Late Breaking Rail Industry News
| April 23, 2008 |
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A veteran of 22 years in the transit industry, Marie is currently directing the startup and operations of the $1.4 billion Central Phoenix/EastValley Rail System. Marie was formerly assistant general manager of operations for Metro Transit in Minneapolis, has held senior transit positions in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts, and has also worked for two major rail suppliers, Bombardier and Siemens.
A member of the state legislature’s transportation committee was quoted as saying, "This is precedent breaking. We’ve always had commissioners whose primary background was road building." Legislative leaders indicated they would fast-track Marie’s nomination.
One challenge the new DOT chief will confront is the escalating cost of a new commuter rail yard in New Haven, which has gone from $300 million to more than $1.2 billion.
| April 23, 2008 |
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The proposal authorizes the city manager to seek private contributions for the project. Private-sector funds must be guaranteed before any project work begins. But the addition of Uptown to the proposal adds $35 million to the project's original $102 million estimate, or $137 million, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. The original plan anticipated a private-sector funding of $30 million, but about $41 million would be required if the private sector's contribution as a percentage remains constant.
The motion also calls for city administrators to develop a "sustainable operations and maintenance financing plan for phase one that does not primarily rely on the city's capital or operating budgets."
| April 23, 2008 |
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In a letter signed April 21, Kulongoski said RailAmerica needs to reopen the line or seek abandonment. "To put it succinctly, my bottom line has not changed," the governor wrote. "As I stated...the State of Oregon would be open to a discussion with all of the stakeholders on a long-term solution for the line after you have re-opened it."
The governor said RailAmerica's refusal to first reopen the line suggests it has no intention of fixing or reopening the line without public money. "I continue to maintain that fixing the tunnels and restoring the flow of goods along the line is not only the right thing to do, but your legal obligation," the governor wrote.
Oregon's two U.S. senators, Ron Wyden and Gordon Smith, and Rep. Peter DeFazio are expected to speak before the Surface Transportation Board later about the situation. STB already has requested RailAmerica to explain its actions and intent.
| April 22, 2008 |
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Railway operating expenses for the quarter were $1.9 billion, up 12% from a year ago, as fuel costs rose by $156 million or 63%. The operating ratio was 76.9%, up slightly from 76.5% in the first quarter of 2007.
Shares of NS fell Wednesday as Wall Street expressed disappointment that the company had failed to meet earnings expectations.
First-quarter 2008 results were impacted by the settlement of a lawsuit relating to the 2005 accident at Graniteville, S.C., which, when combined with other favorable claims-related adjustments, reduced earnings by $0.02 per diluted share.
"Norfolk Southern delivered strong financial performance during the quarter, reporting the highest railway operating revenues in its history, in spite of a less than robust economy," said Norfolk Southern CEO Wick Moorman. "The results clearly indicate the strength of our balanced franchise, and we remain optimistic that we will produce continuing positive results in 2008."
| April 22, 2008 |
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"The first quarter brought many challenges as we continued to face remarkable year-over-year increases in both fuel prices and the Canadian dollar," said President and CEO Fred Green. "At the same time we had a difficult winter with prolonged cold spells and record snowfall which affected the entire supply chain."
"We faced a tough first quarter with substantial headwinds, and as we look to the balance of the year, we anticipate the continuing effects of a slowing North American economy on our business," said Mike Lambert, the railroad's chief financial officer. He said CP was reducing its earnings guidance for the year to the range of $4.40 to $4.60 per share, down from an earlier forecast of $4.65 to $4.80.
"Although demand remains strong for our bulk portfolio, we expect to see an impact on interposal business and further deterioration in our merchandise business," said Lambert.
While freight revenue rose 10% in the first quarter, the impact of a stronger Canadian dollar reduced this growth to 3%, said the railroad. Operating expenses increased 13%, but the positive foreign exchange impact reduced the increases to 7%.
CP expects to grow total revenue by 4% to 6% in 2008, unchanged from previous assumptions, but expenses are expected to rise by 6% to 8% due mainly to higher fuel costs.
| April 22, 2008 |
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"It was a tough way to start the year, but we’re making steady progress in improving network fluidity and workload," said CN President and CEO E. Hunter Harrison. “While we believe the U.S. economy my currently be in recession, we expect a gradual recovery during the second half of the year."
CN's first-quarter revenue increased 1% to C$1.9 billion, but revenue per ton-mile declined 2%. Operating expenses increased 4%, largely due to increased fuel costs and higher purchased services and material expenses.
CN now expects earnings per share growth to be in the mid-single digit range over 2007's C$3.40; earlier guidance called for growth in the mid-to-high single digit range.
Note: Breaking News erroneously noted CN's first-quarter earnings per share declined 2%; earnings per share increased 2% to C$0.64.
| April 22, 2008 |
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"This transaction will position IAIS to efficiently handle new levels of business that will materialize in 2009," Miller said. "The new GE ES44AC locomotives are 18 % more fuel efficient than other alternatives, including rebuilt locomotives, that we considered. One of the new 4,400 Horsepower units will pull a train equivalent to what two or three of our current units can handle, further reducing our fuel consumption and maintenance costs.
"These new units are also environmentally friendly and comply with all of the latest EPA requirements." Miller continued. "The locomotives will be manufactured at GE's Erie, Pennsylvania plant and we expect them to be delivered by October 1 of this year.
Miller said the locomotives will help IAIS, a subsidiary of Railroad Development Corp., cope with traffic growth spurred by "five new ethanol plants starting up over the next year." The railroad expects traffic to grow 25%-to-30% as a result.
| April 22, 2008 |
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Norman White, chairman for the Detroit Transit Options for Growth Study, unveiled the plan in conjunction with Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick,(D), and Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick.
The city will seek federal funding to pay for 60% of the cost, and anticipates 40% to come from private sources and foundation grants. Several sources, including Crain's Detroit Business, have reported on an intense effort by private-sector supporters of the plan in recent months to generate the local matching share for the project, though specific individuals and/or businesses have not been identified.
Under current plans, Detroit's Department of Transportation would oversee the operation.
| April 21, 2008 |
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Siemens says it's the first privately owned company in California's capital city to install a photovoltaic system of this size. The system is expected to generate 29,664,213 kWh (kilowatt hours) of electricity over its first 20 years. Using the California Energy Commission's Clean Power Estimator, Siemens figures that the new system will prevent 737 tons of carbon dioxide annually. It will have an annual impact on the environment equivalent to removing 7,933 cars from the road and planting about 200 acres of trees.
| April 21, 2008 |
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CN noted earnings per share increased 2%, and net income slipped 4%, from year-ago figures in part due to severe winter weather, and also due to the "stronger Canadian dollar relative to the U.S. dollar, which affects the conversion of CN's U.S. dollar-denominated revenues and expenses."
First-quarter results compared with year-ago figures also were "affected by a first-quarter 2008 deferred income tax recovery of C$11 million (C$0.02 per diluted share) resulting from net capital losses arising from the reorganization of a subsidiary, and the impact of a first-quarter 2007 strike by conductors in Canada," the company said.
In a statement, E. Hunter Harrison, president and chief executive officer, said: "CN experienced some of the worst winter weather in decades during the first quarter of this year. Extreme cold and snow affected us system-wide -- particularly in Western Canada -– delaying trains and putting crews, cars, and locomotives out of cycle. In January we took the unprecedented step of suspending most operations in the West for almost two days to ensure the safety of our employees. All these factors depressed traffic volumes and increased costs."
"In addition, our financial performance was affected by the strength of the Canadian dollar and significant weakness in certain markets, mainly forest products, which saw reduced volumes as a result of the decline in U.S. housing activity," he added.
