TWO DAYS WITH 'S CROSS HARBOR RAILROAD Belt Lines: EJ&E .. IHB .. B&OCT • Mainline action on the Elgin Joliet & Eastern, Indiana Harbor Belt, and the former Baltimore & Ohio Chica­ go Terminal (now CSX).

• See over 70 trains from: EJ&E, IHB, CSX, Up, C&NW, CP Rail, , Wisconsin Central, BN, ATSF, CN, look at the mainline action on some of the GTW, Sp, Norfolk Southern, Chicago Chicago area and northwest Indiana belt lines. Short Line, , and more. This program focuses on some of the mainline action on the Elgin Joliet & Eastern (EJ&E), Indiana Har­ • Locations include Rondout cross­ Abor Belt (IHB) and CSX's former Baltimore & Ohio Chi­ ing, Leithton, Hawthorne Hills, ca-go Terminal (B&OCT). The EJ&E is the outermost Belt West Chicago crossing, Eola cross­ line around the Chicago area and crosses every major railroad coming into Chicago! The IHB and former ing, Aurora, Walker Junction, B&OCT intersect with most of the major railroads closer Plainfield, Des Plaines River to and in Chicago. The EJ&E and IHB are heavy steel crossing, Joliet, Griffith crossing, haulers as well as providers of transfer service among Van Loon crossing, Gary, Whiting, the other railroads. Many of the major roads run road Hammond crossing, State Line trains and transfers on these belt lines and we capture the action. In addition we capture several crossing (lUIN), Blue Island Junction, EJ&E and IHB trains with their well-maintained classic EMD power and cabooses! There are seven ac­ tive tower junctions shown in this program! Video captured from 1995 through late 1997. Argo crossing, McCook, LaGrange, Franklin Park, and more. Belt Lines: EJ&E - IHB - B&OCT MVP# 571 ...... 90 minutes ...... 04 29.00 $

BNSF Canadian National Southern Pacific Burlington Lines .. Volume 3 GrandThInk Western .. Volume& 1 East 1997 BN lines from Chicago through Burlington, Iowa. Look at CN including the former GTW at locations A look at post-merger SP trains in Illinois and Indiana. Locations include: Belt Railway of Chicago, Lisle, in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana run­ See over 50 trains on the SP Chicago to st. Louis (SPC­ East Eola, EJ&E crossing, West Eola, Naperville Sta­ ning on BNSF, BRC, IHB, Conrail, and GTWtracks. SL) route and on BNSF,EJ&E , GTWand Belt Railway of tion, West Naperville, Montgomery, Galesburg, Video shot from 1994 through late 1997. Locations Chicago tracks. Locations include Wilmington, Saluda, Mississippi River crossing including the include: Minneapolis, St. Croix River crossing, Savan­ Dwight, Odell, Pontiac, Chenoa, Bloomington, lin­ turning bridge, West Burlington, and more. Lots of na, Rock River crossing, Shabonna, Sugar Grove, Eo­ coln, Spring-field, Aurora, Galesburg, Gal-va, Nepon­ new C44-9Ws in the Great Northern inspired paint la, Naperv-ille, Lisle, Downers Grove, laGrange, Belt set, Naperville, Eola, Bedford Park, Chicago, Griffith, scheme. No duplications with other BN, ATSF or Railway of Chicago, Blue Island Junction, Griffith and more. UP and C&NW power appears, but the Sp, BNSF tapes. All new for 1997. Lots of new trains crossing, Spriggsboro crossings, South Bend, and D&RGW, and SSW power still dominates. No duplica­ and new symbols. Over 70 trains, including locals more. Great motive power variety with CN, GT. tions with any other SP/uP tapes. See great merger and road trains running to the Pacific Northwest. DW&P, CV. Over 60 trains. consists and motive power variety!

MVP#273 ...... 90 minutes ...... $29.00 MVP#801 ...... 90 minutes ...... $29.00 MVP#171 ...... 60 minutes ...... $24.00 April 1998 413 FEATURES Issue 34 Operation Lifesaver Up Close Take a look at this highway-rail safety program from the cab of CP train No. 500. by James P. Ziegler 44 Cross Harbor Railroad This carrier runs the only remaining caL·f1oat operation in the Port of New York. by Joe Greenstein 54 DEPARTMENTS North Bonneville 4 Editorial Columbia River Gorge Amphitheater offers an unforgettable experience. 6 Letters by Gregory A. McCommic 8 Expediter 14 Market Watch 18 From the Cab 58 22 Amtrak In Hemingway Country 25 CSX Transportation Ninety-two miles of 's former G B&I Branch proves to be a true battler. 26 by D.C. Jesse Burkhardt 28 Commuter/Transit 32 Modern Power 60 Burlington Northern & Santa Fe 64 Kansas City Southern 76 68 Conrail Railroad Focus 70 Union Pacific Travel to the West with short line Arizona & California. 72 Regionals/Short Lines by Chris Goepel 78 The Last Word 80 RaiiNews Classifieds 82 RaiiNews Advertising Index

Under a warm glowcast by the recent harvest, aCOVER: hot Union Pacific train hustles west near Meredith, Illinois, on November Photo by Howard Ande Eastbound Conrail21, 1997. tra in TR1 wades through ABOVE:Newark, New York, on January Cross Harbor's Alco S4 No. 9, 1998.simm ers at the BayLEFT: Ridge interchange. 11 Joe Greenstein

1091·2436) RAILNEWS (ISS] is published monthly by PCl1trcx Media Group. 2652 E. \Valnul, Pasadenil, CA 91107. Periodicals postage paid f.lI Pasadena. CA 91109 and additional maiiing onlccs. POSTMASTER: Send P.O. 94911. 91 address changes to: RAtLNEIVS. Box Pasadena. CA 109. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: $34.95 (U.S.) for 12 issues. 567.95 for 24 issues. Foreign $45 for 12 issues. $S2 for 24 issues. Single copy $5 post­ paid from Pasadena orfice (subject to change without notice). CHANGE OF ADDRESS: The Post Office does not regularly forward Periodicals Mail, and R/\ILNEWS is not responsible for copies not forwarded or destroyed by the Post Office. Replacement copies/P.O . nOlilications will be billed. Ple.lse allow us al least four weeks for any address change. ADVERTISING RATES: Contact RAILNEWS, P.O. Box 379. \Vaukesha. 531S7: (SOO) 410-0444. WI MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE: For all subscription problems and inquiries. call toll-free in the U.S. and Canada: (800) 210-2211 or outside the U.S. (626) 793-3400. EDITORIAL

RAILNEWS Make Way for Mega Railroads Rais a trademarkilNews of Pent rex Media Group "

Publisher: Michael W. Clayton

Operations Manager: Trish Miller

Editor: Brent Haight

Art Director: Jay Blazek

Managing Editor: Katie orton

Associate Editor: Chris GoepeJ

Editorial Assistant: James Ziegler

Advertising Manager: Patty Montbriand

Sales Associate: 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.

Joel D. Hinkhouse Submit all photos, articles, and editorial corre­ Canadian National announced that it has reached an agreement to acquire Illinois Central for $39 per spondence to: share. As of press time, no other bidders have come forward. As it stands, an IC/CN merger would cre­ RAILNEWS ate the fifth largest railway in North America. Mega railroads are fast becoming the wave of the future. P.O. Box 379, Waukesha, WI 53187-0379

he February 10 announcement that and the Gulf of Mexico. In short, it would Submissions sent via UPS, Federal Express, or Canadian National had reached a become the fifth largest railroad in North similar courier must be addressed to: merger agreement with Illinois America and could help facilitate Canada­ 223 Wisconsin Avenue, Waukesha, WI 53186 Central should not come as a surprise. Mexico trade under the North American T Phone: (414) 542-4900 For the last year, analysts have been pre­ Free Trade Act. Fax: (414) 542-7595 dicting that IC was the railroad most ripe Assuming all goes well for CN, final for the picking. The question was which regulatory approval of the deal could be Advertising Sales: (414) 542-4900 railroad was going to step up and harvest reached by early 1999. Advertising E-mail: [email protected] the "Main Line of Mid-America," as it Canadian National's offer to buy IC is E-mail: was once called. the fourth proposed major rail merger in [email protected] Rumors began to circulate about IC four years . Union Pacific, Burlington and CN last May when CN hosted a party Northern & Santa Fe, and the pending Magazine Subscription Service: at its new intermodal facility located in application before the Surface Trans­ Address all correspondence regarding subscrip­ Harvey, Illinois, on property owned by Ie. portation Board from CSX and orfolk tions (including new orders, renewals. and re­ Now that CN has made its $39 per Southern to merge with Conrail are sup­ placement copies) to: share bid, it will be interesting to see porting evidence of the latest trend of big RAILNEWS which companies, if any, come forward to railroading. Analysts agree, we can expect P.O. Box 17108 challenge CN's offer. As of press time, to see more and more rail mergers North Hollywood, CA 91615-7108 none have. shrinking the diversity found on North Kansas City Southern made an unsuc­ American railways. The only way for For all subscription problems and cessful attempt to merge with IC several smaller railroads to compete with the dis­ inquiries, call toll-free in the years ago. When asked if there were plans counted rates that giant railroads can af­ U.S., Canada, and Mexico: to try again, a KCS spokesperson re­ ford to offer is by teaming up. The ques­ sponded by saying no. "Our goal is to re­ tion now is, which is next? (800) 210-2211 main an independent railroad." The day CN announced it was in outside the U.S., Canada, and Mexico According to the JOURNAL OF COM­ negotiations with IC (five days before the (626) 793-3400 MERCE, Canadian Pacific, long-time rival agreement was reached), experts immedi­ Please allow at least four weeks for address change. to CN, continues to evaluate the situa­ ately began looking for the next likely Please allow 3-4 weeks for replacement copies. tion, but railroad officials have said they candidate to don the title of "most ripe see no immediate impact on CP's opera­ for the picking. " There has yet to be a tions from an IC/C merger. majority consensus, but two railroads A successful merger between IC and seem to appear at the top of everyone's CN would create a company with almost list-KCS and Wisconsin Central. Care to $4 billion in annual revenue, almost cast your vote? Pemrex is a Irademark of Pent rex Media Group. 25,000 employees, and an IS,700-mile © 1998 Penlrex Media Group. All rights reserved. Brent Haight Reproduction in whole or in part without system reaching both coasts of Canada permission is prohibited.

4·April 1998 READERS RESPOND Letters

Global Positioning Technology because it provides the most comprehensive news available and some of the best railroad Union Pacific's severe capacity problems high­ photography in the nation. The "new look" light the fact that the railroad industry is still that the magazine has taken on has truly operating with a 19th century mindset. made a positive impact in the media. Global positioning (GPS) technology is I was most excited to see the creation of a RailRAILNEWS invites News your questions now a firmly established and relatively mature Railroad Focus column, as this is a place and comments. Letters to the system. The cost of implementation has plum­ where many can escape the never-ending editor should include your meted during the past year to the point where news related to Union Pacific's operational name and a daytime telephone not installing a system on every lead engine is troubles. It is wonderful to get an inside look no longer acceptable. A GPS-based system at different railroad operations all over the number. Names will be with­ would provide every dispatcher with the exact United States, especially those lines that don't held upon request. RAILNEWS re­ location and speed of every train and could be receive vet)' much attention in the press. On serves the right to edit for tied in to an avoidance system. Knowing the that same note, thank you for expanding the style, content, and length. Let­ exact location and speed of every train would regionals/short lines column. Most other ters should be sent to: pennit the dispatcher the freedom to reduce publications only provide locomotive roster headway, control train speed to eliminate details for Class II and Class III stopping at crossovers, and make a better railroads-RAILNEws goes deeper and gives Readers Respond judgment call as to when to put a train into a real infotTI1ation. P.O. Box 379 siding. In addition, the dispatcher would have In my opinion, the kind of diversity that VVaukesha, VVI 53187 the ability to calculate hours of service and RAIL EWS portrays can 'put an end to have a relief crew standing by to take over, monotony in the rail magazine indushY Keep rather than having the train stop waiting for a up the good work. RAILNEWS invites suggestions for new crew. features, special reports, and rail­ The time has come for the indush), to up­ Richard ButTIside road focus. Contributor guide­ grade to a 21st centut)' train locating and dis­ Independence, Missouri lines are available upon request. patching system.

J. E Koenen Mt. Prospect, Illinois

Frog and Toad ® TheCANADIAN ONLY comprehensive TRACKSIDE guide to Canadian GUIDE railways, 1998 I feel that RAILNEws demonsh'ated ilTespon­ including u.s. based operations: * Locomotives of Canadian National Railway, Canadian sibility by publishing "Frog and Toad Chase Pacific Railway, Canada, Regional and Trains" (RN, February 412). What value Shortline railways, plus all Industrial locomotives does it have when in one paragraph it states * Urban Rail Transit * Passenger Cars * Cabooses "that trespassers on railroad property are of­ * Preserved Canadian Locomotives and Equipment ten jailed," and in the next paragraph, "unde­ * Work Service Cars and other Non-revenue Equipment * CN, CP and VIA train numbers and routings ten'ed, Frog and To ad drove to Saginaw ..." * Passenger and Excursion train schedules where "This time the lads were run out of * Subdivision details for all railways: station names, mileposts, town by a local policeman ..." Such exam­ radio frequencies etc, plus complete divisional maps ples establish a poor precedent to someone * Complete AAR reporting marks 660 pages in 51,4" x Sth" format just starting to railfan. The actions of these $21.50 US, $27.00 NOd, NB and NS, $25.15 rest of two individuals not only reflect poorly on Canada (all ppd, tax incl.) their lack of judgment for abiding by regula­ tions, but upon the entire railfan community in general. NEW! * A Province by Province inventory of all When considering future articles, I hope Canadian Railway Station Guide CANADIAN RAILWAY STATION known stations regardless of present use: that RAILNEWS would be more critical in its Passenger Stations, Museums, Residences, evaluation and how it reflects upon the rail­ or simply left abandoned fanning community. In my opinion, Frog and * Diagrams of Architectural Features and To ad's train-chasing experiences proved to be Standard Station Designs, Photographs * Cross Reference between original and a wart on railfanning. current locations * A handy companion to the Canadian Thomas Horvath Trackside Guide Btidgewatet; 300 pages in S'h" x 51,4" format $21.95 US, $27.55 NOd, NB, and NS, $25.65 rest of Canada (all ppd, tax incl.) Rail News Why not order both Guides? $41.45 US, $51.55 Nfld, NB and NS, $47.S0 in rest of Canada (all ppd, tax incl.) I have been a subscriber to RAILNEWS since Send Cheque or Money Order10: 1991 and have seen the focus of the maga­ BYTOWN RAILWAY SOCIETY, P.O. Box 141, Station A, Ottawa, ON KIN 8Vl zine come and go with each passing staff. I (U.S. Orders in U.S. Funds please) have always stayed loyal to your publication

RailNews·5 CUMBRES CUMBRES DURANGO TOLTEC SCENIC8& TOLTECROTARY 8& SILVERTON8& FREIGHT TRAIN SNOW PLOW NARROW GAUGE Here's your ticket Steam powered RAILROAD to experience one of Rotary #OY clears Experience the America's most the upper reaches steep grades, sharp popular train rides, after a heavy curves, narrow the Cumbres & blizzard in prepara­ ledges, and perilous Toltec Scenic tion for the 1991 chasms of the D&S. Railroad. In Septem­ season. 'l\vo smoking You'll see all the ber 1990, a special 2-8-2s shove the famous locations, photographers' train chugging plow from the Highline named the San Juan through five foot balancing 400 feet Express was run over the entire length of drifts at the summit of 10,000-foot above the River of the railroad. A great looking train and Cumbres Pass. Smoke, steam, and foun­ Lost Souls to Rockwood Cut with its huge excellent weather conditions made this an tains of snow are a combination that has granite formations. Tour the train yards exciting and memorable two-day excursion. to be seen to believed! and servicing areas, and enjoy a rare Minutes $29.95* (0 Minutes $2(.95* GO #PEN·CATSF #PEN·CATSR winter excursion when the landscape is "'$14.95 special price good through 4·30·98! ';'$14.95 special price good through 4·30·98! blanketed with snow! GO Minutes #DSN $19.95* '1'$14.95 special price good through 4·30·98! CUMBRES TOLTECSCENIC 8& PASSENGER TRAIN Ride on North America's longest, highest narrow gauge railroad. Mikado-built steam locomotives struggle up the four percent grade to the summit of Cumbres Pass. Passengers enjoy spectacular scenery along the route Journey to the from Chama, New Mexico to Antonito, mountains of Colorado. View the train at the most southern Pennsylva­ popular sites, and ride in the cab to see nia to see the U.S.'s the engineer and brakeman at work! oldest operating 74: Minutes #PEN·CATSP $29.95* narrow gauge line. ''' You'll trace the $14.95 special price good through 4·30·98! original track to learn about the rail­ road's rich heritage. Then you'll take to the rails to see the line as it exists today. A railfan weekend features doubleheaded steam trains, freights, and the EBT's M-l motorcar! 108 Minutes #ETOP $29.95* ';'$14.95 special price good through 4·30·98! o $%1 · $4. Yatue.. EUREKA RIO GRANDE RIO GRANDE PALISADE8. ...,� .... jiII ROTARY STEAM '92 There's only one In May 1993, the The biggest, operating, narrow snowpack lay so longest steam gauge, wood burning thick on the Cumbres powered freight .���aI 4-4-0 in the U.S. & Toltec it took three trains in memory today, and you can steam locomotives to were run for five see it in action on get the Rotary snow days on the C&TSR the spectacular plow through the in October 1992. Durango & Silverton. drifts. For four days, Two locomotives This 1875 steamer the Rotary worked pulled and one has been immacu­ the line, clearing it pushed 34 cars up II;Cleo�al1s" the 4% grade of lately restored to its J'To.I """/J... ri"''' ".. ,., for the start of the ' � j . _._ ' ""_;� I. .._ .. _ _n _' _ f.l L- ...... II'' �_' '"_ ' '''''· '' ' ' _l _; original splendor. ---I tourist season. Cumbres Pass. ' It's hungry for wood and thirsty for water Snowmobiles carried the cameramen to Doubleheaders, helpers, and pushers were as it braves the 3 percent grades of the remote locations for the best possible filmed from trackside and aboard the D&S. What a fabulous sight! footage of this incredible event! trains. There's so much great footage it 50 Minutes #EPDS $19.95* 60 Minutes #VR070 $29.95':' had to be made into a 2-tape set! "'$14.95 special price good through 4·30·98! "'$14.95 special price good through 4·30·98! 2 Hours on 2 cassettes #VR058 $39.95* "'$14.95 special price good through 4·30·98!

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THE SIERRAS Check or Money Order VisaiMasterCard Rare footage Discover/American Express shot by Chad Please add 84.00 shipping per order, plus S 1.00 for each additional O'Connor in the tape. Canudian customers add S5.00 shipping per order, plus S1.00 for each additional tape. All other International customers add per 1950s shows logging S10.00 tape. California residents please add 8.25% sales tax. operations at both Order Line: the West Side and Pickering Lumber Companies, in 800-950-9333 24 Hours A Day FAX 626-793-3797 California's Sierra Nevada Mountains. Various Heisler and Shay locomotives were used to haul logs to the mills. See them in action and learn the strengths of each. It's >r�p a classic display of narrow gauge history. P.O. Box 94911, 20 Minutes #WESTSIDE $24:.95* Pasadena, CA 91109-4911 ""$14.95 special price good through 4·30·98! CALL OR WRITE FOR FREE CATALOG BREAKING NEWS xpediter

Nine cars of a 7S-car, southbound Kansas City Southern unit grain train derailed on Union Pacific's Falls City Sub at Omaha, Nebraska, on February 1, 1998. Kansas City Southern has haulage rights over this line from Council Bluffs, Iowa, to Kansas City. This was the first derailment for UP this year. The accident knocked out this busy double track for nearly 24 hours. As of press time, the derailment was still under investigation.

UP Still Struggles embarrassing collapse of freight from $2.35 billion in 1996, as million, down from $664 million service on the UP-Southern Pacif­ congestion sapped labor and in 1996. Neither Davidson nor "Were there any discussions of ic system since mid- 1997. As a re­ equipment productivity. Disgust­ the company's other top managers your leaving the position of sult, the foregoing question, ed shippers, shifting everything received any bonus money for this CEO?" posed publicly at an Omaha Press they could to Burlington Northern performance. "Quite honestly, we A year ago, it would have been Club luncheon on January 19, was & Santa Fe or trucks, spent only think that's appropriate," unthinkable for anyone, even a no surprise. Speculation over $2.56 billion on UP transporta­ Matthews observed. rumor-hungry reporter, to ask whether Davidson would be fired tion, down from $2.81 billion in The post-Christmas months of Dick Davidson that question. Af­ had been reverberating quietly 1996. The result was an SP-Iike January and February, usually the ter all, he had spent a distin­ through the railroad community operating ratio of 1 02.5 percent. slowest time of the year for rail­ guished career of nearly 40 years since the problems began. "We disappointed our cus­ roads, provide UP with its best leading two successful carri­ January brought more bad tomers, our shareholders, and opportunity to restore operations ers-Missouri Pacific and Union news from the stricken yellow ourselves," Davidson told the to normal. Particularly helpful is Paci fic-through deregu la tion colossus. On January 22, UP re­ press that day. Financial Vice 1998's mild winter weather across and a succession of mergers that ported a fourth-quarter 1997 loss President White Matthews put the much of the West, which holds made UP the largest free-enter­ of $152 million, compared to a cost of the railroad's congestion at down operating expenses. For a prise railroad in the world. $229 million profit in the compa­ $353 million for the quarter and while, UP seemed to be gaining But Davidson's accomplish­ rable 1996 period. Operating ex­ $455 million for the fu ll year. ground under these favorable con­ ments have been eclipsed by the penses increased to $2.62 billion During 1997, UP earned $432 ditions, reporting to the Surface

S'April 199S • FA CT FOLDER

Average Length of Haul

The following figures repre­ sent the average length of haul (in miles) during the last 70 years. Competition from motorized vehicles, the effects of railroad mega-mergers, and a change in commodities and merchandise shipped have led • to a massive decrease in short-haul and local rail traf­ fic across the nation, particu­ larly since World War II.

