12/06/01 - TORONTO GROUP AIMS TO PRESERVE VIA LRC LOCOMOTIVE

VIA officials this week agreed to discuss the transfer of an LRC locomotive to the future Toronto Railway Museum, according to David Garon, president of the Toronto Railway Historical Committee.

An inspection team from the historical group will visit VIA’s Montreal maintenance facility to inspect several LRC locomotives. “The team will examine several LRC locomotives with a view to selecting the optimal candidate for acquisition, and will make recommendations to the City of Toronto Culture Division concerning the details of an exchange of letters of intent between the city and VIA regarding the purchase of an LRC locomotive,” Garon said.

The Toronto rail group has invited several groups to join in the preservation of two or more LRC units and other historic VIA equipment, Garon said.

The wedge-nosed LRC’s – short for Light, Rapid, Comfortable – were introduced in the early 1970s to run at 100 mph on the Toronto-Montreal corridor. Of the 34 built by Bombardier, only a handful remain in service. The Alco-powered locomotives will be bumped into retirement by new P42s that VIA is currently receiving from General Electric.


12/06/01 - NS LEASES FORMER NYC STATION TO INDIANA TOWN

The city of LaPorte, Ind., has signed a 20-year lease with Norfolk Southern for use of the 1909 New York Central depot that sits along the former Water Level Route. NS will lease the depot for a $1 year, reported the South Bend Tribune. The railway could not sell the structure outright because of restrictions surrounding the sale of former Conrail property. The city plans to restore the depot with $819,000 of federal funds it received in 1994.


12/05/01 - KENTUCKY CARDINAL LANDS AT IT'S NEW NEST IN LOUISVILLE

Amtrak’s Kentucky Cardinal reached its namesake state for the first time yesterday as the train pulled into a revitalized Louisville Union Station, ending a 22-year absence of passenger train service to the city.

More than 250 people were on hand for the train’s arrival, the Louisville Courier-Journal reported. Since its inception in 1999, the Kentucky Cardinal, which links Chicago and Louisville, had terminated across the Ohio River at Jeffersonville, Ind., site of an Amtrak Mail and Express facility.

The return of passenger service to Louisville was made possible with a $630,000 project to refurbish the station and build a new connection track. Amtrak and the city each contributed $300,000, while the Great American Station Foundation kicked in $30,000.

The next order of business may be to extend the Kentucky Cardinal to Nashville, Tenn. Acting Amtrak Intercity President Don Saunders, who was on board the train, said that an announcement regarding Nashville could come later this month.

''We're one state closer to Tennessee and Nashville,'' Robert Stewart, director of the Tennessee Association of Railroad Passengers, told the Courier-Journal.

The Kentucky Cardinal’s equipment is idle between runs, giving the railroad ample time to earn more revenue by continuing on 180 miles to Nashville.


12/03/01 - TRINITY RAILWAY EXPRESS MAKES FIRST RUNS BETWEEN DALLAS AND FORT WORTH

Trinity Railway Express began regular service between Dallas and Fort Worth today, linking the cities by commuter rail for the first time in 67 years.

On Friday, officials gathered to pound 10 golden spikes in celebration of the launch of regular service. Ceremonies were held at the Texas & Pacific Terminal Building in Fort Worth and at the CentrePort/DFW Airport station. TRE is a $245-million joint project of the Dallas Area Rapid Transit and the Fort Worth Transit Authority.

Service began at three Dallas-area stations in December 1996, and expanded to include three Tarrant County stations in September 2000. The line carries 6000 passengers a day, and is projected to carry more than 11,000 riders daily by 2010.

"We are thrilled to complete this portion of the TRE, allowing our customers the opportunity to utilize service to and from downtown Fort Worth. Workers from throughout Tarrant County now have options for an easier commute by rail versus automobile, and passengers originating in Fort Worth, to other parts of the Metroplex, will find their commute easier and more economical." said Dave Ragan, the T Executive Committee Chairman.