"It was a tough way to start the year, but we're making steady progress in improving network fluidity and workload," Harrison said.
| April 21, 2008 |
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TOUAX Rail already manages a fleet of 5,424 cars with an additional 2,000 on order for 2008. In the leasing business for more than 150 years, TOUAX received about 21% of its 2007 revenue from its railcar segment. Shipping containers supplied 48%, modular buildings in Europe and the U. S. 24%, river barges in Europe and North and South America, 8%, and freight railcars in Europe and North America about 21%.
IRS builds railcars, bogies, and forgings at plants in the Czech Republic, Germany, Romania, Slovakia, and Switzerland.
| April 21, 2008 |
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FTA's overall contribution to the project so far has been $41.9 million; FTA has pledged $128 million, expected to cost $232.1 million. Other funding sources for the $232.1 million line include: the city of Norfolk, $33 million; the state of Virginia, $31.9 million; and roughly $39.2 million from other federal sources.
The FTA had budgeted a $57 million contribution to the project in the first year, but Congress appropriated only $23 million. With this afternoon's announcement, the federal share is $15 million off budget. Simpson played down the shortfall, saying the federal government would come through with its share of funding.
Hampton Roads Transit expects to begin revenue service on the 11-station line in early 2010, and anticipates initial ridership of 7,130 per day.
| April 21, 2008 |
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The proposal is backed by Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., who says the project would ease traffic congestion. "If it's going to be really done in a big way, a Las Vegas way, the magnetic levitation would be the way to do it," Reid said. "We could bring someone from LA to Las Vegas, and vice-versa, in less than an hour."
| April 21, 2008 |
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| April 21, 2008 |
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"We have a strong backlog of locomotive projects, and this order demonstrates our important role in the commuter rail marketplace," said Albert J. Neupaver, Wabtec's president and chief executive officer.
The company says the MPXpress includes the latest technology advancements and meets the latest crashworthiness and safety standards recommended by the American Public Transportation Association. The units also contain a number of components produced by other Wabtec subsidiaries.
| April 18, 2008 |
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| April 18, 2008 |
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In late Friday trade on the New York Stock Exchange following the move, shares of Kansas City Southern were up 3.2% at $43.72, topping its previous 52-week high of $43.50.
| April 18, 2008 |
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Right-of-way between Klamath Falls and Eugene, Ore., remains out of service pending the removal of debris. Amtrak will continue to use a shuttle bus service to bridge the gap created in the Coast Starlight route.
| April 18, 2008 |
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Rangecam is described as "a software suite of products for management, analysis, and reporting of track and wheel measurement data. The Track Analyst and Track View products support rail replacement, rail grinding, track maintenance, and crosstie replacement planning. Rangecam Wheel Analyst contains tools for analyzing the wheel-rail interface, wheel wear analysis, and truing. The Rangecam Field System provides onboard control and data analysis of mobile track geometry and optical rail measurement systems, including rail section identification in real time. The Office System has additional capabilities to import track test data from a wide variety of sources. Rangecam Enterprise Analyst provides full scalability, with central server data storage, Internet access, using Oracle or an MS SQL server database."
| April 17, 2008 |
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The extension south from 22nd Street also will include design and construction of foundations, viaduct structure, intersection improvements, landscaping, lighting, and customer amenities. A Harms executive told Railway Age the contract is the company's first involving HBLR, a design-build-operate-maintain (DBOM) project. The first 10-mile segment of HBLR opened in April 2000; an NJ Transit spokesman said HBLR's weekday ridership during NJ Transit's third fiscal quarter (January through March) averaged 39,200 riders per day.
In a statement, Transportation Commissioner and NJ Transit Board Chairman Kris Kolluri said, "The one-mile extension south in Bayonne will provide new neighborhoods with connections to NJ TRANSIT rail services, trans-Hudson ferries, PATH trains and park-and-ride facilities."
| April 17, 2008 |
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Five carload commodity groups showed gains from last year, led by grain, up 15.1%; metals, up 4.2%; and food and food products, up 2.8%. Lumber and wood products carloads were off 18.9%, metallic ores were down 18.8%, and motor vehicle carloads dropped 15.3%.
Canadian railroads reported carload traffic totaling 74,843 cars in the latest week, while intermodal volume was up 5.8% to 49,842 units. Kansas City Southern de Mexico reported carloads down 5.0% to 10,296, while trailer/container volume rose 37.5% to 5,511.
| April 17, 2008 |
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But the AAR said the ruling leaves unresolved the need to seek out alternatives to hazardous chemicals and the application of improved technology related to such change.
The USDOT ruling, announced April 16, requires the railroads, beginning June 1, to conduct comprehensive safety and security risk analyses of primary routes and any practicable alternatives for operation.
The AAR said: "We welcome the new rules on the routing of the most toxic chemicals. The safety and security of the communities we serve is our greatest priority.
"Railroads have an excellent record when it comes to moving hazardous materials. Some 99.997% of all hazmat shipments arrive safely at their destination.
"But this does bring up a bigger issue, and that is the use of safer chemicals and technology. The only way you can eliminate all of the risk of transporting toxic chemicals is if you don't move them at all. We agree with the National Research Council, part of the National Academy of Sciences, which said, 'the most desirable solution to preventing chemical releases is to reduce or eliminate the hazard where possible, not to control it.' That's why the Government Accountability Office in 2006 issued a report that urged DHS to "work with EPA to study the security benefits to plants of using safer technologies."
"Often there are safer substitutes already available. As the Center for American Progress pointed out last year, at least 25 cities have stopped using chlorine to purify drinking water or treat waste water in recent years, including Washington DC. Similarly there are other fertilizers that can substitute for anhydrous ammonia. Between them, chlorine and anhydrous ammonia account for more than 80 percent of all toxic chemicals moving by rail.
"Railroads are caught in the middle in all of this since we are required under federal law to move even the most dangerous chemicals."
| April 17, 2008 |
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The resignation came amid budget concerns over the PA's transportation hub planned for the World Trade Center in lower Manhattan. On Wednesday, April 16, The New York Times reported that the Federal Transit Administration hired Carter & Burgess to conduct a risk assessment of the hub, which found that chances were remote that the project’s $2.2 billion budgeted cost would hold; the assessment suggested costs could rise to nearly $3 billion. Construction manager Phoenix Constructors early in 2007 estimated the project could cost between $2.7 billion and $3.4 billion.
Interviewed by the Times for the paper's April 16 edition, Shorris addressed the transportation hub’s fiscal problems by noting, "Something we knew--our estimates aren't far from that--is that we had to continue our work of reducing, changing the way we build it, changing some elements of the scoping, so that we could bring it in within the resources that we have." He cited a fiscal ceiling of $2.5 billion for the project, which is largely financed by a $1.9 billion grant from the FTA.
Shorris' departure also followed published comments April 15 that the PA might contribute financially, as well as engineering and design expertise, to the proposed Moynihan Station project in midtown Manhattan. The PA at present has no significant role in the project, which involves Amtrak, New Jersey Transit, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). The current estimated cost of the Moynihan Station project is $3.2 billion, according to Friends of Moynihan Station.
Shorris served as a senior policy adviser to the campaign of former Gov. Eliot Spitzer and Paterson in 2006, before becoming executive director of the PA. In a letter addressed to PA Chairman Anthony Coscia, Shorris said he was "enormously proud of the work we have done together over the past 16 months," including the World Trade Center hub, as well as planned improvements of the PATH rail system linking New York and New Jersey.
Founded in 1921 as the Port of New York Authority, the PA oversees transportation projects and facilities in New York City and northern New Jersey, including airports, bridges and tunnels, and the PATH rail system.
| April 16, 2008 |
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Friedmann joined NS in 1994 as manager-strategic planning. He later served as assistant to the chairman, division superintendent, and assistant vice president-short line marketing before rejoining the strategic planning group as assistant vice president in 2006.
Mazur served in marketing and operational capacities with the Grand Trunk Western Railroad, Penn Central, and Conrail before joining NS in 1998. He was named vice president-strategic planning in 2006.
