate,” said Kevin Chittenden, Amtrak’s District Superintendent. “This unique equipment provides our passengers with a spectacular view of the changing of the seasons that should not be missed.” "We look forward to another fall foliage season during which Amtrak's Great Dome car will once again highlight the beauty of the Adirondacks and Lake Champlain for train passengers traveling between New York City and Montreal," State Department of Transportation Acting Commissioner Stanley Gee said. "The Adirondack service provides an important link between the two international cities, and hosting the 'Great Dome' car during the autumn months is part of a tradition that attracts riders and promotes the magnitude and majesty of New York State." The refurbished vintage car dates back to 1955 and has a dome section that runs the full length of the car, a rare feature, even when dome cars were more numerous on the nation’s railroads. The car will operate northbound from Albany to Montreal on Thursdays, Saturdays and Mondays. It returns south from Montreal on Fridays, Sundays, and Tuesdays. No dome car trips are made on Wednesdays. All passengers traveling on the Albany-Montreal segment of the route are welcome to enter the dome car to enjoy the view. Seats in the dome car are not reserved and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Passengers can also take advantage of the I Love NY 20% discount off the regular (full) adult rail fare. The offer is valid for sale through May 28, 2011. Advance reservations are required. In addition, up to 2 children ages 2-15 may accompany each adult at half the discounted rail fare. Please refer to discount code V557 when making reservations online at Amtrak.com or by calling 1-800-USA-RAIL. About the “Great Dome” Car : The only remaining dome car in Amtrak service, car number 10031, is a Great Dome car previously used on the Chicago-Seattle Empire Builder when the train was operated by the Great Northern Railway and the Chicago Burlington & Quincy Railroad (later the Burlington Northern Railroad). It was built in 1955 by the Budd Company for the Great Northern and carried the name “Ocean View,” car number 1391. It was conveyed to Amtrak in 1971, with this car first being given the number 9361. It was renovated in 1985, renumbered 9300, and used in daily service on the Amtrak Auto Train to and from the Washington, D.C., and Orlando, Fla., areas through 1994.It was further refurbished in 1999, renumbered to 10031, and has been used in various Amtrak services including the Pacific Surfliners (formerly San Diegans) and other charters and excursions. (Amtrak - posted 8/30) NEW VIRGINIA RAILWAY EXPRESS LOCOMOTIVE IN SERVICE: Virginia Railway Express MP36PH-3C V50, which has been operating on Fredericksburg Line Trains 302/307, came north on Train 302 on 8/26 and is scheduled for reassignment on Manassas Line Train 331. Following some testing in Manassas, the new locomotive should see service on trains 328/331. (Andy Kirk - posted 8/26) SEPTA SEEKS FEDERAL FUNDING FOR NEW PAYMENT TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM: SEPTA has submitted a federal grant application seeking $29.3 million in funding for a program that would begin to modernize the Authority's fare collection system. Under the proposal, SEPTA would use the grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation's TIGER II program, along with $48 million in SEPTA funding, to begin building what is commonly referred to as the "Smart Card" system. This new payment technology would mean a move away from traditional payment methods such as tokens, passes and tickets, and toward a common retail purchase method using bank credit and debit cards, prepaid SEPTA cards and emerging "smart" technologies. These payment options would give SEPTA customers the added convenience of being able to pay for fares using the same credit card or other "smart" device they use for other everyday expenses - from parking to lunch, and everything in-between. If awarded the TIGER II grant, SEPTA would begin this much-needed overhaul to its payment system with surface transportation modes, including buses, trolleys and the Norristown High Speed Line. The project would include installing hardware and software needed to operate the system, along with card readers on the vehicles. This system would be expanded to include Regional Rail and the Broad Street and Market-Frankford Lines as other funding becomes available. The total new payment technology initiative, which is expected to cost approximately $100 million to install system-wide, was among 22 projects SEPTA was forced to cut from this year's Capital Budget due to insufficient state funding. In the grant application, SEPTA emphasizes the benefits this type of "open" payment system will have not just for customers and the Authority, but for the region as a whole. With a new, simplified payment system in place, SEPTA hopes to attract new customers. This has potential environmental and livability benefits - with more people using SEPTA for their daily commute, there are fewer cars on area roadways, reducing congestion and greenhouse gas emissions. "This initiative represents a breakthrough in regional mobility," said SEPTA General Manager Joseph M. Casey. "A TIGER investment in this program will replace outdated infrastructure with state-of-the-art technology, benefiting residents across the region. It will also serve as a model for fare collection practices nationwide." SEPTA has received 41 letters of endorsement for this project from a wide-range of stakeholders, including elected officials in Philadelphia, Delaware, Bucks, Montgomery and Chester counties; transportation management organizations such as Amtrak and the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission; and advocacy groups such as the Delaware Valley Association of Rail Passengers and the SEPTA Citizen Advisory Committee. (SEPTA - posted 8/26) AAR REPORTS WEEKLY RAIL INTERMODAL VOLUME SETS NEW 2010 RECORD: The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported rail intermodal volume on U.S. railroads for the week ending Aug. 21, 2010 set a new 2010 record for the second consecutive week, with 236,404 total trailers and containers, up 22.4 percent from the same week in 2009, and up 2.6 percent compared with 2008. Weekly container volume, a subset of intermodal, was the highest on record, also for the second consecutive week, up 24.2 percent compared with the same week in 2009, and up 11.5 percent with the same week in 2008. Trailer volume, the other subset of intermodal, rose 12.4 percent last week compared with the same week in 2009, but fell 30.5 percent compared with 2008. In order to offer a complete picture of the progress in rail traffic, AAR reports 2010 weekly rail traffic with comparison weeks in both 2009 and 2008. Carload traffic continued moderate weekly gains, with U.S. railroads originating 296,634 carloads for the week, up 6.2 percent compared with the same week in 2009, but down 11 percent from the same week in 2008. Fourteen of the 19 carload commodity groups increased from the comparable week in 2009. Those posting the most significant increases were metallic ores, up 54.6 percent, and metals and metal products, up 43 percent. All 19 carload commodity groups were down in comparison to 2008. Carload volume on Eastern railroads was up 6.1 percent from the same week last year, but down 14 percent from 2008. In the West, carload volume was up 6.2 percent from the same week last year but down 8.9 percent from two years ago. For the first 33 weeks of 2010, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 9,338,360 carloads, up 7.1 percent from 2009, but down 13 percent from 2008, and 7,020,224 trailers or containers, up 14.2 percent from 2009, but down 5.4 percent from 2008. Canadian railroads reported volume of 71,033 cars for the week, up 10.5 percent from last year, and 50,999 trailers or containers, up 21.7 percent from 2009. For the first 33 weeks of 2010, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 2,382,683 carloads, up 20.8 percent from last year, and 1,531,922 trailers or containers, up 15.4 percent from last year. Mexican railroads reported originated volume of 13,622 cars, up 19.5 percent from the same week last year, and 7,090 trailers or containers, up 12.6 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 33 weeks of 2010 was reported as 452,529 carloads, up 20.7 percent from last year; and 213,896 trailers or containers, up 31 percent. Combined North American rail volume for the first 33 weeks of 2010 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 12,173,572 carloads, up 10 percent from last year, and 8,766,042 trailers and containers, up 14.8 percent from last year. (AAR - posted 8/26) AMTRAK GREAT DOME PLANS: Amtrak has advised that "Great Dome" car 10031 will not only make its fourth annual appearance on the Adirondack this fall, but will also make a brief appearance on the Cardinal. During the period Sept. 23-Oct. 24, the car will be tacked onto train #69 at Albany-Rensselaer on Thursday, Saturday and Monday, returning on #69 Friday, Sunday and Tuesday. Afterwards, the car will run its very first revenue trups on the Cardinal; during the period Oct. 30-Nov. 12 it will operate on #51 leaving Washington on Friday and leave Chicago on Saturday. The "Great Dome" was built in 1955 for the Great Northern Railroad and originally bore the name "Ocean View." (Amtrak Ink via Andy Kirk - posted 8/25) SIX STATES SUBMIT TIGER II GRANT APPLICATION FOR NORFOLK SOUTHERN'S CRESCENT CORRIDOR: Earlier this week lead state Pennsylvania, joined by Alabama, Virginia, Tennessee, Mississippi, and North Carolina, applied for federal money under the TIGER II Discretionary Grant program administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The application seeks $109.2 million in support of new and expanded independent intermodal facilities in Harrisburg and Philadelphia, Pa., and Charlotte, N.C., along with track and signal improvements in Alabama, Tennessee, and Virginia. “On behalf of Norfolk Southern, I commend and thank our partners for their recognition of the value the Crescent Corridor offers their states,” said CEO Wick Moorman. “The Crescent Corridor Program is a tremendous economic advantage for the 15 states directly affected and the U.S. as a whole. It will create jobs and generate business