TRE operates six days a week. Four morning and three evening trains are scheduled to travel between Fort Worth and Dallas to serve traditional commuters. A midday train and three late-night trains will also operate. Saturday service is provided on two-hour headways, after two early morning trains traveling eastbound at 7:15 a.m. and 8:15 a.m. Westbound trains arrive at the T&P terminal every two hours, from 9:55 a.m. through 11:55 p.m.

Full schedules can be found at the TRE website at www.trinityrailwayexpress.org.

The former Rock Island line used by TRE was purchased by Dallas and Fort Worth in 1983 from the Rock Island’s trustee, under supervision of a bankruptcy court judge in Chicago.


11/29/01 - CALTRAIN TO SHARE TRACKS WITH PLANNED HIGH-SPEED LINE

As Caltrain embarks on a two-year project to triple-track portions of its 77-mile Peninsula commuter route between San Francisco to Gilroy, in order to run 80-mph express trains, California’s High Speed Rail Authority has voted to share Caltrain’s tracks as part of its route between Los Angeles and San Francisco.

The present two-track main line between San Francisco and San Jose has only a few short sidings, preventing express trains from passing the hourly locals, which make all 34 stops and require 90 minutes to make the 47-mile run to San Jose.

The $127 million "Baby Bullet Express" project will replace the line’s ABS with CTC, and construct four long stretches of triple track at Sunnyvale, Redwood City, Millbrae and San Francisco.

This will allow for the operation of 80-mph express trains that would cut San Francisco-San Jose transit times to 50 minutes, eclipsing the fastest evening commute run by 22 minutes. The express trains will make only four stops, one of which will be at Millbrae for a cross-platform connection to the new BART extension to San Francisco International Airport.

The new construction paves the way for operation of California High Speed Authority trains without interference of the commute operation.

The California High Speed Rail Authority board is charged with developing a bullet train that will travel at 220 mph along a 700-mile route from San Diego to Sacramento and San Francisco. The high-speed rail line is at least 10 years away, and its initial funding of $5 million for engineering and environmental work has been cut to $1 million because of California's budget shortfall.


11/29/01 - AMTRAK PARTNER EXPRESSTRAK OPENS TERMINAL IN ALBANY, NY

ExpressTrak, which handles the reefers that run behind Amtrak trains, has opened a new transloading facility next to the Amtrak terminal in Albany/Rensselaer, N.Y.

The ExpressTrak terminal offers fifth-day service between Albany and the West Coast, 365 days a year, the company said today.

Under ExpressTrak’s Rapid Modal System, trucks will carry goods between the Albany/Rensselaer facility and receivers and shippers in the New York capital region, southern Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.

It is ExpressTrak's third terminal opened on the East Coast, following Philadelphia and Harrisburg, Pa.

"Our fleet of high-tech, refrigerated rail cars has grown from two to more than 50 this year, and will number more than 100 by April," said Kevin McKinney, ExpressTrak’s vice president of marketing.


11/28/01 - NTSB URGES FRA TO IMPLEMENT SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR LONE-ENGINEER OPERATIONS

With the release today of its accident report on the rear-end collision of an Amtrak train with a CSX freight near Syracuse, N.Y., the National Transportation Safety Board urged the Federal Railroad Administration to examine and recommend safety regulations for trains operated by lone engineers in the cab on track not equipped with backup systems that could automatically stop a train.

The NTSB stated the probable cause of the February 5 accident was the inattention of the engineer aboard Amtrak train 286 — who was alone in the cab — to recognize and comply with a wayside signal displaying a restricting indication, and the lack of any safety system that could have stopped the train, given the engineer’s non-compliance.

Train 286 subsequently crashed into the rear of CSX freight train Q620 on Track 1 of CSX’s Chicago Line at Salina, N.Y., just east of Syracuse, derailing the lead Amtrak locomotive and four of the train’s five passenger coaches. The passenger train was traveling 35 mph at the time of impact; the 92-car freight was moving at 7 mph. Four Amtrak crew members and 58 of the train’s 102 passengers were injured. The freight train crew was unharmed, although lumber aboard the last two cars of the train was scattered across both main tracks.