Friedmann will report to Deborah H. Butler, executive vice president-planning and chief information officer.
| April 16, 2008 |
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On June 1, the new rule requires each railroad to conduct a comprehensive safety and security risk analysis of a primary route and any practicable alternative routes over it has authority to operate. The analysis must consider information provided by local communities and a minimum of 27 risk factors like trip length, volume and type of hazmat being moved, existing safety measures along the route, and population density, Peters said. Railroads must implement their routing decisions based on these analyses by September 2009.
"This strong measure better ensures that rail shipments of hazardous materials will reach their final destinations safely and without incident," Peters said, noting the rule applies to trains hauling Poison Inhalation Hazard (PIH) commodities such as chlorine and anhydrous ammonia which are heavily used in farming, water purification, and manufacturing.
In addition, the rule includes several rail security provisions designed to guard against tampering with the rail hazmat car during transportation, the Secretary said.
Peters said the new rule complements a DOT proposal last month to increase by 500% on average the amount of energy a rail hazmat tank car must absorb during a train accident before a catastrophic failure occurs. "Stronger hazmat tank cars moving on the safest and most secure rail routes will enhance safety for people living in big cities and rural towns all across America," she said.
The interim final rule on rail hazmat routing was developed by the Department’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration in consultation with the Federal Railroad Administration, and fully complies with the provisions of the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007.
| April 16, 2008 |
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Also joining the company is Shane Frazier, named as business development manager of vertical & industrial commodities. Frazer previously manager of logistics & operations for Memphis, Tenn.-base Cargill Cotton. He also served sales and marketing roles with Union Pacific and BNSF.
Mitch Luciano has been appointed president of the MHS’s new brokerage division, Magellan Transport Logistics, which opened for business April 7. Luciano will oversee three-to-five new offices being opened at various locations in the U.S. during the year..
Luciano was president and chief operating officer of 4 Elements, Inc., a Bentonville, Ark.-based global third-party logistics firm.
| April 16, 2008 |
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Trainyard Tech says CLASSMASTER™ "is the first to apply standard industrial automation technology to the railway industry, using commercial off-the-shelf products running on the Microsoft Windows XP platform. This move away from proprietary components allows for flexibility and ease of installation and maintenance." For HMI (human-machine interface), CLASSMASTER™ utilizes Wonderware InTouch software, described as "easy to use and very intuitive." CLASSMASTER™ features include auto calibration; easily readable loggers; graphic playback; realtime hump list display; eBlock™, electronic track blocking; automatic report generation; NX (entrance-exit) route control, AEI Integration; PCS system and I/O redundancy; hot standy operation; wireless maintenance PC tablet; remote diagnostics and maintenance; and locomotive speed control. Automatic calibration "delivers the highest levels of accuracy quickly," says Trainyard Tech. User-friendly data storage and reporting provides the ability to call up reports at will, in many formats. Trainyard Tech also offers a lifetime warranty on its application software.
| April 16, 2008 |
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The Green Machine can be accessed in two places: at the accessNS e-commerce portal at www.nscorp.com, and through the environmental section of the website, www.nscorp.com/future. The calculator prompts the user to enter shipment volumes, along with network or lane information. Using graphics, the user then can gauge the emission reductions that occur as rail becomes a larger part of a freight movement.
"Carbon emission reductions are converted into familiar terms by showing how many automobiles would have to be taken off congested highways, and how many trees would need to be planted, in order to achieve the air quality improvements equivalent to those offered by the greater use of rail transportation," NS says.
| April 16, 2008 |
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The company also reported a consolidated operating ratio of 76.9%, based on record first-quarter operating income of $626 million, compared with a ratio of 80%, on income of $485 million, in the year-ago period.
CSX also notched record first-quarter revenue of $2.7 billion, up 12% from the first quarter of 2007. The company cited revenue growth in six of 10 market sectors overcoming weakness in the housing and automotive markets, as well as holding the line on non-fuel expenses.
The railroad, mindful of its ongoing dispute with dissident shareholders, said Tuesday that earnings per share increased by 63%. First-quarter results included 5 cents per share from a non-cash equity earnings adjustment this year, and 2 cents per share from insurance recoveries last year, the railroad said. On a comparable basis, excluding these items, CSX’s first-quarter earnings per share were up 60% over year-ago levels.
"Our highly focused workforce continued to drive shareholder value at a record-setting pace in the first quarter by delivery outstanding safety, customer service, and financial results," said CSX Chairman, President and CEO Michael Ward in a statement. "In addition, the diverse business portfolio we have created is allowing the company to grow through the current economic cycle."
CSX affirmed its long-term financial targets, saying it anticipates an operating ratio in the low 70% range and free cash flow before dividends in excess of $1 billion in 2010. "CSX is poised and motivated to deliver substantial value in the short term while enhancing its network and service to create value for many years to come," Ward said.
Wall Street Wednesday welcomed the news. A Credit Suisse report issued prior to the market's opening noted management's "targeting the higher end of its previously announced FY08 guidance range of $3.36-$3.56 (ex-gains). Additionally, the company reaffirmed its long-term guidance through 2010."
Shortly after noon Wednesday, shares of CSX traded at $60.56, above their 52-week high of $58.91 and up nearly 5% from Tuesday's close of $57.77. In afternoon trade, shares retreated but were still at $59.75, up 3.4%.
| April 16, 2008 |
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In a first for CAFTA (Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement), a three-person tribunal will rule on RDC's claims that the Government of Guatemala’s declaration of lesivo "constituted an indirect expropriation of its investment, a failure to provide the minimum standard of treatment, and a lack of national treatment," RDC said in a statement. "RDC has made it clear that the Government of Guatemala's action against FVG was taken on behalf of Guatemalan private business interests."
RDC formed FVG in 1997 to restore Guatemala's abandoned national railway to operation, and succeeded in reopening the Atlantic line in 1999. "RDC's success in reopening the line was the first case of an abandoned national railway restored to operation by the private sector," said RDC and FVG Chairman Henry Posner III. RDC was forced to suspend service in September 2007 "as a result of the Guatemalan Government's action, leaving the people of Guatemala once again without a functioning railway. With the constitution of the arbitration tribunal, the Government of Guatemala--which has engaged in delay and denial in hopes that our claim would disappear--is required under its CAFTA obligations to begin the process of addressing RDC's claims. While we are confident that justice will be the ultimate result, I personally regret that Guatemala has lost its railway; though I have no regrets about doing the very best we could under the circumstances."
The ICSID has appointed Spanish attorney and arbitrator Dr. Andres Rigo Sureda as president of the three-person tribunal. Sureda is a former Deputy General Council and Acting Vice President of the World Bank and a member of the ICSID Panel of Arbitrators. The other arbitrators are the Hon. Stuart Eizenstat of the U.S., appointed by RDC, and Professor James Crawford of Australia, appointed by the Government of Guatemala. RDC is represented in the ICSID proceedings by the U.S. international law firm Greenberg Traurig and the Guatemalan law firm of Díaz-Durán & Asociados-Central Law of Guatemala.
| April 15, 2008 |
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The consortium was selected by the government of Trinidad and Tobago and the National Infrastructure Development Corp. (NITCO). An initial $70 million contract covers a 20-month pre-design phase, during which a final route will be determined and detailed specifications will be drawn up, afterr which the cost and scheduling of the project will be agreed with NITCO.
Actual construction is expected to take around four years. Civil engineering, including 12.5 miles of viaducts, will be handled by Bouygues. Public Transport. Alstom Transport will be responsible for the railway system and the supply of trains. RATP Développement, a subsidiary of the company that operates the Paris Metro, will handle operation and maintenance for 15 years.
| April 15, 2008 |
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| April 15, 2008 |
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By this measure, four Class I railroads reported a return on investment in 2006 that surpassed the cost of capital, according to data posted earlier on the STB website. Norfolk Southern reported an ROI of 14.31% in 2006; BNSF Railway, 11.52%; Kansas City Southern, 10.27%; and Soo Line, 10.02%. CSX Transportation earned 8.32%; CN/Grand Trunk, 9.48%; and Union Pacific, 8.04%.
