Awwwww.... :wink:

Robert....sorry.... ya didn't need to remove the posts.... the humor was appreciated.

Can't pass up the opportunity for a good sulk/pout.  :wink:

 

If anyone wants to see the giant swamp reptile that stopped the train, they can check out the set here.

 

 

I got a sorely needed laugh out of it this morning.

I guess I removed it prematurely; I got too deeply immersed in role-playing a petulant child. Restored by popular demand:

 

On Sunday afternoon in Northern Indiana, a passenger train was delayed by a giant reptile that had crawled onto the tracks from a nearby marsh. The media covered up the incident, but I was there with my camera to capture it:

 

After the engineer bravely lured it off the tracks, it maintained a menacing stance as the train passed.

 

Thank you!

Finally, some real news to sidetrack this tomfoolery!

 

http://www.infrastructurist.com/2009/05/19/a-vibrant-us-train-industry-would-employ-more-people-than-car-makers-do-now/

 

THE RAIL WORLD

 

Cool train pic:  http://www.infrastructurist.com/wp-content/uploads/obama-high-speed-rail-plans.jpg

 

A Vibrant US Train Industry Would Employ More People Than Car Makers Do Now

Posted on Tuesday May 19th by Yonah Freemark

 

Everyone knows America’s passenger train system is pathetic by international standards, so President Obama’s $13 billion commitment to build a national high-speed rail network has come as a wonderful surprise.

 

It also raises the question of whether a reinvigorated rail industry could, with the car industry and several airlines drifting into bankruptcy, be the next great hope for keeping people employed in this country?

 

........

LOVE the train in that pic!!! Very cool!

It's the same design as the German Inter City Express. It might be the Spanish AVE, but the paint scheme isn't right. EDIT: It's the Chinese paint scheme on the ICE.

 

The ICE is the nicest train I've ever ridden -- it's even prettier on the inside. Too bad the DB employees' customer service skills weren't much better than Amtrak's.

http://www.rtands.com/breaking_news.shtml#Feature5-5-28

 

Montanans onboard with passenger train service

 

The Bozeman, Mont., City Commission meeting room couldn’t hold all the people wanting an update on passenger trains possibly coming back to southern Montana, with the crowd spilling out into the hall and gathering around a TV broadcast of the meeting, the Bozeman Daily Chronicle reports. That conformed to what an Amtrak official called “the groundswell that seems to be developing for passenger rail,” a mode of transportation that has taken a backseat to private auto and air in recent decades in the United States.

 

So much for the argument that Ohio "isn't dense enough to support passenger rail".

 

What's interesting is that (I'm told) the reason Ohio's 3-C start-up study got unerway late is because Amtrak's planners had to finish their work in Montana first.

Just that some Ohioans are too dense....

Thursday, May 28, 2009

States key for reviving Amtrak

U.S. Congress responds as it sees Iowa and Illinois commit money to passenger rail, an official says.

By Mary Rae Bragg TH staff writer

 

Amtrak's Midwestern state supporters are key to improving chances that passenger rail transportation will be revived in the United States, a member of the company's Chicago office said Wednesday.

 

Read more at:

 

 

http://www.thonline.com/article.cfm?id=244704

Derrick James was in Fort Wayne for the Rally for Rail early in April, and I got a chance to speak with him briefly after the event. He's an excellent spokesman to go before the public; he's sharp, personable, and persuasive.

 

Indiana is making some progress, but it's going to take some work to get Mitch "My Way IS The Highway" fully on board.

This is a very important document. Please review and share this with others. Also, please note it comes from AASHTO, formerly a major cog in the highway lobby. Now they recognize that all modes need public investment, not just highways and aviation.......

_______________

 

Achieving the Vision: Intercity Passenger Rail

 

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials has released a report that explores future national rail policy options and funding for an intercity rail capital improvement program…..