Just before the collision, the Amtrak engineer — a 30-year veteran with a clean safety record, including 15 years with Amtrak — had been looking through his grip trying to organize his track bulletins and orders, he later told accident investigators. Event recorders revealed the train 286 had a restricting signal, under which engineers are authorized to operate at 15 mph but must be prepared to stop within half the distance of a train ahead.

Instead the engineer thought he had a more favorable indication, a medium approach, which permits 30-mph movement with the stipulation that the engineer must be prepared to stop at the next signal. The engineer accelerated the train to 57 mph. Upon seeing the rear of the freight train ahead, he put his train into emergency.

In its report, the NTSB suggested the FRA look at Canadian safety regulations governing lone-engineer operations that were enacted in the late 1990s, and assess their feasibility for U.S. rail operations on track not equipped with Positive Train Control.

PTC systems automatically enforce train speed and can bring a train to a stop if a signal indication is exceeded. Since 1990, the NTSB has placed PTC systems on its list of “Most Wanted Safety Improvements.”

While Amtrak has long had lone-engineer operations, the NTSB said that it was concerned that trains on track without PTC were operating without a backup system that could protect against human error.

The report also recommended that Amtrak improve its emergency response maps and secure on-board food service appliances so they do not injure passengers or crew members. One such appliance came loose during the collision, although no injuries resulted.


11/28/01 - REBUILT RDC BACK IN SERVICE ON VIA

VIA’s Rail Diesel Car 6205 returned to revenue service on the 300-mile Sudbury-White River, Ontario run on November 27, following a complete mechanical overhaul, truck rebuild, and interior refurbishing.

VIA’s four remaining RDCs will all receive a similar treatment by the end of 2002 under a $2.4 million (Cdn) contract with Industrial Rail Services of Moncton, New Brunswick. The second car is expected to be ready in February.

The five self-propelled RDCs are used by the Canadian passenger carrier to provide passenger service between Victoria and Courteney in British Columbia, and between Sudbury and White River in northern Ontario.

Well-suited for service on feeder and secondary runs, the 1950s Budd and CC&F products have deteriorated over the years. With no major overhaul in over a decade of daily use, the cars were increasingly unreliable, and had become expensive to maintain and operate.

The refurbished RDC-2 departs Sudbury at 9:40 a.m. on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. It departs White River at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday.


11/28/01 - AMTRAK SEARCHES FOUR SOUTHWEST CHEIF TRAINSETS AFTER RECEIVING THREAT

Amtrak halted and inspected its four Southwest Chief trains traveling between Chicago and Los Angeles on Tuesday night after receiving a telephone threat at its reservation center. The caller warned of a non-specific threat against the Southwest Chief.

Unsure which of four trains plying the Chief’s 43-hour, 2256-mile route might have been the alleged target, Amtrak made the decision to halt and search all of the trainsets. Trains were halted at Los Angeles, Gallup, N.M., La Junta, Colo., and Bosworth, Mo.

The 144 passengers aboard the Bosworth train were evacuated. Passengers aboard the La Junta train were not.

Police escorted bomb sniffing dogs walked through each train.

“We have been extra cautious since the events of Sept. 11,” Amtrak spokeswoman Karen Dunn told CBS News. “We have received threats in the last couple of months and we have taken every threat seriously, but they have all turned out to be just that, threats.”


11/28/01 - TRI-RAIL ADDS REAL-TIME TRAIN TRACKING TO WEB SITE

South Florida residents who ride the 72-mile Tri-Rail system linking Miami and West Palm Beach can now track the status of commuter trains on the agency’s web site, www.tri-rail.com.

Each train is equipped with global positioning receivers and wireless modems that transmit the train’s location to Tri-Rail’s operations center. The real-time tracking system was installed four years ago.

The agency recently decided to make the information publicly available to its riders, who could then track the status of trains from their home or office, concurrent with the start of a major construction project.

