Articles by Railfanning.org News Wire

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Commuter Rail

Two WMATA Trains Collide at West Falls Church Rail Yard

November 29, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
WASHINGTON — A six-car Metrorail train struck the rear of a parked six-car train at West Falls Church Rail Yard. The collision happened at 4:27 a.m. today, Nov. 29. Three employees sustained minor, non life-threatening injuries and were taken to a nearby hospital where they were treated and released. No customers were on board the trains. Service to customers was not affected when the rail system opened this morning at 7 a.m., officials said. Train No. 902 was the last train of the night pulling into the rail yard when it struck the last car of a six-car train that
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Canadian National

CN Engineers in Canada Striking

November 28, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
MONTREAL –CN engineers in Canada started striking after negotiations between the railroad and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) ended Nov. 27 without an agreement on a new labor contract. Locomotive engineers will remain on the job in the following CN territories because of separate collective agreements: northern Alberta, parts of northern and eastern Ontario, northern Quebec, and parts of eastern Quebec and New Brunswick, the railroad previously said. On Nov. 23, CN notified the TCRC of its intention to implement only one work rule change to the collective agreements and increase wages by 1.5 percent effective Nov. 28. CN
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Canadian National

Talks Between CN, Engineers’ Union Break Off

November 27, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
MONTREAL — Negotiations between CN and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) ended this evening, Nov. 27, with no agreement on a new labour contract, the railroad said. CN and the TCRC had resumed negotiations earlier in the day with the assistance of federal mediators in an attempt to reach a settlement. CN now expects the TCRC to strike the company’s Canadian operations. CN said a TCRC strike is particularly unfortunate because CN has repeatedly offered, and the union has refused, to submit the contract disagreements to binding arbitration in order to avoid a labour disruption. In a news release,
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Canadian Pacific

Canadian Pacific Biodiesel Testing Underway

November 27, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
CALGARY — Canadian Pacific and Natural Resources Canada have partnered on a biodiesel fuel pilot project under the National Renewable Diesel Demonstration Initiative, announced Lee Richardson, a member of Parliament for Calgary Centre. “The Government of Canada is working closely with industry partners like Canadian Pacific to support the use of renewable diesel in the Canadian fuel market,” Richardson said. “Our Government is investing over $800,000 in this important step forward to help reduce Canada’s total greenhouse gas emissions.” The Government of Canada has announced its intent to regulate an average five percent renewable fuel content based on the national
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Canadian National

CN Receives Strike Notice

November 26, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
MONTREAL — CN on Nov. 25 received a 72-hour strike notice from the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) of its plan to strike the company at 1 a.m. on Nov. 28. CN said the TCRC’s decision is unfortunate because a strike is in no one’s interest – not the locomotive engineers, CN’s other employees, its customers or the Canadian economy. CN is urging the TCRC to resume negotiations immediately to reach a settlement. If that is not possible, CN believes the union should agree to submit issues in dispute to binding arbitration before the Nov. 28 strike deadline. Such an
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Kansas City Southern

Goodwill and Holiday Spirit Runs Kansas City Southern’s Ninth Annual Holiday Express

November 26, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
KANSAS CITY — In its ninth annual run, Kansas City Southern’s Holiday Express train will bring Santa Claus and his elves on 23 dates to 22 communities in eight states throughout the company’s service territory, including Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas and Illinois. Access to the Holiday Express train is free and open to the public. “Like many companies in North America, the economy has had a significant effect on our business, so we had to think carefully about whether to run the Holiday Express train this year,” said KCS chairman and chief executive officer Michael R. Haverty.
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World

GE Transportation to Provide 300 Locomotive Assemblies to CSR Qishuyan in China

November 24, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
BEIJING — GE Transportation announced it has reached an agreement with CSR Qishuyan Locomotive Co., Ltd. to provide 300 locomotive assemblies for China HXN5 Mainline locomotives produced by CSR Qishuyan with Evolution Series diesel engines. The agreement helps to sustain close to 1,200 high-tech jobs in the U.S. The announcement was made as part of “GE’s Clean Technology Week in China” activities, the company said. The agreement follows an order of 300 Evolution Series China Mainline Locomotives originally placed in 2005. According to the agreement, GE Transportation will supply 300 locomotive assemblies that will be manufactured in Erie and Grove
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Commuter Rail

GE and China MOR Sign Strategic MOU to Advance High-Speed Rail Opportunities in the U.S.

November 24, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
ERIE, Pa. — GE and China’s Ministry of Railways announced that they signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to jointly advance high-speed rail (HSR) opportunities in the United States. This collaboration will allow GE Transportation to be the first U.S. locomotive manufacturer to more effectively compete for high-speed rail projects against global competitors, the companies said. In addition, the partnership would accelerate GE’s passenger rail technologies and create in the near future up to 150 high technology jobs in the U.S. The announcement was made as part of “GE’s Clean Technology Week in China” activities, GE said. “China is a
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Amtrak

Amtrak Illinois Ridership Up 20 Percent Since 2007

November 24, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
CHICAGO – Amtrak trains operated under a contract with the Illinois Department of Transportation drew more than 1.8 million passengers to state-supported routes in Fiscal Year 2009. Overall ridership is up slightly from 2008 and rose by 20 percent from 2007. Ridership on the Chicago-Bloomington/Normal-Springfield-St. Louis Lincoln Service and Texas Eagle increased six percent from FY 2009 and 21 percent from FY 2007. “In a difficult year for the economy – particularly in the travel industry – Amtrak Illinois ridership has remained strong,” said Amtrak President and CEO Joseph H. Boardman. The Illinois DOT plans to take the 284-mile Chicago-St.