In its April 15 announcement of the 2006 cost of capital, the STB noted: "Today's decision in STB Ex Parte No. 558 (Sub-No. 10) implemented the board's recent methodological change for calculating the cost of equity, a key component in the cost of capital. The board used the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) adopted in its January 17, 2008, decision in STB Ex Parte No. 664."
The officially determined cost of capital is of great importance to railroads, since the board uses it to evaluate railroad revenue adequacy and in such regulatory proceedings as determining the reasonableness of a challenged rail rate or considering a proposal to abandon a rail line.
In 2006, a group of shippers challenged the STB's method of calculating the cost of capital. The board subsequently held two public hearings and reviewed five rounds of written testimony and exhibits to analyze its calculation model.
| April 15, 2008 |
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STB Chairman Charles D. Nottingham said the revamped office "will address both operational and service issues among all board stakeholders, as well as questions pertaining to board procedures." In addition to consumer assistance, the new office will house such other functions as rail operations analysis, tariffs, the board’s library, and mediation coordination.
Matthew Wallen is director of the new office, and Mel Clemens has assumed the new position of senior advisor to the board.
| April 15, 2008 |
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GWI is paying $21.4 million in cash with a contingent additional consideration of $2.4 million over the next three years.
GWI said Rotterdam Rail Feeding’s principal business is "last-mile" rail services within the Port of Rotterdam for long-haul railroads and industrial customers. RRF also provides locomotives, operating personnel, and rail-related services to track construction and maintenance companies as well as government-owned infrastructure companies throughout The Netherlands. RRF currently has 12 locomotives and 35 employees.
| April 15, 2008 |
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Eligible employees will be offered severance packages, with hourly workers' packages adhering to the terms of the labor contract
signed in December 2005. The plant employs about 70 salaried and 375 hourly employees.
Union Tank Car will continue production operations from plants in Sheldon, Tex., and Alexandria, La., and through its network of repair facilities.
| April 14, 2008 |
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Paterson stressed that North America's largest rail transit network already was ahead of the U.S. pack. "Thanks largely to our robust transportation network, the energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions of New Yorkers are a quarter of the national average," Paterson said. "By capitalizing on the MTA's network, we can further improve our energy efficiency and carbon footprints."
The interim report listed 20 recommendations and projects, and MTA officials said the authority already has committed to several of those recommendations, including: deriving 7% of MTA's energy needs from solar, wind, and other renewable sources by 2015; developing 6 megawatts of solar power at MTA facilities in conjunction with the New York Power Authority the Long Island Power Authority; powering the Roosevelt Island subway station in part renewable tidal energy generated in the East River by Verdant Power; creating a partnership with state agencies in the Governor's Smart Growth Cabinet to promote transit-oriented development (TOD) in the MTA's service territory; developing green design standards for transit facilities based on the LEED ratings, using the rigor and experience of the U.S. Green Building Council; and upgrading building roofs, including the use of vegetation, as various rail and bus facilities.
MTA also emphasized its creation of a Smart Fleets Study Group, comprising lead railcar designers from the MTA agencies, to identify opportunities to reduce railcar weight and introduce other environmentally friendly features while maintaining safety standards.
As a promotional gesture highlighting the overall sustainability effort, MTA will issue 5 million limited editor MetroCards, to be sold from vending machines beginning April 22 (Earth Day).
| April 14, 2008 |
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Excluding 1,185 carloads from the Maryland Midland Railway, which GWI started operating Jan. 1, 2008, same-railroad traffic in March 2008 decreased by 10,224 carloads, or 14.0%. GWI attributed the decrease largely to the discontinuation of haulage traffic on GWI's Meridian & Bigbee Railroad.
The company said lumber & forest product volumes fell 24% due to reduced shipments in Oregon and Canada. Farm & food products traffic declined 21%, attributed to lower wheat shipments in Canada, which the railroad blamed in part on harsh winter weather.
| April 11, 2008 |
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Midland, a supplier of railroad tank car safety valves and equipment, now offers a Valve Remanufacturing Program that enables customers to re-qualify their Midland tank car valves and have them restored to as-built condition, while providing the data needed to manage planned maintenance intervals. Midland has opened and staffed a new Valve Remanufacturing Facility at its Skokie, Ill., headquarters; invested in new remanufacturing equipment; created flexible programs for smooth flow in the remanufacturing process; and developed a system to record, store, and utilize data to provide findings and suggested practices to customers.
The valve remanufacturing process includes cleaning, disassembly, and inspection, followed by any necessary re-machining and component replacement, then reassembly, testing, and recertification. Midland also keeps records of the condition of each valve received and a comprehensive repair history. Remanufactured valves come with a one-year warranty.
On Thursday, May 1, Midland plans an open house at headquarters (7733 Gross Point Rd., Skokie, IL 60076). Contact Aileen Osias at (847) 677-0333, ext. 157, or email aileen@midlandmfg.net.
Nordco has introduced the first in a series of spare parts packages for its m/w machines. The spare parts packages "help ensure that customers have key components available for machine maintenance and repair operations," according to Director of Parts Sales Todd Antony. "We understand that our customers may need to repair a machine in the field at any time. Having the right parts on hand means they get their crew back at work as quickly as possible. The spare parts packages help our customers identify the parts that make sense to have in stock for immediate use."
The first phase of Nordco's spare parts package introduction focuses on basic applications, and includes selected critical components and high-wear items required to keep machines in operation. The initial spare parts packages are for the Nordco CX Hammer, TRIPP Tie Exchanger, and SP2R and LS-2 Grabber Spike Pullers. Over the next few months, Nordco will introduce Basic Spare Parts Packages for all of its major machine types. A second phase of the program will introduce expanded groups of replacement parts later this year.
In addition, Nordco has introduced a new, more user-friendly website, www.nordco.com (no change in URL). Among its features are redesigned graphics and navigation, a search-by-keyword finction, up-to-date product information including video clips of machines in operation, an online parts order request, and a library of product support bulletins searchable by keyword, machine type, serial number, and other parameters.
The Federal Communications Commission has granted certification to Short Line Technologies LLC, Somerset, N.J., for its model SLT-100 Automatic Equipment Identification (AEI) Tag Reader. This certification, based on independent laboratory tests, assures that the SLT-100 meets all requirements to be licensed under FCC Rules Part 90.
Using optional solar power as well as wireless technology, the SLT-100 offers stand-alone operation. A single lightweight pole mounted box minimizes the cost of installation, says the company. In addition, no shelter is needed to protect it from the elements. Communication ranges of up to 30 miles are possible, and by employing microwave sensing, train presence and direction are determined by the SLT-100 reader itself, so no external sensors are required. Nationwide wireless communication is feasible with the addition of cellular or LEO satellite-based technology. Using wireless networking, one long distance communications channel can support many SLT-100s. Data outputs are compliant with the reporting requirements of the S-918 Standard for AEI, as well as direct compatibility with Excel® spread sheet software.
| April 11, 2008 |
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The new railway is to be known as the Caliente Line and will extend an existing Union Pacific line near Caliente, Nev., to Yucca Mountain. STB said the line will provide common carrier rail services to on-line communities as well as allow DOE to transport "spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste."
Long under study, the proposal is so controversial that STB has adopted an extended timetable to consider what it expects to be a vast volume of public comment. Nearly two weeks before the build application was announced, the State of Nevada asked the STB to reject it or, alternatively, "to make replies to the application due after applicant has supplemented the record." DOE is to reply to this motion by April 22, and STB will address it later.
