Miscellaneous
Short Line/Regional
Short Line/Regional
Genesee & Wyoming Railroads Earn Rail Industry’s Top Safety Honors
Short Line/Regional
Proposed Maine Abandonment Would Force More Trucks Onto Roads
WASHINGTON — The Section of Environmental Analysis at the Surface Transportation Board issued a draft environmental assessment on the proposed abandonment of 233 miles of rail line in the northern Maine counties of Aroostook and Penobscot. The draft review found that the abandonment of this line could divert onto Maine’s highways as many as an additional 73,344 truck trips per year, consuming an additional 3.3 million gallons of fuel per year. However, the draft review, which estimated it would take four trucks to replace every rail car, found that the diversion of rail traffic onto trucks would appear to be
Short Line/Regional
BNSF
BNSF
BNSF
AAR: Rail Carload Freight Reaches Highest Level in More Than a Year
WASHINGTON — Carload freight volume on U.S. railroads reached its highest level in more than a year during the week ended Feb. 27, the Association of American Railroads reported. U.S. railroads originated 290,261 carloads during the week ended Feb. 27, up 2.6 percent from the comparable week in 2009 and the highest level reported since the week ended Dec. 6, 2008. However, the total was still down 13.5 percent from comparison week in 2008. In order to offer a complete picture of the progress in rail traffic, AAR now reports 2010 weekly rail traffic with comparison weeks in both 2009
Miscellaneous
Three on Trestle Killed When Struck by Train
MELBOURNE, Fla. — Three teenage girls were killed after they were struck by a freight train. Authorities said they were crossing a railroad trestle when they were struck by a Florida East Coast Train.
Miscellaneous
L. B. Foster Company to Acquire Portec Rail Products
PITTSBURGH — L. B. Foster Co. and Portec Rail Products Inc. announced the signing of an Agreement and Plan of Merger, under which L. B. Foster will make, through its wholly owned acquisition subsidiary, a cash tender offer to acquire all of Portec’s outstanding shares of common stock for $11.71 per share. “The proposed acquisition will bring together two organizations with a rich history of successfully delivering products and services to the global rail industry,” said Stan Hasselbusch, L . B. Foster’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “The addition of Portec will complement our existing array of products and furthers