growth, while delivering substantial public benefits for communities and customers. Governors Ed Rendell, Bob Riley, Bob McDonnell, Phil Bredesen, Haley Barbour, and Bev Perdue are national leaders in demonstrating how public-private partnerships can create safe, practical, green improvements to America’s transportation infrastructure.” The Crescent Corridor is a program of improvements to infrastructure and other facilities geared toward creating a high capacity 2,500 mile intermodal route spanning from New Jersey to Louisiana that touches 26 percent of the nation’s population and 30 percent of the nation’s manufacturing output. It provides the shortest intermodal double stack route between the South and the Northeast. The Crescent Corridor program of projects is estimated to cost $2.5 billion for full development. Crescent Corridor projects currently planned for development include new independent intermodal facilities at Birmingham, Ala., Charlotte, N.C., Memphis, Tenn., and Franklin County, Pa.; the expansion of intermodal terminals in Harrisburg and Philadelphia, Pa.; and the addition of freight rail capacity in Virginia and Mississippi. In addition to facility investments, the program includes significant investments in rail route improvements consisting of additional passing tracks, double track projects, improved signaling systems and other track speed enhancements. According to the six partner states in their TIGER II application, “The Crescent Corridor Program is one of the most attractive projects in the USDOT’s infrastructure portfolio due to its modest cost, the speed at which it can be built, the significant annual return on investment, and the widespread support it has at all levels of government and as well from the private sector.” For more information about the Crescent Corridor Intermodal Freight Program of Projects, visit www.TheFutureNeedsUs.com (NS- posted 8/25) GREENBRIER ANNOUNCES NEW RAIL CAR AND REFURBISHMENT ORDERS: The Greenbrier Companies announced today that it has received orders for over 1,000 new double-stack intermodal platforms, along with orders for over 700 new covered hopper cars. In addition, Greenbrier will re-engineer and modify approximately 1,100 existing double-stack platforms to 53' from smaller dimensions. The aggregate value of the new railcar orders and refurbishment work is approximately $130 million. The new double-stack railcar orders and refurbishment work will be carried out at the Company's Gunderson and Greenbrier Rail Services facilities in calendar 2010 and 2011. The orders are from five separate customers, and are subject to final documentation, but are considered to be firm commitments. The customers, who were not disclosed, represent major railroad and leasing companies in North America. To support these orders, Greenbrier will increase its workforce by 260 workers at its Gunderson facility in Portland, Oregon, bringing total employment to over 900 employees. These additions will be carried out by calling back workers previously furloughed during the industry downturn or by new hires. Also, the Company will divert approximately 175 workers from its ocean-going marine barge construction at Gunderson to new railcar production in support of the new orders, and as a result of current softness in the marine market. The new and refurbished railcars will support a growing need for 53' double-stack well capacity in North America, despite a continued surplus of 40' and 48' equipment. Double-stack freight cars transport various sizes of containers stacked two high. The majority of such railcars are constructed to haul 40' international ocean-going containers. The recent strong growth in 53' domestic containerization allows railroad shippers to compete effectively with longer and heavier trucks on the nation's highways. Greenbrier is adjusting its production to fulfill this growing demand. (Greenbier via Randy Kotuby- posted 8/25) CANADA'S TSB WARNS THAT FAULTY RAIL CARS ARE HAULING DANGEROUS GOODS: The TSB warned today that tens of thousands of faulty railway cars may be in operation, hauling dangerous goods across Canada. In its final report (R09W0016) into a 2009 accident near Dugald, Manitoba, the TSB says a faulty stub sill went undetected, allowing a tank car loaded with 51 500 pounds of flammable liquid propylene to separate from the rest of the train before coming to a stop. A stub sill is part of the frame which connects the tank cars. Although the Dugald train came to a stop without derailing, the TSB says the lack of formal protocols to record and report stub sill failures may prevent other broken parts from being found before the next accident. "Approximately 41 000 cars within the North American tank car fleet are equipped with this model of stub sills, and approximately 35 000 of them are in dangerous goods service," said Rob Johnston, Acting Rail/Pipeline Director of Investigations. "And although these represent just 13 per cent of the tank population, they account for 34 per cent of the cracked stub sills and 100 per cent of the broken ones in Canada. These numbers are alarming and must not be ignored." The TSB further noted that in many cases the regulator, Transport Canada (TC), was either unaware of, or had limited information regarding stub sill failures so the problem went undetected. "When tank cars and dangerous goods are involved, what we don't know can sometimes hurt us," added Mr. Johnston. To combat the problem, the Board recommends that TC take the lead in coordinating with the railway industry and other North American regulators on the issue of reporting stub sill failures. Adding to the risk, the Board says today's trains are longer and heavier than ever, making them more difficult to control. Alarmingly, the Board found that stub sills manufactured according to older design criteria may be more susceptible to failure in the current operating environment of longer heavier trains. Prior to the mid-1990s, an average train in main-track service was about 5000 feet long and weighed 6000 to 7000 tons. Today, some of them are over 12 000 feet long and weigh more than 10 000 tons. "That's a big difference," explained Johnston. "Trains and car design criteria must evolve over time and keep pace with operational demands or accidents may happen. This is a major safety concern." Earlier this year the Board included the operation of these longer heavier trains on its safety Watchlist. The list, which highlighted nine transportation issues posing the greatest risk to Canadians, also offered several solutions—including better marshalling of longer heavier trains and detailed risk assessments whenever operating practices change. In the interim, Johnston said there is still more work to be done. "The recommendation we've made today is the first step in this direction," he said. "Raising the safety standard will take a concerted effort from both TC and the railway industry." The TSB is an independent agency that investigates marine, pipeline, railway and aviation transportation occurrences. Its sole aim is the advancement of transportation safety. It is not the function of the Board to assign fault or determine civil or criminal liability. For additional information on the Watchlist, visit the following link: http://www.bst-tsb.gc.ca/eng/surveillance-watchlist/index.asp. (TSB - posted 8/25) FIRE AT LONG ISLAND RAIL ROAD'S HALL TOWER RESULTS IN MAJOR TRAIN DELAYS. On Monday morning (August 23) MTA Long Island Rail Road experienced a cable fire at the railroad's Hall Tower, located in Jamaica, N.Y. LIRR crews have been assessing the extent of the damage to the tower's switching board and they have been working round-the-clock on repairs. However, it is likely to take several days to complete repairs to the tower's switching machine and wiring. Over two-hundred wires need to be checked for possible damage from the fire. While it appears that the cause of the cable fire was weather-related, it is still under investigation. Hall Tower is a key signal tower through which trains are switched to appropriate tracks into and out of Jamaica Station. With its electrical signal system disabled, trains can only proceed through Hall using a manual system employed to ensure maximum safety during an emergency such as this. Damage to Hall Tower resulted in major delays and cancellations on most of the Long Island Rail Road system during Monday and Tuesday.. (MTA LIRR - posted 8/24) GENESEE & WYOMING TRAFFIC JULY 2010 TRAFFIC REPORT: Genesee & Wyoming reports that during July farm and food products traffic grew 2,895 carloads primarily due to increased grain shipments in GWI's Australia Region. Traffic in GWI's other commodity group grew 1,850 carloads primarily due to increased overhead coal shipments in GWI's New York/Ohio/Pennsylvania Region. These increases were partially offset by a 1,038 carload decrease in coal, coke & ores traffic primarily due to decreased coal shipments in GWI's Rocky Mountain and Illinois Regions. All other traffic increased by a net 1,252 carloads. On June 15, 2009 GWI announced its intent to discontinue operations of its Huron Central Railway (HCRY) in the fourth quarter of 2009. GWI now operates HCRY under a temporary service contract through August 14, 2010. Starting in August 2009, HCRY carloads are no longer included in this carloadings press release due to the structure of this temporary contract. To facilitate comparison to the prior year, GWI has excluded 824 total HCRY carloads from July 2009 in this press release. However, carloads reported in GWI's Form 10-Q will include HCRY traffic through July 2009. Historically, GWI has found that carload information may be indicative of freight revenues on its railroads, but may not be indicative of total revenues, operating expenses, operating income or net income. GWI owns and operates short line and regional freight railroads in the United States, Canada, Australia and the Netherlands. Operations currently include 62 railroads organized in nine regions, with approximately 6,000 miles of owned and leased track and approximately 3,400 additional miles under track access arrangements. GWI provides rail service at 16 ports in North America and Europe and performs contract coal loading and railcar switching for industrial customers. (G&W - posted 8/24) STEAM IN THE VALLEY 2010: The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad will be