Railfanning.org News Wire – Page 332

NTSB: Mechanical Problems Led to WMATA Derailment

October 16, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

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

CSXT Continues Response to Oct. 10 Derailment in Ohio

October 15, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

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

NTSB to Hold Public Heading on WMATA Derailment

October 11, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

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

FRA: Nation’s First Freight Train Equipped with New, Safer Brake Technology Begins Operations

October 11, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

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

History Comes to Life in South Dakota’s Black Hills

October 10, 2007 Voice of America

A ride on Hill City’s 1880s train is always like a step back in time. But during the Western Heritage Festival, the entire town seems to be in a “time-warp” mode with cowboys, miners, a horse-drawn wagon rumbling down Main Street, even a robbery at the local bank!

Union Pacific Urges Hunters to Avoid Railroad Right Of Way

October 9, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

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

NS Reports State Tax Legislation, Synthetic Fuel Investments Effects On Third-Quarter Earnings

October 9, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

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 Completes Acquisition of DM&E Railroad

October 4, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

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

Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern Offer On-Time or Free Service Guarantee on New Coast-To-Coast Westbound Intermodal Service through Shreveport

October 2, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

OMAHA, Neb. – Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern Railway have announced new westbound intermodal train service that will shorten by a day the trip for standard intermodal freight from the Southeast to Los Angeles. The eastbound service was launched in May 2007. The new coast-to-coast service is part of the railroads’ commitment to improve capacity, service quality and speed by shifting domestic traffic to a new, shorter route over the Shreveport, La., gateway. This shift began with the completion of the first phase of improvements on the Meridian Speedway – NS and Kansas City Southern’s joint venture corridor between Meridian,

BNSF Enhances Citizens for Rail Security Program With Videos and Expanded Website

October 2, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

FORT WORTH, Texas — Railroads transport much of the food, building materials, coal for electricity and consumer products that are utilized each day, and breaches in railroad security can threaten the national, state and local economies. As part of heightened security awareness, Americans are being asked to be the eyes and ears for law enforcement officers. To help improve security, BNSF Railway Company has expanded its Citizens for Rail Security program by launching two videos aimed at community groups and law enforcement agencies. The videos illustrate how effective these groups can be in the fight against terrorism and vandalism to