 

http://downloads.transportation.org/IPRT-2.pdf

http://www.railwayage.com//content/view/893/121/

 

Hotel planned atop Amtrak’s Baltimore-Penn Station 

 

Traveling to Baltimore on business, or to see the Birds play at Oriole Park at Camden Yards? Bethesda, Md.-based developer Hospitality Partners has signed a contract with Amtrak to construct and manage a hotel on the upper three levels at the city’s Pennsylvania Station, located on Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor.

 

I wonder how they propose to do that without compromising the grand space that exists now. The last two photos were taken in 1979, and they've already committed some travesties against it, since then.

 

 

 

www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-midwest-highspeed-rail-04-jun04,0,7751889.story

 

chicagotribune.com

High-speed rail: Biden praises Midwest plan to enhance passenger train system

Federal officials laud Midwest pitch for upgrade funds

By Mike Dorning and Jon Hilkevitch

 

Tribune reporters

 

June 4, 2009

 

WASHINGTON -- Obama administration officials offered encouraging signs Wednesday that a proposed Midwest high-speed rail network based around a Chicago hub has an inside track on a significant piece of $8 billion to be distributed among 10 major U.S. projects.

 

Vice President Joe Biden lauded the Midwest proposal, which envisions passenger trains speeding through the region at 110 m.p.h., as "one of the most comprehensive plans that have been put forward so far."

 

...........

http://www.railwayage.com//content/view/912/121/

 

White House hosts high-level high speed rail conference  

 

Vice President Joe Biden joined Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and state governors at the White House Wednesday at a conference that DOT called "a unique opportunity for state leaders to share their ideas with the Obama Administration about the future of high speed trains in America."

 

http://www.kdvr.com/news/sns-bc-co--xanterra-luxurytrain,0,7874999.story

 

National park hotel operator buys passenger cars from former luxury rail operator

By Associated Press

5:17 PM MDT, June 4, 2009

 

DENVER (AP) — A company that operates lodges and restaurants in national parks has bought 25 passengers cars that belonged to a defunct luxury train operator.

 

 

American Railcar Co. acquires design rights to DMU  

www.railwayagew.com

 

Columbus, Ohio-based American Railcar Co. LLC, has acquired the rights to build diesel multiple-unit (DMU) trains based on the designs of Colorado Railcar Corp., which sought to establish itself as a primary source for DMU production in North America. Fort Lupton, Colo.-based Colorado Railcar closed its doors Dec. 23 and terminated all operations Dec. 31.

 

 

American Railcar already is touting its newly acquired DMU design, completed with retouched photographs, on its website, http://www.amrailco.com/documents/ARC-Brochure.pdf. The company touts its mission in "Bringing the former Colorado Railcar DMU back to life."

 

http://www.railwayage.com//content/view/942/121/

It's decent of them to acknowledge Colorado Railcar. I suppose it gives them more credibility in the market than a new startup would get, because Colorado Railcar was an established and respected name in the business.

 

I like the burgundy color scheme on the unit in the first photo. It's sort of retro and classier IMO than the blue-and-white.

 

DMU equipment opens up so many possibilities compared with electric MU, because all it needs is a decent set of tracks with available capacity and no catenary infrastructure that costs bundles of money and takes time to erect.

The DMU railcar does have great possibilities in a niche market, such as commuter or regional service or maybe 5 car sets in corridor service of less than 200 miles. Chicago-Milwaukee comes to mind.

 

Another possibility might be to manufacture a flat-end cab car that can be attached to a thru train to serve a secondary destination. If the New York-Pittsburgh "Pennsylvanian" was extended to Cleveland, a DMU could be a part that train's consist as far as Ravenna or Hudson. There it could be dropped and proceed under its own power to Akron, giving that city thru service it probably would not get any other way.

 

Corridor trains could do the same thing. A Cleveland-Toledo-Chicago train could drop a DMU at Toledo for Detroit, for example. Pittsburgh-Cleveland trains could drop DMU's for Akron.