hosting steam powered excursions in September. Two visting steam locomotives will see service on this Northern Ohio tourist railroad. The Viscose Company #6 is a 1925, Baldwin-built, coal-fired 0-4-0 saddle tank steam engine and comes to CVSR from New York. The Nickel Plate Road 2-8-4 Berkshire No. 765. This is the historic steam locomotive No. 765: a high-stepping, fourteen wheeled magnificent machine that stands 15 feet tall, weighs 404 tons, and goes over 60 miles an hour, restored to the way it looked and sounded when it was built by the Lima Locomotive Works in 1944. This engine is the largest operating steam locomotive east of the Mississippi, and is the pride of the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society. There are several excursions and special events with these great engines. For a complete schedule, visit CVSR's website at www.cvsr.com (CVSR- posted 8/23) AMTRAK LANDSCAPE REVITALIZATION PLAN ALONG TRACKS IN WOODSIDE, QUEENS: With extensive input from the community, Amtrak announced today a $460,000 plan to restore and revitalize with trees, shrubs, and fencing a section of its right-ofway along the Northeast Corridor in Woodside, Queens. Amtrak has hired a Landscape Horticulturist to assist in the selection and planting of approximately 600 new trees and shrubs which the railroad will warranty and maintain for one year. In addition, Amtrak will install 1,250 lineal feet of standard fencing and 100 feet of ornamental fencing at four locations to prevent access to the tracks and will also remove debris along its right-of-way. Some of this work is already underway with the entire project expected to be completed in October. Amtrak had previously performed maintenance work in the area by trimming or removing overgrown trees and other vegetation to reduce or eliminate the possibility of branches falling into its overhead wire and signal system or onto the adjoining tracks that could disrupt train service for thousands of daily passengers. “The input received from the community and from Congressmen Crowley and Councilman Vallone, Jr., allowed us to come to this mutually beneficial agreement,” said Frank Vacca, Chief Engineer, Amtrak. “Our efforts in Woodside underscore Amtrak’s commitment to be a good neighbor and provide our passengers with a reliable, efficient and safe travel experience.” “This action proves the importance of community involvement, said Council Member Peter Vallone, Jr. Our citizens stood up after trees were chopped down in their neighborhood and Amtrak listened. I will continue to work with Amtrak and the residents of Woodside for the duration of the landscaping revitalization plan and any other issues.” (Amtrak- posted 8/23) U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION COMPLETES AGREEMENT TO HELP REVITALIZE APPALACHIAN SHORT LINE RAIL IN WEST VIRGINIA: The U.S. Department of Transportation has completed an agreement that will help fund West Virginia’s portion of the Appalachian Regional Short Line Rail project, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced today. The project, receiving a $1.77 million American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant, includes upgrades to crossties, highway-rail grade crossings and bridges. “Short line railroads play an important role in our nation’s transportation system,” said Secretary LaHood. “Investing in this project will spur economic growth for the region and create jobs for the community” Once completed, important commodities like coal, aluminum, sand and chemicals will be diverted from truck to rail, reducing highway traffic, congestion and wear on roads. The use of rail, a more cost-effective and environmentally sound method for moving freight in this corridor, will help economic growth in the domestic and global markets. The grant is part of the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant program included in ARRA to promote innovative, multi-modal and multi-jurisdictional transportation projects that provide significant economic and environmental benefits to an entire metropolitan area, region or the nation. West Virginia is the first state participating in this project to sign its TIGER grant agreement with the U.S. Department of Transportation. West Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee together will receive $17.5 million in Recovery Act dollars to pay for the Appalachian Regional Short Line Rail Project that will pay for rehabilitation of hundreds of miles on five unconnected short line railroads in the three states. The Department announced the selection of $1.5 billion worth of TIGER grants for 51 projects as part of the one-year anniversary of the Recovery Act on February 17, 2010. (US DOT - posted 8/20) MAJOR CRESCENT CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENTS COMPLETED: A critical choke point on Norfolk Southern's Crescent Corridor has been eliminated with a reconfigured rail junction near Front Royal, Va. This was the final and most complex of six capacity improvement projects in Northern Virginia to handle more trains at higher speeds. Funded by $43 million from the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) and nearly $20 million from Norfolk Southern, the projects lengthened or built new passing tracks between Manassas, Va., and Front Royal, installed five miles of double track near the Virginia Inland Port, improved signal and traffic control systems, and increased train speeds through Riverton Junction near Front Royal. "The completion of these I-81 corridor improvements will benefit both freight and passenger rail service in Virginia," said DRPT Director Thelma Drake. "This capacity will attract more trucks from the highways to trains, as well as facilitate future passenger expansion in Northern Virginia." "With these improvements, we can move more trains faster through Northern Virginia," said John Friedmann, Norfolk Southern vice president Strategic Planning. "This is a significant milestone in increasing the freight capacity of the Crescent Corridor in Virginia, and a prime example of a successful public-private partnership at work." The Crescent Corridor initiative supports the Commonwealth's goals for improving freight transportation in Virginia while facilitating passenger improvements. (NS, Randy Kotuby - posted 8/18) USA TRUCK ANNOUNCES RAIL INTERMODAL CONTAINER SERVICE: USA Truck, Inc. announced today that it has entered into a long-term agreement with BNSF Railway to move private 53' domestic intermodal containers. USA Truck, which moved its first rail intermodal load in December 2007, experienced year-over-year intermodal revenue growth of 69% in 2009 and 50% during the first half of 2010. The majority of that revenue was derived from trailer-on-flat-car service. The addition of private containers offers the Company an opportunity to continue its growth in the intermodal marketplace and to continue to offer our customers additional transportation solutions. "We believe these private containers will provide a much-needed additional source of environmentally friendly and cost-efficient capacity to our customers, and an additional avenue for us to further diversify our business model," stated Cliff Beckham, the Company's President and Chief Executive Officer (BNSF, Randy Kotuby - posted 8/18) AAR REPORTS TOTAL WEEKLY RAIL INTERMODAL VOLUME SETS 2010 RECORD: The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported rail intermodal volume on U.S. railroads for the week ending Aug. 14, 2010 was the highest of 2010, with 233,767 total trailers and containers, up 20.8 percent from the same week in 2009, but down 1.4 percent compared with 2008. Weekly container volume, a subset of intermodal, was the highest on record up 22.4 percent compared with the same week in 2009, and up 6.4 percent with the same week in 2008. Trailer volume, the other subset of intermodal, rose 12.3 percent last week compared with the same week in 2009, but fell 31 percent compared with 2008. In order to offer a complete picture of the progress in rail traffic, AAR reports 2010 weekly rail traffic with comparison weeks in both 2009 and 2008. Carload traffic continued moderate weekly gains, with U.S. railroads originating 295,948 carloads for the week, up 7.1 percent compared with the same week in 2009, but down 11.3 percent from the same week in 2008. Sixteen of the 19 carload commodity groups increased from the comparable week in 2009. Those posting the most significant increases were metallic ores, up 65.4 percent; metals and metal products, up 38.8 percent; and farm products excluding grain, up 37.6 percent. Two commodity groups, farm products excluding grain and metallic ores, also posted increases over 2008. Carload volume on Eastern railroads was up 6.4 percent from the same week last year, but down 12.8 percent from 2008. In the West, carload volume was up 7.6 percent from the same week last year but down 10.2 percent from two years ago. For the first 32 weeks of 2010, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 9,041,726 carloads, up 7.2 percent from 2009, but down 13.1 percent from 2008, and 6,783,820 trailers or containers, up 13.9 percent from 2009, but down 5.7 percent from 2008. Canadian railroads reported volume of 73,197 cars for the week, up 16.7 percent from last year, and 50,694 trailers or containers, up 18.5 percent from 2009. For the first 32 weeks of 2010, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 2,311,650 carloads, up 21.1 percent from last year, and 1,480,923 trailers or containers, up 15.2 percent from last year. Mexican railroads reported originated volume of 13,990 cars, up 16.5 percent from the same week last year, and 6,925 trailers or containers, up 19.1 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 32 weeks of 2010 was reported as 438,907 carloads, up 20.7 percent from last year; and 206,806 trailers or containers, up 31.7 percent. Combined North American rail volume for the first 32 weeks of 2010 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 11,792,283 carloads, up 10.1 percent from last year, and 8,471,549 trailers and containers, up 14.5 percent from last year. (AAR - posted 8/18) AAR LAUDS SENATE FREIGHT RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE CAPACITY ACT OF 2010: The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today praised the introduction of the Freight Rail Infrastructure Capacity Expansion Act of 2010 (S.3749) by Senators Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) and John Ensign (R-Nev.). This bi-partisan measure is aimed at encouraging private capital investments that can generate tremendous public benefits through expanded rail network capacity needed for moving more people and goods by rail. The bill provides two tax incentives for greater private investment in expanding the nation’s freight rail infrastructure capacity:
