Year: 2009

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Commuter Rail

MTA Metro-North Railroad Renews Study of Access to Pennsylvania Station

September 10, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
NEW YORK — MTA Metro-North Railroad is streamlining its study of how best to provide direct train service from its New Haven and Hudson lines into Penn Station, New York via the east Bronx and Manhattan’s West Side, officials said. An environmental review began a decade ago with the intent of developing a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for a “Preferred Alternative” pursuant to the National Environmental Protection Act. Through two screening processes, an initial list of 22 service alternatives was narrowed to four “Build” alternatives; two alternatives for Hudson Line service to Penn Station and two alternatives for New Haven
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Amtrak

Amtrak, TSA and Local Law Enforcement Deploy Across Northeast Corridor Rail Stations

September 10, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
WASHINGTON — Amtrak Police, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) personnel and law enforcement officers from more than 100 federal, state, local, rail and transit police agencies were deployed at approximately 150 passenger rail stations throughout the Northeast Corridor region in an exercise of expanded counterterrorism and incident response capabilities. The deployment happened Sept. 9. The multi-force security surge across 13 states and Washington, DC, is NOT in response to any particular threat or incident. Rather, today’s deployment is part of Operation ALERTS (Allied Law Enforcement for Rail and Transit Security), a coordinated effort involving activities such as heightened station patrols, increased
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Commuter Rail

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
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Amtrak

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
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BNSF

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
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Union Pacific

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
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BNSF

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