CN’s said its supporting facts and conclusions are contained in comments filed regarding the Draft Environmental Impact Statement on the transaction issued on July 25, 2008, by the Section of Environmental Analysis (SEA) of the STB.

“Our filing underscores three important facts,” said CN President and Chief Executive Officer E. Hunter Harrison. “First, none of the environmental impacts identified in the DEIS are novel, and all can be effectively mitigated.

“Second, the environmental benefits of the transaction to the overall Chicago region are positive,” Harrison added. “For every community along the EJ&E line, roughly double that number in more densely populated areas along CN lines in Chicago would see decreased rail operations, meaning less pollution, fewer idling trains, and fewer blocked crossings, resulting in a better quality of life for residents of these 60 communities.

“And third, CN’s comprehensive voluntary mitigation plan addresses all significant adverse environmental effects the transaction would create, based on the sound standards that the STB has employed in previous rail control proceedings,” Harrison said.

The railroad made its intentions known after the STB approved Canadian Pacific Railway Limited’s plan to buy the Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad Corporation and its subsidiaries: Iowa, Chicago & Eastern Railroad and Cedar American Rail Holdings.

CN said it is committed to addressing significant environmental impacts of the transaction on communities along the EJ&E. It has also participated actively in the SEA’s review process and continues to work toward mutually acceptable mitigation programs with affected communities.

“Our expanded mitigation plan contains 101 specific measures to address the transaction’s environmental issues,” Harrison said. “The cost of this program would now be roughly $60 million, representing a full 20 per cent of the EJ&E acquisition purchase price - an unprecedented proportion for any railroad control transaction. Clearly, CN is stepping up to the plate to mitigate significant environmental issues in this case.”

In the DEIS, the SEA recommended that the STB, should it approve the transaction, require that CN comply with all of the voluntary measures listed in the initial version of CN’s plan. CN invites a similar SEA recommendation for the company’s expanded plan, the railroad said.

CN’s voluntary mitigation plan is largely aligned with the DEIS findings, except for the subject of grade crossing delays. CN research shows that, on balance, the EJ&E transaction would generate a net reduction in overall crossings delays in the Chicago region of more than 83,000 hours per year.

CN takes issue with the SEA’s analysis and findings on grade crossing impacts along the EJ&E. Using criteria it has never before applied in a rail merger, the SEA said grade crossing mitigation could be necessary at 15 crossings along the EJ&E. But following standards used by the STB in all previous cases, the SEA would have found that grade separations or other mitigation would be required at only two of the crossings.

CN’s agreement with the City of Joliet already addresses these two crossings with appropriate mitigation measures, the railroad said.

“We respectfully urge the STB to focus squarely on the environmental facts in this case, acknowledge the environmental benefits the transaction would bring to the Chicago region, and balance the impact of increased train traffic along the EJ&E line with the benefits to many more communities that will experience fewer trains,” Harrison said.

“We hope the STB will recognize the substantial merits of CN’s voluntary mitigation plan for affected communities, adopt the plan quickly and allow this transaction to close before year-end 2008 so that the wide-ranging economic and transportation benefits of the transaction can be realized,” he added.

– PRNewswire-FirstCall

The Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 and the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 will increase funding for Amtrak over the next five years, require new safety controls on trains that help reduce crashes, allow states to regulate solid waste processing facilities along rail lines and allocate funding for improvements to Washington’s Metro transit system.

The legislation sets “an aggressive deadline” of 2015 for implementation of positive train control (PTC) across most of the rail network, Edward R. Hamberger, President and CEO of the Association of American Railroads said in a statement. Hamberger promised that “the freight railroad industry is committed to doing everything it can to ensure that PTC is implemented effectively and safely,” but admitted it would be a challenge.

“Nothing is more important to the railroad industry than the safety of our employees and the communities we serve,” Hamberger added. “Although 2007 was the industry’s safest year in history, we recognize that there is always room for improvement. Provisions of the new safety legislation will help facilitate even more improvements in safety.”

The rail legislation includes the Amtrak reauthorization bill which was developed from similar bills passed by the Senate last year (70-22) and passed by the House earlier this year (311-94). The bill:

– Authorizes $13.06 billion over five years for passenger rail— more than $2.6 billion annually for Amtrak, intercity passenger rail, and high speed rail programs, which is almost double what the U.S. is currently spending

– Requires reforms at Amtrak, including a new Board of Directors, improved accounting and financial planning, and new standards for service reliability and on-time performance.

