News – Page 265 – Railfanning.org

Orange Alert: Nationwide Railroads Step Up Security

December 24, 2003 Railfanning.org News Wire 0

WASHINGTON – Nationwide, railroads stepped up security following the announcement of an increase to the country’s terror threat level. “We are taking precautionary measures to assure our customers that we are doing everything that we can to make sure they can pass through our system without incident. Our customers are likely to see special response teams of officers carrying additional weaponry with a canine accompanying them,” said Metro Transit Police Chief Polly Hanson. “We also are asking our customers to be an extension of our eyes and ears, and let us know if they see anything unusual.” Since Dec. 21,

SEPTA Statement on Passage of the Pennsylvania Fiscal 2004 Budget

December 24, 2003 Railfanning.org News Wire 0

PHILADELPHIA – The passage of the Fiscal 2004 Pennsylvania state budget restores a 6 percent cut in SEPTA subsidies ($15 million), but does not alleviate the need for greater state support for public transit in the Commonwealth. “Passage of the 2004 budget essentially returns SEPTA to where we were last January,” said SEPTA Board Chair Pasquale T. Deon, Sr. “But we are facing an immediate $70-million dollar deficit going into the next budget year. “With the prolonged budget struggle hopefully over, there is the expectation that state government will quickly address the fundamental issue of providing a long term and

MTA, Bus and Rail Operators Reach Tentative Contract Agreement

December 24, 2003 Railfanning.org News Wire 0

LOS ANGELES – A tentative agreement has been reached on a new three-year labor contract between the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the United Transportation Union, which represents 5,000 bus and rail operators, officials announced Dec. 18. Terms of the settlement are being withheld pending a ratification meeting for the Union’s members. Subject to Union ratification, the MTA Board will consider approval of the contract at its January Board meeting. “We are delighted that we have been able to reach an agreement which is equitable to both parties,” MTA Board Chairman Zev Yaroslavsky, CEO Roger Snoble and UTU

Innovation Under Way as Railway Aims to Cut Costs

December 18, 2003 Railfanning.org News Wire 0

CALGARY, Alberta – Canadian Pacific Railway in December became the first railway in Canada to operate intermodal freight trains with mid-train remote-control locomotives, the company said. Mimicking the control inputs of engineers in leading locomotives, the remote-control units enable CPR to run intermodal trains approaching three kilometers in length through the winter when they were previously shortened because of air-pressure loss in colder temperatures. Since 1995 all new main-line locomotives ordered by CPR have been equipped to operate in leading or remote-control configuration. Introduction of remote-control locomotives is a cornerstone of the railway’s campaign to completely transform its intermodal service,

Communities Can Quiet Train Horns

December 17, 2003 Railfanning.org News Wire 0

WASHINGTON – The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) on Dec. 17 announced a rule allowing local communities to quiet train horns at some 150,000 railroad crossings nationwide if safety requirements are met. “For several years, the Federal Railroad Administration has been working to address the impact of train horn noise on communities in a way that improves quality of life for nearby residents without sacrificing safety for motorists at railroad crossings,” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta. “Train horns are important safety devices, but they also can be a nuisance for residents,” he added. “This rule means less noise

NS to Spend $810 Million in 2004

December 11, 2003 Railfanning.org News Wire 0

NORFOLK, Va. – Norfolk Southern Corporation plans to spend $810 million in 2004 for capital improvements to its railroad operations and subsidiaries. “Our capital spending budget reflects our commitment to providing the highest levels of service and safety for our customers and to utilizing our equipment and facilities efficiently,” said Norfolk Southern Chairman, President and CEO David R. Goode. The anticipated spending includes $517 million for roadway projects and $258 million for equipment. In roadway improvements, the largest expenditure will be $384 million for rail, crosstie, ballast and bridge programs. In addition, $29 million is provided for communications, signal and

November is Good to Amtrak

December 11, 2003 Railfanning.org News Wire 0

WASHINGTON — Amtrak ended the busiest November in its 32-year history with a ridership total of 2,076,054, up 11.7 percent over last year’s total of 1,858,345. All 16 long-distance trains posted double-digit gains and, collectively, posted a 32 percent surge in ridership. The most impressive gains were realized on the Capitol Limited (Chicago – Pittsburgh – Washington), up 54 percent; the Sunset Limited (Orlando – New Orleans – San Antonio – Los Angeles), up 50 percent; and the Cardinal (Chicago – Indianapolis – New York), up 51 percent due to a route extension from Washington to New York City. Regional

Intermodal Sets Annual Record on U.S. Railroads

December 11, 2003 Railfanning.org News Wire 0

WASHINGTON – For the eighth time in the past ten years intermodal traffic on U.S. railroads has set an annual record, according to the Association of American Railroads. Intermodal volume for 2003 reached 9,399,690 trailers or containers during the week ended Dec. 6, 2003, breaking the annual record of 9,349,630, which was set last year. With three weeks left in 2003, U.S. intermodal volume is expected to exceed 9.8 million units for the year. For just the week ended Dec. 6, intermodal traffic totaled 202,690 trailers or containers, up 7.0 percent from the comparable week last year. Carload freight, which doesn’t

Editor Lectures on Clarksville Railroads

December 1, 2003 The Cross-Tie 0

Todd DeFeo, publisher of The Cross-Tie, presents a lecture — Railroads in Clarksville: The Present and the Future — to a journalism class at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tenn. DeFeo presented the lecture on Oct. 30. Much of the basic information in the presentation can be viewed at Railfanning.org. For more information, log onto: http://railfanning.org/trackside/clarksville/. Three major railroads passed through Clarksville — the Tennessee Central Railway, later the Illinois Central Gulf; the Indiana, Alabama and Texas Railroad, later the Louisville and Nashville Railroad; and the Memphis, Clarksville and Louisville Railroad, later the L&N Railroad and today the line

Isabel Slows Trains

October 1, 2003 The Cross-Tie 0

WASHINGTON — Rail service along the eastern coast was slowed in September because of Hurricane Isabel. Amtrak, CSX, Norfolk Southern and other railroads between North Carolina and New York reported interruptions to their service due to the hurricane. Norfolk Southern implemented its contingency plan, taking extra safety precautions to assure the safety of employees and prevent damage to facilities, equipment, and shipments, the railroad said in a news release. This included moving equipment and shipments that have not yet placed within customer facilities, out of coastal and low lying areas prone to flooding. Likewise, CSX ceased some operations between Virginia

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