News Archive (September 19 through September 25)

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, September 23

• A Record Week for U.S. Railroads (AAR)
  Total freight volume and intermodal volume set records after Hurricane Katrina.
• Railroads prepare for Hurricane Rita (AP)
  Union Pacific and BNSF are relocating railcars and gathering repair supplies.
• Two Trains Collide Head-On in Va. (AP)
  CSX rock trains crash Thursday morning in Virginia; crew members injured.
• DOE: Empty nuke waste container not damaged in train derailment (AP)
  Railcar derails in CSX yard; DOE reports no visible damage or radioactivity release.
• Hurricane Rita Evacuees Ride Train on BNSF Railway (BNSF)
  450 evacuees ride a special Trinity Railway Express train from Houston to Dallas.
• Judge Demands To View Rail Plan (Washington Post)
  Federal judge demands to see secret plan for protecting Washington area railroads from chemical attack; CSX submitted plan, which has not yet been released.
• Acela trains return to full service (Washington Business Journal)
  Amtrak's Acela Express will return to full-service on Sept 26 following brake repairs.
• Challenge awaits railroad crews in clean up after Katrina (AP)
  In the 39 miles of damaged CSX rail line between New Orleans and Pascagoula, there are six major bridges out.
• Texas Eagle, Sunset Limited - Temporary Revised Service Plan (Amtrak)
  Amtrak revises Texas service through the weekend due to Hurricane Rita.
• Report Says Operator To Blame For Brooklyn Train Derailment (NY1)
  MTA says subway operator overran signal, causing a derailment earlier this month.
• Amtrak declines idea to move facility to B.C. (WMMT)
  Amtrak declines Michigan lawmakers request to move maintenance facility from Indiana.
• Locals eye UP plan to sell Montana line (Montana Standard)
  Leaders say rail line from Idaho to Port of Montana is critical for local economy.

Thursday, September 22

• Amtrak says private companies could bid for routes (Reuters)
  Amtrak chairman says the private sector could operate some national routes.
• U.S. railroads limit shipments as Rita churns (Reuters)
  Railroads halt grain, chemicals, and other commodities to the Texas Gulf Coast.
• NTSB Kicks Union Off Metra Crash Investigation (NBC5)
  Federal investigators remove locomotives' union following information leak.
• KC Southern stops rail shipments to Texas (Kansas City Business Journal)
  Kansas City Southern embargoes rail shipments bound for four stations in Texas.
• BNSF Railway cuts grain shipping rate increases (AP)
  Railroad to significantly cut grain-shipping rates in Montana and three other states.
• New Subway Command Center Suffers A Meltdown (NY1)
  New York City’s new subway command center malfunctions; backup system used.
• Can You Hear Me Now? Maybe Soon, on Subway (Columbia Spectator)
  New York's MTA says there are multiple needs for cell phone service in subways.
• NJ Transit daily ridership tops 800,000 trips (Newsday)
  New Jersey Transit train and bus ridership rises more than five percent.
• Metro-North boosts late-night service (The Advocate)
  New York commuter railroad adds late nights trains from Grand Central Station.
• Rapid transit possibilities (Ann Arbor News)
  Several alternatives considered for rapid transit line between Ann Arbor and Detroit.
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers ratifies contract with CPR
  CPR now has collective agreements in place with all unionized employees in Canada.

Wednesday, September 21

• Union Says Engineer Saw All Clear Signals (AP)
  Chicago Metra engineer in Saturday's fatal derailment says he was going 70mph because he saw all clear signals, with no indication to slow to 10mph for a switch.
• Trinity Railway Express on Galveston emergency mission (Star-Telegram)
  Fort Worth-Dallas commuter train sent to Houston-Galveston area to help evacuation.
• Amtrak starts reserved seating (Times Union)
  Trains on New York State routes became all-reserved Wednesday.
• Idle Acelas didn't create cash crisis for Amtrak (Reuters)
  Amtrak says the loss of Acela Express for six months did not create a financial crisis.
• Old monorail may be city's next big worry (Seattle Times)
  If proposed monorail is voted down, existing route will need $100 million reconstruction.
• MTA Distributes Pamphlets Detailing Evacuation Procedures (NY1)
  NYC's MTA gives out safety information to subway riders.
• Outlook for CN brightens, thanks to black diamonds (Globe and Mail)
  Growing world demand for dirty old coal, higher shipping rates fuel carrier's shares.
• Grade Crossing Fatalities and Train Accidents Show Significant Decline (FRA)
  Number of rail-related accidents and incidents declined by 12% in first half 2005.
• Rail freight: Europe's challenge (International Herald Tribune)
  European Union forces passenger railroads to make space for more freight.
• Acela Express service restoration enters final phase (Boston Business Journal)
  Amtrak to resume eight weekday roundtrips between New York and Boston.
• BNSF still on the fast track (Star-Telegram)
  Railroads are experiencing the best economic environment since 1980 deregulation.
• Norfolk Southern Announces Train Control Initiative (NS)
  NS is developing an Optimized Train Control (OTC) system to improve safety.
• Chinese railway eyes five objectives (People's Daily)
  China's railways will reach 100,000km by 2020 with exclusive freight/passenger networks.

Tuesday, September 20

• NTSB: Chicago Train Wreck Was Preventable (AP)
  Investigators say automatic braking system could have prevented deadly crash.
• Investigators Re-enact Fatal Chicago Train Crash (AP)
  NTSB completed simulated runs at the site of Saturday's derailment.
• Family Files Lawsuit Following Train Derailment (NBC5)
  The family of a 22 year old killed in Saturday's derailment sues Chicago's Metra.
• Train Derailment Forces Residents to Evacuate (Ohio News Network)
  Derailment in South Toledo forces evacuations on Tuesday.
• Rails still reel from Katrina (Fleet Owner)
  CSX, Norfolk Southern, and Union Pacific continue restoration efforts along Gulf Coast.
• Track work puts VRE off schedule (Free Lance-Star)
  CSX replacing 77,000 railroad ties, delaying Virginia Railway Express commuter trains.
• BNSF lawsuit getting costlier (The Hawk Eye)
  City of Burlington has spent $97,686 on a lawsuit against BNSF.
• Derailment closes canyon rail line (Sacramento Bee)
  Nine car Union Pacific derailment closed the Feather River Canyon route Sunday night.

Monday, September 19

• Speed cited in Chicago derailment (AP)
  Metra train that derailed Saturday in Chicago, killing two and injuring 17 critically, was almost 60mph over speed limit approaching crossover.
  • Derailment Photos (CBS Chicago)
  • Derailment Videos (CBS Chicago)
• Passenger rail plan gaining steam (Cincinnati Post)
  Ohio proposal to connect Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus, and Cleveland.
• Burlington Northern's Southern Demand (Reuters)
  BNSF sustained minimal hurricane damage, and reconstruction may spur demand.
• Monorail: Not ready to vote (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
  Editorial: Rush to the ballot box or shortening of route would be a mistake.