– Requires a collaborative plan for bringing the Northeast Corridor to a state-of-good-repair by 2018

– Authorizes the Surface Transportation Board to fine freight railroads for delaying Amtrak trains.

– Requires Amtrak stations to comply with disability accessibility standards and authorize funding for such improvements.

The legislation also includes the Railroad safety improvement bill which was developed from similar bills passed unanimously by the Senate and by the House (377-38). The bill:

– Mandates positive train control (PTC) technology on passenger and certain hazmat rail main lines by 2015 and authorize $250 million in Federal grants for PTC installation.

– Guarantees a 12-hour work period and minimum 10-hour disruption-free rest period for train crews and signal employees.

– Limit the amount of time a rail worker may be in “limbo time.”

– Requires a Federal study and regulation on use of cell phones and other device distractions in locomotive cabs.

– Requires risk-based safety programs for all major railroads to prevent deaths and injuries.

– Creates a National Transportation Safety Board office to assist families of passengers following rail disasters.

Also, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) reauthorization bill, included in this bloated piece of legislation, authorizes $1.5 billion over 10 years for rehabilitation and improvements to Washington D.C.’s rail transit system.

“We are grateful to our entire Congressional delegation and others in Congress who understand the importance of protecting the substantial investment the federal government and the National Capital region have made in the Metro system,” said Metro General Manager John Catoe following passage of the bill. “Metro is an asset designed to serve the federal workforce and the National Capital Region.

“A safe, secure, and reliable Metro system is also a critical component for ensuring the continuity of federal operations during an emergency,” Catoe added.

Also included is the Clean Railroads Act of 2008 which allows states to clean up solid waste processing facilities on rail sites, which have avoided regulation through a loophole in Federal law and applies state standards for air pollution, water pollution and fire safety to transfer facilities handling and storing solid waste in open dumps.

“Today is a transformative and historic moment in our Nation’s transportation system, because we passed legislation improving intercity passenger rail service and enhancing a transportation solution that is affordable, accessible, and environmentally sustainable,” said Rep. James L. Oberstar, D-Minn. “… This legislation greatly increases safety standards for the rail industry, which is good news for rail workers and the general public.”

The bill now goes to the Senate.

Total volume was estimated at 32.8 billion ton-miles, down 6.8 percent from the comparable week last year.

Carload freight in the week totaled 312,662 cars, off 7.8 percent from last year. Volume was down 10.4 percent in the West and 4.3 percent in the East.

Intermodal volume, which is not included in the carload data, totaled 234,286 trailers or containers, down 6.2 percent from a year ago. Trailer volume was off 6.6 percent while container traffic was down 6.1 percent.

Eighteen of 21 carload commodity groups were down from a year ago. Chemical loadings were down 21.7 percent while grain was off 22.6 percent and lumber and wood products fell by 25.0 percent. Coal volume was up 2.2 percent from a year ago while metallic ores rose 16.6 percent.

Cumulative volume for the first 38 weeks of 2008 totaled 12,347,838 carloads, down 0.1 percent from 2007; 8,500,351 trailers or containers, down 3.1 percent; and total volume of an estimated 1.28 trillion ton-miles, up 1.0 percent from last year.

On Canadian railroads, during the week ended September 20 carload traffic totaled 71,794 cars, down 13.9 percent from last year while intermodal volume totaled 51,805 trailers or containers, up 2.1 percent from last year.

Cumulative originations for the first 38 weeks of 2008 on the Canadian railroads totaled 2,816,737 carloads, down 4.3 percent from last year, and 1,830,242 trailers and containers, an increase of 4.1 percent from last year.

Combined cumulative volume for the first 38 weeks of 2008 on U.S. and Canadian railroads totaled 15,164,575 carloads, down 0.9 percent from last year, and 10,330,593 trailers and containers, a 1.9 percent decrease from last year.

The AAR also reported that carload freight on the Mexican railroad Kansas City Southern de Mexico (KCSM) during the week ended September 20 totaled 7,927 cars, down 28.2 percent from last year. KCSM reported intermodal volume of 5,592 trailers or containers, up 8.0 percent from the 38th week of 2007.