In its April 11 announcement, STB said, "Our issuing this notice now does not constitute determination as to whether DOE's application is complete or otherwise prejudge the state’s motion." Noting that "the environmental review related to the proposed construction and operation of a rail line to Yucca Mountain began in 2004 and is well under way," STB went on to clarify is own expanded role in the proceeding:
"In 2004 the board accepted DOE's invitation to participate as a 'cooperating agency' under the President's Council of Environmental Quality regulations ... to give DOE the benefit of the board's expertise in freight rail transportation in the preparation of Environmental Impact Statements (EISs) addressing a potential Nevada rail transportation corridor and alternative rail alignments. DOE was also aware when it asked the board to become a cooperating agency that the board would have jurisdiction over the proposed new rail line in the event DOE were to decide to have the proposed line operated as a common carrier rail line. (The cooperating agency process is intended to make environmental review under NEPA more efficient by giving all agencies with licensing authority over a project the environmental information they need to comply with NEPA and related environmental laws in undertaking their decision-making.)
"The board's Section of Environmental analysis and the other cooperating agencies on the Nevada rail corridor and raid alignment EIS (the Bureau of Land Management and the United States Air Force) have participated in every step of thee EIS process. The Draft EISs were issued for public review and comment in October 2007." DOE expects to issue the final EISs in June.
STB said it is not participating in the ongoing EIS process for the proposed nuclear waste site but will "take into consideration both the transportation merits and the environmental impacts of constructing and operating the proposed line when ruling on DOE's application."
The STB's procedural schedule calls for submitting notices of intent to participate by May 7, submission of opposing or supporting comments by July 5, and DOE’s reply by Aug. 29.
| April 11, 2008 |
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"Operations Research and the Management Sciences are professional disciplines that deal with the application of information technology for informed decision making," says program coordinator Dr. Michael F. Gorman, University of Dayton School of Business. "OR/MS professionals aim to provide rational bases for decision making by seeking to understand and structure complex situations and to use this understanding to predict system behavior and improve system performance. Much of this work is done using analytical and numerical techniques to develop and manipulate mathematical and computer models of organizational systems composed of people, machines, and procedures. RASIG provides a forum for bringing together practitioners, consultants, and academics interested in applying OR/MS techniques to the railroad industry. Our activities include roundtables, paper sessions at INFORMS national meetings, workshops, and focus groups. Roundtables provide attendees with a unique opportunity to explore, in-depth, topics ranging from eBusiness to simulation to network modeling. Presentations feature the latest in OR/MS research pertaining to the rail industry."
Submissions must be written by a student or students enrolled in an academic institution during the 2007-2008 academic year. They must relate to application of Management Science for the improvement or utilization of railroad transportation, and must represent original research (not literature reviews) and not have been published elsewhere. Seventy-five-word abstracts are due by June 15, 2008; completed papers should be submitted by Aug. 15, 2008. For further details and requirements, and to submit abstracts and papers, contact Dr. Gorman at Michael.Gorman@udayton.edu.
Each year, there are numerous entries from all over the world, including Europe, Africa, and North and South America. Andrea D’Ariano from Delft University of Technology in Delft, The Netherlands, earned first place in 2007. Her paper, "A Tabu Search Algorithm for Rerouting Trains During Rail Operations," addresses the problem of train conflict detection and resolution, which is dealt with every day by traffic controllers to adapt the timetable to real-time unpredictable events. "Her experiments show the high potential of advanced reordering and rerouting algorithms to reduce delays and to improve the use of infrastructure capacity," says Dr. Gorman. "This research is particularly useful for congested and tightly scheduled passenger rail systems, but certainly applies to all rail networks that are subject to high congestion and unplanned events."
Second place was awarded to Ashish Kumar Nemani from University of Florida. For his paper "Load Planning Problem at an Intermodal Railroad Terminal," Ashish studied the load planning problem at an intermodal railroad terminal, which assigns the containers and trailers on the given set of railcars to maximize train utilization and aerodynamic efficiency, while satisfying several operational and regulatory requirements. "His empirical studies demonstrate that these algorithms are able to solve the problems of modest size in reasonable time," explains Dr. Gorman. "The advantage of the approach is its flexibility to incorporate new business requirements. Importantly, more aerodynamic intermodal trains result in tremendous fuel cost savings, a topic of growing interest to railroads."
"These studies and the many other submissions are published in academic journals, but more important, raise awareness of advanced rail decision making, and can help improve the efficiency and competitiveness of the rail industry worldwide," says Dr. Gorman.
| April 11, 2008 |
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Lipinski plans to hold a meeting with community officials in his district for input before making a final decision. "I just want to make sure that this is definitely going to be a good thing in the long run for the district," he said.
By contrast, Illinois Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin, along with Rep. Melissa Bean, D-Ill., oppose the sale based on the purported effect increased freight rail traffic would have on their constituent communities.
| April 11, 2008 |
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Thoroughbred Pacesetter will become available to NS customers on April 14, giving them a direct link to the railroad's yard inventory and car reporting systems, "providing customers with more detailed, real-time visibility of shipments, and direct control over ordering and releasing railcars," according to the railroad. Customers will have "unprecedented direct management of freight car orders and releases, increased visibility of the railcar pipeline, and detailed local railcar inventory for improved logistics management."
| April 11, 2008 |
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"The installation of these wide-span cranes has nearly doubled the capacity at our SIG facility and reduces our impact on the environment while supporting the growth of international commerce at the Port of Seattle," said Mike Burke, assistant vice president BNSF Intermodal Hub Operations.
He said the cranes are significantly wider than those commonly used at interposal facilities, spanning three tracks, and have the capability to stack containers and load and unload trucks and railcars. Along with adding capacity, the cranes have increased throughput by about 30% at the yard.
Port of Seattle Commission President John Creighton said that by replacing diesel equipment with electric cranes, BNSF has "promoted economic development and has done so in a way that is friendly to the environment."
| April 11, 2008 |
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| April 10, 2008 |
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Eleven of 18 carload commodities registered gains over last year, led by grain, up 27.1%; food and kindred products, up 19.8%; and metallic ores, up 10.8%. Declines were reported in carloads of motor vehicles and equipment, down 18.5%; primary forest products, down 17.9%; and lumber and wood products, down 15.8%.
For this year's first 14 weeks U.S. ton-mile volume increased 2.5%, carload traffic was up 1.3%, and intermodal volume was off 3.9%.
In Canada, carload traffic in the week ended April 5 totaled 70,008 cars, down 0.4% from last year, with intermodal volume up 3.8% to 48,079 units.
On Kansas City Southern de Mexico, carload traffic was up 9.0% to 11,032 cars in the latest week, and intermodal volume increased 45.6% to 5,047 units.
| April 10, 2008 |
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The April 9 NIT League announcement said Carlton brings to his new job "over 30 years of experience in domestic and international freight transportation issues, and an outstanding reputation built on leadership and tangible results." At the DOT, Carlton has negotiated bilateral trade agreements with half a dozen countries, including China and Russia, and led efforts to enact the Ocean Reform Shipping Act.
| April 10, 2008 |
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Speaking at a Supplementary Draft Environmental Impact Statement last week on the "Trans-Hudson Express Tunnel," NARP Executive Director Ross Capon said, "It is essential that New York City's existing Pennsylvania Station be accessible from the new tunnels. NJT abandoned this accessibility in a June 2007 project redesign, the rationale for which has been kept secret."
Capon urged officials to consider the implications of temporary or extended closure of the existing Amtrak-owned tunnels used by both Amtrak and NJT trains, should the current rights-of-way close for future upgrading. If the present plan is adopted, he said, existing intercity trains could not operate nor could prospective inter-regional services such as Trenton, N.J., to Stamford, Conn.