1929: 334. 1

1939: 369.8

1947:479.5

1955: 446.6

1960: 461.3

• 1965: 503.0 Ken Goad • • An unforcasted winter storm buried Lexington, Kentucky, with three days of snow-total accumulation measured 17 inches. • 1970: 515.1 Fallen branches and snow-clogged switches delayed railroad operations from February 6 through February 8. Norfolk Southern • • 1975: 540.7 northbound No. 216 remained parked in the siding on February 8 for hours as traffic slowly crawled around it. • • 1980: 615.8 Transportation Board on January Directional operation of UP's still supports him and UP opera­ • • 20 that average freight train speed north-south lines between Mis­ tions would improve in the com­ • 1985: 664.5 had increased from 12.3 mph dur­ souri and Texas, and between ing months-"That's a guarantee." • Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and Privately, though, Davidson has to • ing the holiday period to 15.4 1990: 725.7 mph, no grain was sitting on the Beaumont, began February I. be glancing over his shoulder. • ground waiting to be shipped, and Davidson hailed the change as • Michael W. Blaszak • 1995: 842.6 27 coal trains were leaving "the real fix for the railroad," • Wyoming each day. Indeed, UP since it should increase both the • 1997: 849.0 ended up hauling record coal vol­ number of through trains that can Canadian National Bids • umes in January. be handled and their speed. on Illinois Central • Source: Association of Ameri­ However, by January 26, UP's Nonetheless, UP acknowledged • • can Railroads average train speed had de­ that local service to Gulf Coast On February 5, Canadian Nation­ • creased, while blocked sidings chemical plants remains inade­ al acknowledged that it was nego­ • To the best of our knowl­ and trains held for power had in­ quate, and the shift to directional tiating to acquire Illinois Central. • edge, information found in creased, with cars on line rising to flow "won't be done without Just five days later, the parties an­ • the Fact Folder is correct 334, 100. Getting that figure some heartburn." nounced that they had struck a • • and is the most recent avail­ down to 310,000, the maximum Perhaps to checkmate both the deal, subject to various approvals, • able. Questions or com­ number UP has said it can handle RCT and its competitors, UP pro­ under which CN would purchase • ments regarding the Fact efficiently, will be a big challenge. posed creating a joint dispatching IC for $2.4 billion, payable 75 • Folder should be sent to the Chemical shippers have been center at its Spring, Texas, ofrice percent in cash and 25 percent in • Waukesha editorial office. forced to increase their private to control UP, BNSF, and Kansas CN stock, plus assumption of IC's • Suggestions for future Fact car fleets in order to handle the City Southern lines between $560 million in debt. • • Folder topics are invited. same volume of freight, because Brownsville, Houston, and New The transaction would incor­ • UP has been moving the cars Orleans. Regardless, if UP doesn't pOl'ate IC's north-south route net­ • much more slowly. They won't gain momentum as traffic builds work between Chicago, St. Louis, • store those additional cars until toward the seasonal March peak, Memphis, New Orleans, and Mo­ • UP proves it can perform bet­ anything can happen. bile, Alabama, and the east-west • • ter-which may not be possible Davidson, for his part, told his Chicago Central & Pacific route, • until the extra cars are stored. Omaha questioner the UP board with CN's much longer system ex- • •

RailNews og BREAKING NEWS xpediter

in a letter to the President, "Your administration is strongly considering the submission of a fiscal year 1999 budget request that eliminates operating assis­ tance for Amtrak and falls short of the railroad's needs." The solons accused President Clinton of backtracking on his earlier pledges of support for Amtrak in January. The six sent their angry letter to the White House de­ nouncing the President's pro­ posed budget that would report­ edly cut off all federal operating subsidies for Amtrak. They wrote the President that "The budget submission as currently crafted would back-track on the Administration's commitment to submit a request that is consis­ tent with the five-year operating plan agreed to by Amtrak, the Department of Transportation, and the Brotherhood of Mainte­ nance of Way Employees (BMWE) labor agreemen t, and Congress. The request, if enact­ ILLINOIS CEN TRAL CANADIAN NATIONAL SYSTEMS COMBINED ed, would prevent Amtrak from / ---- ILLINOIS CENTRAL LINES ---- CANADIAN NATIONAL LINES ach ievi ng operating sel f-su ffi­ ciency, which is precisely the NOT ALL LINES SHOWN MAP BY CHRIS GOEPEL goal that Congress and the Presi­ dent agreed to in the Amtrak Re­ form and Accountability Act of 1997. It would also have the ef­ tending between Vancouver and deal also bets on continuing in the wake of its Southern Pacif­ fect of undermining our efforts Nova Scotia via both Ontario and growth in United States/Canada ic acquisition, Te llier said the net­ to keep Amtrak from going Chicago. "For the first time ever," trade, which CN expects to in­ work would be "completely inte­ bankrupt." according to newspaper ads ap­ crease from $290 billion now to grated" and capable of providing In Washington , Amtrak pearing February 10, "customers $450 billion in 20 years. good service in short order. Un­ spokesman Clifford Black said will reap the full benefits of seam­ Te llier had been predicting known as or press time was eliminating operating subsidies less rail service that stretches CN would expand for some time, whether another major railroad, would lead to widespread layoffs from the Atlantic to the Pacific and rumors of a CN/IC linkup perhaps Burlington Northern & and cutbacks in service. Mean­ and from· Northern British had been circulating since mid- Santa Fe or Norfolk Southern, while, White House Press Secre­ Columbia to the Gulf of Mexico." 1997. The impending split of might make a higher offer to keep tary Mike McCurry said, "Every­ Seamless though service may Conrail between CSX and Nor­ IC out of CN's hands. Also un­ thing that I've been led to believe be, the historic IC name would folk Southern, which CN has known was whether Canadian indicates there will be substantial not disappear. "It's a great name," claimed would reduce its com­ Pacific would seek a closer affilia­ operating subsidies and substan­ CN President and CEO Paul Te lli­ petitiveness in the northeastern tion with Kansas City Southern tial capital investments for Am­ er said. "It would be silly to do United States, may have cat­ or another railroad to offer its trak in the budget the President anything with it." The IC head­ alyzed this transaction. Control Canadian customers a competing will propose in February." White quarters in Chicago would re­ of iC's lucrative northbound Gulf outlet. House officials told the media the main open, and IC President and chemical business would pass to senators' letter "mystified them," CEO Hunter Harrison would CN, and much of this trafric Michael W. Blaszak because they thought the draft continue to be based there in his ends up in the Northeast. Also, budget met Amtrak's needs. Peter new role as CN's operating Canadian shippers of export Rogoth, who works for Senator officer. Since CN and IC serve grain and potash would gain sin­ More Amtrak Funding Frank Lautenberg, wrote a six­ just one common point-Chica­ gle-line service to IC's always­ Bureaucracy page explanation supporting the go-few of the combined sys­ open ports on the Gulf, though senator's position. "The Office of tem's 25,600 employees are ex­ the distances involved may tem­ Until recently, it was not clear if Management and Budget, ignor­ pected to lose their jobs. per such movements. President Clinton was looking to ing the DOT requests, concocted The primary objective of the The $39 per share deal must withhold his support of Amtrak a budgetary shell game that acquisition, according to Te llier, be approved by both I C stock­ after all, but a half-dozen north­ leaves Amtrak over $84 million is not to cut costs but "to steal holders and the Surface Trans­ eastern U.S. Senators seemed to short of its needs for 1999." Sep­ traffic from the other railroads" pOl·tation Board. Reacting to the think so. Four Democratic and arately, two other Republican and the trucking industry. The problems afflicting Union Pacific two Republican senators stated Senators, Majority Leader Trent

10 • April 1998 Lott and Kay Bailey Hutchison, President reacted in this manner Metra to Milwaukee? BNSF Wants UP Access wrote Clinton on January 16 ex­ because of pressure he received pressing concern that the Admin­ from lawmakers in the Senate. Ever since service ceased in 1971, On January 14, two orange-and­ istration might propose drawing The President's proposal repre­ proposals have surfaced to restore green Burlington Northern & operating funding from the $2.3 sents the first time in the rail­ through passenger trains over the Santa Fe locomotives, GP38-2 billion in Amtrak capital funds. road's history that Amtrak would Otiginal rail route between Chicago No. 2217 and GP39-2 No. 2795, The senators told the President receive its federal financial sup­ and Milwaukee-the former Chica­ rambled up the former Union Pa­ that "A commitment from the ad­ port in a single capital grant. go & North Western, now Union cific line from Pine Bluff to Little ministration and Congress to the Amtrak stated that it would Pacific's Kenosha Subdivision. The Rock, Arkansas. This move inau­ five year plan is essential if Am­ study the details of the proposal North Western and UP have operat­ gurated direct BNSF service to trak service is to continue. Am­ to determine whether it would ed commuter trains continuously Little Rock, replacing haulage trak must receive specified result in any short-term funding between Chicago and Kenosha, service provided by UP, "to bet­ amounts of operating and capital shortfalls and whether it would Wisconsin, but the one-time dou­ ter serve customers in the Little assistance each year so that it can provide sufficient flexibility in bleh'ack route of the 400s north of Rock area." Trains are supposed put the $2.3 billion tax credit to the use of capital funds. Kenosha has shriveled to a single­ to run six days a week, though work modernizing its equipment track secondary main used primm'i­ the two units did not and facilities and thus implement Leo King Iy by coal l1'ains terminating at Wis­ move for several days after arriv­ its long-term business plan de­ consin Electric's Oak Creek gener­ ing. Port Yard is used to origi­ signed to achieve operating self­ Preparing for Conrail ating station. nate and terminate BNSF trains sufficiency by 2002. If these com­ A new feasibility study by the and also conects with the Rock mitments are not honored, Am­ CSX Corp. announced plans to in­ Southeast Wisconsin Regional Island spin-off Little Rock & trak will continue to operate in a vest more than $800 million in Planning Commission is the latest Western at this location. The constant state of financial and la­ capital improvements in its rail­ in this parade of possibilities. The railroad was welcomed to central bor crisis. We believe that it is vi­ road division during 1998. The study projects that service could Arkansas by Governor Mike tal for the administration to re­ price tag includes $240 million for be restored over the 33-mile Huckabee and other state offi­ quest fu ll funding and reject the track improvements and $66 mil­ Kenosha-Milwaukee segment for cials at a January 16 ceremony. strategy of diverting the $2.3 bil­ lion to upgrade signaling through­ $141 million, which would cover Meanwhile, BNSF crews lion in capital funding for operat­ out the CSXT system. "Our num­ rebuilding the existing track, made familiarization trips in ing needs." Further, the senators ber one priority is to make a safe restoring the second track, im­ mid-January over the former Mis­ added, "Despite your recent railroad even safer while continu­ proving signals, and buying souri Pacific main line between pledge of support for Amtrak, the ing to meet and exceed customer enough equipment to provide 10 Longview, Texas; North Little proposed budget request creates expectation," stated CSXT Presi­ Chicago-Milwaukee round l1'ips on Rock, Arkansas; and Dexter, yet another crisis for Amtrak and dent A.R. "Pete" Carpenter in the weekdays (four on Saturdays and Missouri , in preparation for di­ its supporters in Congress. We January 29 announcement. "After three on Sundays). Top speed rectional operation of trackage urge you to revise your budget re­ safety, enhancing the level and would be 79 mph, allowing a one­ rights trains over Mopac and quest and fully fund Amtrak for consistency of customer service is way timing of about two and one­ Cotton Belt lines starting in fiscal 1999." our priority. " half hours with numerous stops. February. Meanwhile, United Transporta­ The railroad will install 400 Six intelmediate stations would Another new trackage rights tion Union National Legislative miles of new rail, insert two million be established at Somers, Racine, operation announced by BNSF Director ]. M. Brunkenhoefer re­ crossties, and surface 4,800 miles Caledonia, Oak Creek, South Mil­ was a local between Winnemuc­ marked that "President Clinton's of track. Other improvements in­ waukee, and Cudahy. (Former ca and Sparks, Nevada, over advisors have rolled out the blue clude $365 million to buy new C&NW stations survive and could Southern Pacific to serve a new smoke and mirrors again. Some power and autoracks, upgrade coal be used at Racine, South Milwau­ Quality Distribution Center Republicans want to kill Amtrak cars, and buy and upgrade other kee, and Cudahy.) Trains would ter­ (cross dock) at the latter point. outright, and now some Presiden­ car types. In addition to the capital minate at the underused Amtrak Notwithstanding a 29 percent tial advisors want to play games program, CSX plans to spend near­ station in Milwaukee, which growth in trackage rights traffic with the numbers so that Amtrak ly $500 million over three years for C&NW and Milwaukee Road origi­ to 57,500 loads in fourth quarter will starve to death for lack of op­ improvements directly related to nally shared. About 4,680 daily rid­ from 44,537 in third quarter, erating money. Either way, Amtrak the pending Conrail merger. This ers are projected. Service presum­ BNSF is complaining that UP's would die. Thousands of our transaction includes systemwide ably would be operated by UP un­ service failure "raises serious members' jobs would be lost and signal upgrades, new intermodal der Mel1'a auspices as an extension questions" about its ability to railroad retirement would be terminals, and double-tracking of of the current Kenosha service. compete. "Because of operational threatened. Why? Because some the Chicago-Cleveland main line. While UP hasn't commented, Meh'a problems on the trackage rights at the White House want to play The railroad has already placed in said it cooperated with the study. lines," the railroad told the Sur­ theoretical games. They want to service a section between Garrett Restoration of the route is sup­ face Transportation Board on play a flim-flam shell game that and Albion, Indiana. ported by pro-rail Milwaukee May­ January 2, "UP is frequently pro­ moves the numbers around so that CSX will also invest heavily in or John Norquist, who also wants viding its customers an inferior the numbers look good on paper train crew staffing, saying it wants to see commuter service reborn on service product and incurring in­ but there is no money." to enter the Conrail merger (if ap­ Canadian Pacific's former Milwau­ creased costs for equipment, The President made no men­ proved) with excess capacity as in­ kee line west to Watertown, along crews, and locomotives." For ex­ tion of Amtrak in his State of the surance against traffic tie-ups. with other Lake County, Illinois, ample, BNSF complained that Union speech. "We're taking extraordinary pro­ and Wisconsin officials. The biggest UP is parking trains on the for­ A response was issued on cedures to avoid those problems," obstacle is funding construction mer Rio Grande main line be­ February 2, when the Clinton ad­ said CSX Chairman and Chief Ex­ and anticipated operating deficits of tween Salt Lake City and Provo, ministration proposed $62 1 mil­ ecutive Officer John Snow on Jan­ $4 million per year. Federal support Utah, blocking the route of lion in funding for Amtrak's uary 2 I, referring to Union Pacif­ may be difficult to obtain since Am­ BNSF's Central Corridor service. 1999 fiscal year (beginning Oc­ ic gridlock experienced after the trak already runs six Chicago-Mil­ Though BNSF is aggressively tober 1) and an additional $2. 1 absorption of Southern Pacific waukee round trips a day, with end­ pushing for wider access to UP billion in capital investment last year. "We have hundreds of to-end timings of about 90 minutes, customers, it suffered a setback funds for the next four years. At­ people thinking through every as­ on CP's parallel fOllller Milwaukee when the STB rejected its re­ tention now turns to Congress, pect of this merger to ensure that line. Environmental and alternative quest to serve more ew Or­ which, through the appropria­ everything is tested, retested, and (bus) studies also must be complet­ leans shippers through recipro­ tions process, will decide what tied together." ed before the plan could proceed. cal switching. level of funding Amtrak will ac­ tually receive. Many feel the Mark Sublette Michael W. Blaszak Michael W. Blaszak

RailNews · 11 SPECIAL REPORT xpediter

Another Storm of the Century

8eth A. Krueger

GE C40-8W No. 6261 wades through 10 inches of flood water on January 9, 1998, in Newark, New York. Work crews kept operations moving despite rising water. At one point, speed was restricted to 2 mph through the pool and 10 mph once the locomotive cleared the water.

Mother Nature has an awesome ar­ For the railroads of the area, it rail activity had ground to a halt lines, but this proved to be a slow senal, and winter is one of the sea­ was a disaster of epic proportions. throughout Montreal and most of and extremely frustrating task. No sons in which she seems to show Ice, two or more inches thick, southern Quebec. All AMT com­ one had seen destruction like this off. Residents of the northeastern covered the upper northeastern muter trains on the Lakeshore before, and the cleanup was United States and southeastern United States and southeastern line stopped at Dorval because of daunting. VTA train 43 from Ot­ Quebec and Ontario recently expe­ Quebec and Ontario, causing as wires across track. The Deux tawa to Toronto took 17 hours, rienced her power firsthand. many as 100 downed trees per Montagnes electric service only and train 40 took 10 and one-half A storm system moved mile of track and the loss of elec­ operated a few trains; the car hours for the normal four and through that area beginning tricity, and in many cases tele­ doors froze shut. one-half hour trip. Late Thursday, Wednesday, January 7, and lasting phone communication, crippling VIA's Ocean, No. 15, to the VIA suspended all service east of through Saturday, January 10, operations. Areas not hit with ice Maritimes was stranded because Toronto except the Kingston­ bringing ice storms to extreme were hit with rain. of collapsed transmission towers Toronto and Montreal-Jon­ notheastern states and southeast­ across the rails west of Aston quiere/Senneterre service. Three ern Canada and heavy rain to Ice Junction. Passengers were trans­ highway bridges off the island of parts of Upper New York State. Commuter train service to Riguad fen'ed to heated shelters. Both Montreal were closed because of When the storm ended, 3 million was suspended on January 7 be­ Canadian National and StL&H fa lling ice from the support tow­ residents were without electricity cause of fa llen branches and operated work trains to remove ers .. Amtrak service to Montreal in Quebec alone. downed power lines. By Thursday, tree branches, debris, and power from New York also was suspend-

12 • April 1998 ed and did not resumed until Fri­ day, January 16. The mayoress of the city of Boucherville had read of locomo­ tives on the north end of the Cartier Railway being used as generators and elicited two CN M420Ws to restore power to the city's municipal building. M420W No. 3502 was brought as close as possible by rail, lifted off the rails by crane, then driven without rails 1,000 feet up the main street to city hall. Canadian National has 12 other M420Ws that it then offered for use in other cities.