For the first 38 weeks of 2008, KCSM reported cumulative volume of 391,399 cars, down 5.0 percent from last year, and 186,187 trailers or containers, up 8.5 percent.

Railroads reporting to AAR account for 89 percent of U.S. carload freight and 98 percent of rail intermodal volume. When the U.S. operations of Canadian railroads are included, the figures increase to 96 percent and 100 percent. The Canadian railroads reporting to the AAR account for 91 percent of Canadian rail traffic. Railroads provide more than 40 percent of U.S. intercity freight transportation, more than any other mode, and rail traffic figures are regarded as an important economic indicator.

– Special to Railfanning.org News Wire

That’s the upshot of “Root Causes of Amtrak Train Delays,” a new report from the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General. The DOT IG issued the report in response to a request from the Senate Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee.

More than 70 percent of the miles traveled by Amtrak trains are operated over tracks owned by other railroads.

Federal law requires that, except in emergencies or as otherwise ordered by the Secretary of Transportation, passenger trains must be given “preference over freight transportation in using a rail line, junction or crossing.”

In testimony before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in April, Amtrak President and CEO Alex Kummant said, “Poor on-time performance translates directly into greater operating costs and lost revenues for Amtrak.” He added, “Freight train interference delays and slow orders are the two biggest components of all delay minutes to Amtrak trains in FY 2007.”

With respect to the host railroads, the report concludes, “We found several root causes of Amtrak train delays that, if addressed, would improve Amtrak’s OTP [on-time performance] and financial viability.” The report further noted that major performance improvements to passenger rail could be achieved almost immediately through improved host-railroad dispatching management and operating discipline, recommendations that would benefit passenger rail as well as freight shippers.

Kummant said in April, “Good on-time performance is possible when host railroads use targeted operating and maintenance practices and give appropriate attention to the timely delivery of Amtrak trains.” Kummant also said, “The operating discipline of all trains on a route improves, because a well run railroad naturally expedites its own trains, as well as ours.”

A DOT IG report released earlier this year confirmed the importance of on-time performance to Amtrak, finding that poor performance on host railroads costs Amtrak in excess of $100 million annually. Amtrak applauds both the congressional interest in this serious problem and the DOT IG’s attention to these issues and hopes that this report and its recommendations will lead host railroads to work collaboratively with Amtrak to improve the on-time performance of passenger trains.

In a related development, members of the Illinois Congressional delegation sent a letter to the CEO’s of three major freight railroads, BNSF, Canadian National and Union Pacific, requesting that they prepare and deliver a plan to achieve on-time performance of passenger trains on their tracks of at least 85 percent. Citing poor on-time performance on Illinois-supported Amtrak trains, the letter also asks that the railroads identify what actions can be taken to create an immediate improvement in on-time performance.

“Over the years, the railroad industry has developed a strong safety culture,” said Edward R. Hamberger, president and CEO of the Association of American Railroads (AAR) at the annual E.H. Harriman Awards luncheon which honors railroads with the best employee safety records for the previous year.

“Last year the train accident rate was the lowest in history,” he said. “So was the grade crossing accident rate. The total number of fatalities from all rail-related incidents was also the lowest in history. And the employee injury rate was the second lowest in history, missing the record set in 2006 by less than one percent.”

Hamberger noted that 2008 is off to a strong start with respect to safety. “The employee injury rate, the train accident rate and the grade crossing incident rate were all lower in the first two months of this year than they were a year ago.”

The E.H. Harriman Awards celebrates the achievements of railroads with the best employee safety records by awarding twelve gold, silver or bronze awards in four categories at an annual luncheon and awards ceremony.

Hamberger credited the industry’s more than 230,000 dedicated employees as being responsible for the industry’s extraordinary safety record.

“This is a safe industry because of the dedication of the individuals who work for it … people who operate trains … people who maintain and repair tracks and signals … people who dispatch trains … people who maintain our fleet of 21,000 locomotives and 1.5 million freight cars … and all of the people who work “behind the scenes”.

Norfolk Southern was awarded top, gold honors for the nineteenth year in a row in Group A which is comprised of line-haul railroads whose employees worked 15 million employee-hours or more during 2007. Other Group A recipients included CSX Transportation (silver) and Union Pacific Railroad (bronze).

In Group B (line-haul railroads whose employees worked 4 to 15 million employee-hours in 2007), for the second year in a row, the gold award went to Kansas City Southern Railway. Silver going to Metra, the Chicago commuter railroad, and bronze went to Canadian Pacific Railway (US operations).