Capon noted that not only would the project provide no additional intercity slots at Penn Station, it also precludes future investments aimed at providing such slots even though New York City is widely recognized as the nation's "number one market where expanded intercity train service would help address demands for air service that are bumping up against airport and airspace capacity limits."
Other rail advocacy groups questioning NJ Transit's current plans include the Empire State Passengers Association (ESPA), which called for restarting the planning and environmental studies for a direct track link between Penn Station and Grand Central, described as "Alternative G" in the Major Investment Study (MIS) phase of the planning process.
"Simply put, this once outstanding regionally comprehensive plan has devolved into nothing more than a six track 'deep cavern' annex to New York Penn Station beneath 34th Street for use only by NJT trains," said Albert L. Papp, representing the New Jersey Association of Railroad Passengers (NJ-ARP), which also supports Alternative G.
NJ Transit began planning for additional tunnel access under the Hudson River in the mid-1990s. The project, currently estimated at $7.6 billion, would roughly double the amount of capacity between New York and New Jersey, handling up to 48 trains per hour, NJT says. Pending federal approval, construction is set to begin in 2009 and take eight years.
| April 10, 2008 |
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Estimated to cost $650 million, the project will include a general upgrading of the line's infrastructure, including signaling. The line has a monthly ridership of about four million. It was returned to government operation in 2005.
This is the latest of a series of rail modernization projects undertaken by the current government, including the construction of a high speed line to be built by a consortium led by Alstom.
| April 9, 2008 |
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Patersaon disclosed his intention to create the panel at a meeting of the Association for a Better New York one day after politicians in Albany effectively killed a "congestion pricing" plan offered by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg that would have given the MTA about $500 million a year in new funding derived from $8 fees that would be charged to motorists entering congested areas of Manhattan during rush hours.
In addition to the annual funding, acceptance of the plan in Albany would have automatically qualified the city for $354 million in federal funding to implement the congestion pricing plan. Gov. Paterson wants the Ravitch commission to see if any parts of the Bloomberg plan can be salvaged.
| April 9, 2008 |
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"During the quarter, a multi-year new railcar contract was successfully renegotiated," said the company in an April 9 statement. "Covered hopper cars and Auto-Max® auto-carrying cars will be substituted for double-stack intermodal railcars. In addition, the mix of double-stack cars remaining in the backlog changes to produce single-stack cars suited for hauling domestic (51-foot) rather than international (40-foot) containers. These substitutions educe backlog by 2,100 units, and increase the dollar value by $5 million, as compared to the prior quarter."
Greenbrier's revenue grew 8% to $262 million in the latest quarter, mainly due to acquisitions in the company’s refurbishment and parts segments. Net earnings for the quarter were $1.4 million vs. net loss of $6.1 million in the 2007 quarter. Earnings for the quarter were lower than Wall Street had expected due to costs related to shutdown of Greenbrier’s Canadian plant, now being administered by a court-appointed trustee, plus a tax rate nearly double than expected for the rest of the year.
Greenbrier sees a brightening picture in coming months, partly due to the recent acquisitions of American Allied, a wheel services and railcar parts provider, and Roller Bearings Industries, a provider of reconditioned bearings, which combined will add about $100 million to annual revenue.
"We continue to expect that the second half will be stronger than the first half principally due to continued growth and strong performance from our refurbishment and parts business, elimination of the drag on earnings from TrentonWorks [in Canada], and a more favorable tax rate," said Mark Rittenbaum, executive vice president and chief financial officer.
| April 9, 2008 |
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The profit is attributed to Eurotunnel's debt restructuring program, following a revised agreement in 2007 with the company's creditors. The agreement cut Eurotunnel's debt levels from 9.2 billion euros to 4.2 billion euros, as shareholders swapped older shares for shares in a new company called Groupe Eurotunnel.
Chairman and CEO Jacques Gounon said, "Now that we finally have the high-speed [rail] link in Britain, we are getting the passenger numbers we should have had 15 years ago." Last year Eurostar passenger service began operating on high speed rail right-of-way between Folkestone and London's St Pancras station, cutting travel times to and from both Paris and Brussels, Belgium.
For the first quarter of 2008, Eurotunnel has reported a substantial increase in traffic, contributing to a 15% jump in first-quarter revenue to roughly $296 million.
| April 8, 2008 |
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"The scope of the review is Canada’s rail-based logistics chain, including shippers, terminal operators, ports, and vessels," said an April 7 announcement. "The review will focus on services provided to Canadian shippers and customers by CN and CPR within Canada, including to and from ports and border crossings."
Among other issues, the review will address the impact on service of shipper size, car supply, demand forecasting, peak movements, operating practice, and the relationship between the major railroads and the short lines that originate 25% of rail traffic in Canada.
The government announced some time ago that the review would be conducted and a draft agenda has already been studied by the Coalition of Rail Shippers and the two major railways and revised based on their feedback. Stakeholders have until May 11 to comment on he agenda.
The review is expected to take 12 to 18 months and will be conducted in two stages. In the first stage, analysts will gather and assess data on service issues, and Transport Canada will assess how these issues are addressed in other transportation sectors and in regulated industries. The second stage will see the development of recommendations and submission of a final report.
| April 8, 2008 |
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"New York's mounting traffic and congestion woes point to congestion pricing as an inevitable solution, even if not in the next few months or with the assistance of federal Urban Partnership dollars," said Peters in an April 7 statement.
New York had until noon on April 8 to qualify for $354 million in Urban Partnership funding to help implement Mayor Michael Bloomberg's plan to charge drivers an $8 fee to enter Manhattan south of 60th Street during peak traffic hours.
"Starting tomorrow [April 8], we will engage with many of the largest cities in the United States that have put forward ambitious traffic fighting plans to discuss how they could use this money to cut traffic, improve transit, and improve pollution," said Peters.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority of New York also issued a statement expressing regret that the congestion pricing plan had faltered in Albany. In addition to traffic that the lay may have diverted to MTA's trains and buses, the congestion fees paid by motorists would have gone top MTA to improve public transit.
Congestion pricing has been effectively used in London to reduce traffic in congestion zones, though it was initially unpopular, and has also proved to be a success in Singapore.
| April 8, 2008 |
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At Terminal 5, staff at the Heathrow Express ticket office can offer tickets for either rail company from one ticketing system, offering assistance to those arriving in London. Unattended machines also are available for more experienced travelers requiring less assistance. For those using OysterTM pay-as-you-go, London Underground customers can go straight to the platform, or purchase nonstandard tickets using their card from the ticket office or unattended machine.
"Heathrow International Airport already serves millions of air travellers each day from all corners of the earth, and the number of travellers will nearly double with the new Terminal 5," said Steve Shewmaker, European managing director for Cubic Transportation Systems Ltd., Cubic's British subsidiary. "Until now, there has been one ticketing system for Heathrow Express and another system for the London Underground. Merging the two makes it faster and easier for air travelers to purchase their tickets for transport to and from London. Cubic's system is at the very heart of this capability."
| April 8, 2008 |
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| April 8, 2008 |
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The three bids, all submitted by New Jersey-based companies, include: George Harms Construction, Inc. ($58,373,125); Conti Enterprises, Inc. ($68,887,886); and a team comprised of Joseph M. Sanzari, Inc. and J. Fletcher Creamer & Son, Inc. ($72,554,000). A spokeswoman for NJ Transit confirmed the bid numbers Tuesday morning.
HBLRT's southern terminus in Bayonne currently is at 22nd Street. The one-mile extension will bring LRT to the city's oldest and most pedestrian-accessible neighborhood, and position HBLRT for possible future expansion across the Bayonne Bridge into Staten Island, N.Y.
