Articles by Railfanning.org News Wire

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Railfanning.org News Wire

Norfolk Southern to Use Proceeds from Sale of Painting to Fund Steam Locomotive Rehab

November 28, 2013 Railfanning.org News Wire
Norfolk Southern recently sold a well-known abstract expressionist painting and will use a portion of the proceeds to fund the restoration of a Class J steam locomotive. The railroad sold the untitled 1959 Mark Rothko painting through an auction in New York City. Norfolk Southern is directing $1.5 million of the proceeds to “Fire Up 611!,” the capital campaign. Once refurbished, No. 611, a Norfolk & Western Railway streamliner, will be used for passenger excursion service. “No. 611 is an American classic, a reflection of a time and a people who put the country on their backs and carried it
Miscellaneous

AXION Sells ECOTRAX Rail Ties to Major Australian Rail Line

November 28, 2013 Railfanning.org News Wire
NEW PROVIDENCE, N.J. — AXION International Holdings has received a $170,000 purchase order from a major rail line in Australia for its ECOTRAX 100 percent recycled plastic rail ties. The rail line plans to install ECOTRAX in turnout applications in New South Wales for the spot replacement of wood. ECOTRAX ties will be inserted to replace wood ties, on an as needed basis, as the wood reaches the end of its useful life due to factors including rot and insect damage. This sale follows a favorable initial trail order and in-track testing. “We are pleased to announce yet another major
CSX

CSX And GE Transportation Partner To Pilot Liquefied Natural Gas Locomotives

November 28, 2013 Railfanning.org News Wire
JACKSONVILLE, Fla.– CSX Corp. and GE Transportation have agreed to explore emissions-cutting and efficiency breakthroughs in Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) technology for locomotives beginning with a pilot program in 2014. “LNG technology has the potential to offer one of the most significant developments in railroading since the transition from steam to diesel in the 1950s,” said Oscar Munoz, executive vice president and chief operating officer, CSX Corporation. “That change took many years to complete and began with a lot of unknowns, and this one is no different. But aggressively exploring this technology is consistent with CSX’s focus on tomorrow, its
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Transit

Report: Airport Rail Link Increases Hotel Room Revenue

November 27, 2013 Railfanning.org News Wire
Cities with direct rail access from the airport to and from downtown receive nearly 11 percent more revenue per room than hotels in cities without such a connection, according to a report from the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) and the U.S. Travel Association. The study, A New Partnership: Rail Transit and Convention Growth, shows higher revenue per room translates to a potential $313 million in revenue per year for so-called “rail cities.” In the post-recession period, rail cities commanded 16 percent higher revenue per room than hotels in non-rail cities, the organizations said. “Clearly investment in local rail systems
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Amtrak

Amtrak investing $35 million in Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station

August 26, 2013 Railfanning.org News Wire
PHILADELPHIA — Amtrak is making a $35 million investment to upgrade the historic 30th Street Station in Philadelphia. The upgrades, according to Amtrak, will improve the passenger experience and improve pedestrian mobility in and around the facility. The upgrades also meet long-term infrastructure needs of the 80-year-old station. “30th Street Station is an iconic fixture in Philadelphia,” Stephen Gardner, Amtrak vice president of Northeast Corridor infrastructure and investment development, said in a statement. “As stewards of this national historic landmark we are committed to maintaining its status as a first-class facility for passengers and further integrating the station into the
Amtrak

Amtrak Continuting to Make Upgrades to Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station

August 25, 2013 Railfanning.org News Wire
PHILADELPHIA – Amtrak will continue work this summer and fall on several upgrades at Philadelphia 30th Street Station to improve the passenger experience, tend to the long-term infrastructure needs of the nearly 100year-old building and improve pedestrian mobility in and around the facility. The projects represent about a $35 million investment. “30th Street Station is an iconic fixture in Philadelphia,” said Stephen Gardner, Amtrak vice president of Northeast Corridor infrastructure and investment development. “As stewards of this national historic landmark we are committed to maintaining its status as a first-class facility for passengers and further integrating the station into the
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Transit

MARTA Moving Forward with Transit-Oriented Development

August 14, 2013 Railfanning.org News Wire
ATLANTA — MARTA recently release a Request For Qualifications (RFQ) to identify a master development partner to help create a new Transit-Oriented Development at the King Memorial rail station in Downtown Atlanta. The RFQ is the initial phase of a two-step process wherein potential development partners will be asked to respond to MARTA’s qualification criteria for its TOD program. A short list of firms who satisfy the criteria will subsequently be invited to submit formal bids on the project as part of a future Request for Proposals (RFP). MARTA selected King Memorial Station as the first of five transit-oriented developments
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Commuter Rail

SEPTA Sets Record for Regional Rail Ridership

August 14, 2013 Railfanning.org News Wire
PHILADELPHIA — SEPTA set a new Regional Rail ridership record, with 36,023,000 trips taken by customers during Fiscal Year 2013, the Authority announced last month. Fiscal Year 2013 was the 12-month period from July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013. Ridership on SEPTA’s 13 Regional Rail lines increased by 2.2 percent over the course of the year. System-wide, SEPTA recorded 337.3 million trips during the year on its trains, buses and trolleys. While total ridership was down slightly from the 339.3 million trips in Fiscal Year 2012, the numbers for FY 2013 were impacted by a two-day shutdown due to
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Commuter Rail

R Montague tubes close for 14 months of Sandy-related repairs

August 14, 2013 Railfanning.org News Wire
MTA New York City Transit has started so-called “Fix&Fortify” work to the R Subway Line Icon Montague Tubes. The work, which began Aug. 2, will last for 14 months. The MTA is well into the most extensive and wide-ranging reconstruction effort in its history after Superstorm Sandy decimated the subway system last fall. The Greenpoint and Montague Tubes suffered extensive damage during the storm, when they were flooded with salt water along with seven other interborough subway tubes. The work amounts to a near rebuilding of the link which connects Downtown Brooklyn with Lower Manhattan. The work will be completed