Rain In Newark, New York, flooding shut down Track 2 at m.p. 34 on the Conrail Chicago main line. Track 1, although submerged, remained open at restricted speeds. Tra ins quickly backed up in both directions. According to a Conrail employee at the site, the water level over the tracks reached 10 inches. Despite the difficult condi­ tions in New York, the scanner crackled with good humor. An Amtrak eastbound and Conrail westbound cross paths on January 10, 1998, in Newark, New Yo rk, as flood waters begin "Looks like the Ti tanic," and to subside. At this point, speed restriction was increased to 10 mph through. "This is a no wake zone," were among the comments as locomo­ tives crept past. system was gone on Canadian Pa­ The longer-than-normal running tial service restored between Mon­ Conrail was not the only rail­ cific's Vaudreuil and Winchester time was caused by the fact that treal and Quebec City, and finally, road with flooding problems. Lo­ subdivisions; CTC was gone be­ much of CN's CTC system east of by January 22, Montreal-Ottawa cal short line Ontario-Midland tween Smiths Falls and Belleville, Brockville was still inoperative. service resumed. suffered a washout in Zurich Bog, Ontario; CN's CTC was gone be­ All trains had to travel at reduced As of January 20, Amtrak's north of Newark. tween Montreal and Ottawa; and speeds and occasionally had to Montreal-New York the list went on. stop at crossings and flag them­ had not yet resumed operation, and Cleanup It was not until January 14 that selves through. Also that day, VIA equipment stranded in Montreal As the storm ended, the massive VIA was able to reinstate partial announced the partial return of for over two weeks left VIA's Mon­ job of damage assessment and service between Montreal and service between Ottawa and treal shop for Albany as a test lun cleanup began. In Montreal, jack­ Toronto. VIA received clearance Toronto. Starting that afternoon, over CN's Rouses Point Sub be­ hammers and 0-8 bulldozers were from CN to operate one through VIA began offering two round­ tween Montreal and the U.S. bor­ required. The toll of damage be­ train with an expected running trips per day on this route; but der. The duration of the trip and gan to become evident: The ABS time of five hours and 50 minutes. service over the Ottawa-Brockville whether CN could deploy electrical leg was provided by bus until that generators at some of the crossings line re-opened. The Quebec City­ to lessen delays would determine Montreal and Montreal-Ottawa the resumption of that service. services remained cancelled. VIA's The final week of January saw Ocean and Chaleur trains re­ VIA back on track with almost to­ sumed. However the eastbound tal service. To welcome customers trains detoured via the north back, VIA timed and targeted one shore between Montreal and Que­ of its annual winter promotions to bec City, thus eliminating service coincide with this return to full to or from St. Lambert, St. Hy­ service: a 50 percent reduction on acinthe, or Drummondville until all economy seats in the Quebec such time as the main line between City-Windsor Corridor as well as Montreal and Levis was fully up in both economy and sleeper and running. classes on the East Coast. By January 15, VIA increased Not in living memory has services between Toronto and such widespread disruption oc­ Montreal and Toronto and Ottawa CUlTed, and this story is just be­ but with delays of 60 to 90 min­ ginning to unfold. The detours utes because of slower-than-nor­ and ancillary damages resulting mal running speeds on sh'etches of from this storm may permanantly track still without power. Trains change traffic patterns through­ from Montreal to Halifax, Gaspe, out the affected area. Jonquiere, and Senneterre were Thanks to Earl Roberts, Bruce Remnants of the ice that encrusted upper northeast U.S., Quebec, and Ontario. operating normally in both direc­ Hollett, and Bill Linley. This photo was taken near Nantes, Quebec, almost two weeks after the storm. tions but with delays of two to three hours on trains to and from Steve Bradley, Beth A. Krueger, and the Maritimes. January 18 saw par- George Pitarys

RailNews o13 FINANCIAL

Market Watch • • • With Tom Murray

Transportation Mutual investors who pursue either course sector. My research has turned up out of the fund's 10 largest holdings can get burned, especially if they two funds that are devoted to the were railroads, including its largest Funds don't keep a constant watch over transportation industry Neither is ex­ investment, CSX. (Other large rail their portfolios. clusively a railroad sector fund, but a holdings were CN, NS, and B ). An investor who wants to put money Mutual fu nds offer the attraction look at them may serve as a useful The fund's manager, Jean-Marc into the stock market has one basic of having a professional manage your lesson in assessing mutual fu nds and Berteaux, told me that the reason ra il­ choice to make at the outset: whether money, making the necessary choices provide an insight into how different roads don't make up a larger percent­ to buy individual stocks or invest about individual stocks and about fund managers look at rail stocks. age of the fund's holdings involves through mutual funds. He or she can when to be aggressive and when to be The larger of the two funds is the several factors, including the relative do both, of course, but even that re­ defensive in the market. Yo u have the Fidelity Select Transportation Portfo­ growth rates of railroads versus other quires a decision about how much security of knowing that one bad lio, which as of August 31, 1997, had sectors and his desire to focus on money to put in each. stock choice won't bring the value of $56 million under management. Of companies that are less asset-inten­ Many investors who go the indi­ your nest egg crashing down, since this, 32.9 percent was allocated to sive. The rail industry merger wave vidual-stock route do so because they most mutual fund managers hold trucking, air freight, and freight for­ means that interest expense on debt consider themselves good stock-pick­ dozens of stocks at a time. warding firms; 20.3 percent to rail­ used to finance acquisitions i placing ers, able to see things the market One way that fund companies road and rail holding companies (CN, signillcant demands on the cash flow can't. Or they may think they have a have fo und in recent years to make CP, CSX, NS, UP, and WC) ; 19.7 per­ of the acquiring companies. But his sixth sense about timing the market some of their fu nds stand out from cent to airline stocks; 13.9 percent to major concern, he said, is simply the and want to be able to shift money the crowd is to develop "sector" autos, tires, and accessories; 6.5 per­ fact that despite deregulation, down­ back and forth between cash (i.e., fu nds devoted to specific industries. cent to cash; and the balance to mis­ sizing, mergers, and the introduction money market funds) and stocks at a Several readers of this column have cellaneous categories. More recent in­ of new technology, the return on capi­ moment's notice. Both stock-picking asked whether mutual funds are formation on Fidelity's web site indi­ tal in the railroad industry continues and market-timing carry risks, and available that concentrate on the ra il cated that as of December 31, four to be inadequate. In other words,

St• Closingock Price Ja nuarIny 12,de 1998x • Closing Price February 12, 1998 Dow Jones Average

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RaiiNews o15 FINANCIAL

Now that Canadian National has formally bid on acquiring Illinois Central, some analysts predict that Kansas CitySouthern is the next logical merger candidate in the evolution of the North American rail map.

price/earnings ratio of 34-more tern prevailed in UP's takeover of debt to shareholders equity that it participate, the new rules allow you than twice the PIE of other large rail Southel11 Pacific. Conrail sharehold­ ends up with after these transactions to buy your very first shares directly stocks. Of course, this is based on ers got a healthier premium only be­ are completed. from the company. They also pro­ the past 12 months' net income, and cause Norfolk Southel11 provoked a An equally important (and cur­ vide a much higher cap on monthly the real question is what the compa­ bidding war with CSX, which they rently unknown) factor is the value to purchases of CSX stock ($1 0,000, ny can do in 1998 and beyond. ultimately settled by agreeing to KCS of its Mexico business. The versus $1,500 under the old pro­ Union Pacific management told Wall carve up Conrail's route map. company's 38 percent interest in gram). A prospectus is available by Street analysts in late January to ex­ The next logical step in the evolu­ Tra nsportacion Ferrovaria Mexicana calling (888) 261 -6800. Infonnation pect 1998 earnings of about $4 per tion of the North American rail map (the northeast railway between Mexi­ is also available on the Intel11et at share, but given the company's in­ may involve Kansas City Southel11, co City, Monterrey, and Laredo) con­ www.csx.com/inv/directinvest. ability to give an accurate forecast of but several questions need to be an­ tributed a loss of $12.9 million to To m Murray is a tran sporta­ when its operating problems would swered first, starting with "what is KCS in 1997. Howevet; future eal11- tion consultant and the editor and be solved, that eal11ings forecast has this railroad worth?" KCS's parent ings could be substantial if TFM de­ publisher of RAIL SroCK WATCI-I, a to be treated with skepticism. company, which also owns a mutual velops into an efficient operation, if it newsletter covering the railroad The other big news at this writ­ fund business, had already an­ wins traffic away from parallel high­ and rail supply industries. A sam­ ing is CN's announcement that it will nounced that it would sell 60 percent ways, and if it can do so at profitable ple copy of RAIL SroCKWATC/-l can buy Illinois Central for $39 per IC of the railroad's stock to the public. It revenue levels. be obtained fo r $3 fr om To m Mur­ share. While this is higher than IC has now said that the first step in ray, 519 Banyan Circle, Wa ln ut stock has traded for the past few splitting the railroad and the financial Investing Directly Creek, CA 94598-2501. Comments months, $39 happens to be the past services group into two separate com­ or suggestions about this column year's high-water mark for IC stock, panies will be a spinoff of the mutual A follow-up to last month's cover­ may be sent to this address or e­ achieved last October. What this fund unit, to take place by third quar­ age of dividend reinvestment pro­ mailed to tommurray@aol. com. tells us is that, when there isn't a ter 1998. The rail unit's stock offering grams: CSX has unveiled an en­ Th is column does not provide in­ competitive bidder, rail mergers are will then be used to raise money to hanced share purchase program vestment advice, and nothing in being done at very small premiums reduce debt. The railroad's market known as CSX DirectInvest. Unlike this column should be interpreted over the market price of the ac­ value as a stand-alone company will the former program, which required as a recommendation to buy or quired company stock. A similar pat- be partially determined by the ratio of that you already be a shareholder to sell any security_

16 • April 1998

COMMENTARY

From the Cab • • • By Doug Riddell

like to offer a few thoughts from the cab. My wish is that you will come away with a better understanding of why some railfans are met with hostility, while others Railroad'n and Railfan'n: are treated royally.

RESPECT FOR THE RULES. I've often likened the opera­ By tional sh'ucture of raiLroads to that of the military. Rail­ the Rules roaders live and die by a regimen of operating and safety tules so rigidly enforced with the threat of suspension or tel1llination that our skin practically crawls when we see someone-an employee or trespasser--doing something unwise or unsafe. "Don't step on the rail," says a rule so simple it surely needs no explanation--or does it? A large daily newspaper recently published a list of what it consid­ ered "silly" rules in one railroad's policy. As it turns out, there's a very good reason for this rule and others. The top of the rail is rounded, not flat. Given the least bit of moisture, it becomes treacherous. I watch in hor­ ror daily as detraining passengers, attempting to get to the parking lot to beat the traffic, ignore all of the post­ ed warnings and the yellow safety line and cross live tracks, stepping carelessly down from the platform on­ to the top of the rail of an adjacent track, juggling suit­ cases, briefcases, and babies. Never mind that they might fa ll, crack their skull, break their aim, sprain an ankle, or die-the extra minute it takes to follow the marked pathway is evidently too precious to be wasted. Once out of the parking lot, they race around the cross­ ing gates to avoid being delayed getting home by the same departing train that brought them to town. My cousin Jack Stecklein, a retired Northeast Corri­

Doug Riddell dor engineel; used to CatTY one busy executive who regu­ larly caught his Pennsy lush hour clocker to New York Like the jaws of a hungry alligator, air-operated switches such as these pictured at AF Interlocking, from . At the time, the local newspaper cost Alexandria, Virginia, can grasp their startled prey in a heartbeat, holding them captive in the path five cents less in New Jersey than across the river in of an oncoming train. Pennsylvania. As soon as the h'ain stopped in Tren ton, the businessman-refusing to heed the conductor's warning not to run-would exit the train, dash to a t takes imagination to be a writer. I say that because I newspaper dispensel; purchase a copy, save a nickel, and tend to work a few months ahead of my publisher's attempt to reboard the train, usually after it was moving. deadline. I enjoy the luxury of not being pressured. You guessed it. One cold morning, he slipped beneath hope you The column you're reading now was composed in late the lTain and was killed. IJanuary. As I looked outside the window of our home in Observance of safety rules becomes second nature the Virginia countryside on that gray winter day, the with railroaders. Our jobs-even our lives-depend on will include grass lay dormant, and the Bradford pear trees were bar­ absolute compliance with those rules, so when we see ren. By the time you read this, that scene will likely be someone violating them, we react instinctively, like safI ety and transformed into a carpet of green and blossoms of pink, Pavlov's dog to stimulus. And just like Rover, we tend hopefully under a gorgeous blue sky. to bark. Don't mistake a shouted warning for anger or or course, when spring comes, a young man's heart rudeness. Railroading is loud. Most of us suffer from respect for (and a woman's too, increasingly) turns to ...railf an­ some degree of hearing loss, especially the old-timers ning. (Sorry, I couldn't resist.) Avid railfans don't hiber­ who were forbidden to use hearing protection until a people and nate-they spend the winter months planning spring, few years ago for fear that they might miss some im­ sum mel; and fa ll weekend getaways to catch the action pot·tant instructions regarding the safe movement of on their favorite road as soon as the weather breaks. their train. I'm required to take my company physical property ... Well, the really hardcore raiLfans are freez'n their Nikons annually in my birth month to remain certified as a lo­ off trackside in two feet of snow at Gallitzin, or four­ comotive engineer, and passing the hearing test is in your wheel'n it up some mountain pass in Colorado, looking mandatory. Gradual loss of this invaluable sense is in­ for just the right perch from which to shoot this year's evitable, and its regression is noted and included in Christmas card scene. our medical charts. itinerary. Whatever your plans may be, I hope you will in­ If a crew member of a passing train shouts at you, clude safety and respect for people and property, as before doing anything else, immediately step back away well as just plain good common sense and a little ordi­ from the track and look around. He or she may be try­ nary tact in your itinerary. It could mean a marked dif­ ing to save your life . .I have done this many times to ference in the results. Although much has been written wal11 wayside photographers of approaching trains of about railfan etiquette in the last couple of years, here which they were apparently unaware. I've even attempt­ and in other publications, as a railfanlrailroader, I'd ed to let some folks know that their presence has been

18 • April 1998 detected by a previous train which radioed the in our shoes-high-top safety shoes at that. much for assumptions.) dispatcher to summon the railroad police. Sho " the same respect for us as professionals in Epps never forgot the first time he came out our chosen field as you would expect in your op­ of the yard office at Raleigh; looked up at that RESPECT FOR PROPERTY. I know railfans represent erating theater." big, long, green-and-yellow locomotive; and a broad occupational spectrum from blue-collar "You weren't really planning to come to the shouted to the engineer for whom he was firing, workers to professionals. A former neigh bor was hospital, were you?" he laughed. "This engine must have a hundred wheels! I've a surgeon who couldn't get his fill of trains. Ev­ "Naw," I sneered. "My blood pressure shoots never seen one before. Has anyone got an oper­ ery weekend he was out on the right-of-way. He up when [ walk into the doctor's office for my ator's manual for one of these 4500s?" came to me one day as I got out of my car and physical. When I get your bill, I really get sick! Bob kept fit by lifting weights, and when he fumed because the hogger on a train he was just I'll stick to the railroad." retired he had the physique of a Mmine in-train­ attempting to shoot had yelled at him, telling ing. As we ate, he talked about the Centipedes. him to get back off the track where the good COMMON SENSE, GOOD MANNERS, Al'lD a little tact. "They found out real quick that they weren't doctor had taken up position with his arsenal of Did you know that SD28s were purchased only suitable for passenger trains. The piping and photographic equipment. by Reserve Mining and the Columbus & wiring was on the walls where they vibrated "I had my camera set up in the siding. Greenville Railroad, and that like SD35s, they loose, sprang leaks, and caught fire. Those big Nothing was coming. I know enough about have 10 handrail posts on each side? The distin­ Baldwins didn't stay around here long. They signals to tell that," he proudly boasted. "What guishing spotting feature on the SD28 are two sent 'em down south, Georgia or Florida, I be­ harm was I doing?" small stacks instead of the SD35's one large tur­ lieve, and then scrapped 'em." "Well, Fred," I answered, "not being there, bo exhaust (DIESEL SporrER's GUIDE). My point It also helps to talk in railroad telminology, not knowing the particulars, I can only say that here is that many rail fans immerse themselves in not only because speaking "railfanese" makes you were trespassing, for starters. Being on the such minutiae ad nauseam. While their knowl­ you stick out like a sore thumb, but because for tracks-any tracks-subjects you to the possibil­ edge of this type of data may impress the socks the most part, working railroaders just plain ity of being run over. A red signal doesn't neces­ off of other attendees at the monthly convoca­ won't know what you're saying. The language sarily guarantee that a tTain will not use the track tion of their railroad club or serve as the catalyst used in most railfan publications lends itself to that it govems. Dispatchers can and do frequent­ for a rousing discussion during a photo runby, being heavily descriptive, especially when it ly give us permission to pass a malfunctioning such information is totally wasted on the average comes to names rail fans apply to locomotives. signal, which on some railroads will permit a working railroader-even one who enjoys trains Although Bob Epps knew what a Centipede train to continue on at a speed of 15 to 20 mph." as a hobby and likes talking about them. Always was, he had no earthly idea what a "babyface" Somewhat abashed, he murmured, "Oh, I bear in mind that you can 't talk and listen at the Baldwin was, although he had operated them. didn't know that." same time. If you want to learn about trains "Oh," he laughed when he figured out what "When you make your living out here, Fred, from someone who makes his living working on I was making reference to, "you mean those lit­ you tend to see many things happen that out­ the railroad, don't bowl him over with your en­ tle 2700s. They kept them down in Hamlet, but siders, even those who consider themselves well­ cyclopedic recall of wheel diameters and bearing they'd show up in Raleigh every now and then." informed have no earthly idea can OCCU1; " I con­ sizes. Instead, show an interest in what he can The first through freight trip I made had sev­ tinued. "Loads shift and protrude from the sides tell you about the railroad from his experiences. en units in the locomotive consist. Amazed by of cars all the time. I'm sure you've noticed For instance, ask him if he ever ran a Baldwin all of the power assigned to our train, I re­ brake-shoe pads, metal banding straps, and Centipede, fired a steam engine, or had to brass marked to the engineel; "Boy what a lashup." chains on the ground that have been loosened by a hotbox. Then, sit back and let nature take its "What the hell's a lashup?" he asked. "You movement of a train. In many instances, they've course. Such conversations are the source for one of them buffs?" dragged alongside the train for miles, tearing up most of the stories you read in From the Cab. I never used that term again. switch stands, even uprooting crossties. Eventu­ You 'll probably make a friend. Of course, when the BQ23s showed up (and ally, they catch on something and can be flung The old-timers with the richest recollections, only 10 were manufactured by GE, all for SCL), through the air at 50 01' 60 mph. Whether you especially those with limited educational back­ they were called a lot of names-most of which realized it or not, you were in danger. If the [ten­ gTounds, tend to be shy around railfans. As one RAILNEWS can't print. We dubbed them nis] shoes and clothing [shorts] you have on are (now) retired brakeman told me when I was "busses," because with the windshield sitting what you wore when you were out there, you cubbing as a yard switchman, "These people right up over the coupler-or so it could have injured yourself. I don't know of come out here with all of their knowledge and seemed-they looked like a bus. Pitifully under­ many surgeons who can perform operations appear bent on showing everyone just how powered with a throttle response as slow as mo­ without their eyesight, but if you weren't wear­ smart they are, how dumb we are, and just how lasses in wintel; they were a nightmare to oper­ ing safety glasses, as we're required to, you were much they know about the railroad. We 're over­ ate. I'm not tall, but even I kept hitting my head gambling with your livelihood. But since the en­ run with people like that already; they're called on the low cab ceiling. You couldn't switch with gineer who shouted at you was a coworkel; as officials. Well, I wish I had a job that allowed me them, because you couldn't see a person on the well as a friend, I'll arrange a meeting between all of that spare time to sit around and read front steps without sticking your head out of the the two of you Monday morning and you can about what everyone else does for a living, but window. I hope CSX will donate one of these ask him exactly what raised his ire, okay?" I'm just lucky to have a job on the railroad to rare diesels to the Atlantic Coast Line/SAL His­ "Oh, I'd like to meet him, but I have surgery support myself and my family. I've done the best torical Society for preservation. In a museum, it all Monday moming," he said, shaking his head. I could. All I need to know about this engine is could also serve as a model of how not to design "That's all right," I responded. "Jimmy ought how many cars it will pull. Who cares how many a locomotive. to be in town, and he's never seen the inside of rivets it has, what color it was originally painted, an operating room. I'd like to come along too. or what factory it came from?" DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK; don't be surprised if Yo u might call us medfans. We can bring along Yo u'd be surprised at what you can learn you're told "no," but ask first. our cameras and get some really cool shots, I'll from sources you least expect to. On one of my On the Baltimore & Ohio near Pittsburgh bet. He always wanted to be a doctor, but ended first days as a rookie yard brakeman, I caught a one day, two railfans boarded the lead locomo­ up on the railroad instead. He'll be thrilled. I can job with an experienced former Seaboard Air tive of a freight they had been pacing that had hardly wait to tell him." Line Railroad engineer named Bob Epps. Since taken the siding to be met. The kindly old engi­ "You've got to be kidding!" erupted the gift­ SAL had separate road and yard seniority, I neer, his fireman, and the train's brakeman, de­ ed surgeon. "You can't enter an operating room took for granted that since he worked a yard ciding that the two uninvited buffs meant no during a procedure. The security people won't engine on the merged Seaboard Coast Line, he harm, allowed them to stay, offered them a set even allow you in that part of the building. It's had never worked in road service. Over lunch of old train orders, found them an out-of-date strictly off limits to non-hospital personnel. Why, one day, Bob made a comment about working timetable, and treated them with courtesy. Then just think of the risk, the germs, the liability. out of Raleigh. As it tumed out, he was a road one of the visitors commented that they had That's my place of business." engineer and had not only run SAL's token trio scanners and noticed the crew had failed to call "And the railroad is ours," I added. "You un­ of A-B Alco FA I s, but had his share of firing the previous signal indication over the radio, as derstand and respect the importance of rules as Baldwin Centipedes, and the very rare "baby­ required by Chessie rules. At that point, civility they apply at your hospital, so try to put yourself fa ce" Baldwin passenger locomotives. (So broke down; hostilities broke out; and the two

RailNews o19 Doug Riddell

Is it any wonder that trespassing railfans are making themselves persona non grata on the property of many U.S. ra ilroads?