FRA RECEIVES 77 APPLICATIONS FOR HIGH SPEED PASSENGER RAIL FUNDING TOTALING $8.5 BILLION: In an overwhelming show of support for the Administration’s high-speed rail initiative, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood today announced that the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has received 77 applications from 25 states for the most recent round of High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail (HSIPR) grant funding. Application requests total more than $8.5 billion and will be considered for funding from more than $2.3 billion appropriated in FY 2010. This is in addition to the $8 billion appropriated in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) as a down payment for the HSIPR program. “The response to our call to transform America’s transportation landscape has been tremendous and shows the country is ready for high-speed rail,” Secretary LaHood said. “We have received strong bi-partisan support for President Obama’s bold initiative that will enhance regional mobility, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, ease highway and airport congestion and reduce our carbon footprint.” FRA received 20 applications from 10 states totaling $7.8 billion for high-speed rail corridor development programs. FRA also received 57 applications from 18 states totaling $700 million for smaller, individual projects within rail corridors that are ready to begin construction. While not all proposed projects can be funded, the Department will evaluate the applications to identify the projects that will deliver the greatest public benefits and give American taxpayers the highest return on their investment. “These historic investments will allow states to take the next step in making their high-speed intercity passenger rail development plans a reality,” said FRA Administrator Joseph C. Szabo. “The states and FRA have been working hard to establish a solid foundation for a long-term program that will reshape our transportation system.” Total funding to date for the HSIPR program comes from several sources:
NEW JERSEY APPLIES FOR FEDERAL HIGH-SPEED RAIL FUNDING FOR NORTHEAST CORRIDOR: NJ TRANSIT today announced that it is seeking $885 million in new federal funding for the renewal and replacement of key infrastructure on the Northeast Corridor, such as aging bridges, power supply and signal systems between Trenton and New York City. A critical component of these upgrades will be the replacement of Amtrak’s Portal Bridge and concurrent expansion of rail capacity over the Hackensack River, an effort that will eliminate a major bottleneck and source of delays for rail commuters in New Jersey. “These funds enable us to invest in improving the reliability and capacity of the busiest passenger rail line in North America—the Northeast Corridor,” said NJ TRANSIT Executive Director Jim Weinstein. “Amtrak fully supports the NJ TRANSIT application for this vital project to improve the movement of passenger trains on the heavily traveled Northeast Corridor,” said Stephen Gardner, Vice President, Policy and Development, Amtrak. “Portal Bridge’s replacement with a modern design, including a new third track, will expand capacity and provide for more efficient rail operations.” Applying on behalf of NJ TRANSIT, the State of New Jersey is seeking funding from the Fiscal Year 2010 High Speed Intercity Passenger Rail program as part of the Trenton-to-New York Service Development Program (SDP). The construction program is intended to improve trip times, reliability and capacity on the nation’s most critical passenger rail asset. In addition, the SDP will reduce delays associated with current passenger rail congestion between Trenton and New York Penn Station—the most heavily utilized section of the Northeast Corridor by commuters and intercity travelers. The most significant component of the Trenton-to-New York SDP is the replacement of Portal Bridge, the 100-year-old moveable bridge between Newark and New York Penn Station. The bridge has exceeded its useful life, as reflected in high maintenance costs and frequent failures that result in train delays. Each weekday, nearly 330 NJ TRANSIT trains must cross Portal Bridge as they travel into or out of New York Penn Station. In addition to improving reliability for today’s rail travelers, the agencies are working to leverage the Northeast Corridor’s benefits to the economy through reduced passenger rail, vehicle and air traffic congestion, as well as economic development. (NJT - posted 8/13) LRC LOCOMOTIVE PRESERVED: Toronto Railway Heritage Center has acquired VIA Rail Canada LRC#6917 for preservation: Plans are to eventually move the locomotive to the Roundhouse Park, in Toronto, Ontario During the interim, the 6917 will reside on local shortline GTA. For more information on the 6917 restoration, visit the group's website at http://www.trha.ca/news.html (TRHC - posted 8/13) MASSACHUSETTS SUBMITS APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL HIGH-SPEED RAIL FUNDS FOR SOUTH STATION EXPANSION: As part of the Vision for the New England High Speed and Intercity Rail Network, the Patrick-Murray Administration has submitted formal application for federal High-Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail funds for the design phase of the Boston South Station Expansion Project. The $32.5 million grant application if approved by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration would fund the environmental permitting and design phase of the expansion project, which includes relocating the United States Postal Service facility and constructing seven new tracks at South Station. The expansion will support a significant increase in Amtrak Acela Express High Speed Rail service to Boston along with planned MBTA commuter rail service expansion. "The vision of dramatically improved high-speed rail service in the Commonwealth is on track to become reality, and a lynchpin is the expansion of South Station," said Governor Deval Patrick. "Our administration understands the importance of expanding commuter rail service for the Central, Metrowest, and Southcoast regions," said Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray. "This application offers a great opportunity to seek additional funding for infrastructure and design improvements at South Station, and we thank our congressional delegation for their continued support and partnership." "This is a unique 100-year opportunity to pursue a rail expansion project of national significance at one of our country's most important rail hubs and New England's most significant transportation asset, South Station," said MassDOT Secretary and CEO Jeff Mullan. "I applaud the FRA for seeking applications, and thank Governor Patrick, Lt. Governor Murray, and the entire Massachusetts congressional delegation for their attention to the importance of South Station, the Northeast Corridor, and the future of rail in the region." The South Station High Speed Rail Project will:
AAR REPORTS MODERATE GAINS IN WEEKLY FREIGHT RAIL TRAFFIC: The Association of American Railroads today reported only moderate gains in rail traffic for the week ending Aug. 7, 2010. U.S. railroads originated 284,507 carloads for the week, up 3.5 percent compared with the same week in 2009, but down 13 percent from the same week in 2008. In order to offer a complete picture of the progress in rail traffic, AAR reports 2010 weekly rail traffic with comparison weeks in both 2009 and 2008. Note that U.S. rail traffic fell sharply in fall 2008, when the financial crisis took hold. Intermodal traffic totaled 231,208 trailers and containers, up 18.6 percent from the same week in 2009, but down 1.2 percent compared with 2008. Compared with the same week in 2009, container volume increased 19.8 percent and trailer volume rose 12 percent. Compared with the same week in 2008, container volume increased 6.8 percent and trailer volume dropped 30.7 percent. Sixteen of the 19 carload commodity groups increased from the comparable week in 2009, with metallic ores, up 61.2 percent, and metals and metal products, up 37.8 percent, posting the most significant increases. In comparison to 2008, all 19 commodity groups posted declines. Carload volume on Eastern railroads was up 3.2 percent from last year, but down 16.1 percent from 2008. In the West, carload volume was up 3.8 percent from last year but down 10.8 percent from two years ago. For the first 31 weeks of 2010, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 8,745,778 carloads, up 7.2 percent from 2009, but down 13.1 percent from 2008, and 6,550,053 trailers or containers, up 13.7 percent from 2009, but down 5.8 percent from 2008. Canadian railroads reported volume of 70,624 cars for the week, up 27.3 percent from last year, and 49,384 trailers or containers, up 29.7 percent from 2009. For the first 31 weeks of 2010, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 2,238,453 carloads, up 21.2 percent from last year, and 1,430,229 trailers or containers, up 15.1 percent from last year. Mexican railroads reported originated volume of 13,445 cars, up 19.8 percent from the same week last year, and 7,087 trailers or containers, up 18.6 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 31 weeks of 2010 was reported as 424,917 carloads, up 20.8 percent from last year; and 199,881 trailers or containers, up 32.2 percent. Combined North American rail volume for the first 31 weeks of 2010 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 11,409,148 carloads, up 10.1 percent from last year, and 8,180,163 trailers and containers, up 14.3 percent from last year. (AAR - posted 8/12) L.B. FOSTER AWARDED $5.3 MILLION MAINE RAIL CONTRACT BY NNEPRA: L.B. Foster Company (Nasdaq: FSTR) of Pittsburgh, PA was awarded a $5.3 million contract by the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority (NNEPRA) to supply 5,561 tons of rail for the Downeaster-Portland