 

This is very similar to what Pullman did years ago with setout sleepers or sections and it would extend the reach of pasenger train service.

Ohio towns like Amtrak plan

By Matt Leingang • The Associated Press • June 15, 2009

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090616/BIZ/906170304/0/BIZ01/Q&A%20%20How%20long%20to%20wait%20on%20GM%20stock?&GID=y2To+da7UGJTiLXF7R1Hati1YOzqVjmy8WKJseLsQ0c%3D

 

COLUMBUS – As Amtrak studies a proposed passenger rail line linking Ohio’s major cities, small towns along the 250-mile route are lobbying hard not to be left behind.

 

Read more at the URL above:

 

On the Web

All Aboard Ohio

http://www.allaboardohio.org

 

 

Ohio Hub Project

http://www.ohiohub.com

 

 

Oakiehigh, Two variations of this were posted yesterday at the appropriate thread:

 

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,18328.msg403261.html#msg403261

http://www.fra.dot.gov/us/press-releases/250

 

U.S. Transportation Secretary LaHood Announces Guidelines for Receiving Economic Recovery Funds for High-Speed Rail

 

Contact: Robert Kulat

Telephone: 202-493-6024

 

Wednesday, June 17, 2009 (Wshington, DC) The Department of Transportation moved another step closer to realizing President Obama’s vision for high-speed rail in America today, publishing guidelines for states and regions to apply for federal funds as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

 

“The time has finally come for the United States to get serious about building a national network of high-speed rail corridors we can all be proud of,” Secretary Ray LaHood said. “High-speed rail can reduce traffic congestion and link up with light rail, subways and buses to make travel more convenient and our communities more livable.”

 

The historic commitment to revitalizing the nation’s rail lines by creating high- speed corridors and improving existing service between cities includes an $8 billion competitive grant program and a continuing $1 billion annual investment proposed in the President’s budget.

 

“Rail travel will encourage economic growth and create new domestic manufacturing jobs, while reducing pressure on our highways and airways,” said Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Szabo. “In addition to the economic advantages, trains are energy-efficient, capable of reducing billions of pounds of carbons each year from being released into our atmosphere and reducing our country’s reliance on oil.”

 

Officials from the USDOT and Federal Railroad Administration met with more than 1,000 people across the country to receive input in preparation for developing the program’s grant application guidelines. Vice President Biden and Secretary LaHood also heard from governors and state transportation chiefs at the White House on June 3 about how they hoped to boost their economies with improved passenger rail service.

 

The guidelines, which can be found at http://www.fra.dot.gov/us/content/2243 , require rigorous financial and environmental planning to make sure projects are worthy of investment and likely to be successful. The program will offer grants for both planning and construction so that states can apply for funds no matter what stage of development their project is in.

 

The guidance states that proposals will be considered on the merits for their ability to make trips quicker and more convenient reduce congestion on highways and at airports and meet other environmental, energy and safety goals. And it allows the USDOT to actively promote standard specifications for rail cars and other equipment.

 

The Federal Railroad Administration will award the first round of grants by mid-September.

 

###

http://www.alternet.org/environment/140815/why_the_economic_downturn_has_been_good_news_for_amtrak_and_the_future_of_rail_travel/

 

Why the Economic Downturn Has Been Good News for Amtrak and the Future of Rail Travel

 

By Jason Mark, AlterNet. Posted June 23, 2009.

 

A slowing economy has resulted in speedier service for Amtrak trains, which is helping to make the case for more rail funding.

 

In a recession, everything slows down. A year after the first signs of trouble appeared, the financial system remains sluggish. Most other sectors of the economy -- from housing construction to auto manufacturing -- are also at a standstill. But at least one thing in the U.S. is speeding up: the nation's passenger trains.

 

Full story at URL above:

I just an interesting report that Amtrak's improved on-time performance has more to do with its better relationship with freight railroads. In fact freight railroads like NS haven't reduced their numbers of trains all that much. Instead they've reduced the lengths of their trains to continue to meet the schedules of their customers.

