March 2006 – Railfanning.org

Amtrak Crescent Service to be Restored April 3

March 31, 2006 Railfanning.org News Wire

Service by the Amtrak Crescent train will be restored to its full New York-New Orleans route, effective April 3, following the early completion of track work by the Norfolk Southern Railway.

Sale of Grand Canyon Railway Possible

March 29, 2006 Railfanning.org News Wire

WILLIAMS, Ariz. – After nearly 20 years of devotion and resources, Grand Canyon Railway’s owners, Max and Thelma Biegert, are ready to be less involved with the day-to-day operation and have set forth a new goal for the future – to preserve the Railway as their legacy. Grand Canyon Railway has signed an agreement with Peacock, Hislop, Staley and Given, Inc. (PHSG) and are currently pursuing strategic business options, including the possible sale of Grand Canyon Railway. “Max and Thelma are looking forward to enjoying the fruits of their labor during their Golden Years,” said David Chambers, president of Grand

Trolleys Return to Downtown Cleveland

March 29, 2006 Railfanning.org News Wire

CLEVELAND – After a 60-year absence, trolleys will roll once again on downtown streets, offering a way to experience Cleveland’s past and future at the same time. Beginning April 10, office workers and tourists will be able to hop on one of two trolley lines developed by RTA to replace Loop bus service. The E-Line trolley will link entertainment and education venues. The B- Line trolley will connect businesses. Both lines serve Public Square, and will operate from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. with 10-minute frequency. If the nostalgic green-and-gold vehicles complete with cowcatchers, wooden rails and brass bells, don’t

AP: Iran-Pakistan Rail Service Halted

March 25, 2006 Railfanning.org News Wire

QUETTA, Pakistan – Rail service between Iran and Pakistan has been suspended, The Associated Press reported. Trains had been running between Zahedan, Iran, and Quetta. However, a series of rocket attacks and bombings led to the halt in service, the news agency reported. The bi-weekly passenger service and the weekly freight service was the only rail service between the two counties. There have been five rocket attacks against the rail line over the past 10 days, according to The Associated Press. No word on how long service might be halted.

Commuter Rail Safety System Being Tested

March 25, 2006 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON – The federal government is testing new safety devices for commuter trains that are designed to better protect passengers during crashes, Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta announced. Mineta unveiled the new safety measures and released footage of a crash test of a train equipped with them during a March 23 news conference in Glendale, Calif., site of a deadly commuter train crash in January 2005. The test, conducted earlier in the day at the Department’s rail testing facility in Pueblo, Colo., was designed to determine if the safety devices that are part of the Crash-Energy Management system will

Train Accidents and Derailments Decline in 2005

March 24, 2006 Railfanning.org News Wire

The number of overall train crashes and derailments declined in 2005, according to the latest statistics compiled by the Federal Railroad Administration.

Decapod, March 20, 2006

March 20, 2006 Todd DeFeo

Georgia committee formed to promote rail plan

March 17, 2006 Special to Railfanning.org

Twenty community leaders representing the area between Atlanta and Athens have created a working committee to support creating passenger rail service between the two cities.

New Federal Rule Aims to Reduce Human Error As Cause of Train Accidents

March 16, 2006 Railfanning.org News Wire

Visiting a railroad employee training facility in Atlanta, Federal Railroad Administration Administrator Joseph H. Boardman announced March 2 that his agency intends to issue regulations to address the most common human errors that cause train accidents.