Issue 416 • July 1998 I " " ,'" , . FIND OUT WHY WE ARE ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING RAIL.ROAD MAGAZINES IN THE U.S.!!!! GET OUR ISSUE #36 FREE WHEN YOU SUBSCRIBE TO THE RAILROAD PRESS MAGAZINE. ONE YEAR (FOUR ISSUES) FOR ONLY $16. TRP 1150 CARLISLE STREET, SUITE 444·E HANOVER, PA 17331 July 1998 Issue 416 FEATURES 34 The Final Ride West Ride along an Amtrak journey through the Southwest aboard the Texas Eagle, the Sunset Limited, and the Desert Wind. by Eric Thorp Above: A componentof the Bangor & Aroostook system, Canadian American trainNo. 90 skirtsaround the terrain of Quebec to reach destination. 44 its San Diego Trolley DEPARTMENTS Expansions and new projects ensure a strong future for this progressive transit system. Editorial by Julian Wolinsky 4 5 Letters 8 Expediter 14 Market Watch 18 From the Cab 22 Amtrak 52 25 CSX Transportation 26 Canadian Pacific Railway Florida East Coast Railway Commuter/Transit From Henry Flagler to the future-an inside glimpse of a classic Floridian line. 28 32 Union Pacific by leo King 60 Burlington Northern & Santa Fe 66 VIA Rail Canada 68 Kansas City Southern 70 Canadian National 72 Regionals/Short Lines 78 The Last Word 76 RaiiNews Classifieds Railroad Focus 80 Bangor & Aroostook System by George Pitarys Cover: An inbound trolley rolls past Santa Fe's majestic Spanish-styleterm inal in downtown San Diego on October 26, 1994. Photo by Alex Mayes. RAILNEWS ( I SSN 1091-2436) is published monthly by Pentre;.; Media Group. 2652 E. Walnut, Pasadena, CA 91107. Periodicals postage paid at Pasadena, CA 91109 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: R..\ILNEWS, P.O. Box 94911. Pasadena. CA 91109. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: S34.95 (U.S.) for 12 issues, 567.95 for 2,4 issues. Foreign $45 for 12 issues. S82 for 24 issues. Single copy S5 postpaid frol11 Pasadena office (subject to change without notice). CHANGE OF ADDRESS: The Post Office does not regularly forward Periodicals Mail. and Rf\ILNEWS is not responsible for copies not forward­ ed 01' destroyed by the Post Office. Replacement copies/P.O. notifications will be billed. Please allow us at least four weeks for any address change. ADVERTISING RATES; Contact RAILNEWS. P.O. Box 379, \Vauke­ sha. WI 53187, (414) 542-4900. MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE: For all subscriprion problems and inquiries. call1OlI·rree in rhe U.s. and Canada: (800) 210·2211 or ourside rhe U.S. (626) 793·3400. EDI TORIAL RailNews' UP's Woes Bring Nationwide Changes RAILNEWS is a trademark of Pentrex Media Group Publisher: Michael W. Clayton Operations Manager: Trish Miller Editor: Brent Haight Art Director: Jay Blazek Associate Editor: Chris Goepel Editorial Assistant: James P. Ziegler Advertising Manager: Patty Montbriand Advertising Sales Rep: Angela Klingler Submissions Articles, news items, and photographs are welcome and should be sent to our Wisconsin editorial office. Please include return envelope and postage if you wish your submission returned. RAILNEWS does not assume responsibility for the safe return of material. Payment is made upon publication. Submit all photos, articles, and editorial corre­ spondence to: MARK A. DENIS RAILNEWS Despite its problems, Union Pacific is still moving. Seen here in Edison, California, the P.O. Box 379, Waukesha, WI 53187-0379 carrier's recent woes are prompting nationwide changes in the rail industry. Submissions sent via UPS, Federal Express, or similar courier must be addressed to: or the last few months, news head­ would alert authorities and railroad 223 Wisconsin A venue, Waukesha, WI 53186 lines around the country have told executives when grain is piling up. theF story of Union Pacific's ongoing dif­ These early warningsystems will not be Phone: (414) 542-4900 ficulties. As the media spotlight has implemented only for Union Pacific Fax: (414) 542-7595 been shining, people in all sectors of the trackage; they will be nation wide. Advertising Sales: (414) 542-4900 rail industry have been watching the Look for Union Pacific to affect future Advertising E-mail: [email protected] carrier and taking notes. Analysts have merger decisions. It has already happened been predicting that the full ramifica­ with the case of the CSX/Norfoik E-mail: [email protected] tions of Union Pacific's struggles would Southern deal to carve up Conrail. As I not be realized for a long time. They are write this, the world is 18 days from right. The problems encountered by knowing the Surface Transportation Union Pacific are setting the precedent Board's decision. Regardless of what they Magazine Subscription Service: for the very future of railroading. decide, if you remember back to the Address all correspondence regarding subscrip­ Competition has become a center­ original timeline set up by the