North Project. NNEPRA is using a $35 million grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to help fund the project's 26.4 mile track rehabilitation and expansion between Portland and Brunswick, Maine. The new Downeaster line will offer improved Amtrak service within the area and south to Boston, MA. Four shipments of 115 RE standard continuous welded rail (CWR) are being delivered by L.B. Foster's company-owned weld train to the Maine project in lengths up to 1,600 feet between July and October 2010. "The convenience of our own weld train helps to expedite deliveries and keep the Downeaster project on schedule," said Chris Leeth, L.B. Foster Columbia City Plant Manager. The rail is manufactured in 240' lengths and then welded into the 1,600' continuous strings by Steel Dynamics, Incorporated at their Continuous Welded Rail Products facility in Columbia City, Indiana. "SDI is working closely with L.B. Foster to provide superior quality rail to the jobsite within an ambitious timeframe of only three months," notes Paul Kotsenas, Manager - Rail and Special Products, Steel Dynamics. L.B. Foster is coordinating the shipment of 285,600 total feet of continuous welded rail from the Steel Dynamics mill and managing the off-loading at the Maine jobsite. Construction of the Downeaster-Portland North Project began in July 2010 and is expected to be complete by year's end 2012. (L.B. Foster via Randy Kotuby - posted 8/11) JOHN P. FISHWICK, FORMER N&W PRESIDENT, DEAD AT 93: John P. "Jack" Fishwick, president of Norfolk and Western Railway from 1970 to 1981, died Aug. 9 at the age of 93. Fishwick joined the Norfolk and Western law department in 1945 following Navy service in World War II. After holding various posts in the law department, he became senior vice president and was elected to the Norfolk and Western board in 1963. He was named chairman and chief executive officer of the Erie Lackawanna Railway in April 1968, and president of the Delaware & Hudson Railway later the same year. Both were affiliated with Norfolk and Western at the time. He became president and CEO of N&W in 1970. In 1980, he opened talks with Southern Railway, which ultimately led to its consolidation with N&W and the formation of Norfolk Southern Corporation in 1982. He was a member of the NS board from its formation until retiring from the board in 1989. Fishwick was born in Roanoke and educated at Roanoke College and Harvard Law School. "All of us in the Norfolk Southern family are saddened by Jack Fishwick's passing, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family," said NS CEO Wick Moorman. "He was a visionary leader and a prinicpal architect of today's Norfolk Southern. Our company would not have become the premier railroad it is today without his strong leadership and continuing wise counsel." As the head of N&W, Fishwick advocated the promotion of women and minorities, and started a treatment program for employees with drinking problems long before such programs were in vogue. He also was active in civic affairs, leaving his imprint on downtown Roanoke as one of the founders of Center in the Square. He also served as director of the chamber of commerce, the Roanoke Fine Arts Center and the Roanoke Symphony Society. David R. Goode, who joined N&W in 1962 and served as NS chairman, president and CEO from 1992 to 2005, told the Roanoke Times, "I came to the railroad because I met Jack on a Saturday morning in his office, smoking a pipe and planning a railroad merger. That was typical of Jack. He was always thinking about strategy and how to make the right move to strengthen the company." (NS - posted 8/10) MTA UNVEILS CAPITAL PROGRAM DASHBOARD: The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today unveiled a new on-line Dashboard that will enable the public to track the progress of the MTA's various capital projects. This new web tool will feature a user-friendly interactive system that will provide information on project scopes, budgets, and schedules, all easily accessible on the MTA's web site (www.mta.info). The public will be able to search the Dashboard for specific projects and follow their progression from inception to completion. This information will be available for every project in the 2010-2014 Capital Program and selected projects still underway in the 2005-2009 program. "The Dashboard provides an unprecedented level of detail and information on our capital projects," said Jay H. Walder, MTA Chairman and CEO. "From station improvements to the purchase of equipment, signal improvements to updates on the Second Avenue Subway, the Dashboard will allow anyone to monitor the MTA's new approach to capital projects designed to keep the 2010-2014 Capital Program on schedule and on budget -- all with a few clicks of the mouse." As the agency continues to transform how it does business, the Chairman added that the Dashboard will promote further transparency and reinforce the agency's commitment to provide information to customers that is more concise and easier to understand. The Capital Program Dashboard will enable anyone to search for a project in the 2010-2014 Capital Program by keyword, project category, by MTA agency, project phase (planning, design, construction, or complete), or by location where an interactive map, powered by Google, will list projects within a geographical area. Additional project information will be accessible by clicking on the link that will provide a more detailed project description. The Dashboard can be used to check if the scope of a project has changed, when the project started, and whether or not it is still on schedule and on budget. Project milestones and budget data that break down project funding by year will be readily available as well. The Dashboard will also encapsulate the entire Capital Program providing a thorough "Plan Review" that includes figures on the number of projects in the Program, how many are on budget, and the number of projects that are on schedule, ahead of schedule, or behind schedule. In addition, the Dashboard will also include projects in the 2005-2009 Capital Program that are under construction but not completed and with budgets over $20 million. Information will also be available for projects funded by the federal stimulus (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) as well as projects contained within the Second Avenue Subway, East Side Access, and 7 line Extension projects. "I believe the MTA has taken a significant step in providing MTA managers, public officials and the public itself a more user friendly tool to track the progress, in dollars and time, of capital projects," said MTA Inspector General Barry Kluger. "I am particularly gratified that MTA has accepted the recommendation made in our Dashboard Report to make it a more transparent and useful reporting tool to the public." "The MTA's new Dashboard is an important step towards enabling the agency to manage its capital program more effectively and permitting the public to monitor how its money is being converted into transit improvements," said Charles Brecher, Research Director at the Citizens Budget Commission. "The Citizens Budget Commission has been pleased to work with MTA staff in developing this significant tool for greater transparency." "The Capital Program Dashboard is a major step forward in making information about the MTA's capital projects readily available to the public," said Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee Executive Director William Henderson. "We believe that it is a significant advance toward increasing the transparency of the MTA." The $26.3 billion 2010-2014 Capital Program reflects a nearly $2 billion reduction as the result of a comprehensive review and a new MTA focus on cost effectiveness and efficiency. The program aims to benefit customers by maintaining the high levels of service reliability and safety provided today; improve service on the existing system with new technology; and complete critical expansion projects to ease crowding and support growth. The full plan and an executive summary are also available online at www.mta.info. (MTA - posted 8/10) RAILROAD INDUSTRY COLLABORATION ENTERS NEW PHASE IN WORKING TO PREVENT EMPLOYEE SWITCHING FATALITIES: Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Szabo today praised the work of the Switching Operations Fatality Analysis (SOFA) Working Group and issued a call to action for the rail industry to take steps to help prevent railroad employee deaths. This comes in response to events of the past five years during which 55train and engine service employees have died while engaged in rail yard switching operations. SOFA is a decade-old voluntary, non-regulatory workplace safety partnership. “The risks to employees engaged in switching operations are real and ever-present, and injuries and deaths resulting from such activities are seldom random or simply unfortunate events,” said Szabo. “Since its inception in 1998, SOFA’s rigorous analyses have shown many switching fatalities occur due to multiple contributing factors and by identifying underlying patterns future casualties can be prevented.” Szabo noted that the Working Group’s longstanding efforts complement the Federal Railroad Administration’s current Risk Reduction Program. The current SOFA group is comprised of eleven career railroaders who together have over 400 years’ industry experience. Joining its FRA facilitators and management consultants, the group includes representatives from the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, the United Transportation Union, the Association of American Railroads, and the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association. In 1999, the Working Group’s initial Findings and Recommendations identified the 5 LIFESAVERS which have been widely adopted by the railroad industry. They are:
