Railfanning.org News Wire

Empire Builder Reaches 75 Years: Amtrak & Others Celebrate Northernmost U.S. Transcontinental Train

June 7, 2004 Railfanning.org News Wire

The Amtrak Empire Builder, one of the great trains in American history and the northernmost U.S. transcontinental train, will celebrate its 75th anniversary of service on June 11, 2004.

SEPTA to Receive Additional Security Funding

June 3, 2004 Railfanning.org News Wire

SEPTA has received about $1 million in federal homeland security funds to be used to increase security on the commuter rail system.

Port Authority to Open Stage II Light Rail Transit Project

June 3, 2004 Railfanning.org News Wire

The modernization of Port Authority’s T light rail transit system reached a major milestone Wednesday, June 2, 2004, when the first new light rail vehicles (LRVs) in 19 years begin revenue service over the new Overbrook Line.

The New Face of Railroad Security

June 1, 2004 Railfanning.org News Wire

Puffs of air greeted passengers to the New Carrollton, Md., rail station May 4. It was the first day of the Transportation Security Administration’s test program for people and bags traveling on U.S. trains.

Providence and Worcester Railroad Held Liable for Arrest

May 30, 2004 Railfanning.org News Wire

A jury has found the Providence and Worcester Railroad Company liable for more than $310,000, plus interest, in a civil rights violation lawsuit stemming from a February 1996 arrest.

UP Announces Settlement to Class Action Suit

May 25, 2004 Railfanning.org News Wire

A settlement has been reached in a class-action suit filed against Union Pacific following a May 27, 2000, derailment near Eunice, La., the railroad announced Tuesday (May 25, 2004).

Suspicious Device Placed in SEPTA Yard by Employee

May 24, 2004 Railfanning.org News Wire

An “electronic motion detector” discovered May 5 in SEPTA’s Powelton Rail Yard was placed there by an employee for personal use, the railroad and the FBI said in a joint statement.

Hamberger: Freight Business Booming, Intermodal Top Revenue Source

May 23, 2004 Railfanning.org News Wire

Railroads are experiencing a surge in traffic volumes for all commodities, including coal, and, for the first time, intermodal freight is the industry’s top revenue source, Association of American Railroads President and CEO Edward R. Hamberger said in a speech at the National Press Club.

SEPTA Employee Finds Suspicious Device, Not Linked to Terrorism

May 23, 2004 Railfanning.org News Wire

A device, described as a “commercial motion detector,” was found in a Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) rail yard, arousing suspicions among officials.

Department of Homeland Security Announces New Measures to Expand Security for Rail Passengers

May 20, 2004 Railfanning.org News Wire

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on May 20, 2004 issued Security Directives (SD) requiring protective measures to be implemented by passenger rail operators.