Railfanning.org News Wire

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Amtrak

STB to Hole Hearing on Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008

December 23, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire
WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board announced it will hold a public hearing on Feb. 11 to allow interested persons to comment on the Board’s new responsibilities in the recently passed Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008. The Act enhances the Board’s role in various types of disputes between the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak), commuter rail operators, host railroads over which they operate, or States that seek to use Amtrak equipment or services with respect to cost allocations, quality of service, compensation, liability, and other terms for provision of service.
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CSX

CSX Intermodal Expands Florida Services

December 23, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX Intermodal (CSXI) announced that it is further expanding its services in Florida with a wider array of shipping options. Beginning December 23, customers can take advantage of trailer service, in addition to container service, to Orlando, where CSXI already offers superior access. The heavily trafficked lane from Atlanta to Orlando will now be available for private trailers owned or leased by companies other than CSXI. Shipping schedules from the western gateway of Memphis, Tenn., to Orlando also are available with expanded gate deadlines. “We are proud to create additional opportunities for our valuable customers,” said Jim
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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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CSX

CSX Corp. Joins Settlement in 16(b) Civil Suit

December 20, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX Corp. said it has joined in a settlement with all parties to a civil action brought by plaintiff, Deborah Donoghue, a shareholder of CSX, in federal court in New York to recover so-called “short-swing” profits under Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 alleged to have been realized by defendants related to The Children’s Investment Fund and 3G Capital Partners LP in connection with their alleged purchases and sales of CSX securities. CSX is party to the suit in name only, which was brought for the benefit of CSX. The settlement is subject to
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Short Line/Regional

STB Grants Final Approval for Texas Line

December 19, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire
WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board (Board) announced it has issued a decision granting final approval for Southwest Gulf Railroad Company (SGR) to construct and operate a rail line in Medina County, Texas, subject to environmental mitigation conditions. The Board identified three environmentally acceptable routing alternatives, any one of which SGR may now build. The new rail line will extend from Vulcan Construction Material’s planned  limestone quarry in the north central part of Medina County to a connection with the Del Rio Subdivision of the Union Pacific Railroad Co. near Dunlay, Texas. Limestone aggregate from the quarry will be transported
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Commuter Rail

DOT Announces New High Speed Corridors

December 19, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire
NEW YORK — The U.S. Department of Transportation will begin accepting expressions of interest to finance, design, build, operate and maintain high-speed trains on the Northeast Corridor and in 10 other federally-designated corridors around the nation. “This is a first step in a process established by Congress to put ideas to paper, and to make concrete proposals for what the future might look like,” Transportation Secretary Mary Peters said. “Imagine traveling by train between New York City and Washington, D.C. in just two hours or cutting your trip time by 25 percent between New York City and Boston,” Peters said.
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Norfolk Southern

Norfolk Southern Offers $1 Million Challenge Grant to Assist Virginia Museum of Transportation

December 19, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire
ROANOKE, Va. — Norfolk Southern Corp. has offered a challenge grant of $1 million to the Virginia Museum of Transportation (VMT) for capital and operating expenses over a three-year period to help the museum implement certain recommendations from Museum Management Consultants. The challenge grant is contingent on equal commitments of support by both the governments of the Roanoke Region and by other private donors to meet the estimated $3 million required for the museum’s long-term needs. Norfolk Southern also will assist museum staff in drawing up a three-year business plan and establishing measurable objectives to restore the museum’s vitality. In
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Legislation

New Rail Competition Study Rejects Reregulation

December 19, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire
WASHINGTON – A new study for the Surface Transportation Board (STB) on competition in the freight railroad industry says that “both railroads and their customers benefited” from the partial rail deregulation introduced by the Staggers Rail Act of 1980. The study also rejected the principal proposals for reregulation of the railroad industry, saying they could harm the industry or would otherwise be inappropriate. “We’re pleased that this independent study has affirmed key economic principles on which the STB has relied for many years in its regulation of the railroad industry,” said Association of American Railroads (AAR) President and CEO Edward