September 2009 – Page 5 – Railfanning.org

Metro Investigating Employee Fatality

September 10, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — Metro officials are investigating an accident that took place mid-morning today, Sept. 10, when a 44-year old Metro employee was struck by a six-car outbound train at 10:40 a.m. between the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Braddock Road Metrorail stations. The male employee, a communications technician in Metro’s Track, Structures and System Maintenance Office, was originally hired by Metro on Dec. 30, 1996. He was taken to a local hospital. It is believed that he sustained serious injuries. A communications technician is responsible for repairs to the communications network that alerts the Operations Control Center of vital

‘Pardon me boy,’ is that an historic train depot?

September 7, 2009 Todd DeFeo

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The events of 1970 could have spelled doom for Chattanooga’s Terminal Station. On Aug. 11 of that year, the final train departed from the station. Over the past 170 years, Chattanooga is probably best known for its railroads. But, with the advent of cars and highways, rail travel was obsolete by the 1970s, and the station’s fate seemed sealed. But in 1971, a group of local businessmen intervened and bought the station. After more than a year of renovations, the Chattanooga Choo Choo hotel reopened in the former station following an April 11, 1973, re-dedication. The structure

Historic Tenn. swing bridge see rehabilitation funding

September 7, 2009 Todd DeFeo

The state of Tennessee is helping to refurbish a railroad bridge that dates to before the Civil War.

Amtrak and Capitol Corridor Support California Rail Safety Month

September 4, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

OAKLAND, Calif. — Amtrak and the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (CCJPA) are joining efforts during September to raise public awareness about highway-rail grade crossing safety and trespass prevention as part of California’s first ever “Rail Safety Month.” Working with California Operation Lifesaver, freight and passenger railroads and other rail safety partners, Amtrak will participate in “Officer on the Train” events in cities throughout the state during the month of September. The key element of this program is to have local law enforcement officers ride in the locomotive to witness what train engineers observe daily — motorists driving illegally through

AAR Reports Rail Traffic Continues to Register Gains

September 4, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — The Association of American Railroads today reported that rail traffic continues to register incremental gains on a week-to-week basis, but remains down year over year. Rail carloadings were at their highest level since the week ended Dec. 13, 2008. For the week ended Aug. 29, 2009, U.S. railroads reported originating 285,580 cars, down 16.2 percent compared with the same week in 2008. Regionally, carloadings were down 16 percent in the West and 16.6 percent in the East. Intermodal traffic of 202,553 trailers or containers on U.S. railroads was down 15.6 percent from the same week last year. Container

UP: Joliet Intermodal Terminal Investment Supports Customer Growth; State-of-the-Art Facility Part of Centerpoint’s Integrated Logistics Center

September 4, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

JOLIET, Ill. — Union Pacific’s new Joliet Intermodal Terminal will support customer growth by increasing the railroad’s international and domestic container capacity and improving rail traffic efficiencies in Chicago, the nation’s largest rail center, the railroad said. Once on line, customers from across Union Pacific’s network will benefit from Joliet’s annual capacity of 500,000 ocean-going containers. Officials and customers gathered today to celebrate the construction commencement of Union Pacific’s nearly $370 million, 785-acre Joliet Intermodal Terminal and CenterPoint Intermodal Center – Joliet (“CIC – Joliet”), a 3,900-acre state-of-the-art integrated logistics center. “Our new intermodal terminal demonstrates Union Pacific’s unwavering commitment

BNSF Names Bischler Vice President, Chief Sourcing Officer; Piggott Vice President Planning & Studies and Controller

September 4, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

FORT WORTH, Texas — Paul Bischler has been named vice president and chief sourcing officer, responsible for BNSF Railway Company’s sourcing efforts, effective Oct. 1. He will report to Carl Ice, executive vice president and chief operations officer. Bischler succeeds Dennis Johnson who will leave the company on Sept. 30 to dedicate more time to family and other personal interests. Julie Piggott, previously vice president finance and treasurer, will succeed Bischler and assume the role of vice president planning & studies and controller. She will report to Tom Hund, executive vice president and chief financial officer. Piggott will also have

WMATA ‘Reimbursed’ $3.4 Million for Inauguration Expenses

September 3, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — Washington Metro officials were notified by the U.S. Department of Justice that $3.4 million in federal funds would be returned to the transit authority to cover expenses associated with providing Metro service for the Inauguration of President Barack Obama. Metro had already received $475,000 in reimbursements from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, so Metro’s total federal reimbursement was for $3.9 million. “The work of the regional Congressional delegation – Senators Mikulski, Cardin, Webb, and Warner and Representatives Hoyer, Moran, Norton, Wolf, Van Hollen, Edwards and Connolly — to include funding for Inaugural expenses in the FY2009 appropriations bill