Miscellaneous

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Commuter Rail

AAA: Fewer travelers expected this Christmas

December 20, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire
ATLANTA — Fewer people will travel this Christmas with about 63.9 million Americans going 50 miles or more from home during the Christmas holiday, according to AAA. About 82 percent of all travelers — or more than 52.4 million Americans — plan to drive, which is a 1.2 percent decrease from the 53 million people who drove last year. Concurrently, about 13 percent — or 8.1 million travelers — will likely fly, which is an 8.5 percent decrease from the 8.9 million people who flew last year. Interestingly, more than 3.33 million Americans will take a train, bus or other
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Miscellaneous

Portec Sees 33 Percent Increase in Q3 Income

November 3, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire
PITTSBURGH — Portec Rail Products Inc. announced record unaudited net income of $2,516,000 or $0.26 per share for the three months ending Sept. 30. That represents a 33 percent increase over third quarter 2007 net income of $1,890,000 or $0.20 per share. “Our overall sales volume for the first nine months of 2008 has surpassed last year’s sales despite a more challenging environment this year,” Richard J. Jarosinski, President and Chief Executive Officer said. “While we have experienced reduced demand for our Salient Systems’ wayside detection systems and our CI Logistics material handling products in 2008, we feel that the
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Miscellaneous

Railcar in Georgia City May Soon be Moved

October 31, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire
MARIETTA, Ga. — A Pullman railcar that has been parked just of the city’s square for decades has been sold and could soon be moved. The city of Marietta in recent months has claimed that the railcar is a blight and cited the owner with a code violation. The railcar, which has been in the city since the 1970s, recently turned up on an online auction site and sold for $425 with a stipulation that it be moved within two weeks, the Marietta (Ga.) Daily-Journal newspaper reported. The owners allege the city wants them to move the aging piece of
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Miscellaneous

GE Transportation Unveils PowerHaul Engine and Locomotive at InnoTrans

October 2, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire
BERLIN, Germany — GE Transportation introduced its new PowerHaul engine and locomotive at InnoTrans 2008 in Berlin, Germany. InnoTrans is the world’s largest rail exhibition attracting more than 75,000 attendees and 1,600 exhibitors from 90 countries. The newly developed 16-cylinder PowerHaul engine serves as GE Transportation’s most technologically advanced locomotive engine to-date, the company said. The PowerHaul engine is designed to power GE’s new global diesel-electric PowerHaul Locomotive Series. The new engine combined with other technologies from GE is projected to reduce PowerHaul Locomotive fuel use by up to 9 percent compared to current operating fleet averages. The 3,700 GHP
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Commuter Rail

Justice Department Files Religious Discrimination Lawsuit Against Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

September 29, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire
WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, alleging that WMATA is engaged in a pattern or practice of religious discrimination, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VII prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin and religion. The complaint alleges that WMATA failed to reasonably accommodate and provide equal employment opportunities to employees and prospective employees whose religious practices conflict with WMATA’s uniform policy. WMATA’s practice is to deny all requests for religious accommodations to its uniform policy, regardless
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BNSF

House Approves Rail Safety Bill; Billions to go to Passenger Rail

September 27, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire
WASHINGTON — The House of Representatives has approved legislation that proponents say will improve the Nation’s intercity passenger rail system and the safety of the nation’s railroads. The Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 and the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 will increase funding for Amtrak over the next five years, require new safety controls on trains that help reduce crashes, allow states to regulate solid waste processing facilities along rail lines and allocate funding for improvements to Washington’s Metro transit system. The legislation sets “an aggressive deadline” of 2015 for implementation of positive train control (PTC)