Year: 2008

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Commuter Rail

Conductor May be Key to Metrolink Investigation

September 15, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

CHATSWORTH, Calif. — Investigators probing a fatal Metrolink crash want to interview the train’s conductor and also hope that recordings of verbal safety checks will help paint a fuller picture of what happened in the moments leading up to the crash. “He’ll be able to tell us whether he recalls the engineer calling out and him confirming those signals,” The Associated Press quoted Kitty Higgins of the National Transportation Safety Board as saying about the conductor. Metrolink has already blamed human error for the Sept. 12 crash that killed 25 people and injured 130 more. However, the National Transportation Safety

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Commuter Rail

Metrolink Engineer May Have Been Texting

September 14, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

CHATSWORTH, Calif. — Investigators probing a fatal Metrolink crash are looking into whether the train’s engineer sent a text message just before his train crashed into a parked Union Pacific freight train, according to various media reports. “That would be to me unbelievable,” KTLA quoted Metrolink spokeswoman Denise Tyrrell as saying. “I cannot imagine a scenario where a Metrolink engineer would be texting someone while driving a train.” Metrolink has already blamed human error for the crash that killed 25 people and injured 130 more. However, the National Transportation Safety Board says it is still investigating. The wreck is said

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Amtrak

Service Alert: Chicago Hub Service — Heavy Rains Result in Track Closures

September 14, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

The remnants of Hurricane Ike have been dumping heavy rains on the states of Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and Missouri. The resulting temporary closure of various railroad routes is leading to the cancellation of some Amtrak service, with other Amtrak trains operating subject to significant delays. Amtrak is working with the owners of the routes to restore normal service as soon as possible. Passengers with travel plans in these states are urged to call Amtrak at 800-USA-RAIL to confirm the operation of their trains and the status of alternate transportation. Lincoln Service and Texas Eagle, Chicago-Springfield-St. Louis Trains 303, 304, 305,

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Commuter Rail

L.B. Foster Receives Continuous Welded Rail Orders; Rail to be Used in Two California Transit Projects

September 14, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

PITTSBURGH — L.B. Foster Company said it has been awarded business in northern and southern California for continuous welded rail (CWR) for two transit projects. They include the following: — 1,812 tons of 136# New Rail for Caltrain, which will be used for future capital improvements on the 145-year-old railroad. Caltrain is owned and operated by the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board. Caltrain runs from San Francisco to San Jose, with commuter-hour service to Gilroy. Delivery of the CWR is to begin in the late third quarter of 2008. — 1,813 tons of 136# New Rail for the Southern California

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Short Line/Regional

Pacific Harbor Line Becomes First All Low-Emission Railroad in U.S.

September 14, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

LONG BEACH, Calif. — Pacific Harbor Line Inc. said it has completed renewal of its locomotive fleet, becoming the first all low-emission railroad in the nation. All PHL locomotives now meet or exceed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s stringent “Tier 2” standards to reduce air pollutants. In addition to consuming less fuel, particulate and nitrogen oxide emissions have been cut by at least 70 and 46 percent, respectively, according to PHL President Andrew Fox. PHL ran the last of its older non-low emission (pre-Tier 0) locomotives in May 2008. The $30 million project enabled PHL to replace its fleet with 22

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Commuter Rail

Human Error May be to Blame for Fatal Crash

September 13, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

LOS ANGELES – Metrolink officials believe a fatal crash may have been caused by human error. At least 17 people were killed, and as many as 135 people were injured when a crowded commuter train collided with a freight train outside Los Angeles Friday. The NTSB is investigating the crash. “At this time, Metrolink’s preliminary investigation has revealed that yesterday’s incident may have been the result of human factors and/or the railroad signal system on Metrolink’s part,” Metrolink said in a statement. “We will be working with the NTSB to complete a thorough investigation as to the exact cause of

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Miscellaneous

Weather Impacts Rail Freight Traffic to Start September

September 13, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — At least partly because of weather-related issues (Hurricane Gustav at the beginning of the week and Tropical Storm Hanna later in the week), freight traffic on U.S. railroads was off during the first week of September in comparison with the corresponding week last year, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported today. Both this year’s week and the comparison week from last year included the Labor Day holiday. Total volume was estimated 32.0 billion ton-miles, down 3.3 percent from the comparable week last year. Carload freight in the week totaled 306,340 cars, off 3.5 percent from last year.

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Amtrak

Pacific Surfliner Service & Coast Starlight Railroad closure due to collision

September 13, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

An incident involving a Metrolink commuter train and a freight train near Chatsworth, California, has resulted in a temporary closure of the railroad route used by Amtrak Pacific Surfliner trains and the Amtrak Coast Starlight, north of Los Angeles. Amtrak extends condolences to those involved in the commuter train incident and has offered any available assistance. Pacific Surfliner Service and related Thruway Motorcoaches There will no service by Amtrak Pacific Surfliners and their connecting Thruway Motorcoach buses on September 13, between San Luis Obispo and Goleta, California, and Los Angeles, pending restoration of the route. No alternate transportation is available.

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Amtrak

Service Alert: Hurricane Ike — Sunset Limited, Crescent, Texas Eagle, Heartland Flyer & City of New Orleans Affected

September 13, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

Amtrak has begun to restore some service temporarily suspended due to the landfall of Hurricane Ike. Nevertheless, all passengers who have travel plans through September 15 in the affected areas on the Los Angeles-San Antonio-New Orleans route of the Amtrak Sunset Limited, Chicago-Fort Worth-San Antonio route of the Amtrak Texas Eagle or Chicago-Memphis-New Orleans route of the Amtrak City of New Orleans are urged to call Amtrak at 800-USA-RAIL. Those passengers with telephone contact information in their reservations are being called by Amtrak and offered options including future travel dates. Ticketed passengers affected by this service suspension will be eligible