Railfanning.org News Wire

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Miscellaneous

Rail Freight Traffic Continues to Feel Effects of Economic Slowdown

March 2, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
WASHINGTON — Freight traffic on U.S. railroads continued to show the effects of the economic slowdown during the week ended February 21 as  volume remained well below totals reported during the comparison week last year,  the Association of American Railroads reported today. U.S carload freight totaled 278,827 cars, down 14.2 percent from the comparison week in 2008, with loadings down 12.8 percent in the West and 16.0 percent in the East. Intermodal volume of 168,194 trailers or containers was off 25.3 percent from last year, with container volume falling 23.4 percent and trailer volume dropping 32.3 percent.  This year’s total
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Legislation

Blumenauer Announces Green Approach to Funding Infrastructure

March 2, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
WASHINGTON — Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., last month announced a series of principles for financing our nation’s transportation infrastructure. One part of Congressman Blumenauer’s initiative suggests an innovative funding strategy designed to support green infrastructure expansion that reduces our carbon footprint. The tremendous advantages of freight rail are recognized by this proposal as part of the solution to meeting both our transportation and environmental challenges. Moving more freight by rail makes good environmental sense.  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that every ton of freight that moves by rail instead of truck reduces greenhouse gases by more than two-thirds.  In
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Legislation

Advocates: Rail-Friendly Policies Key to Getting the Nation’s Economy Back on Track

March 2, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
WASHINGTON — Railroad advocates from around the country recently urged members of Congress to keep freight rail working for America by supporting policies that move the nation’s goods, build a green infrastructure and create jobs across the country. Local government officials, business leaders and environmentalists — in Washington as part of Railroad Day 2009 — told lawmakers that Congress must preserve the balanced regulation that has made America’s freight rail system the most cost-effective network in the world. Increased government intrusion in the railroads would cripple efficiency and the railroads’ ability to be the most fuel-efficient form of ground transportation
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Transit

MARTA and Transit Stakeholders Discuss the Future of a Regional Rail System during a Three-Day Symposium

March 1, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
ATLANTA — MARTA joined with regional leaders and transit stakeholders during an informative three-day rail symposium on Feb. 18-20. Participants received information on the latest trolley, streetcar and light rail technologies and discussed how these systems could be used for future expansion projects included in the so-called “Concept 3” regional transit plan. “As we move toward implementation of an expanded regional transit system, it is essential that we take a thoughtful and creative look at the transit technologies that will work best for us,” said MARTA General Manager/CEO Dr. Beverly A. Scott.  “These invaluable professional exchanges allow us to work
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Transit

MARTA Completes Extensive Rail Car Rehabilitation Program

February 28, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
ATLANTA — MARTA has completed an extensive rail car rehabilitation program overhauling 218 of its oldest cars to extend each car’s life line by 15 years. The cost-effective program has already resulted in an increase in MARTA’s rail service reliability by 22 percent and has also improved on-time performance substantially. MARTA General Manager/CEO Beverly A. Scott unveiled the final two rehabilitated rail cars on Feb. 18 during a special celebration at the authority’s Armour Rail Yard. For a cost of $246 million, MARTA contracted with New York based-Alstom Transportation, Inc. USA to take each vehicle down to its shell and
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Commuter Rail

NTSB to Open Chatsworth Docket

February 27, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
WASHINGTON — The National Transportation Safety Board will open the docket on the 2008 Metrolink rail accident in Chatsworth, Calif., at the start of a public hearing on March 3. During the two-day hearing, the Safety Board will hear testimony from witnesses called to supplement the facts discovered during the on-scene phase and subsequent follow-up investigation of the accident. On Sept. 12, 2008 at approximately 4:22 p.m., 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. The information being released is factual in nature
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Commuter Rail

Federal Budget: High-Speed Rail to Receive $5B

February 26, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
WASHINGTON — High-speed trains stand to receive $5 billion under President Obama’s spending plan. “This commitment will be essential as we develop surface transportation authorization legislation this year,” said James Oberstar, D-Minn. “This new authorization will require significant investments to help reduce congestion, eliminate freight chokepoints, mitigate the impacts of our surface transportation system on the environment, reduce roadway fatalities, enhance our mobility and safety through innovation and technology, and provide modal choice for all users. “I applaud the administration’s willingness to work with Congress to transform surface transportation programs to emphasize performance measurement, and put these programs on a
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Commuter Rail

N.J. Transit Signs Funding and Project Agreements

February 21, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
NEWARK, N. J. — Momentum continued to build toward construction of the Mass Transit Tunnel today with the N.J. Transit Board approving key agreements with partner agencies. The agreements — with Amtrak and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey — establish frameworks to ensure coordination and efficiency during the multi-year construction phase and come just one month after the Federal Transit Administration issued a Record of Decision completing the environmental review process and clearing the project for federal funding and final design. The agreement with the Port Authority formalizes the agency’s $3 billion investment in the project.
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STB

Buttrey’s Term on STB to End

February 20, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire
WASHINGTON — Surface Transportation Board Commissioner W. Douglas Buttrey announced that he will conclude his term on the Board on March 13. Buttrey was nominated to serve on the Board by President George W. Bush on Nov. 17, 2003, for a five-year term expiring Dec. 31, 2008. On Aug. 28, 2008, Buttrey announced that he would hold over for a period into 2009 for the Board to complete certain pending matters.  The Board’s governing statute permits a Board member to serve for up to one year after the end of the Member’s term, unless a successor is appointed. Since Buttrey’s