Railfanning.org News Wire – Page 323

‘World’s Top 25 Trains’ Announced by The Society of International Railway Travelers

January 12, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — What does Europe’s sophisticated “Venice Simplon-Orient-Express” have in common with India’s wheezing, narrow-gauge geezer, the 100-year-old steam “Toy Train”? They’re both members of a select group; namely, “The World’s Top 25 Trains,” as determined by The Society of International Railway Travelers. An organization of travelers who love the comfort and romance of great trains, the Society celebrates its 25th year in 2008. Some on the list are over-the-top luxury, such as the all-first-class “Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express,” Rovos Rail’s “Pride of Africa” and India’s “Deccan Odyssey.” Others offer the most stylish and comfortable way to see less-developed

FRA Announces $3 Million RRIF Loan to Columbia Basin Railroad Co.

January 9, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

The Columbia Basin Railroad Co. is receiving a $3 million loan under the Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (RRIF) program, the Federal Railroad Administration said. The CBRC will use the loan funds to purchase 73 miles of track it currently leases from the BNSF Railway between Connell and Moses Lake in eastern Washington State. The line acquisition is expected to increase efficiency and lower costs, allowing the CBRC to upgrade its track to handle heavier carloads for the benefit of its customers and the communities of McDonald, Grow, Sieler, Wheeler, Bassett Junction, Schrag, Warden, Warden Junction, Othello, Bruce, and Shano,

FreightCar America, Inc., Announces Appointment of Nicholas Matthews as Vice President–Operations

January 9, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

CHICAGO — Nicholas J. Matthews is joining FreightCar America Inc. as Vice President-Operations later this month and is expected to become Senior Vice President-Operations in spring 2008. Matthews will serve as a key member of FreightCar America’s leadership team and will be based at the Company’s Chicago headquarters. Matthews is expected to succeed Ken Bridges as Senior Vice President-Operations after Bridges’ retirement. Matthews joins the Company from Trinity Industries, where he spent fourteen years serving in various technical and operations positions of expanding leadership scope. In his most recent role, he served as Trinity’s Senior Vice President-Operations for that company’s

RailWorks Announces Promotions at Track Construction Subsidiaries

January 9, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

NEW YORK — RailWorks Corp. announced two promotions at its U.S.-based track construction subsidiaries: RailWorks Track Services Inc. and RailWorks Track Systems Inc. Ed Kennedy has been appointed Vice President of Operations for RailWorks Track Services. Kennedy has nearly 20 years of track construction and management experience, beginning as a track laborer and working in progressively more responsible positions. While serving as general manager of RailWorks’ track construction office in Youngstown, Ohio, for the past decade, he achieved dramatic revenue growth and successfully completed an impressive range of projects for Class I railroads Canadian Pacific Railway, CSX Transportation and Norfolk

Patriot Rail Corp. Completes Its Third Railroad Acquisition With Purchase of Utah Central Railway

January 9, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

BOCA RATON, Fla. — Patriot Rail Corp. has purchased the purchase of the Utah Central Railway, a short line freight railroad headquartered in Ogden, Utah. This is the third railroad acquisition for Patriot, which now owns and leases a total of 246 miles of rail line in Tennessee, Alabama, Montana and Utah. UCRY operates 34 miles of owned and leased rail line in and around Ogden, Utah. The railroad was established as a short line rail operator in 1995 on former Union Pacific Railroad track. UCRY, which interchanges traffic with Class I carriers Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Railroad at

RailAmerica Announces New Additions

January 9, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

BOCA RATON, Fla. — RailAmerica Inc. announced the appointment of Bill Schroeder as Director of Marketing & Sales for the Northeast Region and Douglas Low as Manager, Marketing and Sales for the New England Central Railroad. “We are extremely enthusiastic to have these exceptional leaders join our team,” said Charles Patterson, RailAmerica Vice President. “With their railroad experience and wealth of knowledge, they will be integral parts of the RailAmerica family.” Bill Schroeder joins RailAmerica with over 34 years of experience in the railroad industry. He began his career as a Car Inspector with Pacific Fruit Express Company in Philadelphia,

National Railway Equipment Co. Completes Test of Ultra Low Emissions Locomotive at NOVA Chemicals

January 9, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

JOFFRE, Alberta — National Railway Equipment Co. announced that NOVA Chemical recently operated an NREC N-ViroMotive GenSet locomotive in an operational test at their facility here. The locomotive, a three-engine 2100 HP (3GS-21B) 4-axle unit, is EPA certified and CARB recognized as an ultra-low emitting GenSet locomotive. “Fuel conservation, protecting the environment and operational efficiency are vital to our operation,” said Fred Owens, rail-maintenance coordinator, Nova Chemicals. “We witnessed surprising performance with this locomotive and its remarkable fuel savings, ultra-low emissions and low noise. Another big plus for us is the N-ViroMotive’s outstanding tractive effort, which can improve operations efficiency

Genesee & Wyoming Completes Acquisition of Maryland Midland Railway

January 7, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

GREENWICH, Conn. — Genesee & Wyoming Inc. has completed its acquisition of 87.4 percent of the Maryland Midland Railway for cash consideration of approximately $29.1 million, to be adjusted for final working capital. Maryland Midland, located approximately 40 miles from GWI’s York Railway, operates over 63 miles of track between Glyndon and Highfield, Md., and between Walkersville and Taneytown, Md. The railroad has 30 employees and is an interline carrier with CSX. Lehigh Cement, which is Maryland Midland’s largest customer, retains its 12.6 percent ownership of the railroad. — PRNewswire-FirstCall

Bush Urges Amtrak, Unions ‘To Work in Good Faith’

January 7, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — President Bush has received the report and recommendations of the Presidential Emergency Board and is urging both Amtrak and several unions “to work in good faith to resolve their dispute, taking into account the Emergency Board’s recommendations.” In November, Bush established a Presidential Emergency Board, hoping to keep the employees of nine Amtrak unions from striking. The unions represent more than 6,000 of Amtrak’s non-operating employees who have been working on contracts that expired in 1999. “The President urges the parties to continue to work in good faith to resolve their dispute, taking into account the Emergency Board’s

Amtrak Releases Feasibility Study of State-Supported Rail Service to Illinois Quad Cities

January 7, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

CHICAGO – Amtrak has completed a report requested by the Illinois Department of Transportation (Ill. DOT) that evaluates possible passenger train routes between Illinois Quad Cities (Moline-Rock Island) and Chicago. This “Feasibility Report on Proposed Amtrak Service, Quad Cities-Chicago” is also in response to a January 2007 town meeting in Rock Island, hosted by U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), who was joined by Amtrak and Ill. DOT representatives, labor officials and leaders from Illinois and Iowa. In the report, the approximate cost of upgrading the railroad infrastructure to accommodate passenger train speeds is $14-to-23 million, over the shortest, fastest and