The $327 million project will add a second main track along 44 miles of the Tri-Rail route — which is also used by Amtrak and CSX — but may cause delays to trains until completed in March 2005.

Real-time train information is also available on a toll-free hotline, 800-874-7245, x207. Web surfers can click on the “Train Tracking Status” area of Tri-Rail’s web site. The system only tracks Tri-Rail commuter trains using the line.


11/28/01 - CANAC TO UPGRADE GO TRANSIT ROUTES

CANAC, Inc. is undertaking a major track rehabilitation of 21 miles of GO Transit commuter rail lines east and north of Toronto. Under the program, 15,000 new wood ties, 14 miles of continuous welded rail, and 7,000 cubic yards of ballast will be installed or replaced.

Seven miles of the Uxbridge Subdivision will receive new rail and ballast, as well as half of the ties, while the remaining new ties will be installed on 13 miles of the Newmarket Subdivision.

The work, which began in early October, is scheduled to be completed by June 2002.


11/26/01 - CSX DERAILMENT IN BRONX KNOCKS OUT SECTION OF POWER ON THE NEC

Sometimes the smallest of derailments can have a major impact on railroad operations.

Case in point: Yesterday’s two-car derailment in CSX’s Oak Point Yard in the Bronx, which cascaded into delays on Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor during one of the busiest travel days of the year. Service returned to near normal this morning.

A CSX yard crew was switching a cut of four cars around 1:20 Sunday afternoon when two cars carrying empty garbage containers derailed, CSX spokesman Dan Murphy said. One of those cars hit a pole that carries a transmission line that supplies power to the catenary on the adjacent Northeast Corridor, he said.

That cut off power on a 19-mile stretch between New York City and New Rochelle, on the New York-Boston leg of the Northeast Corridor, Amtrak spokeswoman Cecilia Cummings told The Associated Press. More than 20 trains were delayed, some by more than two hours.

CSX offered Amtrak the use of what diesel power it had on hand at Oak Point, Murphy said, and Amtrak used the units, along with at least one of its own, to tow its trains through the gap in electrification. It was unclear how many locomotives CSX loaned Amtrak, but the railroad normally has no more than a handful stationed at Oak Point.

Power was restored to the catenary around 4:30 a.m. today, Murphy said.


11/26/01 - PORTLAND, ME STATION WILL BE READY, BUT UNFINISHED WHEN AMTRAK SERVICE BEGINS

When Amtrak service linking Boston and Portland, Maine, begins next month, the station in Portland will still require more than finishing touches, the Portland Press Herald reported.

Amtrak trains will call at the Concord Trailways bus station. The waiting room at the bus station is being doubled in size, and other improvements are being made to accommodate Amtrak passengers. However, the station work won’t be completed until early next year, although the train platform and canopy will be finished when service begins December 15.

Some trains in the first days of operation have already sold out, the newspaper reported.


11/21/01 - BACKERS OF AMTRAK VOW TO PREVENT LIQUIDATION

Bipartisan support to keep Amtrak intact grew in the House and Senate this week, as 21 senators and two key representatives sent letters to President Bush cautioning against liquidation of the national passenger railroad.

The senators said they would block any attempt to liquidate Amtrak, an option that remains a possibility since the Amtrak Reform Council ruled on November 9 that the railroad wouldn’t meet its December 2002 deadline for operational self-sufficiency.

Within 90 days, Amtrak must present Congress with a liquidation plan, while the Reform Council must draft a passenger rail restructuring plan.

"Amtrak cannot be liquidated without the Senate's approval, and we will oppose any effort to do so," the lawmakers said in a letter to the White House that was released Monday. "We hope you will join with us in reassuring Amtrak's creditors that liquidation is not an option."

The administration is drawing up a plan for passenger rail, but has not yet said whether it favors reforming or replacing Amtrak.

In the House, Rep. Jack Quinn (R-N.Y.), who chairs the subcommittee on railroads, and Rep. Bob Clement of Tennessee, its ranking Democrat, both urged the White House on Monday to adopt “a more rational and orderly process for discussing and resolving” Amtrak’s future.