NIANTIC BRIDGE CHANNEL CLOSURE AGREEMENT: Discussions between Amtrak, East Lyme Selectman Paul Formica, the U.S. Coast Guard, and local boaters and marine businesses have resulted in an agreement that balances the use of the Niantic River channel by the marine community and the need to keep the bridge replacement project moving forward and on schedule. The agreement, officially announced by the U.S. Coast Guard, permits channel closures on Monday and Tuesday nights from 10 p.m. to 4:30 a.m., through October 15, the traditional end of the summer boating season. During the nighttime closures, Amtrak will be able to perform a number of activities, including construction of the two in-river piers. “The channel closure schedule signifies the continued cooperation and ongoing commitment by Amtrak to have an open communication process as part of this vital and necessary project,” said Jim Richter, Deputy Chief Engineer, Structures, Amtrak. “We appreciate the efforts of Selectman Formica in helping reach an agreement that all parties can support.” “This schedule allows our fishing and recreational boating community necessary access to the channel while at the same time moving this very important project forward,” said East Lyme First Selectman, Paul Formica. I appreciate Amtrak and the Coast Guard soliciting input from both the boating community and the Town in determining these closures.” Amtrak will also continue to communicate all project specific channel closure information on Amtrak.com and is addressing concerns and questions of area residents and the boating community through the development of a toll-free hotline (800-288-1310) and e-mail address (askamtrak@amtrak.com). The new bridge will improve reliability, reduce the chance for operational failure and help minimize train and river traffic delays. The project is scheduled for completion in 2013. The bridge currently serves up to 38 Amtrak passenger trains and two freight trains every day and typically opens for marine traffic about 4,000 times each year. (Amtrak - posted 8/09) NORFOLK SOUTHERN COMPLETES MAJOR TRACK REHAB IN SEVEN DAYS IN SOUTHWEST PA: During July, Norfolk Southern’s Maintenance of Way and Structures Department completed $21 million in track, signal and bridge work in seven days on one if its primary coal lines in southwestern Pennsylvania. The Mon Line extends approximately 85 miles from Pittsburgh to coal mines in Washington and Greene counties. In 2009, almost 42 million tons of coal was transported over this rail line. Approximately 20 trains daily use the Mon Line. “Because the Mon Line is critical to Pennsylvania’s coal industry, every year in early July we undertake an intensive effort to maintain and improve the rail infrastructure to ensure that the mines continue to receive consistent and reliable service,” said Tim Drake, NS’ vice president engineering. “It is a testament to the commitment of our employees that they are able to work under extreme conditions, during one of the hottest weather periods in recent years, safely and productively.” Scheduled to coincide with the coal miners’ annual summer break, between July 4 and July 10 nearly 600 NS engineering employees from across the railroad’s 22-state system installed more than 56,000 crossties, laid almost 19 miles of new rail, rehabilitated and repaved 23 public at-grade railroad crossings, resurfaced the entire line, replaced one bridge and performed substantial work on two other bridges. Six work trains, along with more than 100 pieces of large machinery were utilized. Under normal curfew conditions it would take approximately three months to accomplish this work, with significant disruptions in service (NS- posted 8/09) NO IMPACT TO VIA SERVICES EXPECTED IN THE EVENT OF A POSSIBLE TTR STRIKE AT TORONTO UNION STATION: VIA Rail Canada wishes to advise travellers that it will continue to operate normally through Union Station in the unlikely event of a strike by Toronto Terminal Railways (TTR) employees. VIA has been assured by TTR that, if required, an operational contingency plan has been established to ensure that VIA trains would continue to operate as scheduled to and from Union Station. (VIA Rail - posted 8/09) FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES HIGH-SEED RAIL GRANTS: Colorado has received $400,000 and Vermont $500,000 under the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail (HSIPR) Program grant program funded from fiscal year 2009 appropriations. Colorado will use its funds to develop a state rail plan, a prerequisite for receiving additional HSIPR intercity passenger rail funding. Vermont will conduct a study of a proposed rerouting of Amtrak’s Ethan Allen service between Rutland, VT, and Albany, NY, which would result in additional cities receiving rail service. FRA has now released more than $183 million for the HSIPR program, the significant portion of which comes from the Obama Administration’s unprecedented $8 billion down payment for the creation of a national network of interconnected high-speed rail corridors in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. (US DOT - posted 8/06) PORT OF QUEBEC, TERMINALS, AND CN WORK TOGETHER TO REDUCE QUEBEC CITY-TORONTO TRANSIT TIMES BY 30%: Port of Quebec, a terminal operator at the port, and CN announced today a service arrangement that will reduce transit times for shipments destined to Toronto to 38 hours from 53 hours, an improvement of almost 30 per cent. The improvement resulted from the port and terminal operator agreeing to more consistent release times for shipments and CN adjusting schedules to expedite the movement of traffic over its network between Quebec City and Toronto. CN will explore opportunities to expedite the shipment by rail of other commodities moving over the Port of Quebec, including metals and minerals concentrates. Ross Gaudreault, president and chief executive officer of the Quebec Port Authority, said: "I am pleased with the cooperation among all port stakeholders and thank CN for its efforts to accelerate service from the Port of Quebec. Thanks to CN, the Toronto and the U.S. Midwest markets are more accessible than ever before by rail for both the port and its partner terminal operators." Marc Dulude, executive vice-president and chief operating officer of Port of Quebec operation of International-Matex Tank Terminals (IMTT), said: "IMTT believes the collaborative work among stakeholders will make the Port of Quebec an increasingly competitive option for shipments destined to North America, including energy products, and drive new efficiencies in the supply chain. Toronto is now only hours away from Quebec City, and this significant performance improvement will benefit other markets near Toronto and further west." Air Canada jet fuel arrives by vessel at IMTT's Port of Quebec terminal and moves via CN's freight network to a fuel terminal near Toronto's Lester B. Pearson International Airport. Jeff Liepelt, CN senior vice-president, Eastern Region, said: "CN is focused on developing innovative solutions that help our customers and partners compete more effectively in their end markets. Improved transit times from the Port of Quebec to the North American interior will help the port accommodate more merchandise and bulk commodity traffic with greater efficiency." (CN - - posted 8/06) U.S. TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY LAHOOD ANNOUNCES UP TO $25 MILLION FOR HIGH-SPEED PASSENGER RAIL RESEARCH: U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is soliciting research proposals to foster rapid development of high-speed and intercity passenger rail service technologies in the United States. A pool of $25 million is available for basic and applied technology research, development and demonstration projects to advance the state of the art in track and structures, train control systems, operating practices and rolling stock. FRA is seeking projects focused on accelerating development of technologies that ensure safe, efficient and strategic deployment of integrated passenger rail systems. The solicitation is open to all sources. “President Obama’s bold vision for high-speed rail is a game-changer for transportation in the United States,” said Secretary LaHood. “This undertaking is not only creating good jobs and reinvigorating our manufacturing base, it’s also going to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.” “It is vitally important that we promote and facilitate cutting edge research and advanced technology development,” said FRA Administrator Szabo. “This effort will increase the rail industry’s scientific knowledge base while permitting us to exploit the potential of existing technologies and help expand our domestic rail equipment manufacturing capabilities.” The solicitation continues FRA’s long history of supporting the development of advanced rail systems by providing funding and technical assistance in support of new equipment, infrastructure, and testing technologies. Nationally, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 provided an $8 billion down payment for high speed rail. The solicitation, BAA (Broad Agency Announcement) 2010-1, Research and Demonstration Projects Supporting the Development of High Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail Service, published on July 28, 2010 can be viewed at Federal Business Opportunities (www.fbo.gov) and FRA’s website (http://www.fra.dot.gov/Pages/918.shtml) and will be open through September 30, 2012. (US DOT - posted 8/06) AAR REPORTS WEEKLY FREIGHT RAIL TRAFFIC SETS RECORD FOR 2010: The Association of American Railroads today reported that for the week ending July 31, 2010, U.S. railroads reported the highest traffic levels of 2010 for both carload and intermodal traffic. U.S. railroads originated 300,292 carloads for the week, up 9.4 percent compared with the same week in 2009, but down 10.6 percent from the same week in 2008. In order to offer a complete picture of the progress in rail traffic, AAR reports 2010 weekly rail traffic with comparison weeks in both 2009 and 2008. Note that U.S. rail traffic fell sharply in fall 2008, when the financial crisis took hold. Intermodal traffic totaled 232,895 trailers and containers, up 20.2 percent from the same week in 2009, and up 0.9 percent compared with 2008. Compared with the same week in 2009, container volume increased 21.9 percent and trailer volume rose 11.7 percent. Compared with the same week in 2008, container volume increased 9 percent and trailer volume dropped 28.9 percent. Eighteen of the 19 carload commodity groups increased from the comparable week in 2009 with only waste and scrap, down 1.9 percent, posting a decline. Metallic ores, up 73 percent, and metals and products, up 35.2 percent, were the commodities posting the most significant increases. In comparison to 2008, all nineteen commodity groups posted declines. Carload volume on Eastern