Staten Island state and local officials, backed by New York's U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, currently seek to establish LRT in New York's "forgotten borough," and have advocated direct links to HBLRT as part of the borough's overall plan. Bus service provided by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority bound for Manhattan recently began making stops at HBLRT's 34th Street station to serve Staten Island residents bound for New Jersey destinations.
| April 7, 2008 |
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Each CORADIA LINT DMU consists of two air-conditioned coaches accommodating 136 passengers. Floor height and boarding steps have been configured for platform heights on the Niers-Rhein-Emscher network, making boarding access easier, particularly for passengers with reduced mobility.
Alstom’s CORADIA LINT vehicles were introduced in 2000; more than 425 have been deployed in Germany, the Netherlands, and Denmark. Veolia Verkehr already operates 30 of them.
| April 7, 2008 |
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The legislature's lack of action made irrelevant a deadline of noon April 8 for approval needed to qualify for $354 million in federal funding, which would have laid the fiscal groundwork for the city's plan, advanced by Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Under the plan, drivers would pay $8 to enter Manhattan below 60th Street on weekdays.
| April 7, 2008 |
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| April 7, 2008 |
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Greenbrier Rail Services President Tim Stickney commented: “This acquisition is an excellent fit with our current operations. It enables us to increase our vertical integration in the wheel services business and expand our growing replacement parts business. Reconditioned bearings are used in proximately 90% of the wheeelsets we refurbish at our network of 12 wheel shops.”
With the RBI acquisition, Greenbrier’s refurbishment and parts business now operates from 30 locations in the U.S. and Mexico.
| April 4, 2008 |
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On March 17, CSX sued TCI and another hedge fund, 3G Capital Partners, which has joined TCI in what has shaped up as a proxy fight to gain control of the railroad. CSX’s lawsuit alleges that TCI and 3G committed securities violations in their efforts to put their own slate of directors on the CSX board. Now, TCI has countersued, claiming that CSX awarded stock grants in May 2007 to senior executives one week before it announced a $1 billion increase in a stock repurchase plan, a dividend increase, and optimistic earnings forecasts. TCI said the stock award to CSX chief executive Michael Ward and other company directors amounts to “spring-loading,” defined as improperly awarding stock or options prior to disclosing material non-public information that may boost share price. CSX directors have “gone to extraordinary lengths to entrench themselves in their current positions,” said TCI in its suit, which was filed today in U.S. District Court in the Southern District of New York.
In a statement, CSX’s Ward said TCI’s countersuit is “an attempt to distract shareholders from [our] previously filed lawsuit against TCI, 3G Capital Partners, and certain of their affiliates. . . . CSX is committed to protecting the interests of all shareholders and to continuing the company’s industry-leading record of shareholder value creation. [We believe] the TCI counterclaims are without merit and will defend against them vigorously.”
| April 4, 2008 |
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The post office, a Beaux Arts style structure, is across the street from Madison Square Garden on Eighth Avenue. It was designed by the architects who designed the original Penn Station, which the Pennsylvania Railroad demolished in 1963 to make way for Madison Square Garden, creating today’s underground Penn Station, a cramped facility shared by Amtrak, NJ Transit, and the Long Island Rail Road.
The Garden’s decision to stay put may permanently squash the city’s plans to transform the Farley Building into the new Moynihan Station (named in honor of New York’s late Democratic U.S. senator, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, who originally proposed the post office transformation) and redevelop Manhattan’s West Side. The Garden says it supports the original Moynihan Station plan, which did not involve relocating the arena. The original station redevelopment plans over the past few years have morphed into a politically charged debate that also has involved building a new stadium on the West Side over the existing LIRR yards—a plan the Garden has opposed. Cost estimates for the Moynihan complex have soared, and Amtrak, which had originally planned to move into the station, maintains it cannot afford to do so.
Meanwhile, NJ Transit and the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey are moving ahead with plans to build two new Trans-Hudson Express tunnels and a new deep-tunnel station under 34th Street, adjacent to the existing Penn Station complex.
| April 4, 2008 |
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| April 4, 2008 |
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| April 4, 2008 |
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The mudslide on Jan. 18 left an estimated 153,000 truckloads of downed trees, snow, and mud to be removed, an operation plagued by continuing heavy snowfall at the site’s remote location. As the job nears completion, traffic continues to be rerouted between Roseville, Calif., and Portland, Ore.
| April 4, 2008 |
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Florio, a Democrat, urged federal lawmakers to resist appeals by shippers and others to repeal or modify Staggers, which he co-authored while in Congress prior to his becoming governor. "The old saying goes, 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it,'" Florio said, addressing a luncheon audience at the TransAction 2008 conference in Atlantic City, N.J.
The former governor was honored during the luncheon by the New Jersey Short Line Railroad Association for his efforts to aid the short line industry.
| April 3, 2008 |
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For the month of March, carload and intermodal traffic were down on U.S. Class I railroads, compared to the prior-year period, according to figures released by the AAR. Railroads originated 1,308,482 carloads of freight in March, down 0.1%. U.S. intermodal traffic totaled 856,404 units, down 5.7%, compared to March 2007.
Of the 19 major commodity categories tracked by the AAR, 12 saw carload declines in March. Coal and grain were up 5.9% and 13.9%, respectively. Chemicals rose 0.6%. On the negative side, a strike at a key automotive parts supplier, as well as reduced sales in the auto sector, helped pull down motor vehicles and equipment by 19.4%. Crushed stone, sand, and gravel were down 13.4%.
The first three months of the year looked a little brighter. For first-quarter 2008, total U.S. rail carloadings were up 1.1% to 4,172,966 carloads, while intermodal traffic was down 4.1% to 2,819,095 trailers and containers. Total volume was estimated at 431.5 billion ton-miles, up 2.3% from last year. Nine of 19 major commodities saw carload increases in the first quarter of 2008 compared with the first quarter of 2007. Coal rose 4.3%; grain jumped 17.3%. Motor vehicles and equipment dropped 9.5%; crushed stone, sand, and gravel dipped 8.3%.
Canadian carload traffic in March 2008 was down 7.7%, due largely to sizable declines in motor vehicles and equipment (down 22.7%); lumber and wood products (down 36.4%); and grain (down 14.1%). Canadian intermodal traffic in March 2008 was down 2.7%, to 182,157 trailers and containers. For first-quarter 2008, Canadian carloadings dipped 2.5%, but intermodal traffic grew 4.7%, to 593,924 trailers and containers.
Kansas City Southern dé Mexico, the only Mexican railroad reporting figures to the AAR, experienced an 11.3% drop in March carloadings, while intermodal units grew 2.6%. For the quarter, KCSM carloads dropped 4.5%, while intermodal grew by 10.7%.
Combined cumulative volume for the first 13 weeks of 2008 on 12 reporting U.S. and Canadian railroads totaled 5,124,297 carloads, up 0.4% from last year; and 3,413,019 trailers and containers, down 2.7% from 2007’s first 13 weeks.
| April 3, 2008 |
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| April 3, 2008 |
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Greater Baltimore President and CEO Donald C. Fry called particular attention to the needs of Amtrak in his city. “There are two critical bottlenecks on the Northeast Corridor, and both are in Baltimore,” said Fry. “Both are infrastructure tragedies waiting to happen. I’m referring to the Union Tunnel northeast of Penn Station, and the B&P Tunnel southwest of Penn Station. They are like arteries leading into the heart of the city, pumping passengers in and pumping passengers out. Yet they are old and failing.”
| April 3, 2008 |
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The Transportation unit’s revenues for the year totaled $7.8 billion, up $1.2 billion from the previous year, and earnings before income taxes reached $339 million, up from $255 million.
Bombardier’s corporate backlog of undelivered orders reached $53.6 billion on Jan. 31, including $22.7 billion in Bombardier Aerospace orders. Consolidated revenues increased to $17.5 billion from $14.9 billion in the previous fiscal year; EBITDA from continuing operations before special items was $902 million, up from $577 million; and net income increased to $317 million from $268 million last year.
