November 2008 – Page 2 – Railfanning.org

St. Louis Opens $26.4 Million Transportation Hub

November 24, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

ST. LOUIS – The City of St. Louis and Amtrak are pleased to announce the official grand opening of the Gateway Transportation Center (GTC), the city’s new $26.4 million multimodal transportation hub. Mayor Francis G. Slay, Comptroller Darlene Green, Amtrak Board Member Thomas Carper, Greyhound, Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT), Citizens for Modern Transit and other local officials dedicated the facility located at 430 South 15th Street. For nearly twenty years, a multimodal station to connect Amtrak, Greyhound, MetroLink and Metro Bus service has been an important concept in the overall design of St. Louis City’s transportation systems, but until

Renjel Named CSX VP – Strategic Infrastructure Initiatives

November 24, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Michael Ward announced the appointment of Louis E. Renjel as vice president-strategic infrastructure initiatives. Renjel will report to Ellen M. Fitzsimmons, senior vice president-law and public affairs, general counsel and corporate secretary. “Louis will help our communities meet their transportation needs while increasing the capability of CSX to accommodate long-term growth,” Ward said. “His experience in the public and private sectors and his leadership in developing environmental solutions make Louis uniquely qualified for this assignment.” Renjel, who joined CSX in Washington, D.C., in 2006, has been active in the Company’s federal

Norfolk Southern Harnesses Sustainable Wind Energy

November 24, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

NORTH KANSAS CITY, Mo. — On Nov. 13, Norfolk Southern completed the installation of a 50 kilowatt wind turbine at its rail yard in North Kansas City to power the yard’s wastewater treatment plant. The wind turbine consists of three 24-foot rotor blades mounted on a 100-foot tower and is estimated to generate more than 100,000 kilowatt hours annually. “The North Kansas City wind turbine is the second of its kind on Norfolk Southern, and continues our efforts to promote and incorporate sustainable business practices,” said Chuck Wehrmeister, vice president safety and environmental. “We will continue to explore renewable energy

Amtrak Restores Auto Train Service Nov. 22

November 21, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON – Amtrak announced that Auto Train service will resume Saturday, Nov. 22, from both its terminals. The Auto Train carries passengers and their automobiles between Lorton, Va., and Sanford, Fla. The service was temporarily suspended Nov. 19 when cracks were found in the underframes of the rail cars that carry automobiles. No passenger-carrying cars were affected. “Although no incidents resulted from these cracks, we suspended service in the interest of safety,” Amtrak acting President and CEO William Crosbie said. We deployed welders and materials to both Auto Train facilities and worked round-the-clock in 12-hour shifts to resume this very

STB Sets CORP Sale Price

November 20, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board announced it has established $16.6 million as the purchase price of the Central Oregon & Pacific Railroad Inc.’s (CORP) 111-mile railroad line, running from Danebo to Cordes, Ore. In a prior decision, the Board had ordered CORP to sell the line to the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay. The Board-established figure is approximately $2.9 million less than the $19.5 million that the Port testified it had available for the Line’s purchase. The Port must decide by Dec. 1 whether to accept the terms of sale established by the Board’s decision. If the Port

Amtrak California Prepares for Busy Thanksgiving Travel Week

November 20, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

OAKLAND – Amtrak, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (CCJPA) anticipating the busiest travel week of the year, are planning ahead for Thanksgiving by adding extra train cars and encouraging passengers traveling throughout California to make their reservations early. The week of Thanksgiving — Tuesday, November 25 to Monday, December 1 — is typically Amtrak’s busiest travel period of the year, carrying more than 665,000 passengers last year systemwide. To accommodate more passengers traveling during this holiday week, more capacity will be added to the Amtrak San Joaquin, Amtrak Pacific Surfliner and Capitol

Amtrak Focuses on Restoration of Auto Train Service

November 20, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON – Amtrak canceled operation of its Auto Train after cracks in auto carrier underframes were discovered. The daily Auto Train carries passengers and their automobiles between Lorton, Va. and Sanford, Fla. After the decision to cancel the train, Amtrak personnel offered Auto Train passengers the option of remaining on the trains they had boarded for meal service and use of the accommodations they had reserved, without charge. Full ticket refunds were also offered. Amtrak also provided hotel vouchers to those passengers who chose to rest over night before driving their cars to their destinations. The popular Auto Train, which

Amtrak Prepares for Thanksgiving Travel

November 18, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON – Anticipating the busiest travel week of the year, Amtrak is planning ahead for the Thanksgiving holiday and encouraging passengers to do the same. The week of Thanksgiving — Tuesday, November 25 through Monday, December 1 — is typically Amtrak’s busiest travel period of the year, carrying more than 665,000 passengers last year. On what is anticipated to be the heaviest travel day of the year for Amtrak, Wednesday, November 26, the railroad expects ridership to reach nearly 128,000 passengers systemwide — a 65 percent increase over the 78,000 passengers Amtrak carries on an average Wednesday. In preparation for

Kummant Resigns as Amtrak’s CEO

November 14, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — Amtrak President and CEO Alex Kummant has resigned his post. Earlier this year, President Bush signed into law the Railroad Safety Improvement Act of 2008 and the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008. Officials said the law will increase funding for Amtrak over the next five years. The legislation, which allocates $12.9 billion over five years for Amtrak, creates for the first time a “federal funding partnership which places rail passenger service on a more equal footing with other modes,” Kummant said previously. “The work on this authorization bill spanned nearly three congresses and does change

STB Issues EA for Pan Am Southern

November 14, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board announced that its Section of Environmental Analysis (SEA) has issued an Environmental Assessment (EA) for public review and comment. The EA related to a proposal by the Norfolk Southern Railway Co., Pan Am Railways Inc. (a noncarrier holding company), and two of Pan Am’s railroad subsidiaries, the Boston and Maine Corp. and the Springfield Terminal Railway Co., to acquire and to jointly control and own, Pan Am Southern LLC, a new railroad to be formed. Earlier this year, Pan Am Railways and Norfolk Southern Railway announced that they agreed to create an improved rail