Group C includes railroads whose employees worked less than 4 million employee-hours during the award period. Awards were given to Iowa Interstate Railroad (gold), Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway (silver) and Florida East Coast Railway (bronze).

Group S&T is for switching and terminal companies and the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis took the award for gold. The silver award went to Union Railroad of Pittsburgh, while the Birmingham Southern Railroad received the bronze.

Certificates of Commendation were awarded recognizing four railroads with continuous gains in employee safety improvements over a three year period and showing the most improvement between 2006 and 2007.

Certificates went to Amtrak for Group A, the Long Island Rail Road (Group B), Wisconsin & Southern Railroad (Group C) and finally, Union Railroad for Group S&T.

The Harriman Awards was founded by the late Mrs. Mary W. Harriman in memory of her husband, Edward H. Harriman, an American legend in railroading.

Today, the awards are administered under the auspices of the E.H. Harriman Memorial Awards Institute, with support from the Mary W. Harriman Foundation.

Railroads’ commitment to safety is an integral part of the culture of railroading in America. Today, employee injury rates have declined sharply - down more than 80 percent since 1980. In fact, today railroad employees have injury rates comparable with employees working in the retail or food service industry and lower than those in other modes of transportation.

Harriman winners are selected by a committee of representatives from the transportation field and are granted on the basis of the lowest casualty rates per 200,000 employee-hours worked with a formula that accounts for volume of work performed as well as the number of fatalities and occupational illnesses. All data is documented by the Federal Railroad Administration.

“Given the impact of this acquisition on local communities throughout Northwest Indiana, it’s important that the STB have the time for careful consideration of the deal,” Bayh said. “I believe strongly that area residents should be given the opportunity for a thoughtful, public review and the chance to voice concerns and have their questions answered.”

On May 13, CN filed a request with the STB that a decision on its proposed acquisition of EJ&E be issued by December 1. The impetus for the request was the fact that CN’s Stock Purchase Agreement with EJ&E, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the United States Steel Corporation, established a Dec. 31 date for completion of the transaction. CN argued that the deal must be completed by then to avoid a monetary loss and an uncertain business environment.

In their letter, Lugar, Bayh and Visclosky argue that, the Code of Federal Regulations “does not list the monetary cost to a company and the company’s ability to make ‘fundamental business decisions’ as factors that a federal agency should consider when requested to establish time limits for an environmental review process. Therefore, CN does not meet the criteria established by the Council on Environmental Quality and CN should not expect the STB to place their company’s bottom line above the quality of life and economic vitality of Northwest Indiana.”

Should the acquisition be approved, it would result in a three-fold increase in rail traffic on the existing EJ&E line in Northwest Indiana, the Congressmen say. With as many as 34 trains per day running on the track, the acquisition would bisect local communities, impeding the flow of automobile traffic and creating a considerable public safety concern, they added.

Additionally, the acquisition would create new obstacles to the expansion of the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District’s South Shore Line and would hinder the expansion of Gary/Chicago International Airport. Opposition to the acquisition has been widespread in the affected communities and the STB has received an unprecedented level of public comment against the transaction.

Lugar, Bayh, and Visclosky have been leaders in opposition to CN’s efforts to purchase EJ&E. They received indication from members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation that they too would be writing a letter against CN’s request for an expedited decision.

Since deregulation of the freight railroad industry in 1980, Class 1 freight ton-miles have increased 93 percent, while miles of track have decreased 40 percent, U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown, D-Fla., said. The U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that the demand for rail freight transportation will increase 88 percent by 2035, and their studies estimate that an investment of $148 billion in infrastructure expansion will be needed over the ext 28 years to keep pace with economic growth and to meet DOT’s expecteddemand, the Congresswoman added.

“Unfortunately, as freight movements have grown, so have the conflicts between freight and passenger trains, even though under existing federal law, Amtrak trains have priority over freight trains,” Brown said during a hearing last month. “This demand for space in the rail system has also caused unintended consequences for shippers.”

Freight traffic on U.S. railroads in 2007 was the second highest on record, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR), following only 2006.

“Additionally, there is growing demand on the rail network for more than just freight movements,” U.S. Rep. James L. Oberstar, D-Minn., said during last month’s hearing. “In 2007, Amtrak moved 25.8 million passengers, the fifth straight year of record ridership. Additionally, commuter rail providers recorded 460 million trips in 2007.