camera toters were reminded that they were We used the roadbed of the abandoned low­ trespassing on railroad property. Stupid. Abso­ grade passenger line to get from one photo op lutely stupid. to another, glancing at color prints of steam­ Do 1 still do any rail fanning? Ye s, only not powered B&O limiteds covering the same as much as I once did. Funny thing about work­ ground some 30 years earlier. The shutters of ing for the railroad: It doesn't leave much time our cameras fired away at Hansrote, Doe Gully, for railfanning. That's a shame, because as 1 and Orleans. Little did 1 know that some 10 look back, the fun, the excitement, the friend­ years later, I would be at the throttle of the ships, and the discoveries 1 associate with it Cap itol Limited, passing those same breathtak­ were some of the best times of my life. ing panoramas as the su bject of some other rail­ One of my most memorable experiences be­ fan's camera lens. gan with a telephone call from (then) Rich­ mond, Fredericksburg & Potomac train dis­ I RAN Nos. 29/30 FROM Washington, D.C., to patcher Stan Short to join him and fellow SCL Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, regularly between engineer Dale Diacont shooting the B&O in the 1987 and 1992. However, after I stood for snow along the frozen Potomac River at Paw work closer to home, [ seldom ventured back Paw, West Virginia, in the late 1970s. We load­ north across the Mason-Dixon Line, except on ed up our photo equipment, marked off, left those occasions when the crew clerk would call Richmond in the predawn hours, and headed and beg me to go as a last resort because no north up U.S. 1. What do three people who one else could be found for the job. Just today, spend their lives on the railroad talk about as [ filled the territorial qualification dates in while motoring up the old Washington High­ the front of my new 1998 engineer's time book, way? Trains, of course! I realized that T had not made a LUn over that At Fredericksburg, we headed northwest in­ route since October 1994. Still, the images of to the mountains on U.S. 17 toward the land of speeding along the banks of the Potomac in a the Winchester & Western. Alcos still powered winter snowst01111 at the throttle of the Capitol, the W&W, so we made plans to stop along the marveling at the ice formations hanging from way and capture the notch-nosed, high-hood the roof of Shoefly Tunnel, craning my neck in roadswitchers and mismatched yard engines search of fallen boulders on the tracks at Rock tugging hoppers of cement in the picturesque Cut, and watching the rampaging white water Shenandoah Valley. We weren 't disappointed. below, tlowing downstream at Brooke, remain Later, armed with hot cocoa, some candy some of the most picturesque and exciting bars, and sandwiches from a small country memories of my 21-year railroad cm'eel: store near the railroad, we stalked the busy All of this has whetted my appetite to gra b right-of-way, observing and photographing the my camera bag, gas up the cm� and head ou t wondrous goings-on of Western Maryland red­ there to shoot a roll or two. So, I'll stop here, and-white "circus" GP40s leading symbol and look forward to seeing you next month. freights. In this pre-CSX morning, we were What will I photograph? Everything. You never awed as B&O Capitol Dome blue SDs strug­ know what will become tomorrow's treasures. gled with coal drags and Chessie System power When 1 speak to railfan groups, I always say, "If of all kinds rocketed "trailer jets" out of in doubt, shoot. When you consider that no Carouthers tunnel, curving their way along the amount of money can buy back yesterday, film nal1'0W ledge of rock at Concrete Wall, and dis­ is really cheap by comparison, and the images appeared around the bend toward Magnolia. you capture are priceless." RailNews

20 • April 1998 A Colorful Look atChicago No. Western (Bernet) 18.00 Alabama Railroads ...... 36.00 American Streamliners Pre-War Years ...... 40.50 Balt.& Ohio RR Stations & Towers-Niagara Drv .1 8.00 B&O Pass. Service V1 (1945-71) Nat. Ltd. 22.50 B&O Pass. Service V2 (1 945-71) Cap. Ltd . 24.50 Berkshire & Texas Types ...... 40.00 BNSF 1996 Motive Power Annual ...... 40.50 Burl. Nort. & Santa Fe RR in 1996 (Dorin) 44.00 BNSF & MRL Loco Directory 1997 ...... 23.50 By the EL - Third Ave and its EL at MidCent ury . 35.00 cabins Crummies & HacksV5 Northern N. Amer30.50 Cabooses of the Missouri Pacific Lines ...67.50 & Ohio Coal & Color ...... 36.00 Chesapeake & Ohio in the Coal Fields ....20.75 Chicago Northwestern Ry Photo Archive ..27.00 Chicago,StPaul, Minn.&Ornaha RR Photo Arch. 27.00 ClaSSic Diesels of the South ...... 24.25 Classic Freight Cars Vol 1 0 - Work Trains .24.25 Cleveland's Transit Ve hicles ...... 40.50 Confessions of a Train Watcher-4 Decades 36.00 Delaware & Hudson HIC 63.00 ...S/C 31 .50 Diesels of theSouthern Railway ...... 58.50 Dinner is Served Southern Pacific ...... 36.00 Ghost Railroads in Kansas ...... 18 .00 The Heart of the Reading RR: Reading, Pa. 23.50 In Search of SteamDonkeys- HIC ...... 49.50 Iron Rails to Alaskan Copper...... 22.50 Lake Terminal Railroad ...... 31 .50 Last Stearn Railroad in America (Link) ...45.00 Locornotrve FacilitieflEngine Te rm inals .....SlC 26.50 Logging Railroads of Alabama ...... 54.00 Logging to the Salt Chuck ...... 41 .50 MDC Shay Handbook ...... 17 .00 Manhattan Gateway ...... 40.50 Milwaukee Road 1850-1960 Photo Archive 27.00 Milwaukee Road Vol 3 (Morning Sun) ....40.00 Milwaukee Steam Power ...... 51 .25 Missouri Pacific River & Prairie ...... 53.00 Montour Railroad (Hardcover) ...... 45.00 My Western Pacific ...... 27.00 NEB&W Guide toScenery Structures & Details45.00 NEB&W Update I to Stearn-fraFrtGa r GurePaint . 1 8.00 Nickel Plate Road Pass.Service Postwar Years ..24.50 1930 Loco Cyclopedia - Reprint ...... 65.00 New Haven Power (Swanberg) ...... 72.00 New Jersey Transit ...... 27.00 New York Central Later Power ...... 63.00 New York Central Lightweight Pass cars ....26.00 NYC Trackside with Eugene Van Dusen ...40.00 New York Subway R1-R1 1 0 ...... 45.00 NYC and the Trains of the Future ...... 23.75 NYO&W & the Dairy Industry in Central NY . 56.25 OLDIES BUT GOODIES (Limited Quantities) Coach, Cabbage & Caboose ...... 45.00 Circus Moves by Rail HIC 49.50 ...S/C 36.00 Crooked & Weedy ...... 35.00 The Mighty 800 ...... 33.50 Mount Lowe ...... 34.00 Nickel Plate Road 1943-1952 Vol 1 (Corns) ..23.25 Norfolk Southern Diesel Locomotives ....18 .00 The Northwestern ...... 45.00 Passing Trains ...... 45.00 Official Ry Equip. Register - 1953 Reprint .53.00 Piggy Backs & Containers ...... 43.00 Ogden Rails ...... 22.50 Powder River Coal & BN's Denver Division ..36.00 Pacific Electric Vol1 ...... 40.00 Sandpatch ...... 45.00 Pennsy Power (Back in Print) ...... 45.00 Scenes Along the Rails Vol 1 Part 1 .....22.50 Pennsy Stearn Years Vol 2 ...... 40.00 Southern Pacific in the West Vol1 ...... 32.50 PRR Color History ...... 18 .00 Send $2.00 for latest list of books and videos. List no charge with purchase. All orders must be paid in U.S. funds. NY residents please add correct sales tax. Print your name, address and phone number. Credit card users add card number and expiration date. allow 4 weeks for delivery. For delivery outside of USA pleaseadd $4.00per book or tape. Make checks payable to Ron's Books. On� inquiries which include a SASE will be answered. Prices subiectto change. WE BUYCOLLECTIONS TRACK BULLETIN Amtrak

RIDERSH IP and Norfolk Southern for the takeover of COM PETITION Conrail. The STB's draft environmental im­ 14-Year-High pact statement "assessed potential effects on Keystone Route Amtrak ridership jumped nearly 7 percent be­ the natural and human environment" that A new venture in Pennsylvania, Railway Ser­ tween October and December 1997, marking could reasonably result from the proposed vice Corp., said in January that it could run the largest quarterly increase in 14 years. The Conrail acquisition. faster and more comfortable trains than either 6.8 percent leap represents 5.3 million passen­ The analysis considered potential environ­ Amtrak or Southeastern Pennsylvania Trans­ gers for the first quarter of fiscal year 1998. mental effects at several levels. It determined portation Authority over the Keystone route Passenger revenue increased 3.4 percent, to­ that all of the rail line segments used by Am­ between Philadelphia and Harrisburg, Pennsyl­ taling $235 million, up from $227 million for trak have sufficient capacity to accommodate vania. Although not yet an operating company, the same period in 1997. A press statement projected increased numbers of freight trains its president, Scott Spencer, said his firm from the railroad stated, "Improved Amtrak while also meeting contractual commitments to would use electric locomotives and operate ridership and revenue are the result of actions Amtrak; therefore, there would not be any sig­ hourly trains, which neither Amtrak nor SEP­ taken under the company's strategic business nificant acquisition-related impact on intercity TA now does. He described his organization as plan, which includes restoring daily service to passenger rail service. The group also evaluat­ a group of retired passenger and freight rail­ several routes having the greatest growth po­ ed the capability of any rail line with current road executives and transportation consultants tential, operating newer equipment which pro­ commuter rail service, and projected that an who are developing operating and financial vides more reliable service, better marketing increase in freight traffic of one or more trains plans. Spencer further challenged the two practices, and increased state support for key per day would not disrupt commuter service. agencies by insisting that Railway Service state-funded routes." Based on a review of the projected train traffic, Corp. could turn a profit on the service be­ number of tracks, and train signal control sys­ cause the federally subsidized Amtrak would CONRAIL tems, the unit concluded that "there would be continue to own and maintain the track and no significant potential systemwide, regional, stations along the route. The firm would pay Transaction Positive for Amtrak or local capacity impacts to commuter rail ser­ the railroad a user fee, similar to fees airlines With regard to Amtrak movements, the Sur­ vice. Each of the rail line segments with com­ pay to land at an airport. Amtrak and Pennsyl­ face Transportation Board's environmental muter trains can accommodate the proposed vania DOT officials were described as "re-act­ analysis section has given its blessing to CSX acquisition-related increase in freight traffic." ing coolly to Railway Service's proposals."

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22 • April 1998 FLEXLINER San Antonio on Sundays, and terminates in Northeast. The train filled a gap in the sched­ Los Angeles on Mondays. ule and increased service to the fast-growing Last Stop-North Carolina For the inaugural run of the Tidewater area. Amtrak now operates 18 to 20 California service on February 6, Amtrak in­ trains daily in Virginia. On its two-year demonstration tour, the final cluded three revenue sleepers, three revenue United States appearance of the Danish-built coaches, a lounge, diner, VIP sleeper, VIP HIGH SPEED Flexliner took place between January 30 and lounge, and two inaugural coaches. A news Preparing for American Flyers February 7 in North Carolina. "As our popu­ conference, attended by the Texas Eagle lation grows, so does our need for alterna­ Coalition, mayors along the train's route, and The first power cars of Amtrak's first electric tive forms of transportation. The Flexliner Amtrak Intercity President Lee Bullock, was may be part of the solution to our growing high-speed trainset for the American Flyer are held at the Fort Wo rth, Texas, depot on under construction at GEC Alsthom's plant in transit needs. The name says it all. The train February 7. Banners were broken, and pu bIic Plattsburgh, New York. Meanwhile, coach as­ is flexible-it can be used for our regional officials were on hand as the new train eased sembly has begun in Barre, Vermont. Each transit systems, commuter service, or for in­ through the communities of Little Rock and trainset will include two power cars, a first­ tercity service," claims North Carolina DOT Texarkana, Arkansas; and Marshall, class car, a bistro car, and four business-class Deputy Secretary David King. The statewide Longview, Mineola, and Dallas, Texas. tour, sponsored by North Carolina DOT and coaches. According to Amtrak, once production of the first high-speed trainset is completed lat­ several local communities, sparked interest VIRGINIA in the creation of a statewide regional rail er this year, it will undergo a four-month testing network. Ridership Gains period at the DOT-AAR testing facility in Pueblo, Colorado. More tests will be conducted TEXAS EAGLE Amtrak claims it carried more than 107,000 on the , where the trains will Direct Service to Los Angeles riders in Virginia between September and eventually enter revenue service. Up to 18 November 1997, a 7.1 percent increase over train sets will be built. Concurrently with car After fighting for its survival during the past the same three-month period in 1996. Rider­ production, power substations and end-point two years, many were surprised to see an ex­ ship within Virginia to Washington, D.C., was servicing and inspection facilities are under pansion of Amtrak's Texas Eagle service. A up 3 percent, and out-oF-state travel to and construction at Ivy City Yard in Washington, through train from Chicago to Los Angeles From Virginia jumped nearly 10 percent. The Southampton Street Yard in Boston, and Sun­ via San Antonio has incresed Texas Eagle fre­ company bragged that its "aggressive strategy nyside Yard in . quency from tri-weekly to four times per to tap the growth potential in the Virginia week. As of February 6, the westbound Texas market has begun paying off in ridership gains SAN DIEGANS Eagle departs Chicago on Saturdays, Tues­ for travel, both within the state and to out-of­ First-Class Service days, and Thursdays and terminates in San state destinations." Increases were attributed Antonio on Mondays, Thursdays, and Satur­ to the introduction of the Tw ilight Shoreliner In February, Amtrak West was to have begun a days. The new direct service to the West in July 1997, providing daily roundtrip service new service on the San Diegans, called Pacific Coast departs Chicago on Fridays, stops at between Virginia and major cities in the Club Service. This replaced Custom Class ser-

• n al rave

RaiiNews o23 vice and will differ from the previous service BRAKING program is also self-funding. "Revenues from the by embodying true first-class attention. Im­ sale of recovered scrap items will pay for the cost provements include a train attendant on every Receives Electronic of the clean-up work. Through November 1997 in the Pacific Club Car, which will Air Brakes Amtrak sold nearly $700,000 worth of materia\." be a new Concept 2000 coach. A new Thanks to Amtrak, Ray Saunders, Dave menu will be offered, and additional ameni­ Amtrak has ordered an electronic air brake Bowe, P T McYard, and Ray Pen)'. ties, including pillows and seat-side service, system to equip eight locomotives, 64 auto utilizing rolling trolleys much like those used carriers, and 43 coaches for two Auto Leo King and Malcom Kellogg by airline attendants, will also be provided. Tr a ins. The electronically controlled air braking system was developed and manufac­ FREIGHT tured by TSM Incorporated, of Kansas City, Express Headaches, ReeferRailers Missouri. The new brake systems are expect­ Amtrak Ridership ed to be completed this spring for use on the two Auto Tr ain sets operating between Lor­ Freight railroads around the country jumped ton, Virginia, and Sanford, Florida. Referred Update onto the Conrail bandwagon in early January to as EABS, it is an electronically controlled January 1998 % vs. after a 1400-series material handling car's braking system that applies rail car brakes 01197 truck disintegrated on the uniformly throughout a train so that it stops NORTHEAST CORRIDOR BUSINESS UNIT while passing through Ohio. While the cause as a complete unit, rather than permitting Metroliners 160,334 -2.9 has yet to be determined, a broken rail may cars to bump each other, as with old pneu­ Ethan Allen Exp ress 3,593 21.3 have been at fault. matic braking systems. The new system also Ve rm onter 6,863 -2.9 Northeast Direct 425,387 6.9 Details indicate that at about 5:30 a.m., "provides much improved safety and train Clockers 175,559 35.6 the Capitol Limited stopped at m.p. 297 on handling," according to the manufacturer, Conrail's Chicago line after the air set up on Keystone 61,686 28.9 "and up to 70 percent shorter stopping dis­ Empire 88,1 11 11.2 the train. The crew inspected the train and tances for trains compared to older pneu­ Adirondack 2,757 -54. 1 found a hose down on the second head end matic brake systems. EABS' shorter stopping car that appeared to have dragged and Special Trains 200 -85.8 distances permit railroads to maintain safety To tal NEC: 924,490 10.5 kicked up ballast that also broke part of the margins while operating more trains, thus in­ triple valve on the fourth car. The train did creasing the railroads' capacity." Freight INTERCITY BUSINESS UNIT not go into emergency. Conrail mechanical trains equipped with EABS brakes have been Silver Star 21,835 3.9 and maintenance-of way personnel were dis­ operating in revenue service since 1993 and 19,985 5.2 patched to inspect the area where the hose have accumulated more than 100 million car 8,565 14.4 was dragging and found a broken rail at m.p. miles. 4,979 1.7 295, disturbed ballast, and damaged wooden Chicago-St. Louis 21,300 19.1 ties. The train departed Elkhart, Indiana, at LEAKING Hiawathas 26,149 -2.3 8:44 a.m., but its crew was instructed to Fuel Ta nks Vent Chicago-Pontiac 27,328 -8.2 stop and examine the train for evidence of Illini 7,789 8.7 derailment. The Capitol stopped at m.p. 426, Amtra k is having problems with its new Illinois Zephyr 7,318 35. 1 64.7 about three miles west of Elkhart, at 8:51 P42DCs' venting fuel out of the tanks. This 27,786 Cap itol Limited 11,496 2.9 a.m. The crew found that the first car's has become a particular problem at station 28,952 -2.5 north-side, east truck showed evidence of stops, where several passengers have been 16,94 1 16.6 derailing and rerailing, and major elements sprayed by flying diesel fuel. Refuelers are City of New Orleans 14,225 10.8 of the lead truck had disintegrated. The sec­ now only filling the tanks three-quarters full in ond car had ballast and wood shavings on Te xas Eagle 5,126 -8.6 order to prevent the problem. 27.3 the underbody. Upon this shocking discov­ 8,675 The issue was discovered on the Keystone International 8,486 -10.7 ery, both cars were set out at Elkhart. Service routes where there are frequent, close Limited 22,562 -6.8 Following the incident, Conrail reported stops to the fueling location in Philadelphia. 16,391 11.5 that Amtrak material handling cars in the Fuel would move toward the front of the tank 17,994 11.1 1400-1473 series would be proh i bited from as the train slowed for stops and find its way Kansas City-St. Louis 9,976 40.5 operating on its lines. Three other railroads, up the vent pipe (located in a box in the en­ 9,458 -15.7 Burlington Northern & Santa Fe, CSX, and gine compartment), which would then drain Auto Tr ain 20,401 6.8 Norfolk Southernfollowed suit within hours. to the ground. If the train were still moving, it 0 -100.0 Conrail's Rudy Husband told RAILNEWS was possible for the fuel to spray, just as mate­ Pere Marquette 4,429 -4.4 that as of January 19, "The restri ction on rial from toilets and sinks used to. 14,435 -5.2 Amtrak material handling cars 1400- 1473 is General Electric is addressing the problem by Peidmont 2,025 -. 1 still in effect; however, as those cars success­ installing a higher vent pipe. If this is successful, Special Trains 132 -45.0 Total Intercity: 384,738 6. 1 fully pass inspection, they can run on Con­ and indications are that it will be, then the entire rail. To date, 13 of those cars are allowed to fleet will be retrofitted, and tanks will again be WESTERN BUSINESS UNIT do so. "We have also placed a 50 mph speed filled to the top. restriction on empty Amtrak boxcars, series Coast Starligh t 34,64 1 78.0 22.0 70000 and 71000." San Diegans 117,309 CLEAN-UP Pacific Northwest Corridor 25,132 80.3 Amtrak has introduced its new Reefer­ 33,760 8.4 Railer service, providing shippers with an­ Sprucing Up NEe Capitols San foaquins 47,866 42.0 other option for the refrigerated transport of Amtrak reports that, "A multi-year program is Special Tra ins 2,394 -12 perishable products. Measuring 48 feet in Total Western Unit: 261, 102 32.5 length, the first eight ReeferRailer units have now under way to create a clean right-of-way begun their service lives on the Philadelphia, throughout the more than 700 miles of North­ SYSTEM TOTAL 1,570,330 12.4 Pennsylvania-Chicago-St. Paul, Minnesota, east Corridor track." The program will result in and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-Jacksonville, safel; more scenic h'ain operations for customers Editor's note: Amtrak had stopped providing Florida, corridors. Amtrak guarantees transit and employees by removing potentially haz­ its annual ridership information because of times of less than 24 hours on the two corri­ ardous and unsightly debris from tracks and energies exhausted dealing with funding legis­ dors. As with the RoadRailer, the Reefer­ rights-of-way. "This is a project of great impor­ lation and union settlements. Now that those Railer is a truly flexible means of transport­ tance to me," said George Warrington, Amtrak issues are not occupying as much of its time, ing goods because it can transfer from rail to president and chief executive officer, who devel­ according to the carrier, it will again provide road modes very easily. oped the program while still NEC president. The ridership information.

24 · April 1998 TRACK BULLETIN CSX Transportation

TRAPPED Coal Train Stuck in West Virginia

The crew of CSX coal train U78226 was trapped for two days on the New River Subdivision at m.p. 378.7 (Quinnimont, West Virginia). Ex­ pected rain arrived as ice and snow, dropping hundreds of trees and closing four CSX subdivi­ sions. Fifteen other loaded trains and seven emp­ ties were halted in West Virginia by the stOlm in areas where the crews could be reached. The crew of the train trapped in Quinnimont was not so fortunate. Its 90-car train was two miles from the nearest road, and after failed at­ tempts to reach it by snowmobile and National Guard helicopter, a chartered chopper finally ducked under a low fog ceiling on January 29 to reach the crew.

