Railfanning.org News Wire

Kansas City Southern Reports Fourth Quarter Revenues Increase 18 Percent

February 3, 2011 Railfanning.org News Wire

KANSAS CITY — Kansas City Southern reported fourth quarter 2010 revenues of $479 million reflecting continued improvement in economic conditions in the markets served. Sequentially, revenues recovered from third quarter 2010 which were negatively impacted by service disruptions caused by Hurricane Alex, the railroad said. Revenue growth was experienced across all commodity groups. Automotive revenues were up 41 percent over fourth quarter 2009 as a combination of strong pricing and new cross border vehicle routings benefitted the commodity group. Coal revenues increased 31 percent from a year ago on improved contract pricing which took effect at the beginning of 2010. Intermodal revenues were up 28 percent on a strong

CN, Montreal Port Authority, Montreal Gateway Terminals Partnership and Termont Montreal Reach Agreements

February 3, 2011 Railfanning.org News Wire

MONTREAL — CN, the Montreal Port Authority (MPA) and the two companies that operate the port’s three key container terminals announced today two level of service agreements (LSAs) that will drive a strong focus on supply chain efficiencies. The two agreements – one signed by CN, the port authority and Montreal Gateway Terminals Partnership (MGT), which operates the CAST and RACINE terminals, and another signed by CN, the port authority and Termont Montreal — complement a framework agreement that CN and the MPA reached in September 2010. Under last fall’s agreement, CN and the port decided to develop a best-practices vision for

Amtrak Preparing to Celebrate 40th Anniversary

February 3, 2011 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON – On May 1, 2011, Amtrak will celebrate 40 years as “America’s Railroads” providing vital intercity and high-speed passenger rail service to the nation and offering a critical transportation choice for both urban and rural communities. Preparations are now underway for several activities to commemorate the occasion, the railroad said.

Union Pacific Railroad Employees Achieve Record Safety Performance

February 3, 2011 Railfanning.org News Wire

OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific Railroad’s 2010 employee safety performance was the best in the company’s nearly 150-year history, the railroad said. Union Pacific’s full-year employee reportable injury rate was 1.37, a 6 percent improvement over the previous best of 1.45 established in 2009. A company’s injury rate is calculated using the number of injuries per 200,000 worker hours, which is equivalent to the number of hours worked by 100 full-time employees in a year. “Employees being more aware of risk, improving and standardizing best practices and embracing Total Safety Culture were key factors in our 2010 performance,” said Bob

Norfolk Southern Facilitates $2.5 Billion in Industrial Investment Along Rail Lines in 2010

February 2, 2011 Railfanning.org News Wire

NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk Southern Corp. participated in the location of 67 new industries and the expansion of 28 existing industries along its rail lines in 2010, the railroad said. New plants and expansions represented an investment of $2.5 billion by Norfolk Southern customers and are expected to create 2,000 jobs in the railroad’s territory, eventually generating more than 132,000 carloads of new rail traffic annually. Norfolk Southern assisted state and local government and economic development officials throughout 16 states in helping customers identify ideal locations for new and expanded facilities. “The energy sector again anchored our results during 2010,” said Newell

Norfolk Southern Foundation Awards Nearly $5.6 million to Charitable Organizations in 2010

February 1, 2011 Railfanning.org News Wire

NORFOLK, Va. — The Norfolk Southern Foundation, the charitable giving affiliate of Norfolk Southern Corp., announced that it awarded nearly $5.6 million in grants during 2010 to nonprofit, charitable organizations. The Foundation supports programs that benefit nonprofit organizations in four principal areas: educational programs; community enrichment, focusing on cultural and artistic organizations; environmental programs; and health and human services. The grants included $1.4 million in employee matching gifts in support of 510 organizations. Grants other than matching gifts went to 310 organizations in Norfolk Southern’s operating territory. The Foundation contributed to 79 United Way campaigns plus other health and human

STB Plans Colo. Public Hearing

January 31, 2011 Railfanning.org News Wire

The Surface Transportation Board announced a public hearing to be held in Conejos, Colo., on a proposal by the San Luis and & Rio Grande Railroad to transfer onto railcars containers of contaminated dirt and debris from trucks originating at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. The Board has instituted a declaratory order proceeding to determine whether the Board’s jurisdiction preempts the land-use code of Conejos County, Colo., where the transloading would take place. The public hearing is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 17, 2011 at 10 a.m. at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish Hall, 6631 County Road 13, Conejos, Colo.

Critical for Northeast Corridor to Remain a Public Asset, Says Amtrak President Joe Boardman

January 28, 2011 Railfanning.org News Wire

NEW YORK – Amtrak president Joe Boardman participated in a roundtable discussion regarding high-speed rail in the Northeast Corridor hosted by House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman U.S. Representative John Mica. Mr. Boardman made the following statement: “It is critical for the Northeast Corridor to remain a public asset for the generations of Americans that are depending on our collective leadership to secure their future. It is about connecting the major metropolitan communities of the Northeast, and also connecting the Northeast to the rest of the United States. “As a result of Amtrak’s stewardship and improvement of the Northeast Corridor infrastructure, train speeds have increased from

CSX and Environmental Defense Fund Work to Improve Energy Efficiency

January 27, 2011 Railfanning.org News Wire

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX Corp. said its continued participation in Environmental Defense Fund’s (EDF) Climate Corps for 2011. EDF Climate Corps places top MBA students in companies to develop practical, actionable energy efficiency plans that cut costs and greenhouse gas emissions. As a result of its participation in the program last year, CSX and the company’s fellow identified savings of more than $160,000, 1.5 million kWh of electricity (enough to power 140 homes), and 940 metric tons of CO2 (equivalent to removing 150 SUVs from the road) annually. “CSX’s commitment to the environment has enabled the company to drive great results

Hersman: Investigations Highlight Need for New Perspective on Safety Culture

January 26, 2011 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Deborah A. P. Hersman said accident investigations highlight the need for a new perspective on safety culture, record-keeping and aging infrastructure. In a speech to the audience at the Transportation Research Board (TRB) conference, Hersman discussed four investigations across all modes of transportation. She highlighted several accidents that claimed the lives of dozens and encouraged attendees to embrace lessons learned to prevent future accidents. “If you’re going to build a transportation project that’s going to stand for decades, the foundation of future operating decisions may well be based on the original documentation. Make sure your records stand the test of time,” Hersman said. Hersman