Month: December 2007

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Commuter Rail

Northstar Commuter Rail Project Secures Final Federal Funding Approvals

December 11, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

ANOKA, Minn. — A Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) commits $156.8 million in federal matching funds and immediately releases another $97.5 million in state bonding money for Northstar Commuter Rail construction and trains. “Minnesota has reached a new milestone today with the signing of the Full Funding Grant Agreement for Northstar,” said Dan Erhart, Chair of the Northstar Corridor Development Authority (NCDA). “Not only is this a day of celebration for those who have kept the project on track, but for Minnesotans who will soon be riding the trains, employers who will have their workers on board and communities along

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Miscellaneous

49 Railroad Cars on the Auction Block

December 10, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Government Liquidation LLC is auctioning off 49 railroad cars equaling more than 2.1 million pounds of unprepared heavy melting iron. The railroad cars, which are located in Hooks, Texas, consist of steel tankers, steel box cars and steel flat beds. Online bidding opens at 12 a.m. (Eastern Time) on Dec. 13 on the official online clearinghouse for government surplus www.govliquidation.com. All the rail cars are on wheels and can be rolled out for removal during this one-time event. The steel flat beds and steel box cars have wooden floors, and old style journal bearings. Some are equipped

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Canadian Pacific

Teamsters Canada Rail Conference and Canadian Pacific Reach Revised Contract Settlement for Train Operations Employees

December 6, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

CALGARY — The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC), representing 4,500 locomotive engineers and conductors, and Canadian Pacific yesterday (Dec. 5) reached a revised tentative five-year contract settlement. The Memorandum of Settlement will now be sent to the union membership for ratification, which is expected to conclude within the next eight weeks. Details of the tentative agreement will be released following ratification of the agreement by union members. — PRNewswire-FirstCall

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CSX

Three Charged in Atlanta Rail Car Thefts

December 4, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

ATLANTA — Three people have been arrested for stealing computers from a CSX freight train parked in a local rail yard. Police say 19 rail cars were burglarized and officers recovered 26 computers and various other items that were stolen from the cars, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. CSX police saw the men and called Atlanta authorities, WAGA-TV reported. — Railfanning.org News Wire

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Amtrak

Weather Continues to Cause Problems for Amtrak

December 4, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

Due to extreme weather in the Pacific Northwest resulting in downed trees, mudslides and the closure of Interstate 5 in the Olympia, Wash., and Chehalis, Wash., area, Amtrak Cascades service between Portland, Ore., and Vancouver, British Columbia, will be cancelled Tuesday (Dec. 4). There with be no alternate transportation. Other Amtrak services will also be affected. Train service on the Amtrak Cascades service (between Portland and Vancouver) will be cancelled on Tuesday (Dec. 4) with no alternate transportation. Normal train service will operate between Eugene, Ore., and Portland. The Coast Starlight will terminate at Eugene with alternate transportation only between

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Amtrak

Amtrak Train Speeding at Time of Derailment

December 3, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

CHICAGO — An Amtrak train that crashed into the rear end of a Norfolk Southern freight train last week was speeding, the NTSB said. Amtrak’s Pere Marquette was traveling 40 mph when it should have been traveling 15 mph Though the speed limit is usually 79 mph along that stretch of track, the Amtrak should have slowed to 15 mph because of a signal. “Part of our investigation is to figure out why that signal was not obeyed,” The Associated Press quoted NTSB Vice Chairman Robert Sumwalt as saying. “We’re not here to point fingers,” Sumwalt said, according to The

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Amtrak

Amtrak Service Disrupted Following Mudslides

December 3, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

SEATTLE — Amtrak service in the Pacific Northwest was suspended following mudslides that blocked the railroad. Train service on the Cascades (which runs between Eugene, Ore., and Vancouver, British Columbia) has been cancelled, and alternate transportation will be provided to all station stops. Also, service on the Coast Starlight will terminate at Eugene with alternate transportation provided between Eugene and Seattle. The Empire Builder will terminate at Everett, Wash., with alternate transportation provided between Everett and Seattle. It is expected that the service disruption will continue through tomorrow (Dec. 4). Amtrak apologizes for any inconvenience. Passengers may call 800-USA-RAIL or

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FRA

FRA: Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad Correct to Close Tunnels

December 2, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

COOS BAY, Ore. — Three tunnels on the Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad (CORP) “need immediate repairs to permit the safe resumption of railroad operations,” meaning the railroad was correct to close the passageways, the Federal Railroad Administration said in a statement. “FRA agrees that all three tunnels need immediate repairs to permit the safe resumption of railroad operations,” the administration said. In September, CORP made the decision to embargo rail traffic on its Coos Bay Subdivision line as a result of the tunnel safety issues. The three tunnels are located between Eugene, Ore., and Coquille, Ore. FRA reached its

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Amtrak

Chicago Derailment Under Investigation

December 1, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

CHICAGO — The National Transportation Safety Board has dispatched a Go Team to investigate yesterday’s collision between an Amtrak passenger train and a Norfolk Southern freight train on NS tracks south of Chicago. NTSB Rail Investigator Ted Turpin will serve as Investigator-in-Charge and lead the 7-member team. Vice Chairman Robert Sumwalt will accompany the team and serve as spokesman for the on-scene investigation. At the time of the crash, there were 187 passengers and six employees on board the Amtrak train. Most passengers and crew members were unhurt and were later transported to Amtrak Chicago Union Station and on to