“Congestion, heightened concerns over global warming, and rising gas prices will continue to push the demand for these alternatives to highway travel, and Amtrak and commuter rail must be able to continue to expand to accommodate their growing ridership,” Oberstar added. “Amtrak and commuter rail utilize portions of the freight rail network to provide service. However, their capacity needs are different from those of the freight railroads, meaning different capacity investments will be necessary if we want to continue to favor these modes.”

To help ease the congestion, some members of Congress are looking whether federal legislation needs to be passed, according to Oberstar.

“Unlike other modes of transportation, there is no dedicated stream of funding for rehabilitating, reconstructing, or expanding our nation’s rail network,” Oberstar said. “Some legislative proposals to deal with capacity concerns are circulating in Congress, including one to provide the railroads with a 25 percent infrastructure tax credit. I am currently reviewing that legislation.”

– Railfanning.org News Wire

CONCORD, Calif. — Pacer International Inc. announced expanded intermodal services between its Pacer Stacktrain unit and BNSF Railway which allows Pacer Stacktrain to begin full service on their network effective April 1, 2008.

Pacer Stacktrain will — for the first time — have access to the entire BNSF intermodal network within the United States. Interline service is available to and from Pacer-served CSX and Canadian National locations.

“We are very pleased to have expanded our service with BNSF. The new Pacer Stacktrain BNSF Double Stack Service is a major milestone for our customers, providing fast and reliable ramp-to-ramp and door-to-door service,” said Pacer International Chairman and CEO Michael Uremovich. “This service expansion increases our market reach, service level offerings, and capacity in key intermodal lanes. It expands our highly-regarded Stacktrain network, enhancing the excellent product already operating on Union Pacific and CSX.”

That service has been provided by Pacer since it acquired Stacktrain in 1999.

Pacer Stacktrain is one of the largest intermodal providers in North America with an equipment fleet exceeding 58,000 domestic containers and chassis. The new service opens access for customers to both the double stack and expedited BNSF service networks, served exclusively with 53-foot containers.

The expanded BNSF services will be merged with existing Pacer Stacktrain customer support and equipment reservation processes. PacerDirect door-to-door service will also be available. Gate reservations will not be required for BNSF moves.

“The expanded BNSF service provides new high-value options within Pacer’s intermodal product offerings. Our customers will be able to choose the right service — either on the BNSF or UP networks — that meets their needs in a particular market or lane,” said Uremovich.

Pacer International Inc. is a leading North American logistics and freight transportation provider.

– Business Wire

Each year in the United States, an average of 916 people are killed and 8,300 are seriously injured in collisions with trains in the United States. In 2005, a total of 39 children aged 15 and under were killed in an incident involving a train. According to the two safety partners, education is key to preventing these injuries.

CN created the Safe Crossing Program as a one-day event in 2005 and by 2006 it became Safe Crossing Week, involving hundreds of elementary schools across Canada and reaching millions of people through the media. This is the first year that Safe Crossing Week is being held in the United States.

“Education plays a key role in preventing injuries, and the work we do now with young children will have a positive impact on their behavior as they grow older,” said Chrissy Cianflone, rail safety program manager at Safe Kids USA. “Once kids learn the rules, they have the tools to help them be safe when they are around railroad tracks and property.”

This year, about 100 elementary schools will be participating in Safe Crossing Week, and thousands of children will be reached in communities across the United States.

“Safe Crossing Week is unique because it encourages teachers to easily incorporate rail safety lessons into their everyday curriculum, from math and science to physical education classes,” said Bobby Walker, chief of CN Police. “The fact that so many schools are coming on board shows that educators are committed to the safety issue, and we are pleased to see that.”

CN Police officers will also be visiting elementary schools to talk to students about the potential danger of walking and playing on or near railroad tracks and property.
Participating schools received a Safe Crossing Week package, which includes a Safe Crossing school certificate; lesson plans incorporating rail safety into language, math, social sciences and physical education classes for kindergarten to Grade 6 students; Safe Crossing Week posters; student activity booklets; parent letters and fact sheets; and interactive web-based teaching tools.

Children and parents are also invited to visit Obie’s website, a fun-filled and interactive site featuring an animation of CN’s real-life safety train, Little Obie, which encourages kids to get on board online at http://www.cn.ca/obie.

