Short Line/Regional – Page 13

Adrian & Blissfield Rail Road to Move Headquarters to Blissfield

November 24, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

BLISSFIELD, Mich. — Adrian & Blissfield Rail Road, a Michigan based company which operates a number of freight and dinner train companies in Southeastern Michigan including the Old Road Blissfield Dinner Train, the oldest operating dinner train in the U.S., plus the Old Road Dinner Train Charlotte, will move its headquarters from Westland, Mich., to Blissfield in 2010. Mark Dobronsky, A&B RR president, announced the new headquarters which is being relocated from Westland, where the A&B RR leased space. The A&BRR will move to 124 Railroad Street, Blissfield, about 30 minutes south of Ann Arbor and 20 minutes north of

Railmark Sells Michigan Railroad

November 18, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

WALLED LAKE, Mich. — Railmark Holdings announced that it sold its Michigan Air-Line Railway Co. to Nebraska-based Browner Turnout Co. The Oakland County Michigan railroad serves the communities of West Bloomfield, Commerce Township, Walled Lake and Wixom and is the home of the iconic Star Clipper Dinner Train, the first dinner train in North America, now in its 25th season. Browner Turnout Co. becomes the fifth owner of the rail line in 123 years. The price and terms of the sale are not being disclosed by the Company, however, Railmark is using the transaction to eliminate its long-term debt, redeem

BNSF Honors Three Shortline Railroads for Partnership Excellence

November 17, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

FORT WORTH, Texas — BNSF Railway Co. recognized three shortline railroads for their tremendous success and partnership over the past year with a BNSF Shortline Achievement Award at this year’s 14th Annual Shortline Conference on Oct. 19, 2009 in Fort Worth, Texas. The Plainsman Switching Company (PSC), Yellowstone Valley Railroad (YSVR), and Burlington Junction Railway (BJRY) were chosen because of their ability to increase the volume and development of new customers and for being good stewards in their communities. “BNSF is proud to recognize these three shortline railroads,” said Pete Rickershauser, BNSF vice president, Network Development. “Each shortline has greatly

CN Growing ‘Green’ Wood Pellet Traffic at Double-Digit Rates

November 5, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

MONTREAL — North America’s largest mover of forest products is on track to haul more than 800,000 tons of wood pellets this year and sees more opportunities in the future for this “green” source of heating energy, CN officials said. “Since 2005, we have experienced a 16 percent compounded annual growth in our wood pellet traffic, and we see growing potential for this business in domestic and international markets,” said James Foote, executive vice-president, Sales and Marketing. “Wood pellets are a renewable resource, right in our backyard,” Foote added. “Our network has direct access to wood pellet production areas and

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.