News Archive (January 9 through January 15)

This page contains a railroad news archive for a single week. For all recent rail news, please see RailServe.com's RailNews Home Page.

Note: Some stories may no longer be available, or a fee may be required for full access.

Friday/Saturday, January 13-14

• Train tracks reopened (Seattle Times)
  BNSF reopens Seattle-Everett track on Friday after rain caused several mudslides.
• Tiny fault in rail caused wreck (Marietta Times)
  CSX says December derailment in Marietta Ohio was caused by an internal rail defect.
• Advocates call for more train trips between St. Louis, Chicago (The Telegraph)
  State representatives and Amtrak supporters push for two more Chicago-St. Louis trains.
• Rail advocacy group says study is off-track (Roanoke Times)
  Rail Solution eyes benefit of upgrading 600-mile Knoxville-Harrisburg corridor.
• 12-car train runs off the tracks (Montgomery Advertiser)
  No injuries reported in a 12-car derailment in Alabama on Thursday night.
• Street fires up momentum for 'Ben Station' (Philadelphia Inquirer)
  Philadelphia mayor supports a proposal to rename Amtrak's 30th Street Station.
• Metra Wants To Speed Up Accident Investigations (CBS)
  Chicago's commuter rail agency to reduce service disruptions from accident investigation.
• End of line for tourist train (Aspen Daily News)
  Roaring Fork Transportation authority votes to remove tracks to Glenwood Springs.
• CN paying $18.6-million over 2001 Alberta fire (Canadian Press)
  Canadian National settles government claim that a faulty wheel started a forest fire.
• Rail Freight Traffic Down at Start of New Year (AAR)
  US freight rail traffic falls in first week of 2006 due to inclusion of New Year's Day.
• Rail rates rising? (Free Lance-Star)
  Virginia Railway Express intends to raise commuter rail fares by six percent.
• Union Pacific Targets Former Military Personnel for Employment (UP)
  UP to continue aggressive hiring in 2006, with a focus on retiring military personnel.
• BNSF Cuts Rail Rates (AP)
  BNSF reduces grain car rates from four states.
• Smoking ban notice takes R-rated turn on Metra run (Chicago Tribune)
  Chicago commuter rail conductor suspended for smoking ban remarks.

Wednesday, January 11

• Pols on track to bring rail system up to speed (New York Daily News)
  New York state senators support NYC-Albany high speed rail plan.
• Residents Return After Train Derailment (NBC5)
  Evacuated residents return after a Monday night derailment in Illinois.
• New track to be added (Jamestown News)
  North Carolina Railroad and Norfolk Southern to double-track High Point to Greensboro.
• American Indian tribe in Nevada says railroads stole its land (KRNV)
  Tribe sues Union Pacific and BNSF alleging violation of 1860's agreement.
• London to test antiterror tech for commuters (CNET)
  Trials of airport-style body-scanning technology to begin on Heathrow Express in London.
• EPA announces $10,000 settlement with Union Pacific (CBS5)
  UP settles with environmental agency over alleged oil leaks into Suisun Bay.
• 30th Street Station? City deserves better (Philadelphia Inquirer)
  Opinion: Renaming station "Benjamin Franklin Station" would distinguish Philadelphia.

Tuesday, January 10

• Rains trigger more mudslides, closing Amtrak rail line again (AP)
  Mudslides halt Amtrak and commuter rail between Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver.
• Union Station redevelopment in talks (Chicago Tribune)
  Chicago station to provide mix of offices, hotel rooms, condominiums, and retail space.
• Remote Control Trains in Tucson are Cause for Concern (KOLD)
  BLE concerned with Union Pacific's use of remote control locomotives in Tucson.
• Officials worry over toxic tank cars (Oakland Tribune)
  Oakland city officials lobby lawmakers to remove tank cars from South City train yard.
• All Aboard The Genesee & Wyoming (Business Week)
  Wall Street analysts expect regional and shortline operator to continue strong growth.
• Two railroads face over $2M in lawsuits for fatalities in Salem (AP)
  Surviving family members sue Union Pacific and Amtrak over Oregon accidents.
• Milmay tracks inspected shortly before derailment (Press of Atlantic City)
  Four coal cars derailed in South Jersey on Friday; track inspection found no problem.
• MTA closing four MARC stations (Baltimore Business Journal)
  Four Maryland commuter rail stations will close in March due to low ridership.

Monday, January 9

• 'Subway to the sea' revived in L.A. (AP)
  $4 billion 15-mile subway would link downtown Los Angeles with Santa Monica.
• All aboard! India, Pakistan set rail link (CBC)
  After a 40-year halt, a 12-km cross-border link symbolizes improved relations.
• Downeaster may start Brunswick run in 2010 (Portland Press Herald)
  Amtrak may extend current Boston-Portland route to Brunswick, Maine.
• Railroads struggling to keep up (AP)
  Union Pacific and BNSF shipped 85% of scheduled of coal trains from Wyoming's PRB.
• Enemies All Aboard Amtrak (Hartford Courant)
  Opinion: Bush appointment of unqualified political supporters endangers Amtrak.
• Signal systems scarce (The State)
  More than 200,000 in South Carolina live along 'dark territory' of unsignaled track.
• China to invest 160B yuan in railway construction in 2006 (People's Daily Online)
  $19.7B (US) investment funds more than 150 projects, including Qinghai-Tibet railway.
• Second London Underground strike begins (Reuters)
  Station worker strike has little impact as full service continues on all London subways.
• New Haven Line leads railroad in punctuality (The Advocate)
  Metro-North's NYC to New Haven route sees on-time performance rise to 96.8%.
• City keeps tabs on rail plans (San Marcos Daily Record)
  Plan includes commuter rail between San Antonio and Austin, plus rerouting of freight.
• Derailment suits are still in court (AP)
  Lawsuits continue over a 2002 Canadian Pacific derailment in Minot, North Dakota.
• Derailment cleanup continues (Indy Star)
  Seven cars of a Norfolk Southern freight derail in Alexandria, Indiana.