Miscellaneous – Page 44 – Railfanning.org

The All New Railfanning.org

October 5, 2006 Railfanning.org News Wire

Welcome to the all-new Railfanning.org News Wire. We’re making some changes here and appreciate your patience as we transition the Web page from the harpblaster.net server to the separate Railfanning.org site. Please note any addresses that begin with railfanning.harpblaster.net will be changed to railfanning.org if they have not already. So, be sure to change your bookmarks. Be sure to check back over the next month. We have a lot of changes we plan on introducing. In the meantime, Happy Railfanning. – Todd DeFeo, Editor Railfanning.org

Alaska Railroad to Issue Tax-Exempt Bonds

August 7, 2006 Railfanning.org News Wire

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The Alaska Railroad Corp. (ARRC) will issue tax-exempt bonds in this month to finance rail transportation projects. During the last legislative session, the Alaska Legislature voted unanimously to allow ARRC to issue up to $165 million in tax-exempt bonds backed by Federal Transit Administration (FTA) formula funds that the Corporation receives annually. ARRC is moving forward with its first issuance of approximately $76 million in tax-exempt bonds in 2006 with the remaining debt to be issued in future years. “This is a historic moment for the Alaska Railroad and Alaskans,” said Governor Bill Sheffield, Chairman ARRC Board

Turning Back the Clock in Detroit

July 28, 2006 Railfanning.org News Wire

DETROIT — Starting Aug. 5, Tigers fans will have the opportunity to turn back the clock and travel to the game the nostalgic way. Olympia Development, the Detroit Tigers, Amtrak and the Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) are teaming up to bring fans to Detroit aboard an existing metropolitan railway beginning in August. The Foxtown Tigers Train will board passengers at three suburban locations, beginning in Oakland County, and travel along existing rail lines that link these cities to Detroit. Passengers will then transfer to a special DDOT Tigers Trolley and conclude their trip at Comerica Park to see the

BLET: Delegates Warned of Radioactive Rail Shipments

June 23, 2006 Railfanning.org News Wire

LAS VEGAS – Delegates attending the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen’s (BLET) First Quadrennial Convention were warned of the dangers of transporting spent nuclear waste and discussed ways of ensuring their safety as well as the safety of the general public. Scott Palmer, the BLET’s Oregon State Legislative Board Chairman, told delegates that rail workers do not receive proper training to handle spent nuclear fuel and do not receive the same protections that are afforded other nuclear industry workers. In addition, there are no plans to record, monitor or track rail worker exposure levels, he said. "It’s our goal

A brush with history

June 16, 2006 Todd DeFeo

For decades, an aging relic has stood as the icon of this city’s railroad past. Now, thanks to donations from some area businesses, the 76-year-old Gainesville Midland steam engine No. 208 has a new coat of paint.

Train Accidents and Derailments Decline in 2005

March 24, 2006 Railfanning.org News Wire

The number of overall train crashes and derailments declined in 2005, according to the latest statistics compiled by the Federal Railroad Administration.

Cryo-Trans Buys Refrigerated Cars From Greenbrier

January 20, 2006 Railfanning.org News Wire

OWINGS MILLS, Md. – Cryo-Trans Inc., a leasing company specializing in the development and leasing of railroad freight cars for transporting frozen and perishable products, has placed an order for 429 new refrigerated boxcars. These state-of-the-art railcars, ordered from The Greenbrier Companies Inc., have an interior length of 72 feet and have the highest cubic capacity in the industry – 7,765 cubic feet. The cars, ordered in November 2005, will be delivered later this year. Cryo-Trans officials cite Greenbrier’s expertise in building these highly specialized cars and its reputation for innovative, quality products as reasons for placing the recent order

Taking a Look Back at 2005 for Railroads

January 6, 2006 The Cross-Tie

For better or worse, 2005 began and ended with the railroad industry in the headlines.

Success Story? Twenty-Five Years Ago, Railroads Changed Forever, But the Debate Continues Over Whether the Staggers Act is a Success

November 1, 2005 The Cross-Tie

On Oct. 14, 1980, the fate of American railroads changed. Congress passed the Staggers Act, legislation that deregulated the industry. But a quarter of a century later, the debate over the law rages on.

June 2005 Wreck Roundup

July 15, 2005 The Cross-Tie

A Union Pacific coal train derailed June 26 near Glenwood Springs, Colo., and the mishap stranded 200 passengers aboard an Amtrak train using the same tracks. Eighteen cars of the Union Pacific train derailed, but no coal from any of the cars spilled, WLS television in Chicago reported. Amtrak planned on using buses to transport passengers past the derailment. Eleven cars derailed in Jasper County, Texas, on June 24 and caused more than $1 million in damages, KTRE reported. Although the 74 car Watco Co. train had four cars with hazardous materials, none of them derailed, and no injuries or