Year: 2013

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Commuter Rail

Washington Metro to Advance ‘Model Station’ of the Future

April 11, 2013 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — Metro announced a plan to test potential future station concepts at Bethesda Station. As part of its strategic plan, Momentum, the model station will enable Metro to test several design concepts in a single station, with improved lighting, better information and improved customer convenience. As an underground station with a center platform design, Bethesda represents the hardest type of station to illuminate, making it an ideal location for the “model station” pilot. Some of the concepts being considered include high-output light fixtures to direct light to the vault ceiling; a new, anti-slip zone located at the bottom of

Amtrak

Amtrak: Ridership Growth Continues In FY 2013

April 11, 2013 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — Amtrak ridership increased in the first half of FY 2013 (Oct. 2012 – March 2013) and March set a record as the single best month ever in the history of America’s Railroad®. In addition, October, December, and January each set individual monthly records. Rebounding strongly from service disruptions caused by Superstorm Sandy and other severe weather, Amtrak ridership grew 0.9 percent in the first six months of FY 2013 as compared to the same period the prior year. In all, 26 of 45 routes posted ridership increases and Amtrak expects to end the fiscal year at or above

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Transit

MARTA Ridership Jumps 90 Percent for Final Four

April 10, 2013 Railfanning.org News Wire

ATLANTA — During one of Atlanta’s biggest and most exciting weekends in recent memory, MARTA’s rail ridership spiked dramatically as large numbers of hometown customers and out-of-town visitors skipped the traffic jams and instead chose transit to attend the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament and a host of other events. Beginning Friday April 5th when the Final Four events began until after the championship game on Monday, April 8th, MARTA saw an estimated 78 percent increase in rail ridership. During that period, there were about 1,140,000 total rail passenger boardings; about 500,000 more than on average days when no such events

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Miscellaneous

An Iron Horse Survives On A Diet Of French Fry Oil

April 10, 2013 Railfanning.org News Wire

WILLIAMS, Ariz. — This Earth Day on April 22, the Iron Horse is back and healthier than ever thanks to strictly oil used for french fries and chicken wings. While such a diet might be hazardous to the health of most, The Grand Canyon Railway (GCR) is using recycled waste vegetable oil as fuel on Locomotive No. 4960, a steam engine built in 1923. Beginning this May on the first Saturday of every month through September, all are welcome aboard for a memorable ride on the new-fangled steam engine for a 65-mile journey from Williams, Arizona to the south rim

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CSX

CSX Positioned Well for Near-Term Economic Improvement and Long-Term Growth in the Freight Rail Industry

March 27, 2013 Railfanning.org News Wire

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX is a better, faster and more capable company than it was even one year ago, Michael Ward, the company’s chairman, president and chief executive officer wrote to investors in the 2012 Annual Report delivered this week. Last year the company successfully withstood a significant drop in its coal business by making quick adjustments in its operations and focusing on the mainstays of safety, service and productivity. “Experience has shown that when CSX does those things well, we can turn good conditions into great results, or bad conditions into better results,” Ward said, noting that employees led

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Amtrak

Amtrak to celebrate National Train Day

March 26, 2013 Railfanning.org News Wire

Amtrak and communities nationwide will celebrate the importance of trains to their town at the sixth annual National Train Day, scheduled for May 11. More than 200 communities are expected to host events at local train stations, railroad museums and other locations commemorating this year’s theme “trains matter.” “National Train Day invites communities big and small to share the importance of trains as a vital transportation option and engine of economic development and employment,” Amtrak Chief Marketing & Sales Officer Matt Hardison said in a statement. In addition to events in Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Chicago and Los Angeles, Amtrak is

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Miscellaneous

Hundreds turn out for Southern Museum’s inaugural Museum Night

March 25, 2013 Railfanning.org News Wire

KENNESAW, Ga. — The ominous threat of bad weather wasn’t enough to deter the more than 300 people who turned out to the Southern Museum of Civil War & Locomotive History to help celebrate its 10th birthday. During the inaugural Museum Night, guests had the rare chance to climb aboard The General locomotive made famous during the Civil War’s Great Locomotive Chase. Visitors also partook in a multitude of family-friendly activities – including a railroad camp, slot cars and an operating model train layout – and could view a pair of antique vehicles on display – a 1940 Packard and

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Miscellaneous

Climb aboard the General during Southern Museum’s ‘Museum Night’

March 21, 2013 Railfanning.org News Wire

The Southern Museum of Civil War & Locomotive History is celebrating its 10th birthday with an evening of family-friendly activities aimed at offering visitors a unique look at the museum and its exhibits. The inaugural Museum Night: Trains, Planes and Cars, scheduled for 4-7 p.m. on Saturday, March 23, will feature an evening of family- and history-centered activities in addition to providing visitors an up-close look at museum artifacts. The museum will be closing at 3 p.m. on March 23. During the event, guests will have the rare opportunity to climb aboard the General locomotive made famous during the Civil

Norfolk Southern

‘The Future Looks Good,’ Norfolk Southern CEO Says in Annual Report

March 20, 2013 Railfanning.org News Wire

NORFOLK, Va. — Coming off its second-best year ever for revenue, operating income, net income, and earnings per share, Norfolk Southern Corp. is positioned well for growth, and “the future looks good,” CEO Wick Moorman tells stockholders in the 2012 annual report, posted today on the company’s website at www.nscorp.com. “Despite significant challenges in our coal business, we delivered solid results for our shareholders,” Moorman says. “From an operations perspective, the railroad ran extremely well, setting all-time highs for most of our service and velocity metrics. We also continued our strong record of reinvesting in the company, with more than