During an April 3 conference call with analysts, Bombardier said it expects to play a growing role in China, where it will have 4,000 employees this year; and is continuing discussions with Russia’s TransMash on joint operations in that country’s rail market.
| April 2, 2008 |
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FRA is funding the Confidential Close Call Reporting Pilot Project, which also involves the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) and the United Transportation Union (UTU) in Portage and Milwaukee, Wis., and also in St. Paul, Minn. Union Pacific also has joined the effort, according to the FRA.
Under the program, employees can voluntarily and anonymously report incidents that could have resulted in an accident, but did not, without fear of sanction or penalty from the company or the federal regulator. The information will collected over a five-year period and studied to determine areas of potential risk and to develop solutions to prevent accidents in the future. A review team will evaluate the reports as they are received in order to make safety recommendations for those that require immediate attention.
"We are pleased to partner with the FRA, bringing rail safety to the next level of effectiveness," said McQuade. "The safety of our employees and all the communities we serve is our highest priority."
| April 2, 2008 |
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The $137 million represents overtime pay, extra fuel costs, and estimated lost revenue from passengers frustrated by Amtrak's on-time performance, which fell from 51% in 2003 to 42% in 2007.
Sen. Lautenberg, a long-time Amtrak advocate, requested the report from the inspector general in February 2007. A copy of the audit may be found at http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=2273.
| April 2, 2008 |
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Accident investigation reports for all of 2005 and 2006 and for the first quarter of 2007 are online now, said Boardman. A major investigation typically takes six to nine months to complete.
The accident investigation webpage may be accessed at http://www.fra.dot.gov/us/content/1696.
| April 2, 2008 |
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GRLW is a subsidiary of Western Carolina Service Corp. It interchanges with CSX Transportation at Pelzer and with the Pickens Railway at Belton; it has interchange access to Norfolk Southern via its Pickens connection.
The consortium expects the facility to handle 5,000 carloads in its first year, with volume growing as it expands to handle other fuels and bio-fuels. To support the initial traffic increase, GRLW expects to upgrade its physical plant during the next two years, installing 13,600 crossties, re-decking two bridges, rebuilding 23 grade crossings and eliminating one, and installing two miles of new main line.
| April 2, 2008 |
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| April 1, 2008 |
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The plan, announced late last week, forecasts construction to commence in 2010, with revenue service starting in 2012. The average fare would be $1. The plan assumes the surcharge would raise $6.9 million each year for 25 years to cover the overall cost, plus interest. Operating expenses would total about $4.5 million annually.
Ohio State University will contribute $12.5 million toward construction, university president E. Gordon Gee said. Students likely would ride free or at a discount. Ty Marsh, president of the Columbus Chamber of Commerce, said business owners generally support the streetcar concept.
| April 1, 2008 |
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The plan, backed by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, reportedly also has support from Gov. David Paterson. But state lawmakers, including some local city representatives, have expressed caution and/or reservations about the plan during the past year.
The federal Department of Transportation has offered the state of New York $354 million in transit aid if the congestion pricing plan is approved by April 7. The state legislature was still working on a budget for the state's fiscal year, which began April 1.
"It is now completely clear that congestion pricing has the strong backing of the people of New York City," Bloomberg said. The mayor said approval of the plan would cut traffic, reduce carbon gas emissions, and provide revenue through its fees for improved transit, primarily through the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
| April 1, 2008 |
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Total accidents and incidents declined 11.0% to 961 in January. Train accidents were down 4.7% to 203 and derailments declined 8.7% to 147, though collisions increased 12.5 ?to 18. Yard accidents declined 8.1% to 228.
| April 1, 2008 |
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"Important aspects such as improved operating efficiency and safety, enhanced seating capacity, and compliance with European interoperability standards will be addressed," said a joint announcement issued in Rome. "This will be possible by applying the leading technologies recently developed by Bombardier Transportation and Finmeccanica for the global high speed rail sector."
The announcement noted that "Bombardier has been a key player in the delivery of almost all very high-speed rains operating today in Europe, including the ICE family of trains in Germany, the ETR 500 in Italy, the AVE S-102 in Spain, and four different series of TGV in France." AnsaldoBreda, meanwhile, is currently delivering its V250 high -speed train to the
Netherlands and Belgium railways for operation on the Amsterdam-Brussels route.
| April 1, 2008 |
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US DOT Secretary Mary E. Peters said a proposed performance-based standard would increase by 500%, on average, the amount of energy the tank car must absorb during a train accident before a catastrophic failure may occur.
As described by the FRA: "The proposed rule requires tank cars carrying poison Inhalation Hazard (PIH) commodities such as chlorine and anhydrous ammonia to be equipped with puncture-resistance protection strong enough to prevent penetration at speeds of 25 mph for side impacts and 30 mph for head-on collisions--more than double the speed for existing tank cars. The proposal allows flexibility in reaching that goal, but it is expected the outer tank car shell and both head ends will be strengthened, the inner tank holding the hazmat cargo will be better shielded, and the space between the two will be designed with more energy absorption and protection capabilities."
| April 1, 2008 |
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| April 1, 2008 |
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| March 31, 2008 |
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is set to begin May 5 in Cleveland.
In issuing the restraining order, U.S District Judge John Adam found that UTU members had not been given sufficient information for making an informed decision on the proposed meager, which would create the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers (SMART).
| March 31, 2008 |
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| March 28, 2008 |
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The cars are to be used on Delhi Metro's Phase II, 37-mile expansion, carrying a projected four million passengers a day in the East-West and North-South corridors of the city. The cars will be built at a new Bombardier facility in India.
| March 28, 2008 |
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QM, a developer of alternative energy technologies, said the motor provides up to 55 kW of continuous power to drive the twin-screw compressor for the first stage of the two-stage air system of the fuel-cell powerplant.
"At 127-tonne (280,000-pound) continuous power of 220-250 kilowatts from its proton exchange membrane fuel cell power plant, and transient power well in excess of one megawatt, the switch locomotive will be the heaviest and most powerful fuel cell land vehicle yet," said UQAM.
The locomotive is scheduled for field-testing later this year.
Arnold Miller, president of Vehicle Projects LLC, commented: "As a nation, we face two significant issues: global climate change and energy insecurity, both of which have a common factor—oil. The world burns millions of barrels of oil for energy, and the waste carbon is then emitted to the atmosphere. Because fuel cells don’t rely on oil as a fuel source, they solve these two issues. Along with our principal partners, we are developing proof-of-concept hydrogen fuel cell vehicles that are leading the way to the new technology."
| March 28, 2008 |
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Describing WMATA’s needs as “critical,” Catoe outlined a 44-item-long needs list, which is not included in the agency’s current capital improvement program. Among the areas of need for the rail system are water-damage-related station repairs, railcar safety improvements, replacing wooden crossties and 120,000 fasteners, station platform and bridge repairs, parking lot repaving, and traction power system upgrades to improve reliability and enable Metrorail to run longer eight-car trains.
Catoe said WMATA is the only major transit system in the country that does not have a “significant source” of dedicated funding, and that the local governments that contribute toward funding the agency also are facing budget constraints.
| March 27, 2008 |
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Casey said the budget calls for 65 separate initiatives to ease overcrowding, among them an across-the-board expansion of service–peak-hour, midday, evening, and late-night. Cleaner vehicles and stations and improved communication with customers are also part of the plan.
Regional rail routes will be particularly busy, he said, with a 12% increase in business expected next year and 20% over the last three years.
| March 27, 2008 |
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Carload freight was off 3.3% from last year, and intermodal traffic was down 5.2%. Year-to-date, ton-mile traffic was up 1.9% from last year, carloads were off 0.8%, and intermodal was down 4.2%.
In Canada, carload traffic in the week ended March 22 was down 6.7% from last year, while intermodal volume declined 7.1%. Kansas City Southern d