railroads was up 9.9 percent from last year, but down 13.7 percent from 2008. In the West, carload volume was up 9.1 percent from last year but down 8.5 percent from two years ago. For the first 30 weeks of 2010, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 8,461,271 carloads, up 7.3 percent from 2009, but down 13.1 percent from 2008, and 6,318,845 trailers or containers, up 13.5 percent from 2009, but down 6 percent from 2008. Canadian railroads reported volume of 73,858 cars for the week, up 17.3 percent from last year, and 50,967 trailers or containers, up 21.6 percent from 2009. For the first 30 weeks of 2010, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 2,167,829 carloads, up 21.1 percent from last year, and 1,380,845 trailers or containers, up 14.7 percent from last year. Mexican railroads reported originated volume of 14,282 cars, up 23.4 percent from the same week last year, and 6,848 trailers or containers, up 23.1 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 30 weeks of 2010 was reported as 411,472 carloads, up 20.9 percent from last year; and 192,794 trailers or containers, up 32.8 percent. Combined North American rail volume for the first 30 weeks of 2010 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 11,040,572 carloads, up 10.2 percent from last year, and 7,892,484 trailers and containers, up 14.1 percent from last year. (AAR - posted 8/05) SEPTA WILL CHANGE NAMES ON SELECT STAIONS ON THE ROUTE 101/102 TROLLEY LINES AND THE NORRISTOWN HIGH SPEED LINE: Effective September 5, 2010, riders will see new names for select stations on the Route 101 and 102 Trolley and the Norristown High Speed Line. For the most part, names on these lines reflect the streets immediately adjacent to the stations. This renaming will better identify those stations which were not associated with their actual roadway location. New and infrequent riders will benefit in addition to those who access popular electronic transit mapping sites and other GPS technologies. The station name changes are the result of SEPTA's enhanced customer service initiatives. SEPTA is committed to making the service easy to use and understand for new and infrequent riders as well as those who regularly travel the system. The following Station names will be renamed: Routes 101/102:
AMTRAK ADDS WEEKEND STOPS IN MICHIGAN CITY, INDIANA: Amtrak has added special stops in Michigan City, Ind., on three Wolverine Service trains during selected Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays, through November 8. This is in response to the construction-related shut down of South Shore Line commuter rail service east of Gary, Ind., on those dates. This amounts to a temporary doubling of the number of Amtrak frequencies stopping in Michigan City, from three trains to six, and will preserve a rail travel option for Michigan City-area passengers on those weekends. The attached Amtrak Passenger Service Notice has complete Michigan City schedules during the period, west to Chicago and east to Detroit and Pontiac, Mich. The adult Amtrak fare from Michigan City to Chicago ranges from $9 to $22 and from Michigan City to Pontiac ranges from $30 to $71. Up to two children (age 2-15) per adult can travel for half-fare and other discounts are available. See the “Deals” tab on Amtrak.com for more information. Amtrak will add capacity to the Wolverine Service trains for these dates, as these trains are already very popular. More than 300,000 passengers have taken Wolverine Service trains since last October, an increase of more than three percent versus the same period the previous year. (Amtrak - posted 8/03) MAINE GOVERNOR HAILS PARTNERSHIP LEADING TO AMTRAK EXPANSION TO BRUNSWICK: Governor John E. Baldacci today joined federal, State, regional and local officials as well as private partners for the beginning of the expansion project for the Amtrak Downeaster passenger rail from Portland to Brunswick. Joining the community event this morning was Joseph Szabo, Administrator of the Federal Rail Road Administration. The State provided $3 million and the federal government $35 million of federal Recovery Act monies to fund the project, which includes rehabilitation of rail and ties, upgrades to crossings and signals and construction of passenger platforms in Freeport and Brunswick. “Expansion of the Downeaster has been a priority of my Administration, but we knew we couldn’t do it alone,” said Governor Baldacci. “The partnerships represented today have been critical in realizing the promise of expanded passenger rail service to Brunswick. Along with the help from the Recovery Act, Maine has been meeting the challenge of the recession through smart investments, frugal spending and by holding the line on taxes.” The Amtrak Downeaster is a bright star nationally in passenger rail. Since it began operation in December 2001, the Downeaster has welcomed more than 3 million passengers. This past fiscal year saw record-breaking ridership. “Enhancing our infrastructure has never been more important,” said the Governor. “Expanded service benefits our economy by attracting more tourists. It will improve access to midcoast Maine by connecting to the Maine Eastern Railroad in Brunswick. It gets more cars and trucks off our roads, reducing congestion and keeping the environment in this beautiful area clean. It will further encourage development in this region and stimulate jobs and investments. And working with all our partners, we will reach Brunswick and open the gateway for further expansion.” The Governor also recognized Maine’s Congressional Delegation, whose work was critical in passing the Recovery Act, which in part funds this project. He noted the support of the Maine Legislature and local and regional officials who have worked so hard in the face of Brunswick Naval Air Station’s closing to invest wisely and plan for the economic redevelopment of the area. Governor Baldacci also credited the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority, which operates the Downeaster, the Maine Department of Transportation and Pan Am Railways. “The investment is especially important as we work to redevelop Brunswick Naval Air Station, and will benefit the entire midcoast region and State,” Governor Baldacci said. . (Maine.gov - posted 8/02) ARTIFACTS SOUGHT FOR GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION: MTA Metro-North Railroad and the New York Transit Museum are looking for objects related to Grand Central Terminal for an exhibit commemorating the centennial of this landmark building. On February 1, 2013, 100 years after the Terminal officially opened, a major exhibition on the history of Grand Central will open in Vanderbilt Hall, the former Main Waiting Room, which once had bench seating for 700 long-distance travelers. The museum and the railroad are seeking donations for this exhibit and for its permanent collection. Loans also will be considered. "We know that railroad fans and history buffs have some unique collections that may have had interesting origins," said Howard Permut, President of Metro-North. "But we are grateful to the stewards of our history and recognize that many of these vintage items were literally rescued from trash bins as one railroad failed and another took over." Metro-North, the current operator of Grand Central, came into being Jan. 1, 1983 from the bankrupt remnants of the passenger division of Conrail, which was itself an amalgam of Penn Central and the New Haven and Hartford Railroad, and so on back to the 1800s. Large-scale objects, three-dimensional artifacts, such as uniforms, caps, badges, ashtrays, coat hooks, clocks, baggage carts and "gate curtains" with old train names are especially needed. Still photos and moving images also are being sought as is ephemera such as tickets, timetables, menus and matchbooks from Terminal tenants. Flyers and advertisements for events held in the Terminal, such as galas, political events, USO entertainers, exhibits, movies, etc. also are welcome. Basically anything that says "Grand Central" will be considered or any New York Central, Penn Central, Conrail or Metro-North memorabilia that is directly related to Grand Central. The Museum is NOT looking for general railroad memorabilia. Items must be specific to Grand Central Terminal. Potential donors should send a digital photo and a brief description of the object, including the dimensions, current location, along with the provenance to the extent it is known, to Archivist Carey Stumm at carey.stumm@nyct.com. Museum curators will review and respond to all offerings of donations and loans. Items for loan will be returned according to a standard contract and donors will be acknowledged in the exhibit. "We hope that this request for artifacts will encourage private collectors from across the nation to share their treasures with the world during our centennial celebration," Permut added. "The railroad and all who love Grand Central would be most appreciative (MTA - posted 8/02) PROGRESS RAIL SERVICES FINALIZES ELECTRO-MOTIVE DIESEL ACQUISITION: Progress Rail Services announced today it has finalized the purchase of Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD) for $820 million in cash, plus a net working capital adjustment subject to post-closing finalization, which is currently estimated at approximately $108 million, from Berkshire Partners LLC and Greenbriar Equity Group LLC. Effective with the closing of the acquisition, EMD is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Progress Rail. Progress Rail is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Caterpillar Inc. "The acquisition of EMD is a natural fit as it supports our enterprise strategy to aggressively grow our Energy Power Systems business, of which the rail industry is an important component," said Caterpillar Vice Chairman and CEO Doug Oberhelman. "Both EMD and Progress Rail will continue to produce innovative solutions to establish leadership positions in the United States and abroad," continued Oberhelman. Progress Rail Services is one of the largest providers of rail and transit products and services in North America, including: locomotive upgrade and repair, railcar remanufacturing, trackwork, rail welding, rail repair and replacement, signal design and installation, maintenance of way equipment, parts reclamation and recycling. "This acquisition further strengthens