Month: July 2010

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CSX

CSX Announces Second Quarter Earnings

July 12, 2010 Railfanning.org News Wire

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX Corp. announced second quarter earnings from continuing operations of $414 million, or $1.07 per share, versus $282 million, or $0.71 per share, in the same period last year. This represents a 51 percent year-over-year improvement in earnings per share from continuing operations. “While the economy remains dynamic, our markets overall continue to improve, and our outlook remains positive,” said Michael J. Ward, chairman, president and chief executive officer. “At the same time, CSX has demonstrated that it can be successful in a wide array of economic conditions, and that’s what we will continue to do.” Revenue

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Amtrak

Amtrak Virginia Introduces Additional Service between Richmond and Washington

July 9, 2010 Railfanning.org News Wire

RICHMOND, Va. — Beginning July 20, Amtrak Virginia expands daily round-trip service between Richmond and Washington. With this new train, hourly morning departures are available from Richmond’s Staples Mill Station to the Northeast Corridor and more convenient afternoon return trips are available from Washington, DC. The total number of morning departures from Richmond to Washington is now five, with six return departures available in the afternoon and evening. The new frequency between Richmond and Washington is the second state-supported train in Virginia which became Amtrak’s 15th state partner with the launch of service between Lynchburg and the Northeast Corridor last

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CSX

CSX Annual Coal Route Maintenance Work Complete

July 7, 2010 Railfanning.org News Wire

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Nearly 1,000 CSX Transportation Engineering employees completed the annual coal route maintenance project this week. Track maintenance teams worked their way across the Appalachian coal route which includes Kentucky, West Virginia, Tennessee, New York, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Demand for coal remains strong, and on a typical day as many as 50 trains make their way across this important corridor. During this intense maintenance operation, workers installed new rail, and more than 133,000 ties. Ties cover nearly 113 miles of main line track, plus several auxiliary tracks. Crews also re-surfaced an additional 150 miles of track,

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Commuter Rail

U.S. Transportation Secretary LaHood Announces $35 Million in Recovery Act Funding For Downeaster Rail Improvements

July 6, 2010 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — In January, President Obama announced that Maine was awarded $35 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds for the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority (NNEPRA). On July 6, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation and the State of Maine have finalized a grant agreement allowing work to begin on the rehabilitation and expansion of the popular state-supported Downeaster Amtrak intercity passenger service. The Downeaster operates five daily roundtrips between Portland, Maine, and Boston. “This project is a great example of what the Recovery Act is all about,” LaHood said.

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Commuter Rail

High Speed Rail Moves Forward: Federal Railroad Administration Seeks Applications for $2.3 Billion in High-Speed Rail Grants

July 5, 2010 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — The Obama Administration has taken the next step toward realizing its vision for high-speed rail in the United States. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) will begin accepting applications for $2.1 billion in grants to continue the development of high-speed intercity passenger rail corridors. In addition, FRA will make another $245 million available for individual construction projects within a corridor. Funds for both come from the FY 2010 DOT Appropriations Act. “This important step builds on the $8 billion for high-speed rail that President Obama announced last January,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “The President’s

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FRA

FRA Begins New Research Project on the Impact of Traumatic Stress on Train Crews

July 3, 2010 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) invites qualified researchers to apply for $50,000 in grant funding to initiate a study of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Acute Distress Disorder (ASD), conditions which are frequently suffered by train crews after being involved in collisions at highway-rail grade crossings or trespass incidents involving pedestrians, the two leading causes of fatalities in the railroad industry. Given the size and weight of trains, crews are often unable to stop their trains fast enough to avert these types of incidents, which can lead to psychological trauma for those involved. The selected individual or

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Amtrak

Amtrak Joins DHS Rail Security Initiative

July 3, 2010 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON—Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano launched the first phase of DHS’ nationwide “See Something, Say Something” campaign and announced a new national information-sharing partnership with Amtrak as part of the Department’s nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting (SAR) initiative during a whistlestop train tour—highlighting the public’s role in keeping our country safe and the Obama administration’s commitment to bolstering surface transportation security. “Implementing a national suspicious activity reporting partnership with Amtrak and expanding the ‘See Something, Say Something,’ campaign strengthens our ability to guard against terrorism and crime,” said Secretary Napolitano. “These initiatives enable us to provide frontline security

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Amtrak

Amtrak Announces Actions Implemented to Put MARC Passengers First

July 2, 2010 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON – At a special “Meet the Managers” event today at Washington Union Station, Amtrak President and CEO Joseph Boardman directly informed MARC passengers of some of the actions the railroad is implementing to put passengers first and take care of their needs in the event of a MARC commuter train breakdown. “Amtrak is in the business of moving people and we must never forget that,” Boardman said. “Passengers come first and the equipment comes second.” Amtrak is taking the following actions now and will continue to work with MARC to identify additional measures to improve customer service: Water Supply

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CSX

CSX Reminds Travelers of Importance of Rail Safety During Holiday Weekend

July 1, 2010 Railfanning.org News Wire

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — As the July 4th holiday approaches, CSX Corp. is reminding people to use common sense and extreme caution around railroad tracks and crossings. According to the Federal Railroad Administration, injuries and fatalities associated with trespassing on railroad property are significant, with nearly 1,800 fatalities in the past ten years. The rail safety education group Operation Lifesaver reports that a motorist is almost 20 times more likely to die in a crash involving a train than in a collision involving another motor vehicle. The chance of serious accidents increases during the summer, as children are out of school