Short Line/Regional – Page 13

Michael Norkus Elected to Genesee & Wyoming Board of Directors

October 23, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

GREENWICH, Conn. — Genesee & Wyoming Inc. announced the election of Michael Norkus to its board of directors, effective Oct. 22. Norkus will serve on GWI’s Governance Committee. Mr. Norkus is the founder and president of Alliance Consulting Group, which specializes in developing growth strategies for companies in consumer goods, manufactured products, commercial services, high-tech and retail industries. He was previously a partner and director with The Boston Consulting Group. Mr. Norkus currently serves on the board of directors of Overland Storage, Inc., where he chairs the Nominating and Governance Committee and serves on the Audit and Compensation Committees. He

NTSB Releases Info on Fatal Iowa Wreck

October 2, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — In its continuing investigation of a freight train accident in July in Iowa, killing two, the NTSB has developed the following factual information: — At approximately 2:08 a.m. CDT on July 14, 2009, a southbound Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad (DME) train consisting of two locomotives and 83 freight cars collided with railcars that had been placed on a track on the west side of the Bettendorf rail yard (located in the city of Bettendorf, Iowa) by a BNSF train crew. Both of the crewmembers on the DME train, an engineer and a conductor, were fatally injured in

Patriot Rail, Temple, Texas, Announce Rail Partnership

September 12, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

TEMPLE, Texas — Patriot Rail Corp., a short line and regional freight railroad holding company, and the city of Temple Texas announced that Patriot’s newly-formed rail subsidiary, Temple & Central Texas Railway, has been awarded an exclusive long-term license agreement to provide rail switching and other services to customers at Central Pointe Rail Park located in Temple, Texas. Central Pointe Rail Park, owned by the City of Temple, is a 3,500-acre industrial park with more than 50 tenants. Located in central Texas midway between Dallas, Houston and San Antonio, the Park has rail service, utilities, developed streets and its own

AAR: Rail Traffic Declines Continue to Slow in August

September 11, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported that while U.S. freight rail carloads declined in August, down 16.4 percent (at 1,116,182 carloads) compared with the same month last year, the percentage decline for the month was the lowest since February.

AAR Reports Recent Rail Traffic Gains Slow In Week Preceding Holiday

September 10, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

The Association of American Railroads reported that recent rail traffic gains have slowed in the week preceding the Labor Day Holiday. For the week ended Sept. 5, 2009, U.S. railroads reported originating 284,715 cars, down 6.7 percent compared with the same week in 2008. Regionally, carloadings were down 7.1 percent in the West and 6.0 percent in the East.

Historic Tenn. swing bridge see rehabilitation funding

September 7, 2009 Todd DeFeo

The state of Tennessee is helping to refurbish a railroad bridge that dates to before the Civil War.

AAR Reports Rail Traffic Continues to Register Gains

September 4, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — The Association of American Railroads today reported that rail traffic continues to register incremental gains on a week-to-week basis, but remains down year over year. Rail carloadings were at their highest level since the week ended Dec. 13, 2008. For the week ended Aug. 29, 2009, U.S. railroads reported originating 285,580 cars, down 16.2 percent compared with the same week in 2008. Regionally, carloadings were down 16 percent in the West and 16.6 percent in the East. Intermodal traffic of 202,553 trailers or containers on U.S. railroads was down 15.6 percent from the same week last year. Container

NTSB Investigating DM&E Wreck

July 14, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

BETTENDORF, Iowa — The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating a railroad accident that occurred in Iowa this morning (July 14). At 2:10 AM CDT, in Bettendorf, Iowa, a Dakota Minnesota & Eastern Railroad freight train struck a group of cars in a rail yard after crossing through a switch that was not lined for the main line, derailing 8 cars and 2 locomotives. Two crewmembers were fatally injured.

Genesee & Wyoming to Discontinue Operations of Huron Central Railway

June 15, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

GREENWICH, Conn. — Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (GWI) announced that its subsidiary Huron Central Railway Inc. (HCRY) intends to discontinue operations. The downturn in the economy has caused the Huron Central’s traffic to decline substantially over the last 12 months, to the point that the railroad is not economically viable to operate for the long term, officials said. HCRY has operated the 173-mile railroad from Sudbury to Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, under a lease agreement with Canadian Pacific Railway since 1997. The companies are working closely together and with customers to effect an orderly cessation of operations. HCRY will cease

Russ, Chunko to Lead Operating Regions at Genesee & Wyoming Inc.

June 1, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

GREENWICH, Conn. — Genesee & Wyoming Inc. announced the promotion of Ronald G. Russ and Andrew T. Chunko to senior vice president. Russ will lead GWI’s Oregon Region, which includes the Portland & Western and Willamette & Pacific railroads. He joined GWI in March 2009 as deputy general manager of the Oregon Region and has more than 30 years of railroad and financial management experience. He was previously executive vice president and chief financial officer with Kansas City Southern. Prior to that, he was a founder, treasurer, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Wisconsin Central Transportation Corp. Chunko