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FRA
House Approves Federal Railroad Safety Improvement Act of 2007
WASHINGTON — The House voted 377-38 to approve the Federal Railroad Safety Improvement Act of 2007. HR 2095 will reauthorize the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and improve the safety of our Nation’s railroads. In addition to authorizing $1.1 billion over the next four years, the bill imposes new work rules that require longer rest periods and work shifts for rail workers that generally cannot exceed 12 hours; and it increases the number of rail safety inspection and enforcement personnel. “A comparison of the modes is revealing,” Rep. James L. Oberstar, D-Minn., said. “A commercial airline pilot … can work up
Commuter Rail
NTSB: Mechanical Problems Led to WMATA Derailment
WASHINGTON — The National Transportation Safety Board has found that mechanical problems led to a subway derailment in Washington, DC earlier this year that injured 23 passengers. The Board said that the probable cause of the derailment of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) train was a wheel climb on a car as it traversed a standard turnout near the Mt. Vernon Square station. The wheel climb was initiated by a rough wheel surface created during maintenance, the Board determined. The accident was also caused by the lack of quality control measures to ensure that wheel surfaces were smoothed
CSX
CSXT Continues Response to Oct. 10 Derailment in Ohio
CSX Transportation and local responders continue recovery efforts in Painesville, Ohio, just east of Cleveland, after the Oct. 10 derailment. Based on that progress, Painesville and Lake County officials permitted all evacuated residents to return to their homes at noon on Oct. 13. Approximately half of the evacuated residents were permitted to return on the afternoon of Oct. 12. Area residents with questions or needs can call a CSXT telephone hotline, 1-877-835-5279 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. While residents return to their homes, cleanup activities continue at the derailment site. Soil was excavated Saturday in consultation with the Ohio
Commuter Rail
NTSB to Hold Public Heading on WMATA Derailment
The National Transportation Safety Board will hold a public Board meeting on Oct. 16, 2007, in its Board Room and Conference Center. One of the two items on the agenda are: On Jan. 7, 2007, about 3:45 pm, northbound WMATA Greenline Metrorail train 504 derailed one car (the 5th of 6 cars) on the train as it traversed a crossover from track 2 to track 1 near Mount Vernon Station. About 80 passengers were on board at the time of the accident. Twenty-three passengers were transported to local hospitals for treatment and released. Media Contact: Keith Holloway — Special to
BNSF
FRA: Nation’s First Freight Train Equipped with New, Safer Brake Technology Begins Operations
WASHINGTON — The first train fully equipped with electronically controlled pneumatic (ECP) brake technology began hauling coal today in southwestern Pennsylvania under a waiver approved by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), announced Administrator Joseph H. Boardman. Norfolk Southern Railway is the first railroad to operate revenue service trains equipped with ECP brakes under the waiver, Boardman said. BNSF Railway also received waiver approval and is expected to operate trains with the new, safer brake technology before the end of 2007. “These railroads understand using ECP brake technology can bring significant safety and business benefits, and I encourage other railroads to
Miscellaneous
Safety
Union Pacific Urges Hunters to Avoid Railroad Right Of Way
OMAHA, Neb. – Union Pacific Railroad is urging hunters to avoid the railroad’s right of way this hunting season. “Last year, 517 people died while trespassing on the property of railroads throughout the United States,” said Dennis Jenson, assistant vice president-chief of police. “As hunters head outdoors this year, we want to remind them that walking on the railroad’s right of way is extremely dangerous because you never know when a train will come along. It is also against the law.” Through August 2007, 26,461 people have been caught trespassing on Union Pacific Railroad property. Trespassers on the railroad’s right
Norfolk Southern
NS Reports State Tax Legislation, Synthetic Fuel Investments Effects On Third-Quarter Earnings
NORFOLK, Va. – Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) announced that Illinois tax legislation enacted during the third quarter and rising crude oil prices that impacted synthetic fuel-related investments will have a negative impact on third-quarter net income that will be reported at a quarterly analyst conference call on Oct. 24. Third quarter 2007 diluted earnings per share are expected to be $0.97, or approximately 5 percent below the same quarter 2006. The Illinois legislation modifies the way in which transportation companies apportion their taxable income to the state. This change will result in an adjustment to Norfolk Southern’s deferred income
Canadian Pacific
Canadian Pacific Completes Acquisition of DM&E Railroad
CALGARY — Canadian Pacific Railway Limited has completed the transaction to acquire Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad Corporation and its subsidiaries (DM&E). The agreement was previously announced on Sep. 4, 2007. The transaction is subject to review and approval by the U.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB), pending which the shares of DM&E have been placed into an independent voting trust. The voting trust is required by US law so that CP does not exercise control over DM&E prior to approval of the transaction by the STB. CP announced that Mr. Richard Hamlin has been appointed as the trustee during the