Articles by Railfanning.org News Wire

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Amtrak

Two-Day Black History Month Celebration at Philadelphia 30th Street Station

February 18, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
WASHINGTON — Amtrak 30th Street Station in Philadelphia will celebrate Black History Month on Feb. 26 and 27, in the North Arcade reception area at the station. The celebration will take place from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm each day. The day will feature an array of talented African American entertainers showcasing poetry, spoken word, dramatic presentations, instrumental performances, individual singers, chorale lyricists and interpretive dancers. There will also be motivational and inspirational speakers throughout the day. A diverse group of individuals will be represented with participants ranging from ages 6-60. Local politicians have been invited to speak or participate
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Commuter Rail

Oberstar: ‘Recovery’ Bill Will Benefit Rail Industry

February 13, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
WASHINGTON — The so-called “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009″ will help with rail infrastructure and help put Americans back to work, Rep. James L. Oberstar, D-Minn, said. “This bill is urgently needed to put Americans back to work,” Oberstar said. “The infrastructure investments funded by this bill will create good, family-wage jobs — jobs that cannot be outsourced to another country, because the work must be done here in the U.S. on our roads, bridges, transit and rail systems, airports, waterways, wastewater treatment facilities, and Federal buildings. “
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Legislation

Oberstar, Brown Urge ‘Full Funding’ of HMEP

February 13, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
WASHINGTON — T&I Committee Chairman James Oberstar, D-Minn., and Rail Subcommittee Chairwoman Corrine Brown, D-Fla., wrote a letter to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to urge “full funding” of the Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness (HMEP) grant program at the $28.8 million authorization level.Among other things, the HMEP grant program helps governments develop and implement emergency plans and train fire fighters and other emergency personnel to respond to accidents and incidents involving hazardous materials. It has been projected that there will be a funding shortfall of $9.3 million in 2009. As a result, hundreds of thousands of emergency response personnel will not receive adequate
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Canadian National

CN and Norfolk Southern Announce MidAmerica Corridor Initiative to Speed Freight Between Midwest and Southeast

February 10, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
NORFOLK, Va. — CN and Norfolk Southern announced an initiative to create a “MidAmerica Corridor” in which the railroads will share track between Chicago, St. Louis, Kentucky and Mississippi to establish shorter and faster routes for merchandise and coal traffic moving between the Midwest and Southeast. This initiative, when finalized through definitive agreements, will have three components. First, Norfolk Southern (NS) will haul CN freight between Chicago and St. Louis, reducing the distance between these points for CN shipments by 60 miles and providing improved connections to other rail carriers through the St. Louis gateway. Second, NS will use CN’s
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Commuter Rail

NTSB to Discuss Metrolink Crash

February 10, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
WASHINGTON — The National Transportation Safety Board will hold a public hearing on the 2008 collision in Chatsworth, Calif., involving a Metrolink commuter train and a Union Pacific freight train. The two-day hearing will begin on March 3 at the NTSB’s Board Room and Conference Center, 429 L’Enfant Plaza, S.W., Washington. At 4:22 p.m. on Sept. 12, 2008, Metrolink commuter train 111 and a Union Pacific freight train collided.  As a result of this head-on accident, there were 25 fatalities and numerous injuries. On the day of the accident, the Metrolink engineer, who was responsible for the operation of the
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Amtrak

Amtrak Celebrates Black History Month with Special Ceremony Honoring Pullman Porters

February 10, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
OAKLAND, Calif. – Amtrak, in celebration of Black History Month, partnered with the A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum to host a ceremony celebrating the contributions of the legendary Pullman Porters and African-American railroad workers at the Oakland Amtrak Station Feb. 10. Amtrak officials and local dignitaries will gather to honor five porters and dining car waiters who proudly served as far back as the mid-1940s. Honored are Lee Gibson, 98, of Los Angeles, James Smith, 83, of Simi Valley, Samuel Coleman, 80, of Las Vegas, and Troy Walker, 90, and Thomas Gray, 71, of Seattle. “The celebration is an
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Commuter Rail

Atlantic City Express Service Launches Inaugural Trains Connecting New York, Atlantic City

February 6, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — Representatives from the Atlantic City Express Service (ACES) joint venture partners — Caesars Atlantic City, Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City and Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa — joined New Jersey Gov. Jon S. Corzine and other key New Jersey officials to launch weekend train service between New York’s Penn Station and Atlantic City. The launch of the ACES train is another major step in the evolution of Atlantic City into a world-class destination, providing residents of New Jersey and New York the opportunity to experience all the new attractions the city has to offer. “I welcome this