2009 – Page 4 – Railfanning.org

WMATA Agrees to Pay Environmental Fine

November 30, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority has agreed to pay a $200,000 fine to settle a six-year-old violation of the Clean Water Act. The violation was caused by the accidental discharge of acidic water from a rail car hand-wash operation to the sanitary sewer system at its Branch Avenue Rail Yard rail car washing facility, the authority said. The incident took place over several days in October 2003 and was halted when WMATA officials were notified of the discharge, the authority said. After the incident, WMATA officials reconfigured the operations of its rail car washing operation to comply

Two WMATA Trains Collide at West Falls Church Rail Yard

November 29, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — A six-car Metrorail train struck the rear of a parked six-car train at West Falls Church Rail Yard. The collision happened at 4:27 a.m. today, Nov. 29. Three employees sustained minor, non life-threatening injuries and were taken to a nearby hospital where they were treated and released. No customers were on board the trains. Service to customers was not affected when the rail system opened this morning at 7 a.m., officials said. Train No. 902 was the last train of the night pulling into the rail yard when it struck the last car of a six-car train that

Two WMATA Trains Collide in Rail Yard

November 29, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — A six-car Metrorail train struck the rear of a parked train inside West Falls Church Rail Yard. The collision happened at 4:27 a.m. today, Nov. 29. Three employees sustained minor, non life-threatening injuries and were taken to a nearby hospital.

CN Engineers in Canada Striking

November 28, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

MONTREAL –CN engineers in Canada started striking after negotiations between the railroad and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) ended Nov. 27 without an agreement on a new labor contract. Locomotive engineers will remain on the job in the following CN territories because of separate collective agreements: northern Alberta, parts of northern and eastern Ontario, northern Quebec, and parts of eastern Quebec and New Brunswick, the railroad previously said. On Nov. 23, CN notified the TCRC of its intention to implement only one work rule change to the collective agreements and increase wages by 1.5 percent effective Nov. 28. CN

Talks Between CN, Engineers’ Union Break Off

November 27, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

MONTREAL — Negotiations between CN and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) ended this evening, Nov. 27, with no agreement on a new labour contract, the railroad said. CN and the TCRC had resumed negotiations earlier in the day with the assistance of federal mediators in an attempt to reach a settlement. CN now expects the TCRC to strike the company’s Canadian operations. CN said a TCRC strike is particularly unfortunate because CN has repeatedly offered, and the union has refused, to submit the contract disagreements to binding arbitration in order to avoid a labour disruption. In a news release,

Canadian Pacific Biodiesel Testing Underway

November 27, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

CALGARY — Canadian Pacific and Natural Resources Canada have partnered on a biodiesel fuel pilot project under the National Renewable Diesel Demonstration Initiative, announced Lee Richardson, a member of Parliament for Calgary Centre. “The Government of Canada is working closely with industry partners like Canadian Pacific to support the use of renewable diesel in the Canadian fuel market,” Richardson said. “Our Government is investing over $800,000 in this important step forward to help reduce Canada’s total greenhouse gas emissions.” The Government of Canada has announced its intent to regulate an average five percent renewable fuel content based on the national

CN Receives Strike Notice

November 26, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

MONTREAL — CN on Nov. 25 received a 72-hour strike notice from the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) of its plan to strike the company at 1 a.m. on Nov. 28. CN said the TCRC’s decision is unfortunate because a strike is in no one’s interest – not the locomotive engineers, CN’s other employees, its customers or the Canadian economy. CN is urging the TCRC to resume negotiations immediately to reach a settlement. If that is not possible, CN believes the union should agree to submit issues in dispute to binding arbitration before the Nov. 28 strike deadline. Such an

Goodwill and Holiday Spirit Runs Kansas City Southern’s Ninth Annual Holiday Express

November 26, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

KANSAS CITY — In its ninth annual run, Kansas City Southern’s Holiday Express train will bring Santa Claus and his elves on 23 dates to 22 communities in eight states throughout the company’s service territory, including Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas and Illinois. Access to the Holiday Express train is free and open to the public. “Like many companies in North America, the economy has had a significant effect on our business, so we had to think carefully about whether to run the Holiday Express train this year,” said KCS chairman and chief executive officer Michael R. Haverty.

GE Transportation to Provide 300 Locomotive Assemblies to CSR Qishuyan in China

November 24, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

BEIJING — GE Transportation announced it has reached an agreement with CSR Qishuyan Locomotive Co., Ltd. to provide 300 locomotive assemblies for China HXN5 Mainline locomotives produced by CSR Qishuyan with Evolution Series diesel engines. The agreement helps to sustain close to 1,200 high-tech jobs in the U.S. The announcement was made as part of “GE’s Clean Technology Week in China” activities, the company said. The agreement follows an order of 300 Evolution Series China Mainline Locomotives originally placed in 2005. According to the agreement, GE Transportation will supply 300 locomotive assemblies that will be manufactured in Erie and Grove

GE and China MOR Sign Strategic MOU to Advance High-Speed Rail Opportunities in the U.S.

November 24, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

ERIE, Pa. — GE and China’s Ministry of Railways announced that they signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to jointly advance high-speed rail (HSR) opportunities in the United States. This collaboration will allow GE Transportation to be the first U.S. locomotive manufacturer to more effectively compete for high-speed rail projects against global competitors, the companies said. In addition, the partnership would accelerate GE’s passenger rail technologies and create in the near future up to 150 high technology jobs in the U.S. The announcement was made as part of “GE’s Clean Technology Week in China” activities, GE said. “China is a