FYI  -- From the Southern Pines, NC newspaper. Substitute your hometown and state for “Southern Pines” and “North Carolina” and nearly the whole column applies to your community....

 

http://www.thepilot.com/stories/20090607/opinion/opinion/20090607AMTRAK.html

 

Updated: June 06, 2009 at 12:28 pm

The Right Track: Amtrak Can Again Point the Way

 

BY KEVIN MCKINNEY: SPECIAL TO THE PILOT

 

I would like to offer some thoughts regarding recent comments about Amtrak in The Pilot.

When I was just out of college, I worked as an economist at the Federal Railroad Administration (part of the Department of Transportation) and served as a member of the team that put Amtrak together. A few days after the ­start-up of Amtrak, I was a ­member of Amtrak's initial management, serving as manager of scheduling.

 

Before the creation of Amtrak, passenger trains were part of the private ­sector. After the relentless onslaught of government spending on highways and aviation in the 1950s and 1960s, the railroads not only were unable to make a profit carrying passengers, but also were losing money at it.

 

 

.........

Very well put and certainly a great rebuttal to some of the drivel emanating from the Buckeye Institute and other so-called "think tanks".

Don Phillips had this to say in his monthly column in the August 2009 issue of Trains:

 

"I and others are growing concerned with the slow movement toward ordering new equipment and preparing for a new passenger train future.  I've talked to several state officials who are growing upset with the lack of movement, although others are keeping the faith while hoping for action soon.  State officials are not the only ones scratching their heads.  A democratic transportation expert who has close connections to the Obama camp told me privately he is also growing concerned about Amtrak..."

 

He intends to say more about this in future issues of Trains.

 

It's not much of a surprise.  Amtrak is so used to its bunker mentality brought on by 35 years of being the bastard child of the transportation world as far as congress and successive administrations are concerned that they have no idea how to function in an environment of support, investment, and growth.  Perhaps Amtrak needs a good house-cleaning of management. 

Talk about a sign of changing times.... You never would have seen this happen with the last occupants of the White House! This little item was a photo caption in the latest issue of the Amtrak employees' newsletter "Amtrak Ink" (sorry, I don't have a link as it is e-mailed to me in a PDF):

 

Quik-Trak Makes Travel Easier for White House Staff

 

Steve McKay, manager, Fielded Systems and Maintenance, helps

make buying tickets a breeze with the installation of an Amtrak

Quik-Trak self-service ticketing kiosk at the White House’s

Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, D.C., which

houses offices much of the president’s senior staff. McKay managed

all site requirements and preparation and delivery and installation

of the Quik-Trak, which was requested by the Executive Office of the

President as part of an initiative encouraging staffers to consider

Amtrak as the “greener” travel alternative.

http://www.rtands.com/breaking_news.shtml#Feature3-7-7

 

July 6, 2009

Secretary LaHood: California HSR extended to Las Vegas

 

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, along with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, key members of the Nevada labor community, business leaders and other elected officials, said an agreement between the states of California and Nevada would extend the California High-Speed Rail corridor from the Los Angeles area to the Las Vegas area.

 

 

More good news....

 

http://www.railwayage.com//content/view/995/121/

 

July 7, 2009

Canada yields on second Cascades cross-border train 

 

Waiving border fees previously demanded by Canada’s Border Service Agency, Ottawa has agreed to allow a second Amtrak train to link Seattle with Vancouver, doubling international rail access to the city in time for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

 

I guess some feel the voters were wrong and the majority voice doesn't matter....

 

http://www.railwayage.com//content/view/1001/121/

 

July 9, 2009

California budget wording could threaten HSR plan

 

California high speed rail proponents are concerned that language in the  current budget could cost the Golden State $1.3 billion in federal stimulus package money, which could bog down the proposed $45 billion, 700-mile project.

 

More good news....