Progress Rail's unmatched portfolio of products and component support of our rail-related services and solutions," said Progress Rail CEO Billy Ainsworth. "Together with Caterpillar and EMD's engine solutions, our comprehensive offerings can power trains that will deliver sustainable and clean transportation for the public and our customers for years to come," continued Ainsworth. With 2009 revenues of $1.8 billion, EMD has the largest installed base of diesel-electric locomotives in the world and offers the most extensive range of locomotive products in the rail and transit industry. EMD will remain headquartered in LaGrange, Ill. John Hamilton will continue as president and CEO of EMD and will report to Billy Ainsworth. (Caterpillar - posted 8/02) RENOVATION OF LANCASTER STATION MOVING FORWARD: Following a productive meeting late last week, Amtrak and the Lancaster County Planning Commission (LCPC) are pleased to announce that issues surrounding the renovation of the Lancaster Station have been resolved and the project is moving forward as planned. As a result of the meeting, it was determined that no additional funds beyond Amtrak’s estimate of $1.7 million provided to the LCPC in 2008 will be needed for Amtrak’s construction support. The meeting, which was requested by Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and Representative Joe Pitts (R-PA), included representatives from Amtrak, the Lancaster County Board of Commissioners as well as Senator Casey’s, Representative Pitts’ and State Senator Lloyd Smucker’s (R-13) offices and provided a communications forum that all agreed was positive. At the meeting, Amtrak agreed to provide more support of the project at the station through closer coordination of scheduling with LCPC’s construction managers, KCI Technologies. It was also agreed that Amtrak and the LCPC will increase communication by convening periodic senior-level update meetings. Lastly, Amtrak offered to provide more detailed information on project invoices to the County of Lancaster to assist in greater transparency of Amtrak costs. “The successful completion of the Lancaster Station renovation project is a priority for us, and we intend to perform our work within budget,” said Marilyn Jamison, senior director, Major Project Partnerships for Amtrak. “We look forward to working with the Lancaster County Planning Commission to bring this project to fruition.”"I am pleased this important renovation will be able to continue to move forward without an undue burden on the taxpayers of Lancaster County," said Senator Bob Casey. "This renovated train station will provide a needed boost to Lancaster's transportation system while helping grow ridership on the Keystone Corridor." “I was very pleased to learn that the County of Lancaster, the Lancaster County Transportation Authority (LCTA) and Amtrak have agreed to work closely together to guarantee that the Lancaster Amtrak station renovation project will be done on time and within the original budgeted amount,” said Congressman Joe Pitts. “This important renovation and modernization project will allow the station to act as a portal into the city of Lancaster and indeed, the entire county. The spirit of cooperation and problem solving demonstrated by all the organizations involved in this process was very encouraging.” “It was obvious from the beginning of the meeting that both the county and Amtrak came to the meeting with a spirit of cooperation and team work, said Commissioner Scott Martin. During the course of the meeting information came to light which provided a clarification for all and emphasized the importance of delivering a timely and cost-effective project that’s within budget. This new spirit of cooperation will ensure that the project partners deliver a great project to the Lancaster County community.” “A renovated train station will be a boon to our community. I’m heartened that we were able to come to the table, communicate openly about how to achieve a successful station renovation project, and reach an acceptable agreement, said Commissioner Craig Lehman. The county and Amtrak are committed to moving forward as partners.” Commissioners Martin and Lehman thanked Senator Casey and Congressman Pitts for their leadership in bringing all of the parties together. At issue was the original Amtrak cost estimate ($833,280) which was prepared in 2007 without a construction schedule from the LCPC that focused heavily on non-construction related activities. A revised cost estimate ($1.7 million) was prepared in 2008 and provided to the LCPC after Amtrak’s review of the planned communication and electrical work that Amtrak labor forces are entitled to perform at Amtrak-owned stations per its union agreements. (Amtrak - posted 8/02) TORONTO AIR RAIL LINK: Metrolinx, the province's regional transportation agency for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, has been asked by the Ontario government to build, own and operate the Air Rail Link (ARL) from Union Station to Pearson Airport. Metrolinx will assume responsibility for the project including design, construction and operations and will incorporate the work that has already been done to date. Metrolinx's operating division, GO Transit, has a 40-year track record of running a successful passenger rail service. The ARL will provide a premium express rail shuttle service between Union Station and Pearson Airport. The ARL will be an important link for business people and travellers and will be ready for the 2015 Pan American Games. While the province and the Union Pearson Air-Link Group (UPAG), a subsidiary of SNC-Lavalin, were able to make significant progress negotiating, financial market conditions prevented acceptable terms. The government will continue to work with UPAG to build on the design and development work that has been completed to date. Construction is already underway on the GO Georgetown South Corridor to support the Air Rail Link connection. This project is expected to create approximately 10,000 jobs in the design and construction stages over the next five years. Each year, more than five million people travel between downtown and the airport and that number is expected to reach nine million by 2020. The ARL will help meet the tremendous demand for a direct service by connecting the busiest airport in Canada with the busiest transit and passenger rail hub in the country and will take 1.2 million car trips off our roads in its first year of operation alone. (Metrolinx - posted 8/02) AMTRAK WRAPS ACELA EXPRESS WITH IMAGE OF TLC “CAKE BOSS” BUDDY VALASTRO: Amtrak continues to celebrate National Train Day in August with a unique partnership supporting TLC’s hit series, “Cake Boss.” Earlier this year, Amtrak worked with Carlo's Bakery, featured on the hit TLC reality show “Cake Boss,” to create a train-themed cake for a National Train Day event in May. Amtrak and TLC are now promoting the airing of this “Cake Boss” episode – premiering August 16 at 9/8c – with a fully wrapped Acela Express train featuring images of Buddy Valastro, star of the show, and some of his creations. Traveling between Washington, DC, New York and Boston, the wrapped train will run through August. The exterior wrap on the train will appear on both sides of the locomotives and all eight cars of the train. “Having “Cake Boss” as a part of this year's National Train Day celebration took the excitement about the event to another level,” said Gail Reisman, Senior Director of National Advertising, Amtrak. “We're really pleased that the whole event will be a part of the current season of the show, and we hope that fans of “Cake Boss” and of Amtrak will tune in to see the episode and look for the train on the rails.” “TLC is thrilled to be partnering with Amtrak for this exceptional opportunity and one-of-a -kind partnership. To be able to engage Amtrak riders across so many different touch points brings the “Cake Boss” brand to life in a unique and unexpected way,” said Tom Carr, Senior Vice President of Strategic Marketing for TLC. The train wrap was printed and installed by ABC Imaging of Washington, DC, using Flexcon’s Busart with 5020 Overlam and Flexcon’s Seethru sign window film and 5040C overlam Pressure Sensitive Vinyls.National Train Day commemorates the 141st anniversary of the first transcontinental railroad’s inception by bringing to life the rich narrative of how trains transformed America. Amtrak created National Train Day to celebrate the train’s impact on our country and provides an opportunity for Americans to further understand the influence rail has on the future of transportation in America.(Amtrak - posted 8/02) U.S. TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY LAHOOD ANNOUNCE #727,000 FOR NEW YORK HIGH SPEED RAIL: U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced $727,000 for the State of New York to continue work on its high-speed rail program with the rehabilitation of the Buffalo-Depew railroad station. The Department of Transportation has provided New York $1.7 million of the $151 million awarded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for high-speed rail. “President Obama’s bold vision for high-speed rail is a game-changer for transportation in New York and the United States,” said Secretary LaHood. “This undertaking is not only creating good jobs and reinvigorating our manufacturing base, it’s also going to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.” The money will provide Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility upgrades, reconstruction of the ticket counter, installation of a passenger Information Display System, and platform repairs. The FRA is actively working with the New York State Department of Transportation on additional grant agreements to further develop the Empire Corridor. “Improving the railroad infrastructure, including stations, is a vital part of overall high-speed passenger rail program,” said FRA Administrator Joseph C. Szabo. “The customer experience of train travel will be made better with station improvements, and becoming ADA compliant is not only the right thing to do, it’s the law.” FRA has released more than $136 million of the $8 billion down payment provided in the Recovery Act for the development of a national network of interconnected high-speed rail corridors. (USDOT - posted 7/29) |
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