Railfanning.org News Wire

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Amtrak

Amtrak Pennsylvania Keystone Service Ridership Continues to Grow

July 28, 2006 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — Amtrak Keystone Corridor trains, which operate between Harrisburg, Pa.; Philadelphia; and New York, continue to attract more riders, thanks to recent significant capital investments along the corridor underwritten in part by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Amtrak said. During the month of June, the Keystone service carried 72,091 passengers — a 20 percent increase over June 2005. Since the beginning of Amtrak’s fiscal year (Oct. 1, 2005) through June 30, 2006, Keystone ridership has increased nearly 13 percent to 615,124 passengers, according to Amtrak. "The Keystone service trains are continuing to deliver reliable service for our passengers every day,

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Union Pacific

Union Pacific Corporation Elects Andrew Card a Director

July 27, 2006 Railfanning.org News Wire

OMAHA, Neb. — Former White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card was today elected to Union Pacific’s board of directors. This will expand the size of the Union Pacific board of directors to 10 members. Card served as Chief of Staff to President George W. Bush from November 2000, to April 2006. Prior to joining the White House, he was Vice President-Government Relations for General Motors Corporation. From 1993 to 1998, Mr. Card was President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Automobile Manufacturers Association. Mr. Card served as the 11th Secretary of Transportation under President George H.W. Bush from

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Amtrak

Sunset Limited and Texas Eagle Trains Canceled Due to Union Pacific Derailment

July 27, 2006 Railfanning.org News Wire

Due to Union Pacific freight derailment at Glamis, Ariz., Amtrak Sunset Limited trains 2(26) and 1(27) are cancelled along the entire route with no alternate transportation. Texas Eagle train 21/421(27) is cancelled west of San Antonio, Texas, with no alternate transportation. Passengers traveling to Phoenix, Tucson, El Paso and St. Louis will be re-accommodated on the Southwest Chief train 4 where they will board buses at Flagstaff, Albuquerque and Kansas City to their final destinations. The railroad is estimated to reopen by Friday, July 28.

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BNSF

STB Releases Fall Peak Service Plans

July 26, 2006 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board has released letters from Class I railroads outlining their “peak season” service plans. In June, Chairman W. Douglas Buttrey sent letters to the chief executive officers of the seven largest railroads and to the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA), asking the railroads to inform the STB of their plans to ascertain the demand for, and to prepare for, the provision of peak-season service; their performance goals for the remainder of 2006 and their plans for achieving those goals; and their plans to communicate their service goals and plans with customers. In

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FRA

FRA Starts ‘National Discussion’ on Improving Safety at Private Highway-Rail Grade Crossings

July 26, 2006 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) will hold a series of public meetings across the country beginning in August to start a national discussion on the challenging issue of improving safety at the nation’s largely unregulated private highway-rail grade crossings, FRA Administrator Joseph H. Boardman announced. "The lack of a common safety approach at private crossings unnecessarily puts certain motorists at risk," Boardman said. "We need to learn all we can about private crossings in order to consider possible methods of reducing collisions and fatalities in the future." Establishing responsibility for safety at private crossings is one of the

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Short Line/Regional

Twin Cities & Western Railroad Marks 15th Anniversary

July 25, 2006 Railfanning.org News Wire

GLENCOE, Minn. — The Twin Cities & Western normally is freight service only, but on July 21-22-23 the 229-mile regional railroad celebrated its 15th anniversary by running a series of diesel-powered passenger trains. Regularly scheduled passenger service ended on the line in 1969. "It’s our way of thanking customers, employees, government leaders and railroad officials who helped make our railroad a success," says TC&W Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Mark Wegner. The general public had an opportunity to ride similar trains on July 29-30 when the city of Cologne, Minn. marks its 125th anniversary. As a bonus, the

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NTSB

NTSB Wraps Up Initial On-Scene Investigation of CTA Wreck

July 25, 2006 Railfanning.org News Wire

CHICAGO — The National Transportation Safety Board has completed the initial on-scene phase of its investigation into the July 11 Chicago Transit Authority train derailment in a tunnel with a fire on the Blue Line. The 12-member team is continuing the investigation. As part of the ongoing investigation into this accident, the arc damaged wayside and car equipment, derailment area core samples of ties, and derailment area components of the rail fastening system have been sent to the NTSB’s laboratory in Washington, DC. CTA has also provided the NTSB with track inspection records for the past 12 months. The Safety

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Commuter Rail

Georgia DOT Receives FRA Grant for Atlanta-Chattanooga High-Speed Rail EIS

July 25, 2006 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — A proposed high-speed passenger rail line between Atlanta, GA and Chattanooga, TN will be studied by the Georgia Department of Transportation with a $6,690,857 grant from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and $1,172,714 from non-Federal sources. The funding will be used to prepare a Tier I Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to review the need for the project, possible corridor and station locations, potential ridership figures, and whether maglev technology or conventional high-speed trains should be used. The project also involves coordination with the Tennessee Department of Transportation.