
The Cross-Tie Archives


William Huskisson and the Dubious Railroad Distinction
Had the events of Sept. 15, 1830, turned out a little differently, William Huskisson probably would be remembered for his political career, not for his dubious railroad connection. But as it turns out, Huskisson’s name is forever preserved in the annals of railroad’s history books, not for his career as a politician but for his taking a bad step — into the path of an on-coming train and becoming the world’s first ever railroad fatality. Born in 1770, Huskisson’s political resume included a stint in British Parliament. Huskisson served as the first commissioner of Woods and Forests from 1814 until

Taking a Look Back at 2005 for Railroads
ATHENS, Ga. — For better or worse, 2005 began and ended with the railroad industry in the headlines. On Jan. 6, two Norfolk Southern trains collided in Graniteville, S.C. The National Transportation Board later ruled the crew of a Norfolk Southern train failed to return a main line switch to the normal position after the crew completed work at an industry track. Fast forward 12 months. In December, the subway drivers in New York City went on strike, an illegal strike at that. It was eventually resolved, with the union coming out of the deal with what it wanted. But




A Brewing Battle: Poor Management Leads to Millions in Losses
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