board, they tions (including new orders, renewals, and stage issue. Thanks to Union Pacific, added 45 days so that they could be even replacement copies) to: shippers have a united voice that, until more thorough. RAILNEWS The saying goes, every cloud has a recently, might not have been heard as P.O. Box loudly. As the face of railroading contin­ silver lining. The dark cloud hanging 17108 North Hollywood, CA ues to shrink, shippers now have a very over Union Pacific is no different. Like 91615-7108 real example of what can happen when it or not, changes need to be made in the For all subscription problems and there are no other options. railroading industry. Shippers are grow­ inquiries, call toll-free in the In May, agricultural leaders met in ing tired of the arrogance some rail­ U.S., Canada, and Mexico: Washington, D.C., to begin dealing with roads possess. They are growing tired of what could be a repeat of last years rail not having options within rail trans­ (800) 210-2211 crisis. With the mild El Nino winter portation . The truth is, without ship­ outside the U.S., Canada, and Mexico behind us, bumper crops are expected pers, railroads would stop moving. (626) 793-3400 to begin coming in by mid-summer. There are solutions that will benefit Please allow at least four weeks for address change. Please allow 3-4 weeks for replacement copies. Shippers and farmers are using the everyone from railroads to shippers to example of last year's spoiled crops politicians to consumers, but we can't caused by Union Pacific bottlenecking expect them overnight. The story of to demand reform-and people are lis­ Union Pacific will be told for genera­ tening. Reports are that Surface tions to come. What we are seeing now sr�� Transportation Board Chairperson will change railroading as we know it. © 1998 Pentrex Media Group. All rights reserved. Linda Morgan is in talks with the USDA Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. to develop an early warning system that Brent Haight 4' July 1998 READERS RESPOND Contemporary Letters Railroading Women in Railroading truck than a 5,000 lb. passenger vehicle. In any event, railroads don't know what their Videos from Herron Rail Thanks for taking the time to bring attention customers want, and never will because they've Order now for great action of today's railroading! to an important, but often overlooked section downsized to the point where there are only three of the railroad workforce-women (Women in sales reps., left and they are busy filling out Railroading, RN 415). reports on the customers they didn't caLl on AT SF because they're too busy filling out reports. ACROSS THE ARIZONA DIVIDE Is anybody in the industry listening? Basha Levertan Warbonnets on parade in heavy Arizona ac­ Springfield, Illinois Michael J. McLaughlin tion on doublestacks and other fast paced Women working on the railroad? No way! Denver, Colorado trains. Shot BEFORE the BNSF merger! Women lack the physical stamina required for By jB Productions Order item JB-001 such demanding work. I firmly agree with Jim Giblin (Last Word, RN Women are now working in many formerly 414) that the railroad industry needs solu­ all male bastions, and I have no problem with tions, not scapegoats. But, to imply that rail­ BN most of it. But except for non-operating posi­ roads and trucks compete on a level playing tions on passenger trains, they should not be field, I don't buy it. THE FUNNEL working on the railroad. Giblin waves a flag for trucks that are BN and MRL freight action in the vicinity of Railroading is one of the very few traditions allegedly covering 91 percent of their share Sandpoint, Idaho. The BEST of the tapes men can pass along to their sons and grandsons. of highway costs. Therefore, they are getting In other words, keep railroading a man's world. only 9 percent subsidy from the American available on this area! By jB Productions taxpayers. What he fails to mention is that Order item JB-002 Frank G. Williams railroads must cover 100 percent of their Independence, California road-use costs and then pay taxes based on their right-of-way property, some of which CSX are at higher rates than any other industry, to Trucks VS. Trains: Myth vs. Reality subsidize their competition. TRAINS OF THE BONE VALLEY In addition, railroads had to finance and I enjoyed Jim Giblin's Trucks vs. Trains: Myth vs. build their own roads. They didn't have Uncle CSX's biggest power on Fla Phosphate Mine Runs! Reality (Last Word, RN 414) and would like to Sam supplying them with super highways. Heavy action with IN-CAB, LlNESIDE, and add my own comments. To compete with high­ Yes, some railroads did get large subsidies in TRAIN LOADING & UNLOADING footage. way transportation, railroads must offer fast, reli­ the form of land grants when they were con­ able, damage-free service.