 

http://www.railwayage.com//content/view/995/121/

 

July 7, 2009

Canada yields on second Cascades cross-border train 

 

 

 

Does Canadian or US customs charge for buses? Airplanes? Cars? I'd like an answer to that question. Also, I understand Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited is subject to searches in the middle of the night by agents just because it comes near the border at Depew NY. Is this true?

Not sure about the charges for the other modes, but I've heard numerous accounts of local police and customs agents boarding the Lake Shore Limited at Erie, PA to conduct inspections.

I've only ridden the Lake Shore Limited once, and didn't have any issues with law enforcement boarding the train. But then, the train was running four hours late by the time we got into PA and NY, so maybe the cops got bored waiting and decided to grab some donuts.

 

What on earth are they searching for? Illegal Canadian immigrants trying to escape hockey and universal healthcare? :)

As we see passenger rail expand around Ohio and the nation, the story below is an indicator that the safety education effort is going to be even more important.  Once again, a moron driver goes around activated lights and gates.... and now there are five funerals to plan.  So sad and so unnecessary. A video link is below.

 

Train hits car in Mich., 5 young people inside die

By DAVID RUNK, Associated Press Writer

Thu Jul 9, 11:10 pm ET

 

CANTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. – An Amtrak passenger train carrying about 170 people struck a car that had skirted a gate at a road crossing near Detroit on Thursday, killing all five people in the sedan, authorities said.

 

Read more at:

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090710/ap_on_re_us/us_train_hits_car/print

 

VIDEO LINK:  http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?rn=3906861&cl=14422767&ch=4226713&src=news

Very sad to see. But I wish the media wouldn't call these train accidents or Amtrak accidents. That would make no more sense than to call it a car accident. It is a grade-crossing accident.

Not sure about the charges for the other modes, but I've heard numerous accounts of local police and customs agents boarding the Lake Shore Limited at Erie, PA to conduct inspections.

 

Well I wonder how many inspection they do of cars or buses on I-90? What about planes into Buffalo? I'd like to know.

Very sad to see. But I wish the media wouldn't call these train accidents or Amtrak accidents. That would make no more sense than to call it a car accident. It is a grade-crossing accident.

 

Not only that, it is inaccurate. According to the Federal Railroad Administration, if you consider only train accident and passenger fatalities, there have been none on Amtrak for a couple of years. He is citing total fatalities which includes the above AND highway, crossing and other deaths for which the train was not a fault. This isn't simply sloppiness. It is misinformation.

 

Call them on it.

Call them on it.

 

I wrote a letter to AP to complain about their sloppy use of the statistics. I haven't, yet, heard back.

 

 

I don't mean to take credit for anything, but the latest AP reports by DAVID RUNK (original author) and (edits by) BEN LEUBSDORF regarding the Michigan accident no longer make any reference to "Amtrak Accidents".

 

Perhaps they'll try to be more objective in reporting the news and not, simply, hyping stories.

 

 

You never know! Hopefully others also shared their displeasure with the wording of the first AP article.

The CWRU website has a story on rapid trains in America, specifically discusses Amtrak numerous times.

 

http://www.case.edu/

 

I'm sure there are many students, including curious incoming freshman, who see and read about this since it's the first thing that comes up on the case website currently.

 

I don't mean to take credit for anything, but the latest AP reports by DAVID RUNK (original author) and (edits by) BEN LEUBSDORF regarding the Michigan accident no longer make any reference to "Amtrak Accidents".

 

Perhaps they'll try to be more objective in reporting the news and not, simply, hyping stories.

 

 

 

I noticed that too over the weekend.  The wording softened, and the tone shifted to what did the car do wrong.  It really does seem like complaints about inappropriate wording were taken to heart and addressed.   

http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-national/20090713/US.Stimulus.Rail/

 

Amtrak unveils first rail car funded by stimulus

By RANDALL CHASE, AP

July 13, 2009

 

BEAR, Del. - Amtrak has wasted little time using its $1.3 billion slice of the federal stimulus package, unveiling the first of 81 passenger cars to be restored with the help of economic recovery funds.