MISCELLANEOUS Em erald Express, Trackwork

The railroad's Emerald Express, which moves trash between Sealston, Virginia, and Don Kalkman Annapolis Junction, Maryland, has account­ A CSX TOFC train picks up speed as it leaves the impressive Baltimore, Maryland, skyline behind. ed for more than 1,690 carloads between its inception last summer and the end of 1997. Thanks to funding from Virginia Railway Express, crews began work on new the company, bypassing brokers altogether. EARNINGS crossovers at Featherstone, Virginia, just CSX Direct Invest "permits people to buy south of Woodridge on the Richmond, Fred­ Fourth-Quarter Drop, Sea Land CSX stock without paying any commissions," ericksburg & Potomac Subdivision. stated Alan A. Rudnick, general counsel and Thanks to Allen Brougham, Ray Saun­ On January 20, CSX announced that fourth­ corporate secretary. "We want to make in­ ders, Mike Lehman, Lou Drummeter, and quarter earnings were down $215 million or vestment in CSX as easy as possible." To par­ Charles Slack. 97 cents per share, from 1996 levels. The ticipate, CSX requires a minimum investment company attributed the decline to ongoing of $500 and a $10 enrollment fee for those Mark Sublette Conrail merger costs. Earnings slipped 15 per­ who are not already investors. Current stock­ cent or 17 cents per share, under the 1996 fi­ holders may enroll at no charge and without nal quarter, contributing to a 7 percent decline minimum investment. The plan appeals to for the year, even though revenue rose slightly the small investor, explains Rudnick. "So from $10.53 billion to $10.62 billion. Merger many people who are our shareholders have Sc ale costs aside, success by rail unit CSX Trans­ held the stock for decades, if not generations. Over 500S cataloged 1/64 locomotives & portation Inc. carried CSX Corp. to a strong This is a service that we wanted to provide freight cars. (Too many for magazine ads) year despite weak performance by Sea Land for our shareholders." Service Inc. Sea Land revenue dropped 2 per­ Scale and Flyer AC Flyer compatible items. cent because of lower shipping rates. DEVELOPMENT Color catalog & S information Web Site: In light of Norfolk Southern's plans to sell its North American Van Lines subsidiary, CSX Washington Convention Center www.americanmodels.com Chairman John Snow addressed questions World's Largest 3/16 = l' Manufacturer about Sea Land in the wake of its disappoint­ CSX Corp. has proposed that a planned As Seen on Nal ionwide TV ing performance. Snow stated that CSX has Washington convention center be erected on no plans to sell the subsidiary and acknowl­ a 26-acre parcel adjacent to Washington Ter­ Send $1 for information edged that the company was focusing on the minal tracks north of Union Station, rather AMERICAN MODELS core railroad business. "We think Sea Land is than the 16-acre site closer to downtown 10087 IND. DR. a first-rate company," Snow said. He was also that officials had settled on four months be­ SOUTH LYON, M1 48 178 quick to point out that a recent alliance be­ fore. The largely unused industrial land 810-437-6800 Fax 810-437-9454 tween Sea Land and Maersk, the European owned by CSX Real Property and the Ohio info@ americanmodels.com shipping firm, extended CSX's boundaries Public Employees Pension Fund had been even further. considered previously. Landowners allege STOCK that planners overstated the cost of develop­ ing their site, making it appear too expen­ ...W9RLD is our specialty. The TRAIN Society of International TRAVtU Railway Direct Investment sive. The railroad is offering to sell the land Travelers offers carefully crafted rail itineraries. 549.95 annual membership includes trip discounts, newsletter for $70 million, one quarter of the amount t a I 6 Tn a plan announced in January, investors the Convention Center Authority had stated mO MI� ��,� �jg� : Louisville, KY 40205. Money­ may now purchase CSX stock directly from it would cost. backjk� guarantee. Visa, Me,g J check. Call (800) IRT-488\ .

RaiiNews o25 TRACK BULLETIN Canadian Pacific

Pierre Ozorak

A Canadian Pacific train runs its course through a Hamilton, Ontario, residential neighborhood on June 4, 1997.

FINANCIAL three-year fi nancial turnaround at CP has ST. LAWRENCE & HUDSON underwritten much of the new locomotives, Profitable 1997 updated communications infrastructure, and Plans Announced made possible improvements to the rail­ Canadian Pacific closed its books on a very road's physical plant. With CP's late 1997 announcement to retain profitable 1997. Operating revenues had in­ Helping support the increased revenues ownership of its St. Lawrence & Hudson sub­ creased by $78 million from 1996 to $1.8 and income was a 3 percent increase in the sidiary, StL&H management introduced a mul­ billion, with net income increasing by $10.5 ra ilroad's intermodal units. While the num­ tifaceted program to increase its traffic base million to $242 million in J 997. Meanwhile, ber of trailers moved remained fairly fiat, at and thus increase its long-term profitability. the carrier's operating ratio decreased a full just shy of 55,000 units, the number of con­ The two principal features of the plan include two points to 81.4 percent, making its per­ tainers registered by CP increased by 3.2 expansion of the Iron Highway intermodal ser­ fOl'mance comparable to its North American percent to 637,735 units. The investments vice and integration of the CSX Chatham to competitors. The improved fortunes of its CP Ships have made to increase container Sarnia line into StL&H's Ontario operations rail subsidiary helped CP Limited improve traffic moving through the Port of Montreal base. The CP subsidiary hopes to increase its its income from continuing operations from should further increase business levels in the market penetration with intermodal traffic, $630 million in 1996 to $710 million in remainder of J 998. The company also hopes having purchased the two platforms CSX uti­ 1997. To tal revenues for the conglomerate to develop an intermodal traffic base for lized on its short-lived Iron Highway service corporation increased by nearly $760 mil­ shipments moving between Chicago and between Chicago and Detroit. The original CP lion, to $7.17 billion. After factoring the sev­ Vancouver, British Columbia, providing ad­ Iron Highway platforms will be withdrawn eral significant sales of assets that occurred ditional competition for Burlington Northern from service and closely studied before the in 1997, CP Limited's total net income for & Santa Fe and Union Pacific in the Pacific carrier invests in new equipment to expand the year stood at just over $780 million. The Northwest and Chicago. service in Ontario.

26 · April 1998 St. Lawrence & Hudson plans to centralize lowing the SD40-2F "Red Barns") will com­ its management functions in a new Network mence during third quarter. The 184 Red Barn Management Center located in Montreal. A to­ AC4400CWs have already displaced several of Capture the romance of tal of 70 employees will be relocated to the the 9000-24 series GMDs from their tradition­ railroading with your own facility. Planning, operations, rail traffic con­ al coal train assignments. On February 3, 11 trol, and crew coordination will all be handled of the 25 SD40-2Fs were in service on trains Classic Rail Blanker at one location. The carrier is also considering east of Calgary. expanding its St. Luc repair facility in Montre­ The fleet of locomotives leased to CP con­ A unique collectible fo r everyone al to provide locomotive and freight car repair tinues to undergo subtle changes, with swap­ who enjoys the history and excitement of support for the many regional and shortline ping of GP40s taking place between StL&H America's Railroads. carriers in the East. As CP/StL&H upgrades and Bangor & Aroostook. Recent transfers its motive power fleet with more reliable saw HATX 417 and MKCX 4303-05 going to GMD and GE units, St. Luc hopes to provide BAR, while counterparts HATX 414, 416, and expert maintenance support for the Alco C- 419 and MKCX 4301 returned to StL&H. 424s and RS- 18us sold to spin-off carriers. MISCELLANEOUS OPERATIONS Line Sales, Grain Logistics Additional Service Canadian Pacific has shifted the focus of its New international train 429 started service in surplus line transactions from eastern Canada early January, providing expedited handling of to the western provinces. Since January 1, the Ford vehicle traffic between Chicago and Ed­ company published offers to sell 71.5 miles of monton, Alberta, and intermodal traffic mov­ the Assiniboia Subdivision (Pangman to Also available: ing from the Midwest to western Canada. As Assiniboia, Saskatchewan) as well as 65 miles PRR, Santa Fe, Southern. carloadings on the new schedule build, CP is of the Wood Mountain Subdivision (Ogle to Write for Brochure. using the train to forward priority manifest Mankota, Saskatchewan). These thinly traf­ • Wrap yourself up while you enjoy a book or video. traffic from Chicago to Calgary and other ficked lines are located south of Moose Jaw • Hang it on a wall to add atmosphere points west. Train 571 now handles lower-pri­ and are being offered for sale under the terms to your favorite room. ority traffic, mostly empties, moving between of Chapter 143 of the Canadian Transporta­ • Use it as a throw on a bed or chair. • Ta ke it on your next picnic or railfan excursion. Chicago and Calgary, Alberta. A new grain tion Act. Potential bidders have until March • Keep one in your car. service, train 380, was noted in St. Paul, Min­ 23 to submit formal offers. In British nesota, on January 4, with 100 cars powered Columbia, CP has announced its intention to $29.95 plus $5.00 S&H. by SD40-2 No. 5701, GSCX No. 7349, and sell the 94-mile Okanagan line, which extends PA residents add 6% sales tax Soo SD60 No. 6023. The train was delivered south from the main line at Sicamous to Checks payable to: to Illinois Central at Glenn Yard in Chicago on Kelowna. The railroad hopes to have this line INNOVATIVE RAIL WORKS the following day. in the hands of a shortline operator by fall. po Box 21 1, Carlisle, Pennsylvania 17013-0211 The Canadian government has taken fur­ EQUIPM ENT ther action to investigate problems that have complicated the movement of grain to market Motive Power ••• in recent years. Former Supreme Court Judge New Book from Sundance Willard Estey was appointed to oversee the The railroad continues to store surplus equip­ review process. He will meet with rail carri­ IN THE SHADOW OF THE ROCKIES ment at the former Soo Stinson Yard in Supe­ Denver & New Orleans ers, grain companies, the Canadian Wheat rior, Wisconsin. A total of 19 Soo cabooses By James R. "Jim" Jones Board, as well as farm groups, with an inter­ and four Soo 4100-series GP 15Cs were on im report to be fi led with the Transport Min­ hand as of mid-January. Based in St. Paul, istry by May 31 and the final version to be A 376-PAGE ILLUSTRATED GP15 C Nos. 4100 and 4106 as well as GP20C completed by the end of 1998. The net result DELUXE CHRONICLE Nos. 430 1 and 4302 remain in active service. of this effort will be to make a series of rec­ Ninety-nine of the 101 units of the current ommendations that will "ensure that Canada AC4400CW order were on the property as of has an efficient, viable and competitive grain the saga of one February I, with only units 9682 and 9683 re­ PRESENTS handling and transportation system." of Colorado's maining to be delivered. The next 80-unit or­ Th anks to CP Limited, Mike Cleary, and first standard­ der (9684-9763 series) will be delivered dur­ Peter Phillips. gauge ra il­ ing fourth-quarter 1998, while delivery of the roads-which 60 SD90MAC convertibles (9100-series, fol- Karl Rasmussen became the Colorado & Southern's original route from Denver to Pueblo ... 378 Photos • With Hundreds of Maps & Illustrations!

R the year-by-year story of the Denver & New Orleans coFEATnstructioU n-begiES nning In 1880- from Denver to Colorado Springs and Pueblo, and southward to a connec­ tion with the ra ilroad that became the Fort Worth & Denver. In time, the BURLINGTON ROUTE «(B&Q) pur­ chased both the (&5 / FW&D lines.

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RailNews o27 TRACK BULLETIN Commuter/Transit

finally decided to bite the bullet and sllspend work on most of its rail transit program. Al­ though the hiatus is ostensibly for six months, there is little chance that the three affected projects could be resurrected any­ time in the near future, unless the agency re­ ceives a huge infusion of new money. About $5 million will be needed to wind down the three projects: specifically, the light rail line to Pasadena; and Red line subway extensions to East Los Angeles and the Mid-City area. Only the Pasadena light rail route has seen any construction, with over $200 million having already been spent. Planning alone on the other two projects has cost tens of mil­ lions. Interim CEO Julian Burke, who had proposed an indefinite suspension, was in­ structed to return to the board within six months with any feasible options for project reinstatement. In voting to halt the new pro­ jects, the MTA board of directors agreed to continue work on the $3 billion Red line ex­ tension to North Hollywood. Already $274 million over budget, the segment from Wilshire/Vermont to Hollywood/Vine, is scheduled to open in early 1999, with the re­ mainder following in 2000. Time and money have run short for expansion of the Los Angeles Metro. Transfers between the first The board's action is part of an effort to two lines of the system constructed, the Red and Blue, can be made at the Metro Center Station. put the MTA's financial house in order as de­ manded by the Federal Transit Administra­ tion. Many board members believe the rail construction program is dead for the foresee­ the shady schemes that have frequently em­ CHICAGO able future and possibly for good. "Right broiled city officials. "There is no hidden agen­ now, it's clear that with the most optimistic Metra Sets Record da in this thing," he said. "This has nothing to views of funding from Washington, we can't do with politically connected people. This is all really build the subway extensions fo r a A new ridership record of over 75 million was about raising revenue." But Kruesi admitted number of years," said board members and set on Metra's l2-route commuter rail network the $40 million is only a drop in the bucket L.A. Mayor Richard Riordan. "To continue during 1997. Passenger counts were 1.6 million since the CTA needs $3.3 billion for capital re­ to spend a lot of money on it now is virtually higher than 1996, representing the highest pairs. However, if the Green line deal is suc­ wasted money." number of boardings since the agency was cessful, the agency's six other "L" routes may Meanwhile, the Red line celebrated its formed in 1983. Metra spokesman Frank MaI­ also be candidates for lease-back. one attributed the increase to the popularity of fifth anniversary on January 30. Over 38 mil­ lion passengers have been carried on the ini­ the new North Central line, more weekend use, CINCINNATI tial 3.2-mile segment and the 2. l-mile and "a robust economy, reflected in the growing Wi lshire Boulevard extension inaugurated in number of monthly tickets bought by workers Future Commuter Corridors July 1996. Current average weekday rider­ heading to and from downtown Chicago." Thanks to $5.1 million from the federal gov­ ship is just 37,775, a figure MTA officials ernment, the Southwest Ohio Regional Tran­ hope will increase substantially with the "L" for Sale sit Authority has purchased a 10-mile seg­ opening of extensions to Hollywood and ment of the Blue Ash line from Indiana & North Hollywood. U.S. public transit agencies have long engaged Ohio for possible use as part of a future rapid in so-called lease-back programs, in which they transit system. The short line retains operat­ Metrolink Fare Hike sell their rail cars and buses to private-sector ing rights for freight, but SORTA will have investors, then lease them for a fixed number priority if and when passenger service begins. of years. These deals allow the agencies to get This segment represents about one third of Fares on Metrolink could rise 13 percent over four years under a proposal being con­ quick cash and the investors to obtain tax ad­ the Interstate 71 transportation corridor be­ sidered by the Southern California Regional vantages as they depreciate the vehicles, which ginning at the regional airport. The authority Rail Authority'S board of directors. If ap­ revert to the operator at the end of the lease also owns several other segments of the Blue proved, a 6 percent increase would take ef­ period. The Chicago Transit Authority has tak­ Ash line, totaling almost 2.5 miles, and the fect this autumn, followed by another 4 per­ en the process to new levels, as it plans to lease 16-mile Oasis line. back an entire "L" route. To finance badly cent in 2000, and a final 3 percent in 2002. needed capital improvements, an agreement LOS ANGELES A staff report said the additional money is has been reached to lease the recently renovat­ needed to add fu ture services while main­ ed Green line (Lake-Jackson Park-Englewood Reality Halts Progress taining the quality of current operat ions . routes) to an investment syndicate for $40 mil­ Fares, which are based on distance traveled, lion. President Frank Kruesi was quick to re­ The financially strapped Los Angeles have remained unchanged since the system assure Chicagoans that this was not another of Metropolitan Transportation Authority has opened in October 1992.

28 · April 1998 MINNEAPOLIS fewer breakdowns were given credit for last year's performance. Next Step Ta ken for Commuter Rail

Sponsored by Minnesota DOT, the second IRT Disruption part of a commuter rail study in the Twin A $135 million program to upgrade and re­ Cities started in February. This phase of the pair IRT lines in Manhattan and the Bronx is study will examine six of the 19 corridors causing major headaches for hundreds of considered in the first phase. Findings from thousands of daily subway passengers . The the first part of the study were submitted to badly needed renovation of the Lenox Av­ the state legislature on January 28, with a fi­ enue tunnel between 96th Street in Manhat­ nal report due in February 1999. The select­ tan and 149th Street in the Bronx began ed corridors include: Bethel to St. Paul via March 1, causing the most extensive rerout­ Minneapolis, and Elk River to St. Paul via ing in the subway's history. With only one Minneapolis on Burlington Northern & San­ track open at any given time, about half the ta Fe routes exclusively; Hastings to Min­ trains on the Number 2 line are being divert­ neapolis via St. Paul routed exclusively over ed to the already congested East Side IRT Canadian Pacific lines; and Forest Lake to Made from the stuff that express tracks, uptown in the morning, Minneapolis via St. Paul, Northfield to St. made America great! Each coat Paul via Minneapolis, and downtown Min­ downtown in the evening. In addition, the 116th Street Station, serving the Number 2 rack is unique. Handcrafted neapolis to downtown St. Paul via BNSF and CP routes jointly. AI Vogel, director of Min­ and Number 3 lines, was closed for repairs from select pine using authentic nesota DOT's Office of Freight, Railroads, on January 11. Completion of the project is railroad spikes, recovered from and Waterways notes, "Commuter rail is not to take place in early 1999. the tracks of America's great the solution. It could, however, become part railway system. of the family of services that could improve PHILADELPHIA spikes transportation in the Tw in Cities region." 24" 4 $39.98 Plan Ahead 36" 6 spikes 49.98 NEW ORLEANS 48" 8 spikes 62.98 The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transporta­ Price includes shipping and handling. Trolley Comeback tion Authority board of directors has unani­ Mounting hardware included. NY 7:j!4% mously approved a five-year business plan residents add sales tax. Allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. The return of streetcars to historic Canal designed to increase ridership and reduce Street came a step closer in January when operating costs. The board wants to intro­ Please send check or money order to: the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority duce an automated fare collection system us­ Whittaker We lding issued a Request for Proposals for construc­ ing magnetic cards or smart card technology. 407 Krumville Road tion management services. The line would The plan also includes improved signage, in­ Olivebridge, NY 12461 run from the Mississippi River to the Ceme­ creased express service, and station renova­ 91 4-657-671 9 teries, replicating the route abandoned more tions. The agency's staff will draft a detailed than three decades ago. Final design is schedule for the proposals, but implementa­ scheduled to be completed in July 1999, with tion will depend on the cost of new labor construction slated to begin by the end of contracts and the amount of federal money that year, followed by a grand opening in available. summer 2001. There will be a spur on North Carrollton from Canal to Beauregard Circle PORTLAND at the entrance to City Park. One out of four Airport Line Gets Closer cars will terminate there, giving a four­ minute service on Canal and 16 minutes to More details have been revealed about the City Park. Downtown, some cars will turn r cently proposed 5.5-mile light rail exten­ onto the Riverfront line and terminate at Es­ � sion to Portland International Airport planade, while others will change ends on (POX). Bechtel Enterprises Incorporated the three-track section on Canal. said it would pay for part of the line in ex­ A prototype car for the new route is ex­ change for an 85-year lease and development IIRailroad Bridges pected to be built later this year, followed by rights on 120 acres at the airport. Under a 23 more at the rate of one a month. The au­ 216 pages,in the 240 HearB&W andtland" 25 color scenario developed by the Port District, thority has decided to build the cars on its photos, text, & maps which owns and operates POX, money from own, using the vacated Arabella cal'barn for an airline ticket tax would be used to con­ • all movable bridges in Chicago assembly and storage. The design, however, struct an in-terminal light rail station and • aerial photos of the bridges may not replicate the Perley Thomas vehicles the 1.2-mile segment to 82nd Avenue. Bech­ used on St. Charles because air conditionincr across the Mississippi, Ohio, Illi­ � tel would fund the 1.4 miles between 82nd has been specified. This will require a moni nois, and Wabash Rivers Avenue and Interstate 205, and Tr i-Met and tor roof instead of the typical arch roof. • life of a bridge tender the city of Portland would be responsible Thus RTA may copy the Brill semi-convert­ • history of rail bridges for financing the remaining 2.9 miles along ible car, which is now on the property await­ 1-205 to a junction with the existincr LRT • all bridge types with trains ing restoration. Wheelchair lift doors would be placed amidship so that more cross-seat­ line at the Gateway Transit Center. echtel Soft cover $30 plus $2 S&H would construct the entire line to Tri-Met ing can be fitted. B Send checks or money orders to: standards under a design/build contract. If Changnon Rails planning and environmental clearances can NEW YORK 801 Buckthorn be achieved quickly, work could begin in Mahomet, IL 61853 Top Performer 1999 and be completed two years later. Rid­ ership is estimated at 4,000 to 5,000 passen­ Other Books Available: Metro-North commuter services set a new gers daily. Extending light rail to POX has "The Triangle" eight railroads around Centralia, IL, a hot spot with 80 trains per day $25 on-time record of 96.5 percent in 1997, been termed vital by airport officials, who "America's Rural Hub" milroacls in central Illinois barely ahead of its previous best of 96.4 per­ expect to see a doubling of air travelers by ' crossroads of Chicago-St. Louis lines. Trains, cent m 1991. Improved car maintenance and the year 2020. towers, signals & depots $ 20

