Railfanning.org News Wire

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Amtrak

Amtrak Named “Best of America” by Reader’s Digest for Its Campus Visit Program

April 18, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON – Amtrak has been named “Best of America” by the editors of Reader’s Digest magazine for the railroad’s highly popular Campus Visit Program. The program which allows prospective college students to bring along a parent and or guardian for free on Amtrak, when visiting colleges and universities, is available to students nationwide. After speaking to hundreds of experts for this special issue, Reader’s Digest editors rated the Campus Visit Program as the “best transportation” and “travel twofer” under its “America’s 100 Best” category. The program is featured in the publication’s May, 2007 issue. “It is certainly gratifying for Reader’s

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CSX

FRA Releases Results of Track Inspections on CSX and Outlines Next Rail Safety Actions

April 18, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph H. Boardman today announced that 78 track defects and one serious violation were found by Federal Railroad Administration inspectors during a recent audit of CSX tracks in upstate New York. In addition, FRA’s ongoing review of rail safety in New York is being expanded to other railroads. Administrator Boardman added that as a result of the inspections, CSX has committed to strengthen track standards, deploy additional safety technology and develop a stronger safety culture. FRA will be vigilant in making sure CSX undertakes these preventative measures, especially improvements in the way they manage routine

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Amtrak

NARP: Don’t Cut Rail Service

April 17, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — Citing increased demand for passenger rail service and rising gas prices, the National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP) urged Congress to invest $1.68 billion in Amtrak next year and to steer clear of route-cutting discussions. This amount is what Amtrak requested, and includes $100 million for matching grants for a state corridor development program. In a statement submitted to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies, NARP Executive Director Ross Capon noted that expanding Amtrak’s network would drive economies of scale. “The most effective strategy to improve the economic efficiency of all

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Short Line/Regional

St. Lawrence & Atlantic Becomes First New England Short-Line Rail Carrier Certified by Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT)

April 13, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

GREENWICH, Conn. — Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (GWI) announced today that its St. Lawrence & Atlantic Railroad (SLR) and its Canadian sister Chemin de fer St. Laurent & Atlantique (SLQ) have been certified by U.S. Customs and Border Protection as partners in the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) program. The role of a C-TPAT partner is to continue to ensure that appropriate security measures, based upon risk analysis and consistent with C-TPAT security criteria, are maintained in a documented and verifiable format throughout international supply chains. “We see certification as a necessity in being a cross-border carrier, and the C-TPAT

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Amtrak

Amtrak Expands At-Seat Cart Service on Acela Express Trains

April 9, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON – Responding to requests for additional food cart service onboard Amtrak’s high-speed premium Acela Express service, Amtrak has announced expanded food cart service on its premier Northeast Corridor trains. The cart service is featured on four additional Acela Express trains traveling daily between New York and Washington, D.C., bringing the total of Acela Express trains offering at seat cart service to 10. This highly popular service provides passengers the opportunity to enjoy snacks and beverages without ever leaving the comfort of their seats. Regular café service will continue to be offered with similar menu choices. “We are extremely pleased

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Amtrak

Susquehanna River Bridge Project to Improve Reliability and On-Time Performance

April 4, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON – Amtrak’s biggest engineering project of the spring is underway on the Susquehanna River Bridge between Baltimore, Md., and Wilmington, Del. A key rail link on the busy Northeast Corridor, the 4,154-foot-long bridge spans the Susquehanna between Havre De Grace Md., and Perryville, Md. As a result of the track improvement work, schedule adjustments have been made to Acela, Regional and long-distance arrival and departure times. Beginning April 14 and continuing through June 4, trains will operate on a single track over the bridge and its approaches, and the schedules of all southbound Acela Express, Regional and long-distance trains

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Miscellaneous

Portec Rail Products Sells U.K. Facility

April 3, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

PITTSBURGH, Pa. — Portec Rail Products, Inc. today announced the sale of its Wrexham, Wales, United Kingdom facility to Eifion Lloyd Davies, an individual, doing business as GHA Coaches, based in the United Kingdom. The net proceeds from the sale, which closed on March 29, 2007, were approximately $2 million, and were used to reduce outstanding debt with a United Kingdom financial institution. The Wrexham location was a former manufacturing facility with rail and material handling operations and was closed in December 2006 as part of a business reorganization that the Company had initiated during 2006. “The sale of this

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BNSF

Norfolk Southern and BNSF Railway to Test New Train Brake Technology

March 29, 2007 Railfanning.org News Wire

FORT WORTH, Texas — Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) and BNSF Railway Company (BNSF) will begin testing a new braking system that may reduce the amount of time it takes to stop a train. The project, authorized by the Federal Railroad Administration, calls for NS and BNSF to equip and test certain locomotives and freight cars with electronically controlled pneumatic (ECP) brakes. ECP brakes have the potential to reduce train stopping distances by as much as 50 to 70 percent over conventional air brake systems. ECP brakes utilize electronic signals to simultaneously apply and release throughout the length of a freight