 

Passenger car no. 25103, damaged a few years ago in a yard collision but now completely refurbished — complete with that "new car" interior smell — was shown off Monday at Amtrak's maintenance facility in Bear. More than 100 hard-hatted workers joined Amtrak president and CEO Joseph Boardman in celebrating completion of its restoration.

 

......

National Association of Railroad Passengers

900 Second St., N.E., Suite 308

Washington, DC 20002-3557

Telephone 202-408-8362

 

For Immediate Release (#09-08)

July 31, 2009

Contacts: Ross Capon, Sean Jeans-Gail

For immediate release

 

Washington D.C., July 31, 2009—Here is the statement of National Association of Railroad Passengers President and CEO Ross B. Capon on Fiscal 2010 federal passenger train funding prospects following Senate Appropriations Committee and House floor actions:

 

“Enactment of a passenger train reauthorization last October and the March unveiling of President Obama’s vision for modern passenger trains appeared to set a new course that would give Americans a convenient, safe, energy efficient and green transportation choice that promotes smarter development patterns more conducive to livable communities.

 

“Unfortunately, Congress seems headed towards funding levels that threaten continuation of existing service, while virtually ruling out improvement and expansion of service nationwide.

 

“The House and Senate – following the bad example set in the Administration’s budget – slashed the grant for national system operations $27 million below Amtrak’s request.

 

“US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, in May at the National Press Club, succinctly described the folly of inadequate operating grants for transit: ‘I think it’s a little bit silly to provide all of this money to transit districts to buy new buses if you can’t afford to have drivers and employees to use the equipment.’

 

“This same argument applies to intercity passenger trains.  But here, Congress is not cutting just operating funds, but capital as well.  Yesterday, the Senate slashed $381.4 million from Amtrak’s capital request.  Last week, the House slashed even more—a whopping $453 million–leaving Amtrak with a capital grant $10 million below this year’s level.  These actions imply providing only 60% to 66% of the capital Amtrak needs.  Since basic mechanical and engineering ‘state of good repair’ work will require $550 million, the Senate would provide less than $188 million (and the House less than $116 million) to buy the new equipment needed to replace Amtrak’s oldest cars and to support service expansion as well as investments required to comply with a reasonable interpretation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.  Thus, it is important that the current direction get changed on the Senate floor or in a House-Senate conference.

 

“As to high-speed rail funds, the Senate committee provided $1.2 billion compared with the House’s $4 billion, and would prohibit the Federal Railroad Administration ‘from awarding grants until the agency has completed a national rail plan as required under the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act.’  As a result of the historic $8 billion for high-speed rail in the American Recovery and Reinvestment act, 40 states submitted 272 applications for over $105 billion of high-speed rail projects. 

 

“Fully funding trains provides good, safe transportation choices and creates well-paying jobs that can’t be outsourced overseas.

 

“But, even though interest in passenger train development has never been higher and the President has set a new direction for transportation policy, what is actually happening is a piling up of more highway subsidies and a continuation of inadequate funding for Amtrak. 

 

“The House voted today to add $2 billion to support the “cash-for-clunkers” program that lets people trade in old cars for subsidized new ones.  Before initially enacting this program as part of the war supplemental, in one indication of how little Washington has changed, House-Senate conferees deleted a provision both bodies had approved which would have let clunker-disposers get public transit vouchers instead of credit for purchase of a new car.     

 

“Evidently citizens must shout still louder to Washington before federal funding will move clearly to rectify decades of neglect of rail and overemphasis on highways and aviation.  That change will be necessary to create a cleaner, safer, more-efficient transportation network.”

 

Our statement to a Senate Banking subcommittee outlining highway subsidies is linked from our home page at www.narprail.org or go straight to it at http://www.narprail.org/cms/index.php/resources/more/senate_banking_statement/