RaiiNews ·29 ST. LOUIS date in March 2000. Contractor Gilbert SAN FRANCISCO Western Corp. said it is willing to work its Less Is More crews overtime to complete the track-laying On Yo ur Honor project downtown well before the June 15, Transit planners in the St. Louis region have 1999, deadline. The San Francisco Municipal Railway intro­ been told they have only limited financial re­ The company will benefit because it will duced the so-called honor system of fare col­ sources for a proposed 7.5-mile MetroLink "make more efficient use of [its] resources," lection with the opening of the four-station light rail extension to Clayton and Shrews­ according to John Taylor, manager of facili­ Muni Metro Extension (MMX) on January 10. bury. Engineering consultants Gannett Flem­ ties and construction for UTA. The transit Traditionally, operators collected fares on sur­ ing, in a business plan prepared for the East­ agency is willing to pay the overtime to keep face segments of the system, requiring an op­ West Gateway Coordinating Council, said disruption in the business district to a mini­ erator in each car of a multi-unit train; under­ about $350 million is available for the pro­ mum. Wi th the $3 12 million project nearly ground stations are equipped with faregates. ject. Thus, a proposal to place a portion of $30 million under budget, it's a trade-off Although used on rail transit lines in other the route underground through University UTA can live with. California cities, Proof of Payment (POP) is City and Clayton may be unaffordable. new to San Francisco, and thus will be slowly The least expensive option, costing about expanded to all five Metro lines. Initially it will $3 19 million, would be entirely above SAN DIEGO be confined to the MMX, officially the £-£m­ ground and have few station amenities. An Super Bowl Success barcadero Line, which is being operated as a additional $3 1 million could be used for a shuttle along the waterfront between the Mar­ few grade separations and some noise and An estimated 30,000 fans attending Jan­ ket Street subway, the Caltrain station, and visual mitigation for surrounding neighbor­ uary's Super Bowl game used the San Diego Fourth and King streets. New Breda LRVs in hoods. The tunneling plan, championed by Trolley to get there, surpassing the predic­ two-car consists operate every 10 minutes on some residents in the affected areas, would tions of local transit officials. That was more weekdays, except during the morning rush cost an additional $150 million. According than four times the number who rode to hour when they are timed to meet incoming to Fleming's report, with the defeat of a tran­ Qualcomm Stadium for the final Chargers commuter trains. Weekend headways are 15 sit sales tax last November, that kind of game of the season, said Peter Tereschuck, minutes. Police officers spot check tickets pur­ spending is simply not possible. "You have the Tro lley's vice president of operations. chased from machines at each MMX station. to be very frugal and innovative in what you Only a few glitches were reported, including Those lacking tickets or passes can be fined up do and how you do it with this extension," mechanical problems that briefly stalled sev­ to $126 for the fi rst offense and $166 for the said Larry Miller, vice president of Gannett eral trains and a power fa ilure about 1 :45 third offense within a 12-month period. Fleming. "There are going to have to be p.m. between the Linda Vista and Fashion tradeoffs ." Preliminary forecasts call for Va lley stations. More New Cars Coming completion of the line in 2004. More than 100 cars were in service, in­ cluding 21 three-car trains positioned on sid­ The San Francisco Municipal Railway has no­ SALT LAKE CITY ings at either end of the stadium station to tified potential bidders that is prepared to pur­ help clear the platforms quickly after the Speeding Up the Line chase 59 additional a.c.-propulsion light rail game ended. Extra trains were also operated vehicles. Specifications call for the new cars to The contractor building Salt Lake Ci ty's by the Trolley and the Coaster commuter rail be "compatible in all respects" with the 77 TRAX light rail line claimed the downtown line throughout the weekend to handle the Bredas now being delivered. Responding to segment could be completed by the end of crowds attracted to San Diego for the game. problems encountered with the Bredas, Muni this year, six months ahead of schedule. Al­ Some Coaster consists were expanded from stressed that "specific emphasis will be placed though not yet ready to make a public an­ the normal three cars to seven , with Satur­ on minimizing airborne noise and ground­ nouncement, Utah Transit Authority officials day and Sunday specials operating only as borne vibration." Delivery must begin within are saying privately that they might open the fa r south as Old To wn , where passengers 12 months of the contract award. This order system ahead of the scheduled inauguration transferred to the Tro lley. will allow the retirement of the remaining 93 Boeing LRVs.

CalTrain Expands

An order for 19 new double-deck commuter cars for the CalTrain system was approved by the agency's board of directors on January 8. Sumitomo Corp. of America will build 13 trail ers and six cab cars at a cost of $35.2 million. A prototype is scheduled for delivery in summer 1999, with the entire fleet enter­ ing service during 2000. The interior layout will be similar to CalTrain's 73 existing gallery cars; however, the new vehicles will have space for bicycles and be equipped with More of Our 10th Anniversarv Video Offer built-in wheelchair lifts and handicapped-ac­ Our video Iibmry includes 3 videos that you should have:FREE Tape SF-I "Chiefs of the Santa cessible restrooms. Fe" with steam on Cajon; Tape SM-l "Steam Memories- Vol. I, with scenes in Royal CalTrain is currently experiencing unprece­ Gorge, Keddie and More; and, Tape UP-I "Shields Over Shennan". Visit our WEBSITE dented growth, as November marked the 28th fo.· images and a selection of action clips. Buy any two at $29.95 and take a third for consecutive month of increased ridership. Up FREE! Images in this ad are taken from the tapes, too! Add $4.00 fo r shipping and han­ 5 percent from 1996, average weekday riders dling. CT residents must include 6°/., sales tax. Call, write, phone, FAX or E-mail to orde.· totaled 27,400 passengers. or fo .· a Steve & Phil Employee Rewards

A year-end bonus totaling $125,000 was dis­ tributed among all 350 Amtrak employees who work for Caltr ain. The cash, which was handed out just before Christmas, was half the

30'April 1998 maximum amount available under a contract hour headways between 12:45 a.m. and 5 a.m. "Local government is anxious to get on negotiated in 1996 between Amtrak and the Passenger response to a recent on-board survey with building the light rail transit," said Len Cal train board of directors. The bonus is de­ conducted systemwide indicated that expanded Traboulay, chairman of the Vancouver Region­ signed to improve service and was awarded hours of operation were a high priority. al Transit Commission. Tr aboulay added that following a customer satisfaction survey un­ he now believes the provincial government is dertaken in October. Altamont Service Delayed committed to the project, which is part of a Passengers were asked to rate numerous at­ 10-year development plan for B.C. Transit. tributes ranging from employee courtesy to the The first phase, 17 miles of track connecting The Altamont Commuter Express was original­ cleanliness of stations and cars. On a scale of Central Broadway with Lougheed Mall and ly to begin running two trains daily between 1 to 5, with 5 meaning "very satisfied," Am­ Coquitlam, is scheduled for completion by Stockton and San Jose in January; however, de­ trak scored 3.9. "We feel that 3.9 was a rea­ 2005, with the 3.7-mile southern extension to lays have pushed the start of service into May. sonable score for their first attempt," said New Westminster set to open by 2008. Municipal bureaucracies that failed to give Walt Stringer, rail operations manager for Cal­ Th anks to Karl Rasmussen, Ti m Andrews, timely approval for stations are to blame for the train. "It shows that Amtrak/Caltrain is pro­ and Joe Rubin. setback. Construction contracts for three of the viding a quality service, yet it definitely leaves five stops were expected to be awarded in room for improvement and something to Julian Wolinsky February, when delivery was scheduled for strive for. " The checks averaged $325, with three locomotives and eight cars. some variances for longevity, safety, and atten­ dance and rules compliance. Both manage­ SEATTLE ment and unionized employees were compen­ sated using a single formula. Ready to Buy ROLLI DREAMS PortraitsI. of the Northwest's Railroad Heritage Smile for the Camera The Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Au­ thority in mid-January alerted manufacturers that Photojournalist D.C. Jesse Burkhardt's new Bay Area Rapid Transit has installed color it expects to have bid packages ready by March book spotlights a decade of changes in the video cameras connected to VCRs in 80 of its for up to 60 bilevel commuter rail cars and 12 Northwest's railroad network. The S8-page cars as part of a campaign to reduce graffiti locomotives. Letters of interest were required by book features dozens of artistic color pho­ and other acts of vandalism costing the agency February 20. The RTA expects to begin operat­ tographs from Wa shington and Oregon, with $1.6 million annually. A well-publicized test ing commuter trains, under the "Sounder" ban­ glimpses into northern California as well. with one car was highly successful, with virtu­ ner, on a 34-mile segment between Seattle and ally no damage other than a single instance of Ta coma by the end of 1999 with a later exten­ "HOLLfNG DHEA MS ;s greal! Absolu.tely wonder!lIl I) holos ... "-Bob Melbo, lnesidenl, WilIallleue & Pacific window etching. The culprit was caught on sion reaching 47 miles to Lakewood. Railroad videotape, arrested, and sentenced to 16 months in prison. The security cameras cost VANCOUVER "Th;s booh ;s bOlh inforlllalive and beaulifnl. 1/ gi ves railroad buffs jJicIII:resand in/ormation llift), will find $370,000 and are being supplemented by the LRT Moves Forward Ilu,'1si mj)l)' must have. In sharI, if)'Ou. have (lrt)'interest. extensive use of street-clothed police officers. in trains at all. there is a hole in )lour library uutil )'OU ham: litis baol!. "-Sa/em (Ore.) SlaleslIlln1 iou.nwl B.C. Tra nsit's proposal to build light rail tran­ SAN JOSE "J soak 11,/) the slori(fS about sql.lealil1gjla,nges, Ihe sla.m­ sit along the Broadway-Lougheed and Coquit­ ming oj lumber-loaded boxcars, and the throbbing sound Open All Night lam-New Westminster corridors has been ac­ of Ihe old Gee/)s (fIulSDs ... evel)'Pic/u.,·e "ilia/illS "IIIe ndive celerated with the formation of a project team. all /he momenls sjJent out Ihere in Oregon. " , Light rail service in San Jose is now operating Heading up the effort is Lecia Stewart, for­ -Slc/)lIen Besie}; Kaisers/auJern, German) around the clock. The Santa Clara Valley Trans­ merly President of West Coast Express, the "ROLLING DREAMS" (ISBN 0-9661042-7-7) portation Authority (VTA) began daily overnight commuter rail operation serving communities Signed copies are available for $38; add $4 shipping: runs on January 12, with approximately one- between Mission and downtown Vancouver. Burkhardt/ROLLING DREAMS P. O. Box 1054, White Salmon, Wash. 98672

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RaiiNews o31 TRACK BULLETIN Modern Power

FLEXIBLE CAPACITY when the Long Island Rail Road called for companies, the basic premise behind their bids for new passenger locomotives and re­ assembly of locomotives for EMD is the Assembly Surges Off EMD Property quired they be built in the state of New same. The same locomotive parts used in Yo rk. Electro-Motive teamed with Super units produced by London are used in the While London, Ontario; Schenectady, New Steel, a long-time component supplier for kits shipped to these shops for assembly, Yo rk; and Juniata, Pennsylvania, all share a EMD, and won the bid. Super Steel built a with no fabrication necessary. history of locomotive construction, Concar­ new fa ctory in Schenectady, New Yo rk, Concerns that a locomotive completed ril, Mexico, has not shared in the three com­ where production began on 23 DE30ACs in outside of an EMD factory might not be up panies' fame until recently. 1997. In 1998, Super Steel added 18 Long to normal standards are not a problem, since Locomotive sales for the last couple of Island DM30ACs, as well as 19 Amtrak and each unit is backed by a General Motors years have been extraordinary, and the ex­ two North Carolina DOT F59PHIs to its guarantee of performance and a warran ty, re­ pectation is that the trend will continue. production line. Surprisingly, two of the Am­ gardless of where it was assembled. With order books fi lling quickly, one of the trak units were completed at London. As mar ket volumes increase, EMD is two North American locomotive builders, Burlington Northern, since merged with looking for ways to ensure it can meet de­ Electro-Motive Division of General Motors Santa Fe, expanded its SD70MAC orders, mand for locomotive production . By using (EMD), has taken remarkable steps to meet bringing orders close to 600 units. To ex­ flexible capacity at Juniata, Schenectady, and the demand for new motive power. In 1988, pand production abilities even further, EMD Concarril during 1997 and 1998, the compa­ EMD ceased production of locomotives at its began negotiations with Bombardier during ny should produce 230 locomotives for six La Grange, Illinois, plant. At that time parts 1996 to bring locomotive assembly to Mexi­ railroads, resulting in a 50 percent increase were still manufactured there, but produc­ co. A locomotive plant already existed out­ in capacity above and beyond London's nor­ tion was shifted to London, Ontario. The side Mexico City in Concan'il, so construc­ mal output. Electro-Motive's use of flexible smaller plant at London had been producing tion of a new facility was unnecessary. Late capacity allows railroads to receive locomo­ locomotives for decades, but its capacity was 1997 saw SD70MAC frames and other com­ tives more quickly, and they may also be able not that of La Grange. By the time orders be­ ponents being shipped across the border, and to order larger quantities. Much depends on gan to increase in 1994, EMD fa ced the by the end of first quarter, the first of 129 whether current volumes remain high, but problem of not having enough factory space. SD70MACs for BNSF was rolling off the fac­ EMD is not ruling out the possibility of us­ The landmark order by Burlington North­ tory fl oor. The order is actually for 130 ing other sites for assembly in the future, ern for 350 SD70MACs in 1993 was both a units. One example (No. 9865) was complet­ blessing and a curse for EMD. On one hand, ed at London, then shipped to Concarril to Sean Graham-White it was the largest order ever placed for loco­ serve as a three-dimensional blueprint. At motives, but most importantly, the size of press time, we learned of a possible order the order made production of a.c. locomo­ from Tr ansportacion FerrO liiaria Me,'dcana tives in North America cost-effective for for 75 SD70MACs which would also be con­ EMD. Until Burlington Northern's gargantu­ structed south of the border. an order had been placed, only testbeds had Even though the three facilities men­ been produced. On the other hand, the order tioned above are all operated by different took up a vast amount of production capaci­ RAILNEWS ty in 1994 and 1995, forcing EMD to tell other locomotive customers to wait. Unfor­ tunately for EMD, many ended up obtaining BINDERS units from General Electric. 1 $10.95 #RNBIND Enter a term called flexible capacity-the for #RNBIND3 use of other facilities to expand production $29.95 without adding fixed assets. Flexible capacity 3 for does not include regular suppliers of compo­ UP - Two Hours Over Shennan Hill 120 min. nents such as hoods or traction motors, for See the large volume of traffic moving over UP's Binders are example, but does include shops such as renowned Sherman Hill between Cheyenne and Laramie, WY. Witness everything from high-pow­ VMV and AMF, which paint locomotives for ered, short intermodal "Shooters," to long, heavy 9x12x5 EMD on an as-needed basis. The advantages potash trains pulled by true GE AC 6000s. All this in of flexible capacity are that locomotives are one of the most spectacular open country settings to run trains through in the u.s. "."""",,,.. ,, .. ,,.,,. $29.00 completed more quickly, and shop use can and hold

be scheduled on an open-ended basis. UP's SIDNEY SUBDIVISION 120 min. The first example of flexible capacity in This tape covers the double tracked 225 miles be­ 12 issues. North America was the use of Conrail's Juni­ tween N. Platte, NE & Cheyenne, WY. It also in­ cludes the four track main (150 trains/day) be­ ata Locomotive Shop, starting in 1994, to tween N. Platte & O'Fallons. See it all: coal, stacks, construct half of an order for 90 SD60ls. pigs & manifest pulled by UP's modern fleet of Organize and preserve your Had Conrail not built the SD60ls at its facil­ ACs plus older power of CNW & SP " ...... ",,$29.00 ity, final delivery of the units would have ex­ back issues SEND FOR FREE VIDEO CATALOG tended into 1996; instead all units were de­ with handsome RAILNEWS • livered before the end of 1995. When the or­ All tapes shot in professional format and mastered with titles and narration binders. der was completed in 1995 so was construc­ .Available in VHS only tion of EMD locomotives at the Conrail fa­ .Add 52.00 S&H for each tape -MO residents add 6% sales tax cility. However, after a two-year lull, the end -If ordering 2 or more tapes, deduct Just caI/ 1-800-950-9333 of 1997 saw a return to Juniata as the plant Sl for each over the first tape. or,mail your request to: Pentrex, Box prepared to assemble 15 SD70MACs and 24 MAKE CHECKS/MONEY ORDERS PAYABLE TO: p.o. 9491 1, SD70s for Conrail during 1998. MO-KAN VIDEO Pasadena, CA 91109-4911 42S Leslie Drive, Independence, MO 640SS Things became a little more complicated

32 • April 1998 GREEN FR OG PRODUCTIONS (continued) Books New Books Santa Fe Odyssey - Vols 1 & 2 (2 tape sets), ea $49.95 $40.50 FOUR WA YS WEST PUBLICATIONS DPA-LTA ENTERPRISES Santa Fe Odyssey - Vol 3 (2 tape set) . 1998 $19.50 Union Pacific Super Railroad - Vols 1 & 2, each . $31.00 1996 BNSF Motive Power Annual . $34.95 Edition Locomotive Rosters . HUNDMAN PUBLISHING Union Pacific Super Railroad - Vol 3 . $14.50 Great Northern Pictorials - Vols 1 to 4, each . $35.95 $47.95 Union Pacific Super Railroad - Vol 4 (OSL) . $23.50 Gulf Mobile and Ohio Color Pictorial .. $35.95 Northern Pacific - Classic Steam Era . $47.95 Union Pacific Super Railroad - Vol 5 . $14.50 Northern Pacific Color Pictorials - Vols 1 & 2, ea $35.95 Souhtern Pacific Oregon Division . KALMBACH PUBLISHING COMPANY 1 2 (2 $49.95 PA - Alco's Glamour Girl $35.95 Union Pac. Odyssey-Vols & tape sets), ea $39.50 GREG SCHOLL VIDEO PRODUCTIONS SP's Colorful Shasta Route . $35.95 Domeliners MORNING SUN BOOKS $1 9.95 Te xas & Pacific Color Pictorial ... $35.95 America By Rail - Route of the Southwest Chief McMIL LAN PUBLICATIONS, INC. C&O Color Guide to Frt and Psgr Equip ...... $35.50 America By Rail - The Heartland . . $1 9.95 . $35.50 $1 9.95 Wheat lines and Super Freights (Santa Fe) . $64.95 CP Color Guide to Frt and Psgr Equipment ... America By Rail - The West Coast . MORNING SUN BOOKS Penn Central Color Guide to Frt and Psgr Equip $35.50 America By Rail - Winter Wonderland . $1 9.95 2 . $35.50 $23.95 Boston & Maine In Color . $35.50 Rio Grande in Color - Vol Tennessee Pass & The Royal Gorge Route . $35.50 HIGHBA LL PRODUCTIONS C&NW In Color - Vol 1 $35.50 SP&S Color Guide to Frt and Psgr Equip . PA IRED RAIL RAILROAD PUBLICATIONS 1996 . $23.50 CB&Q In Color - Vol 2 . $35.50 East Broad To p Fall Spectacular 1960 1. $45.50 (2 . ...$39.50 Chicago Great Western . $35.50 The Santa Fe Diesel-1 935 to - Vol Highball Along the Columbia tape set) . PENTREX . $23.95 Erie Lackawanna in Color - Vol 4 . $35.50 Highball Over Te hachapi ...... 1 2, $39.95 $23.50 Fairbanks-Morse Locomotives . $35.50 Boston & Albany - Vols and each . KCS and Kudzu (KCS east/west line) . TLC PUBLISHING $23.95 Milwaukee Road in Color - Vols 1, 2 & 3, each $35.50 New England Central 1 2, $21.75 $23.95 Pacific Electric in Color - Vol 1 $35.50 B&O Passenger Service - Vols and each .. Sherman Hill (UP) . $20.95 $23.50 Pennsy Steam Years - Vol 2 $35.50 Classic Diesels of the South .. Stacks & Semaphores (SP in New Mexico) . $2 1.75 $28.50 Santa Fe in Color, Vols 1 to 4, each . $35.50 L&N Diesel Locomotives . 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Intermountain Region #2 (WY, MT & S. 10) . $11.00 Classic Chicago Railroading ...... $15.50 $23.50 Pacific NW Region #4 (WA, OR & N. 10) .... $1 2.00 Hooters on the .. East Broad To p . $23.50 GREEN FR OG PRODUCTIONS $22.50 Rocky Mountain Region #4 (CO, UT & NV) . $1 2.00 Steam Over Tennessee Pass . $23.50 Southwest Region #3 (NM, AZ and W. TX) . $1 2.00 Early Diesels ...... Tracks Ahead, Vols 1 to 4, each . $1 8.50 Passenger Trains of the 60's - Vols 1 and 2, ea $1 3.95 Union Pacific's Marysville Sub, Vols 1 & 2, ea . $22.50 Videos Passenger Trains of the 60's - Vol 3 . $1 6.95 Special: both Marysville Sub tapes . $43.50 BIG E PRODUCTIONS Special: all 3 Psgr Trains of the 60's . $42.50 PLETS EXPRESS . $1 2.95 $38.95 Montana Rail link in the Rockies . $29.95 The RoadRailers ..... BN's Mississippi River Route . HERRON RAIL VIDEOS . $38.95 Wisconsin Central 1997 . $31.95 C&NW in Northwest Wisconsin . 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TRAIN VIDEO PRODUCTIONS (GTVP) Belt lines: EJ&E-IHB-B&OCT .. $23.95 BNSF Stevens Pass ...... $23.95 PENTREX BNSF - Cleburne to Houston, Te xas ...... $31 .95 REVELATION AUDIO- VISUA LS CP Shuswap Sub (Revelstoke to Kamloops) . $31 .95 From Sea to Sky - BCR Cab Ride .. $22.50 Mid-America at Mid-Century . $23.95 $1 5.50 CN-CP Thompson and Fraser Canyons $31 .95 Steam to Squamish (BCR) . Mexican Tri logy: UP-BNSF Columbia River Gorge ...... $31 .95 Tribute to Te nnessee Pass ...... $22.50 Hundred Year Dream - The Chihuahua Pacific $23.95 PLETS EXPRESS BNSF Minot, NO to Belton, MT ...... $31 .95 Seaside Alco-Southern Pacific of Mexico .... $23.95 UP LaGrande, OR to Nampa, 10 ...... $31 .95 Soo line 1003 ...... $31 .95 Desert FT-Sonora Baja California Railway . $23.95 UP Mainline - Poplar Bluff to Te xarkana . $31 .95 Wisconsin & Southern ...... $31 .95 Special: all three Mexican tapes . $59.00 GOODHEART PRODUCTIONS RAIL INNO VATIONS TRAINS MAGAZINE 4960 - Steam Star of the Grand Canyon Railway $23.50 Prairie Rails (CN and CP in the Prairies) . $23.95 On Location - Amtrak's Northeast Corridor . $22.95 SPINNAKER PRESENTATIONS Great Steam Safari South Africa Revisited ..... $23.95 On Location - Appalachian Conquest . $22.95 GREEN FROG PRODUCTIONS Railroading Hot Spots: Northern California ... $1 6.95 On Location - BN's Chicago Racetrack . $22.95 . Best of Passenger Trains - The East ...... $23.50 Railroading Hot Spots: Southern California .. $1 6.95 On Location - Cajon Pass ...... $22.95 Chicago Odyssey - Vols 1 & 2 (2 tape sets). ea $59.95 Santa Fe Warbonnets Through Raton Pass .. $1 6.95 On Location - Cascade Crossing . $22.95 Conrail - Pittsburgh to Crestline ...... $31.95 Te nnessee Pass - Vols 1 and 2, each . . ... $1 6.95 On Location - Conrail's Chicago Gateway . $22.95 CSX - Vols 1 to 6, each . $31 .00 The Return of Stampede Pass (BNSF) ... $1 6.95 On Location - Heart of the Wisconsin Central . $22.95 CSX - Vol 7 . $23.50 The Royal Gorge Route ...... $1 6.95 On Location - Horseshoe Curve ...... $22.95 SUNDA Y RIVER PRODUCTIONS Erie Lackawanna (2 tape set) ...... $56.95 On Location - Rails Around the Bay Area $22.95 NYC Odyssey - Vols 1 & 2 (2 tape sets). each $54.95 Otto Perry's Rio Grande Articulateds - Vols 1 & 2 call On Location - Sand Patch . $22.95 TRAINS MAGAZINE Norfolk Southern - Atlanta to Chattanooga .. $31 .00 On Location - Stevens Pass . $22.95 Penn Central (2 tape set) ...... $34.95 On Location - Feather River Canyon . $22.95 On Location - Tehachapi . $22.95 Rock Island Railroad . $31.95 To day's EMD Diesels . $1 5.50

