Railfanning.org News Wire – Page 391

Poor Management Leads to Millions in Losses

September 1, 2005 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — Poor management controls of Amtrak’s food and beverage service lead to millions in losses annually, reports reveal. The Amtrak Inspector General (IG) and the Government Accountability Office (GAO), at a recent Congressional hearing, outlined their separate reviews of Amtrak’s food and beverage service and the substantial losses incurred by Amtrak due to poor management. According to the IG’s review, Amtrak’s food and beverage operations lose up to $150 million each year. The IG figures do not incorporate losses resulting from theft, which were discussed in the hearing as being significant. The GAO review found that for every dollar

Traffic Booming on Historic ‘Stormy’

August 31, 2005 The Cross-Tie

Railroaders call it the “Stormy” for its wild summer thunderstorms. Historians call it the Sunset Route. It has become a vital link handling booming traffic, and to address this growth, the 760-mile Union Pacific corridor between Los Angeles and El Paso is in the midst of an on-going effort to add capacity.

Nation’s, World’s Transit Systems on High Alert Following London Blasts; House OKs New Rail Terror Penalties

August 1, 2005 The Cross-Tie

Transportation systems and railroads throughout the United States — and the world — went on high alert following terrorist attacks in London.

N.J. Transit Approves Alignment for New Trans-Hudson Rail Tunnel

August 1, 2005 The Cross-Tie

The project to double rail capacity between New Jersey and New York took a step forward July 27, when the N.J. Transit Board of Directors approved the locally preferred alignment (LPA) of the Trans-Hudson Express Tunnel.

Amtrak’s Grounded Acela Returns to Service on N.E. Corridor

August 1, 2005 The Cross-Tie

WASHINGTON – The first Acela Express trains returned to service July 11 with four daily departures from New York and Washington, marking an end to a roughly three-month service disruption, Amtrak announced. Throughout July, Amtrak announced weekday Acela Express service between New York and Washington beginning Monday, as well as weekend service starting July 16 on the Northeast Corridor. Amtrak suspended the trains’ operations after the discovery of cracks on the spokes of brake discs on April 15. The first trains to return operated Monday-Friday with two morning and two afternoon departures from New York and Washington, and served all

Amtrak: New, More Convenient Schedules Between New York and Florida

July 25, 2005 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON – Beginning Monday August 1, Amtrak’s daily Silver Service trains will operate on new schedules between New York and Miami, creating more desirable arrival and departure times in several cities along the trains’ routes and improving connections to trains traveling to other areas of the country. The new schedules mean: Later southbound arrival times in Jacksonville and Orlando, allowing passengers a little more sleep and breakfast on-board before reaching their destinations. Earlier northbound departures from Miami allowing passengers from Jacksonville and Orlando an improved choice of afternoon and evening departures for New York and other northeast cities. Passengers from

June 2005 Wreck Roundup

July 15, 2005 The Cross-Tie

A Union Pacific coal train derailed June 26 near Glenwood Springs, Colo., and the mishap stranded 200 passengers aboard an Amtrak train using the same tracks. Eighteen cars of the Union Pacific train derailed, but no coal from any of the cars spilled, WLS television in Chicago reported. Amtrak planned on using buses to transport passengers past the derailment. Eleven cars derailed in Jasper County, Texas, on June 24 and caused more than $1 million in damages, KTRE reported. Although the 74 car Watco Co. train had four cars with hazardous materials, none of them derailed, and no injuries or

Eight Killed After Train Crashes Into Coal Truck in Israel, Derails

July 1, 2005 The Cross-Tie

Eight people were killed June 21 when an Israeli passenger train crashed with a coal truck and derailed, according to authorities and published reports.

May 2005 Wreck Roundup

June 10, 2005 The Cross-Tie

A vacuum train derailed May 31 at a Carroll Gardens in Brooklyn, Newsday reported. The MTA train pulled out of a station around 4 a.m. and it took crews almost 12 hours to clean up the derailment. A Canadian National train derailed May 30 in Baton Rouge, La., and forced the evacuation of some downtown blocks, The (Baton Rouge) Advocate reported. Eight cars derailed, half of which were carrying the flammable gas propylene oxide, according to the newspaper. On May 24, a Union Pacific train derailed in Los Angeles and a car leaked acetone, a television station reported. A pair

MARTA Board Approves FY06 Operating and Capital Budget

June 7, 2005 Railfanning.org News Wire

ATLANTA – The Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Rapid Transit Authority today passed a $770.7 million Operating and Capital Budget for Fiscal Year 2006, which begins on July 1, 2005. In conjunction with their decision, the Board also passed a new policy requiring that an amount equivalent to 10% of the prior year’s operating budget be maintained in an operating reserve account. "After careful thought and deliberation, this board has passed a budget that is responsible and that will allow us to continue to provide the best possible service to our customers through enhancements to our operations as well