October 2008 – Railfanning.org

STB: CORP Must Sell Line

October 31, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON – The Surface Transportation Board has ordered the Central Oregon & Pacific Railroad Inc. (CORP) to sell a 111-mile railroad line running from Danebo, Ore., to Cordes, Ore., to The Oregon International Port of Coos Bay. In a separate decision, the Board granted CORP authority to abandon a 94-mile segment of the Line in the event that a sale of the Line is not completed. In reaching its decision, the STB found that the Line meets the five “public convenience and necessity” criteria for a forced sale under the “feeder line” provision of the agency’s statute enabling shippers and

STB to Discuss ‘Caliente Line’

October 31, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON – The Surface Transportation Board announced that it will hold a public field hearing on Dec. 4, 2008, in Las Vegas to hear public testimony related to the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) application for authority to build the proposed “Caliente Line.” The line is a 300-mile rail line that would connect an existing rail line near Caliente, Nev., to a proposed geologic repository at Yucca Mountain, Nye County, Nev. The DOE proposes to use the new line initially to transport materials needed to construct the repository, and, eventually, to transport spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste for

Railcar in Georgia City May Soon be Moved

October 31, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

MARIETTA, Ga. — A Pullman railcar that has been parked just of the city’s square for decades has been sold and could soon be moved. The city of Marietta in recent months has claimed that the railcar is a blight and cited the owner with a code violation. The railcar, which has been in the city since the 1970s, recently turned up on an online auction site and sold for $425 with a stipulation that it be moved within two weeks, the Marietta (Ga.) Daily-Journal newspaper reported. The owners allege the city wants them to move the aging piece of

STB to Discuss Christensen Study

October 24, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board will hold a public meeting Nov. 6 to discuss the independent study by Christensen Associates assessing the current state of competition in the freight railroad industry in the United States. The Board also announced that the Christensen study will be released to the public, via the Board’s website at www.stb.dot.gov, prior to the public meeting. At the meeting, the Board will discuss the study’s findings with Christensen researchers. While the public is invited to attend the meeting, they will not be permitted to testify, the STB said. The study was undertaken pursuant to a

NTSB to Discuss ‘Most Wanted’ List

October 24, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — The National Transportation Safety Board will hold a public Board meeting on Oct. 28 to review its list of Most Wanted safety recommendations directed at federal agencies. The Most Wanted List was developed in 1990 to focus attention on safety improvements the Board believes will have the greatest impact on transportation safety. Some of the issues to be reviewed this year include runway incursions, positive train control, motor carrier operations and operator fatigue.

Model trains on display

October 23, 2008 Railfanning.org

The local chapter of the National Model Railroad Association is celebrating National Model Railroad Month by sponsoring a tour of more than 40 layouts throughout Metro Atlanta.

Norfolk Southern Moves Record Coal Tonnage in Third Quarter 2008

October 23, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk Southern hauled 49.67 million tons of coal in the third quarter of 2008, an all-time quarterly high driven by strong export demand and more shipments of domestic metallurgical coal. Third-quarter 2008 coal tonnage increased 6 percent, up from 46.84 million tons during the same period last year. The previous record for any quarter was 49.27 million tons in second quarter 2008. Even as it handles record coal amounts, Norfolk Southern has reduced the transit time of shipments over major coal lanes, with an 8.8 percent improvement for the first nine months of 2008. “Faster transit times

Norfolk Southern Reports Record Third-Quarter 2008 Results

October 21, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk Southern Corporation reported third-quarter 2008 net income of $520 million, or $1.37 per diluted share, compared with $386 million, or $0.97 per diluted share, for the same period of 2007. Third-quarter income from railway operations increased 31 percent to a record $894 million. “Our third quarter performance again demonstrates the strength of our diversified traffic base. We are also continuing to provide the high-quality service our customers require in this difficult economic environment,” said Norfolk Southern CEO Wick Moorman. Third-quarter railway operating revenues were $2.9 billion, up 23 percent compared with the same period a year

Decommissioned Maintenance Shop Will be Demolished

October 16, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

NELSON, British Columbia — A decommissioned locomotive maintenance building near the Nelson waterfront will be demolished, Canadian Pacific Real Estate Vice-President John Walsh and Nelson Mayor John Dooley said. CP anticipates the demolition will be complete next year. “I am very pleased that Canadian Pacific has agreed to demolish the diesel shop,” said Mayor Dooley. “We have been working with CP on a number of issues over the past three years and have been really impressed with the cooperation we have received from all their staff, and in particular, John Walsh.” CP used the Diesel Shop Building for heavy locomotive

NTSB: Rail Fatalities Increased in 2007

October 16, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON –Rail fatalities increased slightly in 2007 from 2006, according to preliminary figures released by the National Transportation Safety Board. Overall, transportation fatalities in all modes totaled 43,193 in 2007, compared to 45,085 in 2006. “While statistics show that transportation fatalities have declined this past year,” said Acting Chairman Mark Rosenker, “there is still much work to do to prevent the loss of life on our roads, rails, waterways, and skies.” Rail fatalities increased slightly from 774 to 808. The vast majority of these fatalities were people struck by a rail vehicle, the NTSB said. — Railfanning.org News Wire