Railfanning.org News Wire

Union Pacific Donates Facility to U.S. Customs and Border Protection

July 8, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

EAGLE PASS, Texas — Officials from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Union Pacific celebrated the opening of a new rail inspection building in Eagle Pass, Texas. Union Pacific donated the $800,000 facility to CBP. The building will serve as a one-stop location for officers who process information and inspect incoming trains. Eagle Pass Mayor Chad Foster, Maverick County Judge Jose Aranda and other guests dedicated the building, as a Union Pacific locomotive sounded its horn to officially open the new CBP rail facility. “Union Pacific and U.S. Customs and Border Protection work closely to provide safe and secure

MBTA Trolly Driver Charged for Texting on the Job

July 8, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

NEWTON, Mass. — A Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) was indicted on charges he sent text messages while on the job. The driver told investigators he was sending a text message to his girlfriend on May when he ran through two signals — one yellow and one red. The Green Line trolley, traveling about 25 mph, crashed into a second trolley; 49 people were injured in the collision, according to The Boston Globe. “When people board a public conveyance, they place their lives and safety in the operator’s hands,” Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said in a statement, according

NTSB: Monorail Operator Tried to Reverse Train, Avoid Collision

July 8, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The National Transportation Safety Board said that the pilot killed a monorail collision at the Walt Disney World resort tried to reverse his train to avoid the collision. The NTSB said it has developed the following factual information from its investigation of the collision of two trains on the monorail system at Walt Disney World that occurred at about 2 a.m. Sunday (July 5): A Walt Disney World monorail train, designated Monorail Pink, backed into another monorail train, designated the Purple train, near the Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC) monorail station. The operator of Monorail

UP: Cheyenne Frontier Days Special Train to be Pulled by Steam Locomotive

July 7, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

Image Courtesy Union Pacific OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific Railroad legendary steam locomotive No. 844 will pull a special train for Cheyenne Frontier Days, as well as a fundraising special for the Cheyenne Depot Museum between Cheyenne, Wyo., and Denver, Colo. The excursions will celebrate railroad heritage on Union Pacific. In order to get in position to pull this year’s Frontier Days special train, No. 844 will move to Denver’s Union Station from its base in Cheyenne, Wyo., on Thursday, July 16. On Friday, July 17, the locomotive will be on public display at Union Station, 1701 Wynkoop St.,from 8

Union Pacific Announces Operations Management Changes Across its System

July 7, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific Railroad announced the appointments of several service unit superintendents at various locations across the railroad’s 32,000-mile system. The appointments were effective July 1. David Giandinoto has been appointed general superintendent — transportation services for the Chicago Service Unit. Giandinoto is responsible for safe operation of trains on more than 1,000 miles of track in Illinois and Wisconsin. Prior to his recent appointment he had been director — transportation services for the Houston Service Unit. Giandinoto replaces Rod Richardson who has been appointed to a position in Oakland, Calif. Giandinoto began his railroad career in 1994

AAR: Rail Freight Traffic Down in June

July 7, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — The Association of American Railroads reported that U.S. railroads originated 1,039,889 carloads of freight in June 2009, down 19.7 percent with 255,668 fewer carloads, compared with June 2008. U.S. intermodal rail traffic – comprising trailers and containers on flat cars that are not included in carload figures – totaled 755,000 units in June 2009, down 18.2 percent compared with the same period last year with 168,031 fewer trailers and containers, the association said. For the first six months of 2009, total U.S. rail carloadings were down 19.5 percent (1,594,411 carloads) to 6,579,294 carloads, while intermodal traffic was down

BNSF: Carbon Estimator Shows Railroad Saves Every American Greenhouse Gas

July 7, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

FORT WORTH — BNSF Railway Company (BNSF) said it has developed a new tool that allows shippers to quantify the amount of carbon emissions that can be saved for those route segments on rail instead of over the road. Overall, shipping by BNSF can save Americans an average of 200 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions per American per year, which is the equivalent of planting 37 trees for each person living in the United States, the railroad said. “Earlier this year, BNSF provided its customers with customized letters that analyzed their total rail carbon footprint and savings compared to movements

NTSB Now Investigating WDW Monorail Collision

July 7, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The National Transportation Safety Board is now investigating the fatal Walt Disney World monorail collision. At about 2 a.m. EDT on Sunday (July 5), two monorail trains collided killing the operator of one of the trains. One cast member was killed, but no resort guests were seriously injured. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is already investigating the fatal monorail collision. The crash happened near the Ticket and Transportation Center. The cast member, a 21-year-old, was piloting a monorail that crashed into a second train, according to published reports. Authorities believe one of the

Norfolk Southern Names Julian to Lead Safety Efforts

July 6, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk Southern Corp. named David F. Julian vice president safety and environmental. The appointment is effective July 1. Julian will have his office in Roanoke, Va., and he reports to Mark D. Manion, executive vice president operations. NS’ safety and environmental department is responsible for employee safety training and awareness, grade crossing safety and trespassing abatement programs, and environmental protection, including hazardous materials safety and industrial hygiene. Julian succeeds Charles J. Wehrmeister, who retired from NS’ lead safety position after a 40-year career with Norfolk Southern. Julian joined NS in 1971 in the mechanical department and later

NTSB to Hold Hearing on 2008 MBTA Trolley Wreck

July 6, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — The National Transportation Safety Board will hold a public Board meeting Tuesday, July 14, to discuss a 2008 Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) trolley wreck. On May 28, 2008, at about 5:51 p.m. EDT, MBTA Green Line train, traveling westbound at about 38 mph, struck the rear of another westbound Green Line train, which had stopped for a red signal. The wreck occurred in Newton, Mass., a suburb of Boston. Each train consisted of two light rail trolley cars and carried both a train operator in the lead car and a trail operator in the second car. The