To stay safe near railroad tracks, parents and children need to follow these simple rules:

• Always cross at a railroad crossing with lights, gates and/or the crossbuck sign;
• Listen for the warning bell and train whistles;
• Look both ways before crossing the tracks;
• If one train passes, make sure that a second train is not approaching on the same or another track; and
• Walking or playing on or near tracks is dangerous and can be illegal.

To learn more about Safe Crossing Week, visit www.usa.safekids.org/rail

– PRNewswire-USNewswire

” This was an accident that could have been prevented,” said NTSB Chairman Mark V. Rosenker. “We will continue to promote and reiterate the importance of having positive train control on our railroad system.”

On July 10, 2005, two CN freight trains collided head on in Anding, Mississippi. The collision occurred on the CN Yazoo subdivision where the trains were being operated under a centralized traffic control (CTC) signal system on a single track. Signal data indicated that the northbound train continued past a stop (red) signal at North Anding and collided with the southbound train about ¬ mile beyond the signal.

The collision resulted in the derailment of 6 locomotives and 17 cars. About 15,000 gallons of diesel fuel were released from the locomotives and resulted in a fire that burned for about 15 hours. There were two crewmembers on each train and all four were killed.

The Board stated that the northbound crew should have been able to see an approach signal and would have had ample time to slow down the train on the main track and be prepared to stop at the next signal. There was no indication that the northbound train slowed or that brakes were applied.

As part of its accident investigation, the Safety Board examined the work/rest cycles of the northbound train crew based on CN records and interviews with family members. A regularly deficient amount of sleep can impair human performance and alertness.

Based on a review of the crew’s 72-hour work/rest history prior to the accident, and the crew’s previous 5-day work schedule, the Board believes that the train crew’s short sleep periods likely led to their developing a cumulative sleep loss, or sleep debt. Sleep debt occurs when an individual does not obtain sufficient restorative sleep over time.

In previous accidents, the Safety Board has determined that crewmembers were inattentive to signals due to human factors other than fatigue, including distraction. In this case, the Safety Board concluded that the northbound train crew’s attention to the signals was most likely reduced by fatigue; however, without a locomotive cab voice recorder or availability of other supporting evidence, it cannot be determined whether distraction or some other factor also contributed to the crew’s failure to comply with the signals.

Contributing to the accident was the absence of a positive train control (PTC) system that would have stopped the northbound train before it exceeded its authorized limits. PTC technology is a safety redundancy that can prevent train collisions and overspeed derailments, when train crewmembers fail to follow signal indications.

The Safety Board has investigated many train collisions that could have been prevented through the deployment of a PTC system. Therefore, the Board concludes that had a PTC system been in place at Anding, it would have intervened by slowing and stopping the northbound train when the crew did not respond to the signals.

Also contributing to the accident was the lack of an alerter on the lead locomotive that may have prompted the crew to be more attentive to their operation of the train. Had the crew been incapacitated or not responded to an alarm, the alerter would have automatically applied the brakes and brought the train to a stop.

The Board concludes that had an alerter been installed on the lead locomotive of the northbound train, it may have prevented the collision.

As a result of it’s investigation, the Safety Board made recommendations to the Federal Railroad Administration, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, CN and all Class I Railroads. Among the 8 recommendations are the following:

• That the FRA require railroads to ensure that the lead locomotives used to operate trains on tracks not equipped with a positive train control system are equipped with an alerter.
• That the FRA assist the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) in developing regulations to require that railroads immediately provide to emergency responders accurate, real-time information regarding the identity and location of all hazardous materials on a train.
• That PHMSA require and verify that States and their communities that receive funds through the Hazardous Materials and Emergency Preparedness grant program conduct training exercises and drills with the joint participation of railroads and other transporters of hazardous materials operating within their jurisdictions as a means of evaluating State, regional, and local emergency hazardous materials response plans.
• That the CN develop and implement a positive train control system that includes collision avoidance capabilities on main line tracks, establishing priority requirements for high-risk corridors such as those where passenger trains operate.

A synopsis of the Board’s report, including the probable cause and safety recommendations, is available on the Board’s website, www.ntsb.gov, under “Board Meetings.” The Board’s full report will be available on the Web site in several weeks.

– Special to Railfanning.org News Wire