Their letter mirrored Amtrak’s response to the ARC ruling, calling it “the wrong decision at the wrong time.”

“The strict time constraint now in place will inhibit the Congress and the Administration from thoroughly assessing the many fundamental questions regarding the future of Amtrak and our national passenger rail system,” Quinn and Clement wrote.

“We plan to monitor this situation closely in order to foster a thoughtful and in-depth process regarding the future of our passenger rail system, and we stand opposed to any liquidation of Amtrak,” they said.


11/21/01 - VIA REPORTS RECORD RIDERSHIP

VIA Rail Canada said today that its ridership has remained robust in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the U.S., and is higher than ever. Ridership was up by 15 to 20 percent in the Quebec City-Windsor corridor, and 15 percent on its routes in Western Canada.

The railroad attributed the growth to the short-term effects of the attack, as well as a growing rail travel market in Canada.


11/21/01 - EYES IN THE SKY TO PEER DOWN ON METRA TRAINS

Chicago commuter agency Metra will soon track the location of its trains using satellite GPS technology.

Some 261 cars have been equipped with GPS equipment so that Metra’s operations center can track the location of every train on the system and pinpoint whether it is on schedule, the Chicago Tribune reported. Information on the trains’ status will then be passed along to passengers and conductors.

The system will be fully activated on December 15.


11/21/01 - DELAWARE SENATOR POLLS WEB SUFERS ON AMTRAK'S FUTURE

On his Web site, Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) has created a poll asking Internet viewers whether or not the U.S. should invest in a national passenger rail system.

To cast your vote, go to http://biden.senate.gov/.


11/16/01 - CALTRAIN TO SUSPEND WEEKEND SERVICE

Beginning in April, Caltrain plans to stop weekend service for up to two years so workers can complete a $100 million construction project that ultimately will provide high-speed train service between San Jose and San Francisco.

In addition to the weekend shutdown, trains will operate on a single track after 9:00 Thursdays and Fridays, which could mean delays of up to 10 minutes, Caltrain officials said.

The weekend shutdown was one of four options considered by the San Mateo County Transit District, SamTrans, which oversees Caltrain. The plan still could be modified after officials meet with potential contractors on Sunday.

"This is not set in stone,'' said Caltrain spokeswoman Jayme Maltbie, "but as it stands right now, that's what we're going with.''

Other options included plans to shut down service every night after 7:30 and offer limited single-track service on weekends.

Caltrain and its citizen advisory group believe suspending weekend service will be least disruptive to the largest number of commuters.

Still, it will be disruptive for many, including baseball fans who hope SamTrans will provide express bus service to weekend San Francisco Giants games.

SamTrans offers weekend semi-express service that takes an hour and a half from Menlo Park to San Francisco. But commuters from Santa Clara County to San Francisco would be faced with a three-to-four-hour bus trip.

Caltrain did not budget for bus service, but now says it is considering it. Even so, Maltbie said providing service for baseball fans and not others would be unfair.


11/15/01 - SIGNAL PROJECT TO BOOST SPEED IN NORTH CAROLINA

To boost passenger train speeds to 59 mph, the North Carolina Railroad, North Carolina Department of Transportation, and Norfolk Southern are upgrading signals on the railroad’s 29-mile route between Raleigh and Selma.

The $2.7 million project, which began last month and will be completed in February, will cut 7 or 8 minutes off the transit time of Amtrak’s Carolinian and Silver Star, as speeds are increased from 47 mph to 59, the NCRR said today.

The work will delay the Amtrak trains up to 90 minutes Mondays through Thursdays until late December.

“We're working with the Department of Transportation, Amtrak and Norfolk Southern to make the construction as quick and painless as possible,'' said Scott Saylor, NCRR president.

In addition to the four Amtrak trains, four freight trains travel daily along this portion of the corridor.

The NCRR manages the 317-mile rail corridor that extends from Morehead City to Charlotte.