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LI ® UP CLOSE! By James P. Ziegler

anadian Pacific Railway train No. 500, called at 8:30 p.m. on October 22, 1997, at Shoreham Yard, consists of a string of pigs and stacks and will pick up empty au- Ctoracks once under way. It will travel frol11 the Tw in Cities to Montreal on the former Soo Line (Milwaukee Road) to Chicago, and from there over CSX trackage rights through Indi­ ana and Michigan. Together with a relief crew, J await the train's arrival at Portage, Wisconsin, for [ will be riding No. 500 as far as Milwaukee to observe the behavior of motorists at highway grade crossings. The train has "three horses " today, relief en­ gineer R. D. Jones comments, led by St. Lawrence & Hudson SD40-2 5615. Top speed allowed is 60 mph, but slow orders, speed restrictions per mile. (The employee timetable shows 91.1 miles through turnouts, and yard limits in Milwaukee mean from Portage to the cutoff leading to Muskego.) Ninety this segment of the tTip will consume nearly 2 112 hours. times in 2 112 hours conversation stops dead, as Yerke This hotshot is generally early, but today the Portage and jones snap to attention and watch for careless or yard crew has to dogcatch. When it finally arrives, jones reckless motorists. Almost 90 times (somewhat less be­ checks to see that the headlight, ditch lights, and bell are cause of ordinances) Jones blows the horn and acti­ operating properly. Grips are loaded, engineer and con­ vates the bell and ditch lights. Ninety times conduc- ductor take their places, and we're on the move at 8:53 tor and engineer wonder if some foolhardy a. m., October 23, 1997, with 15 articulated loads and driver will try to beat them to the crossing. 18 autorack empties equaling 3,325 tons spread over That averages out to once every minute 4,680 feet of h·ain. and 40 seconds. That's stress. Conductor for the trip is veteran railroader Fred J. This, of course, is in addi­ Yerke. After he copies down a track warrant from the tion to everything else they dispatchel� I ask him what he thinks of the Operation need to do, such as Lifesaver program. ") like it," he says simply. But he feels watching for sig­ there's more to be done: "You still get a lot of guys cross­ nals and run­ ing ahead of you. " All too many drivers "don't abide by ning the the wig-wags. " train. Engineer jones concurs: "A lot of cars go around. " Bells, whistle, ditch lights, crossing gates, flashing lights-that ought to be enough to get cars to stop. But it's not always. Jones had two close calls just the last hip out. Yerke and Jones don't have much time to talk. There are about 90 public road grade crossings be- tween Portage and Muskego Yard in Mil- waukee, which works out to nearly one ABOVE: Engineer C. D. Education, Enforcement, Engineering ation Li fesaver Coordinator Jim Tracey places his Jones, orders in his hand, faith not in technology but elsewhere: "It's education lugs his grip and cooler to But this is not the only locomotive crew kept busy and enforcement," he emphasizes. "We have all the train No. 500. this way. Nationally, there are 268,000 public and pri­ technology for automatic warning devices; we have (I NSET:) Jonesat the throt­ vate highway-rail grade crossings dotting 173,000 gates, we have lights, we have the bells. But it comes tle of StL&H No. 5615. miles of track. About 1/3 of public crossings are out­ down to education: Educate the public not to drive Conductor Fred J. fitted with active warning devices, such as flashing around the gates, to stop when there are flashing BELOW: lights or gates, and most of the rest are protected at lights, not walk around the gates." Yerke has been railroading least by passive warning devices, such as crossbucks, Operation Lifesaver, a nonprofit organization for 41 years. Note the OL stop signs, or pavement markings. Installing gates at funded by U.S railroads; government agencies at the pin on his cap. Photos by all crossings is simply cost-prohibitive: Depending on federal, state, and local levels; and highway safety James P. Ziegler circuitry, installation of lights, bells, and gates can groups, has been educating people for a fu ll quarter cost anywhere from of a century. Statistics indicate that this program has $100,000-200,000 been very effective. According to its newsletter, Op­ per crossing. While ERATION LIFESAVER REPORT, despite a rise in both au­ the cost of maintain­ tomobile and rail traffic, motor vehicle-train colli­ ing crossings falls to sions nationwide have dropped from 12,000 in the railroads, initial 1972, when OL was founded, to 4,257 in 1996. The installation is paid fo llowing statement from Manl1 ie Edwards, vice for by the taxpayer. president of communications at Operation Lifesaver And there's certainly Inc.'s national headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, no guarantee that succinctly elucidates the organization's achieve­ crossing technology ments: "The Federal Highway Administration has es­ will stop drivers from timated that over the 25 years that Operation Life­ going around gates. saver has been in existence, it has assisted in saving In fact, more than the lives of 10,000 people and preventing the injury half of all crashes oc­ of 40,000 people ...p rimarily through our educa­ cur at crossings that tion program. The education program goes out to all have functioning ac­ the states [except Hawaii]." tive warningdevices. The alarming statistic OL once quoted-that a vehi­ Maybe that's cle is struck by a train once every 90 minutes-is no why Wisconsin Oper- longer quite so alarming. Now a highway grade cross-

36 ' April 1998 ing collision or a trespassing incident occurs once every 100 minutes. This improvement was achieved, in no small part, through the efforts of approximately 2,500 trained, certified presenters-all volunteers-who in 1996 gave more than 16,000 presentations, reaching over a million and a half people. Presenters come from all walks of life: Railroad crew members, retired peo­ ple, law enforcement officers, railfans, students, and government employees work diligently to prevent crossing crashes and trespassing deaths. Tracey ex­ plains how it all works: "Operation Lifesaver has three arms: education, enforcement, and engineering. "Education is what the presenters do; they try to educate the public to the dangers of the grade crossing collision. "Enforcement is the law enforcement officers. If he laws pertaining to highway-railroad grade cross­ �l1lgs aren't enforced, they'll continue to be ignored, and laws will be broken, and collisions will continue to occur. "Engineering is the background of the people who design, construct, and then maintain the crossings ... to be as safe as possible." Tracey, who-when he is not serving in his volun­ Damage to Amtrak teer OL position-works as a railroad specialist for dangering their own l ives and making work more ABOVE: the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, is no stressful for railroaders. Nervous train crews No. 62 on the point of the stranger to steel wheels on steel rails. "I have about warned each other to lay on the horn when passing Th ree Rivers, which struck 23 years experience as a locomotive engineer and as through the area. "I don't know what's going on to­ a van less than three hours an engineer of maintenance of way." He's also had day," one crew member said, "but we just about got earlier, is minimal: A side firsthand experience with grade crossing crashes: somebody else." panel is dented and a ditch "I've been involved in five collisions with trains and While the intentions in the above cases were light is out. Harder to know automobiles-and no fatalities," he adds with relief. probably not "to rub it in," the actions do show a is the emotional damage "Yes, I was very lucky." disregard for the crew members' feelings. Perhaps done to the engineer. One dare not make the mistake of calling those al­ people forget that human beings like themselves are tercations between automobiles and trains "acci­ inside at the controls of these mammoth machines. dents." Tracey is adamant about that: "The A-word Has Yerke ever been on a doesn't exist in our dictionary. There's no such thing train that hit somebody? "Oh as an 'accident.' Any collision at a highway-railroad yeah, coming t hrough grade crossing can be avoided because the driver, to Oconomowoc." That time the obey all the laws, must stop to avoid that train, yield train hit a trespasser who was the right of way to that train. So if there is a collision, lying between the rails, per­ the driver has disobeyed the law." That's simple haps a drunk, perhaps some­ enough and seems eminently logical. But the public one committing suicide. "I doesn't always seem to perceive things logically. was off for four trips that time," Yerke says. Effect on Railroaders He tells of another inci­ dent in which the locomo­ "I don't think the public's aware of what we've got tive he was in hit a motor­ out here," Jones says, meaning the 9,000 h.p. at his cycle around Pleasant fingertips pulling 6 112 million pounds of train at a Prairie, Wisconsin. The mile a minute. "ga tes were down: He The public, Yerke is convinced, often blames the went right around railroad-and the train crews-for collisions, not and lost it." realizing there's absolutely nothing crews can do Luckily, the once they've thrown the train into emergency, and rider was not realizing how terribly these railroaders them­ selves are traumatized by crashes. People have been known to put up crosses where grade-crossing fatal­ ities occurred-"to rub it in," Fred grunts. The day after two high school students were killed in Walkerton, Indiana, when the van they were in pulled in front of Amtrak's Th ree Rivers in March 1997, classmates gathered at the crash site to pay trib­ ute-apparently un­ aware that by do- ing so they were en- ABOVE: Though flashers thrown clear of the tracks when he lost control of per-clip clipped to his jacket. Yerke is wearing an are flashing, bells are the motorcycle, so he survived. The bike was not as Operation Lifesaver pin on his cap. It's a part of ringing, and a train-its lucky: The train "smashed that thing to their everyday lives. headlights and ditch smithereens." Suddenly, at milepost 154, a car comes cruising lights functioning-is Yerke has been railroading for 41 years already, up toward the cross bucks and stop sign as we fast progressing from Milwaukee Road to Soo to CPo approach. It's obvious that the driver doesn't want clearly visible not 100 He's got four more years until retirement, unless ... to stop, and I see the crew members tense up as the yards from the crossing, a "The next time we hit a car and kill somebody, that's driver debates. Finally he makes the right decision Madison Metro bus driver, it; I'm done. I don't want no more of that stuff." and hits the brakes, coming to a stop well past the and other motorists, crossbucks and stop sign, though still clear of the choose to disregard the "I've talked to lots of railroaders who have been tracks. White reverse lights go on, and he backs to a law and cross the tracks. involved in collisions," Jim Tr acey states. "Not only safer distance just as we blast through the crossing. are the people in the automobiles or the vehicles the Although it all happened in a matter of seconds, it victims of the crashes, but the locomotive engineers seemed as though events were playing out in slow and conductors are also victims. They have to live motion. After it's all over, Jones notes that, if he with this collision for the rest of their lives. Most hadn't hit the horn, the car certainly would have at­ engineers work the same territory throughout their tempted to make it through without stopping. career, and if they have a collision at any grade So this is what crews have to deal with every day. crossing, every time they go to work, they're going Yerke keeps an eye out for license plates of viola­ to go by that location again, and every time they go tors. "If I get 'em, I turn 'em in." He has caught of­ through that location, they're going to think of that fenders before, and they have been .fined heavily collision." and had points taken off their driver's licenses. Several railroads now have "close call" programs As our SD40-2 rumbles along at a comfortable and, using information gathered from crews, will pace, its 3,000 h.p. engine emitting a constant, alert the police to locations where violations occur comforting low rum ble, I survey the inside of the frequently. cab. The engineer's control stand dominates the As it turns out, that's not the only close call we're right-hand side. Air pressure-powered windshield destined to have today. At 9:54 a.m. at milepost wipers slap back and forth. Jackets hang on the wall 134, west of Watertown, a green truck, a "brand separating the cab from the engine compartment. I new Ford" (Jones) pulls up to the crossing, which is notice Jones has a plastic Operation Lifesaver zip- protected by cross bucks and flashing lights. We are

38 · April 1998 fast approaching, horn blaring, ditch lights flashing, bell ringing. The truck stops, pauses, and crosses right in front of us. A few angry oaths are muttered at the foolhardy motorist. Although it would have taken us "not even a minute" to clear (Jones again), the driver couldn't wait and was willing to risk his life. Because of track maintenance, we were running on the westbound track at 40 mph here. "If we'd been on the eastbound, we'd a had him," Yerke shudders, because there we would have been doing maximum allowable track speed of 60 mph. Not far from there, in Watertown, a town ordi­ nance prevents us from using our horn, except in cases of emergency. Such ordinances are not very popular with railroaders. "I think it's bullcrap," Yerke states tersely. Considering the very recent close call, his attitude is certainly understandable. But Jones shrugs and points out: "If they wanna' go around a gate, a whistle ain't gonna stop 'em." He sounds a little exasperated. Tracey's official OL position on whistling at crossings is as follows: "Anything that will safely Mike Zollitsch warn the public of impending danger needs to be done." Speaking unofficially, he's a little more blunt. "If 1 were talking as a railroad employee, or a mount and flag the crossing, if it is known that gates ABOVE: A Louisiana & past railroad employee, I'd say I think we should or flashers are out of order. Delta CF7 shows off its whistle at every grade crossing." From here it's not far to Muskego Yard. We ease in OL paint scheme in New The good news is that "The Federal Railroad Ad­ past a busy MP15AC still in Milwaukee Road colors Iberia, Louisiana, on ministration is actually writing a rule that will pre­ and another yard job powered by a CP GP38AC. We're January 1, 1997. empt all local ordinances. It's in the works. 1 don't in at 11:00 a.m. know just when it will take effect, but the FRA is A quarter of an hour later, train No. 500 snakes developing that rule," Tracey explains. past beneath the window of the yard tower. It will make a quick pickup at the other end of the yard At 72nd Street in Milwaukee the gates aren 't then get out of town. Up in the tower, the telephone working, because of maintenance work, so we're lim­ rings; at least two different yard crews call for the ited to 15 mph-and we wouldn't be going that fast if yardmaster on the radio at the same time; and the M of W workers weren't already on either side of the printer hurriedly spits out a new batch of switch road, protecting the crossing. In many cases, trains lists. A unit grain train bound for CSX at Louisville are required to stop and a crew member must dis- is hoping to trade its "junk power" (two of the units ,J., 'b Rail1/YL �!!�Aur/SzeSING: road d Use Ri'{J"! 7i-Of' -Wr of fO rtp ay C Ur Las! OUld B An e YWhere

ABOVE: Operation Lifesaver are off line) for a couple of locomotives that actual­ patcher. Today he's out getting better acquainted with aims its message at all ly work. Track workers want time on some yard some of the railroad's territory-and reminding him­ classes of drivers and all tracks. The yardmaster looks harried: "And this is a self of what the lines and blips on the computer screen age groups. All materials good day," he says in one of the all too few pauses look like in real life. courtesy of Operation in his work. Dispatchers are not unaffected by grade crossing Here, in the yard setting, one might not expect crashes either, Stenwyk points out, even if they are Lifesaver. the employees to have much of an opinion either hundreds or even thousands of miles away from the way about Operation Lifesaver. After all, they aren't site of the collision. Stenwyk admits, though, that it is out on the road every day, looking down at automo­ hardest on the crews themselves. "All we hear is biles taking chances at crossings. And they have 'Emergency, emergency, emergency,' and we have to enough to worry about. make the calls [for rescue vehicles]." He waxes philo­ But the yardmaster (who does not wish to be sophical for a moment: "After a while, you gotta' ei­ named) talks about how he used to ride in the cab of ther steel yourself, or you can't do it." Milwaukee Road's Chicago-area scoots. However, be­ They've heard it all. Sometimes automobiles even cause of the danger of grade crossing collisions, he manage to run into the side of a train long after the lo­ says, '' I'm at the point where I'm afraid to ride the head comotive has occupied the crossing. How? The yard­ end." Even just the possibility of having another trau­ master (perhaps exaggerating somewhat) estimates that matic grade crossing crash is enough to relegate him to three-quarters of these crashes involve alcohol on the the coaches. dtiver's part. He hasn't forgotten a crash that happened dur­ Another yard employee, who pipes up from an ing his time with the Milwaukee Road. "We hit a adjoining office, agrees. "Third shift you get all the guy at Grand Avenue, went into emergency, didn't drunks." Sometimes it takes unusual measures to stop for a mile." keep a car from driving into the path of a train, he Operation Lifesaver is well-liked by the railroaders relates: "I remember dropping a fusee on the hood here, too, it seems. "Trouble is, it doesn't get it out to of some guy's car; he went crazy. I saved his life ..." enough people." says John Stenwyk, a visiting CP dis- But instead of thanking him, the driver was furious.

40' April 1998 Preventing highway·rail grade crossing crashes is up to youl

Information and key safety tips at highway- rail grade crOSSin. Provided In the interest of hlghway·rail grade crossing salaty by i � .

Getting the Word Out gra phic-safety messages. Perhaps most notable are the startling tele­ These occurrences make it clear that OL still has visions spots. Recen tly, OL produced a much work to do. To get the safety message out to series of 30-second television public more people nationwide, OL has developed presenta­ service announcements certain to tion materials for several different target groups: catch the viewer's attention. NATIONAL HIGHWAY-RAIL GRADE CROSSING school bus drivers, truck drivers, drivers of emergen­ Each one shows, in com­ COLLISIONS AND CASUALTIES AT PUBLIC/PRIVATE cy vehicles, driver's education students, and older pressed time, the last CROSSINGS FOR ALL HIGHWAY USERS 1981-1996 drivers. A new brochure on the dangers of trespass­ 60 seconds lead­ ing is designed to be handed out to perpetrators, and ing up to a YEAR COLLISIONS FATALITIES INJURIES it asks them to "please exit [railroad property] by the tragedy, 1981 9,295 728 3,293 safest and fastest route." Schoolchildren comprise 1982 7,748 607 2,637 another key target group. Tracey notes, "We do try to 1983 7,161 575 2,623 get into high schools and grade schools. We have 1984 7,281 649 2,910 presentations for each and every age group that 1985 6,919 582 2,687 you can think of." A coloring book warns even 1986 6,396 616 2,458 kindergartners never to play on or around 1987 6,391 624 2,429 railroad equipment or on bridges. The 1988 6,615 689 2,589 brochure "Highway-Rail Safety 1989 6,525 801 2,868 Tips," geared toward slightly 1990 5,713 698 2,407 . - older students, includes a • 1991 5,386 608 2,094 word puzzle and quiz 1992 4,910 579 1,969 with its-some- !"- 1993 4,892 626 1,837 times quite � 1994 4,979 615 1,961 1995 4,633 579 1,894 C)� 1996 4,257 488 1,610 Courtesy of Operation Lifesaver Inc.

