Railfanning.org News Wire – Page 270

FRA Announces Guide for Managing Gap Safety at Passenger Rail Platforms

April 3, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has issued a guidance document to help minimize accidents due to gaps between the edge of a passenger station platform and the threshold of a passenger train door. FRA Approach to Managing Gap Safety addresses the use of engineering evaluation and analysis to establish gap standards and the application of strategies to prevent and reduce gap accidents. While most gap incidents involving rail passengers result in relatively minor injuries, FRA believes the most effective way to address the potential risks is for railroads to develop and adopt a comprehensive program to manage gap

FRA Releases Demographic Report on Rail Trespasser Fatalities

April 3, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — Trespassers account for the largest number of fatalities in the railroad industry — approximately 500 per year. In order to better understand who is trespassing, their locations, and the reasons they are on railroad property, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) issued a report using three years of reported trespasser fatalities. Medical examiners and coroners across the country were surveyed, and based on the best information available from those who elected to participate in the study, the average trespasser is most often a 38-year-old white male under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, with a median household income of

DOT: Proposal Revolutionizes Rail Hazmat Tank Car Safety

April 3, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — The safety of rail tank cars that carry the most dangerous hazardous materials will be dramatically improved under the most sweeping and revolutionary proposal in decades, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary E. Peters announced. “This proposal is designed to significantly reduce the hazard of hauling hazardous materials by rail,” Peters said, explaining the performance-based standard will increase by 500 percent on average the amount of energy the tank car must absorb during a train accident before a catastrophic failure may occur. The proposal requires tank cars carrying Poison Inhalation Hazard (PIH) commodities such as chlorine and anhydrous ammonia

NTSB Investigating Toledo, Ohio, Rail Yard Incident

April 2, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

TOLEDO, Ohio — The National Transportation Safety Board today dispatched two investigators from its Office of Railroad, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Investigations to investigate an accident that occurred early yesterday morning at CSX’s Stanley Yard near Toledo, Ohio. A CSX Transportation employee switching rail cars on one track was seriously injured after being struck by a moving rail car on an adjacent track within Stanley Yard. Some movement activities within the rail yard are performed using Remote Control Operations technology. Jeff Leaman is the NTSB Investigator-in-Charge. — Special to Railfanning.org News Wire

Teen Killed by Freight Train in Ga.

April 1, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

LaGRANGE, Ga. — A teenager was killed by a freight train he likely didn’t hear, authorities said. The 19-year-old was walking along the tracks when the train approached him from behind. Police believe he didn’t hear the train because he did not turn around or acknowledge the oncoming train, the Columbus (Ga.) Ledger-Enquirer newspaper reported. The teenager was not wearing headphones when he was killed. His body was sent to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab for an autopsy. — Railfanning.org News Wire

CSX Transportation Established Huntington Dispatching Center

April 1, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — CSX Transportation is establishing a new dispatching center at its division headquarters in Huntington, with approximately 80 train dispatcher and related positions being relocated here, CSX Chairman, President and Chief Operating Officer Michael J. Ward announced. “CSX has a rich history in the Mountain State and we’re delighted the company is investing in these good jobs in Huntington,” said West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin. “This is a partnership for success for both CSX and for West Virginia.” Train dispatchers plan, direct and respond to any issue relating to the movement of trains, maintenance and inspection equipment on

Buy One Get One Free on Amtrak for Travel on National Train Day

March 31, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON – Amtrak passengers can celebrate the first annual National Train Day by traveling by train and taking a friend along for free with Amtrak’s Buy One Get One Free offer. This special offer is for one free companion ticket with the purchase of one full-fare adult ticket and is available for sale April 4th only for travel on May 10th, National Train Day. Amtrak is celebrating its first annual National Train Day to raise awareness of the vital role rail plays in our nation’s transportation system. On May 10th, Amtrak will host events at its stations in Washington, New

Norfolk Southern 2007 Annual Report: All In A Day’s Work

March 27, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk Southern Corp. tells the story of a record-setting year through the lens of a single day in its 2007 Annual Report, posted on the company’s Web site. The report, titled “Thoroughbred 24/7,” features photographs from throughout the transportation network on Oct. 23, 2007, a day on which the railroad moved tons of commodities without a single reportable employee injury. For the 18th consecutive year, Norfolk Southern earned the top industry award for workplace safety. Railway operating revenues, income from railway operations, and diluted earnings per share all set records. In his letter to stockholders, Chairman, President

CSX Files Federal Suit, Alleging Violations of Federal Securities Laws

March 27, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX Corp. has filed a federal lawsuit against The Children’s Investment Fund (TCI) and 3G Capital Partners (3G), alleging violations of federal securities laws. TCI and 3G are hedge funds that formed a group to nominate a slate of directors to stand for election at the 2008 CSX annual meeting. CSX filed the lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. CSX alleges TCI and 3G violated federal securities laws, including violations of Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The lawsuit alleges, in part, that TCI employed swap

Trains on Northeast Corridor Come to Standstill

March 26, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

NEWARK, N.J. — Trains along Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor came to a standstill because of electrical problems, authorities said. “It was done as a precautionary measure. None of the trains lost power,” The Associated Press quoted Amtrak Spokesman Cliff Cole as saying. The voltage in the overhead wires dropped from 12,000 volts to 9,000 volts, though an exact cause was not immediately known. Trains that were in tunnels moved to nearby stations, according to published reports. In addition to Amtrak, N.J. Transit trains were also impacted by the problem. — Railfanning.org News Wire