RailNews o41 ABOVE: Metra F40 No. and each is shocking enough to make a viewers hair people's attention. We have seen some results: In 147 in OL paint passes stand on end. The spot geared toward stopping tres­ Te xas, where they were first opened up about two Chicago's Clinton Street passing shows two youngsters playing on a bridge. A years ago, there was a tremendous increase in the tower. train approaches; the children finally realize the dan­ number of people that were calling for information ger; the engineer slams the train into emergency. and wanting people to come and make presenta­ While running to get in the clear, one child's leg tions to their groups." RIGHT: Genesee & slips between the ties. The other child Wyoming MP15 No. 45 turns to help. It's too late: The train, its models its version of the brakes squealing to no avail, is upon OL logo. Photo by Mike them. Two other PSAs, teenagers racing a Zollitsch train, and a mother paying attention to her baby instead of the crossing, end equally horribly. "Reception has been positive for the most part," Mannie Edwards says of the televisioon commercials, "because ... people realize what the results are: If a person or a car gets in front of a train, the potential for catastrophe is very high. The thought is that these commercials have to be tough, because the situation is tough ....We need to get people's atten­ tion; and unfortunately, sometimes you have to be hard-hitting in order to grab

42 • April 1998 :; The Railfan of Wi sconsin should fe el fr ee to contact jim Tra cey '" ., at (800) 947- 7245. .. ., james P. Ziegler began railfanning in northern ,. Of course, railfans need to remem­ .. .­ ber that they are not immune to Indiana during Penn Central days and has ridden .. .. . danger, either. "There are some rail­ the rails extensively in Germany and the Nether­ 1"' - • .. , lands. He presently serves as associate editor for .. fans-for the sake of a picture, they .. - nearly get themselves killed," dis­ VINTAGE RAILS. RailNews ., .. .. patcher Stenwyk points out. .. .. "Railfans have to realize that .. '" railroad property is private proper­ .. ., .. ty, and they shouldn't be trespassing .. .. on the property," states Tracey. Fans TRY TO BEAT A - - ' must "remember that it's a danger­ ous location; it's a dangerous place to be," he continues. "I don't try to TRAIN THROUGH THE think about it as so much illegal, as how dangerous it is." CROSSING. On the other hand, railfans can be a great ally for OL. They can become certified presenters. "We AND YOU MAYNEED have railfans who participate in Operation Lifesaver. They can be A NEW SET OF WHEELS . just as helpful in education as a railroad employee," says Tracey. Furthermore, they can serve in a watchdog function. The media, and not infrequently advertisers, sometimes condone or glorify un­ safe behavior around railroads-a couple walking together down the tracks or a car jumping over a flat­ car. Railfans can call or write to the newspaper, magazine, or local television station in which the ad appeared and object. Someone there, in turn, can provide the ad­ dress of the advertiser so the com­ pany can be contacted. With rail­ fan help, OL has been quite suc­ cessful in fighting these battles. "I can only name one that hasn't withdrawn their commercial when they received letters of complaint about it," Tracey states. "We've had fans call us and say, 'Well, who do I write to about this? We saw this on a commercial or some advertisement.' Well, if they want to contact me, I'll certainly put them in the direction that they can go." In this way railfan watchdogs can help OL re­ main ever-vigilant-and this is precisely what the organization must do as long as trespassing deaths and crossing crashes occur. After all, OL cannot merely rest on the laurels of its impressive achieve­ ments. "I think Operation Lifesaver is serving an important role in highway-rail safety," Edwards states. "I think that the job isn't over, and we still have a lot of work to do ...so that we can cut the If you ignore the crossing signals, your car may not numbers further and eventually reach our goal, be the only thing that's beyond repair. which is to eliminate these tragedies." Fo r more information, to learn how to be­ AMERICA'S ROADS CAN BE HIGHWAYS OR DIEWAYS - come a presentel� or to arrange fo r a fr ee Operation Lifesaver presentation fo r THE CHOICE IS YOURS . your club, organization, or gro up, contact your state's SPONSORED BY OPERATION LIFESAVER Operation Lifesaver coor­ dinator or the nation­ al offi ce at (800) 537-6224. Residents Tw o Days in the Life of'

the Cross HarborText and Ra Photographyilr by Joeoa Greensdtein . his is a story about 22 cars of scrap metal. Now The communication from NY&A set a bunch of lr before you rush to tum the page, let me hasten to wheels in motion. First, Cross Harbor telephoned its mention that they are about to make one of the outside contractOl; Eklof Marine Corp., to reserve a tug­ most unusual and exciting trips in eastern railroad­ boat starting at 9:30 Saturday morning. Since such a ing-by cm·float across Upper ew York Bay. large movement of cars meant two round trips of the On a Thursday afternoon in late summer, the op­ carfloat, the railroad would also be using two locomo­ erations office of the New York Cross Harbor re­ tives (one stationed on each side of the bay). Along with ceived a phone call from the New York & Atlantic its 1,000 h.p. Aleo S4 No. 11, the Cross Harbor readied Railway, saying it was picking up 22 gondolas at EMD NW2 No. 59. Built in 1946, this is one of the old­ Brooklyn Resource Recovery early the next morning. est units still working in the metropolitan area. It planned to transfer the cars directly to the Cross Next, arrangements were made for the train crews. Harbor at Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. From there, they Senior engineer Charlie McClelland and part-timer would be ferried to Greenville Yard in Jersey City Mike Smith were asked to run the two locomotives, and handed over to Conrail. while four additional staff members were called in as brakemen. This included Manager of Operations Rudy Walcott, who was eager to lend a hand. Finally, AI Au­ gustus (the Greenville gantry float bridge operator) was notified of the plan. Thus the stage was set for the h'ansport of the gondolas across the bay.

Th e Final Ve stige New York Cross Harbor Railroad is licensed to run the only remaining cm·f1oat operation in the Port of New York, the final vestige of a maritime railroading legacy that had its beginnings before the turn of the century and its heyday in the 1940s. Once upon a time, tugs and carfloats were the most common vessels in this busy harbor. All of New York's trunk lines had their own marine fleets, and the Brooklyn waterfront was crisscrossed by a labyrinth of dock railroads. The beginning of the end of the carfloating era came during the Eisenhower administration, when the first interstates were built. Before long, shiny 18-wheelers on brand new multi-lane highways had supplanted the old­ fashioned, cinder-spewing to-wheelers of the railroads. The effect was nowhere more dramatic than in New York, where geological barriers had always been a ma­ jor challenge to railroad-building anyway. Funny thing is, half a century later New York City is plagued by carbon monoxide, gridlock, and a rapidly deteriorating highway infrastructure. It also has 30 to 40 percent more trucks than Chicago, Houston, or most other major American cities. Long Island has been espe­ cially adversely affected-its traffic is among the worst and its cost of living among the highest in the nation.

A Viable Alternative In 1983, New York Cross Harbor was born of the com­ bined assets of the Brooklyn Eastem District Te rminal and New York Dock railways. Now it is operated by the New Yo rk Regional Rail Corporation and manages to eke out a modest existence, all the while attempting to reverse New York City'S innate anti-rail mindset. But the potential divvying up of Conrail between Norfolk Southern and CSX could re-invigorate rail freight ser­ vice into the metropolitan area; suddenly, carfloating is starting to make sense again. It just might offer a viable alternative to all those trucks. In fact, the New Jersey General Assembly recently went as far as to send a reso­ lution to the U.S. Congress voicing its support of float barging in general, and the New York Cross Harbor in particular. It encouraged the legislators to provide badly LEFT: Beginning their work­ needed financial assistance to the railroad under the next ISTEA authorization. day at Bush Terminal, 46- Currently, Cross Harbor's biggest volume of busi­ year-old Alco S4 and 52- ness is in municipal and commercial waste. This not year-old EMD NW2 smoke only takes the form of scrap metal-the subject of up a storm in the cool our current story-but also solid waste, treated morning air. An Alco Sl sludge, and recyclables. can be seen in the shad­ But NYCH is a fu ll-service common can'iet; handling ows of the enginehouse. RaiiNewso45 ABOVE: Inside the cab, we such varied commodities as building materials, plastics, ance. But for now, let us not stray too far from the im­ see the Alco S4's controls. non-hazardous chemicals, and bulk foodstuff (including mediate business at hand .... Brake handles for both the cocoa-fu lly 34 percent of the nation's supply now enters locomotive and the train the country through two Brooklyn port fa cilities served Friday Morning are near the center of the exclusively by the Cross Harbor). Another of the rail­ It was my plan to photograph at the Bay Ridge inter­ photo. The heater on the road's clients is the NYC Transit Authority, for which change when the cars of scrap were delivered by New floor comes in handy when Cross Harbor h'ansports new and old subway cars (via York & Atlantic. Initially Cross Harbor estimated that a 39th Street interchange with the TA -owned South this would happen at 9 a.m., but later the NY &A frigid winter winds are Brooklyn Railroad). And if the name of the game in to­ dispatcher at Fresh Pond told me it would be closer to blowing in off the bay. day's freight railroading is "double stacks," Cross ]-Iar­ 10:30. Further delays had the train due in just before bor has a unique advantage over other local noon, and at 11:30 I rode out with the NYCH crew on carriers-there are no clearance restrictions here. Aleo S4 No. 11. The carrier's business has doubled during the There was no sign of the NY&A, so we decided to past eight months. As encouraging as this is may be, wait for a bit. This gave me the chance to chat with con­ it's not yet cause for great celebration. Fact is, the ductor Harry Lynch, a long-time veteran of Brooklyn operation has the capacity to be handling much waterfront railroading. His career started on the old more, but it seems to be perpetually stifled by the Brooklyn Eastern District Te rminal, at a time when its New York political machine. Kent Avenue Yard was still using 0-6-0 saddle-tank It's quite possible that garbage will play an even steam locomotives (very probably the last working bigger part in Cross Harbor's fu ture . New Yo rk steam in the Northeast). City's Fresh Kills landfill is scheduled to close in "] learned the ropes from a guy who had come over 2001, at which point 13,000 tons a day of municipal from the Lackawanna," Lynch reminisced. "All the solid waste will have to find some way out of town. years we worked togethet; he never stopped calling me Specially designed containers on flatcars promise to 'the new kid.' This guy was convinced he was the only be the most cost-effective and environmentally one who could ever do anything tight." friendly solution, and Cross Harbor is strategically Good stories made the next hour pass quickly-but located to play a major role. still no NY&A. Having just recently assumed conh'ol of Also of great importance to the railroad are city Long Island Rail Road freight operations, NY &A has proposals for the extensive revitalization of the been forced to function under complex and difficult cir­ Brooklyn docks. cumstances. But even in the best of times, traveling Indeed, these are interesting times fo r the Cross Har­ down the Bay Ridge branch can be a slow go. The right­ bOt; with so many significant issues hanging in the bal- of-way passes through some of Brooklyn's roughest

46· April 1998 Furt�er delays with the NY&A train have No. 11 reversing through the old �---(���======�======Bro klyn Army erminal ====� ======2===���O�������l����� heads back to the yard for a late lunch.

neighborhoods, and years of light usage have turned it Saturday a.m. BELOW: Brakeman Richie into a local dumping ground. An NY&A train will often The morning8:15 weather report predicted a mixture of sun Cole rides the last gondola make the 12-mile meander to Bay Ridge, pick up a few and clouds, with light winds and little chance of into Bush Terminal Yard on cars from Cross Harbor, and then be greeted by fresh rain-the perfect day for a sail! There was a decidedly Friday afternoon. Tomor­ piles of debris on the return trip. upbeat atmosphere as crew members gathered in front row this car and 21 com­ Word came through that the NY&A train had been of the Bush Te rminal enginehouse. Logistical discus­ panions will be on their halted by a junked automobile on the tracks, and so sions about the day's work mixed easily with jokes and way across the Upper Bay. the Cross Harbor operations office directed its crew to return to the enginehouse for lunch. At 1 :30 we received word that the gondolas were finally at Bay Ridge, and we headed out again. In order not to over-tax the Alco, the 22-car consist was to be di­ vided in half. Eleven cars would be moved to Bush Terminal that afternoon and the rest on Saturday morning. The two-mile run to the yard involves several interesting challenges. A mile-long descending grade toward the harbor ends in a series of sharp curves into the old army terminal at 65th Street. This is followed by about 10 blocks of street-rUlming. It's fun to watch the faces of normally stoic New Yorkers when they look up to see an Alco S4 rolling their way. Most people stop to gawk, and indeed they have plenty of time to do so. The railroad's safety policies dictate a 5 mph speed limit on street-runs, and an observer can often out-distance the locomotive on foot. By 2:30 the fi rst string of cars was tied down at Bush Terminal, and the bulk of the day's work had been completed.

RaiiNews ·47 ABOVE: Early Saturday gossip. Soon it was time to get started. best for loading (at other points in the tidal cycle, the morning, NW2 No. 59 Railroad cars being transferred from dockside to angle of the float bridge becomes too extreme). The needs the full length of carfloat are pushed across a steel girder loading ramp whole loading procedure is somewhat delicate, since the Bush Terminal Yard to called a float bridge. Those at Bush Telminal are of the weight on the carfloat must remain in balance as ap­ marshal the gondolas for pontoon-type-which means that one end floats on the proximately 1,000 tons of cargo are put on board. As loading on to the carfloat. water, rising and falling with the ocean tides. Midtide is more cars are added and the barge rides lower in the water, the height of the float bridge can be adjust­ ed by turning a large wheel New Yo rk Cross Harbor's Roster at its far end. (as of January26, 1998) The gondolas were loaded onto the three­ Locomotives track carfloat a few at a No. 11 Aleo 5-4 1,000 h.p. Built 1951 Former Massena Terminal time, alternating center, (Currently under repair) left, and right. Last of all, No. 21 Aleo 5-1 660 h.p. Built 1947 Former Union Railroad the locomotive for (Recently retired/Parts donated to No. 25) Greenville was stowed No. 22 Aleo 5-1 660 h.p. Built 1947 Former New Orleans & Lower Coast aboard on the center track. (Recently retired/Parts donated to No. 25) Once the brakes had been No. 25 Aleo S-l 660 h.p. Built 1946 Former Erie-Lackawanna set and wheels blocked, we (In daily use) were ready to go. No. 58 EMD NW2 1,000 h.p. Built 1946 Former Southern While those of us (Recently retired/Parts donated to No. 59) bound for Greenville No. 59 EMD NW2 1,000 h.p. Built 1946 Former Southern waited for the arrival of (Currently under repair) the tug, Charlie McClel­ [BDLX] No. 1337 SW1200RS 1,200 h.p. Built in Canada Former Canadian National land and the Brooklyn (Late-1950s?) (In daily use/New on the property/Th e first of crew headed out on o. two units recently purchased from Ohio Central) 59 to pick up the second Car floats string of cars at the 290' x 40': No. 16, No. 17 NY&A interchange. 360' x 42' No. 29, No. 30 I spent a few minutes Thanks to John P. Krattinger fo r his help in compiling this roster. talking with engineer Mike

48 · April 1998 •

Smith. His boyish good looks belie the fact that he had Manhattan's financial district, dominated by the 110- ABOVE: Double-heading hired out with Conrail several years back and now story twin towers of the World Trade Center. Off to on the Cross Harbor? holds the position of conductor on the River line. He their left was the magnificent Statue of Liberty and the Not in this instance ... might soon have qualified as an engineer there too, but shoreline of New Jersey. South of us, the Verrazano although it does happen he was put off by realizing that being on the extra board Narrows Bridge marked the gateway to the Lower Bay. occasionally. Here NW2 meant never knowing when he'd get called in to work. Beyond were the open waters of the Atlantic. No. 59 is pushing "live" A ringing telephone in the middle of the night would In the harbor, there were dozens of ships of all sizes Alco No. 11 toward the signal the need to dress quickly and make the 90- and descriptions, from international container ships to minute drive to Conrail's yard in Jersey. Then too, as lowly garbage scows. A bright orange Staten Island fer­ carfloat, where it will be much as railroading has been a real calling in his life, he ry glided past in the distance, while a barge loaded with loaded for the trip to has plans to answer yet a higher call-this year he's en­ fuel oil plodded north along the Brooklyn shoreline. Greenville. tering the seminary. I asked if this was something he'd Newer tugs such as the Falcon are designed to be known he would do all along. "It was always in the operated from two possible stations-the captain can back of my mind," he responded. In the meantime, he either stand on the bridge or climb to an upper pilot engineers part-time for Cross Harbor-whenever the house, which has a better field of vision over barges in workload here is especially heavy. tow and other high loads such as ours. Once we were out into the bay, r asked for pemlission to climb up too. Th e Falcon The small cabin was basically large enough for only the At 9:30 the tugboat Falcon made its appearance. Built captain and had certainly earned its nickname "the in 1977, it is one of nine tugs owned by the 88-year-old chicken coop." But just outside was a platform on Eklof Marine Corporation. Its two 12-cylinder tur­ which I could stand. bocharged diesels generate a total 1,800 h.p. The boat From this vantage point, it was easy to see how New carries a four-person crew of captain, mate, engineer, York had become the greatest port in the world. Before and deck hand. me were hundreds of miles of sheltered harbor, with The 80-foot tug was quickly secured to the 360-foot deep channels seldom hampered by ice, fog, or high cat·float. Then three toots on the Fa lcon's whistle indi­ winds. The bay also boasts a very modest tidal range, cated that it was backing out into the bay. The 45- rarely exceeding four and a half feet. minute voyage to Greenville had begun. Ye t these days the Port of New York is facing some Once we had reversed past the bulkllead, the captain stiff competition. Current views of world shipping in­ brought the tug and cat'float around in a sweeping 180 volve the hub and fe eder concept, similar to the way air­ degree tum. Now I was treated to my first panoramic ports function. Giant deep-hull container ships sail be­ view of the harbor. To our north was the skyline of tween hub ports, where they link up with local shipping

RaiiNews o49 and other transportation systems. But if New Yo rk is to attract the new breed of supership (those with a draft of 50-feet or more), the harbor will need some major im­ provements-notably channel dredging, constmction of new intermodal terminal facilities, and better rail ac­ cess. The revitalization of the port must be viewed as a top priority. Otherwise, New Yo rk will lose more and more of its ocean shipping to Norfolk, Virginia; Halifax, Nova Scotia; and other deep-water East Coast ports. I was curious to know if the Falcon's work was generally confined to New York. Not at all, ex­ plained Captain Pete Cod; it travels up and down the coastline-sometimes even sailing south of Cape Hatteras to Charleston, Savannah, or Jacksonville. On rare occasions it has been to the Caribbean and South America. Next I asked if fog were a special navigational problem within the relatively tight confines of the Up­ per Bay. Radar and other modern equipment do make travel relatively safe, but high winds plus extra-heavy marine traffic can make the trip more dangerous.

ABOVE: Senior Engineer Charlie McClelland is at the controls as the float is being drilled. The imagery painted on Cross Harbor NEW JERSEY cabs will soon be replaced by a more corporate- looking logo.

STATEN ISLAND

MAP BY CHRIS GOEPEL NOT ALL LINES SHOWN

NEW YORK CROSS HARBOR NEW YO RK CROSS - NEW YO RK CROSS OTHER RAIL LINES HARBOR RAIL LINES HARBOR FERRY LINES CP CANADIAN PAC IFIC CR CONRAIL NYA NEW YORK & AT LANTIC PW PROVIDENCE & WORCESTER SBK SOUTH BROOKLYN SIRC STAT EN ISLAND

50 · April 1998 As we approached the docks at Greenville, the Fa l­ I can only imagine what a bustling place this ABOVE: With 50 yards to con's mate headed to the front of the carfloat. It was his must have been when it was the heart and soul of go, Cross Harbor crew job to advise the captain by short-wave radio. He was waterfront freight activities for the giant Pennsylva­ members stand in atten­ soon joined by the deck hand and several members of nia Railroad. Today, many of Greenville Ya rd's orig­ dance as gantry operator the Cross Harbor's crew. inal tracks are gone, and some of those remaining AI Augustus waits at the "How far (to the dock) now?" Pete Cod radioed offer a fairly rough ride. On rare occasions a freight down. "About 50 yards, captain," the mate an­ car will end up on the ground, but the Cross Har­ end of the Greenville swered. After first landfall came the even more de­ bor employees have become adept at re-railing float bridge. manding task of getting the rails on the float bridge them. In the meantime, the under-capitalized rail­ to line up with those on the carfloat. I t took five or road has been making a valiant effort to improve its 10 minutes, but the tug handled these maneuvers physical plant. In truth, there seems to be a new with remarkable finesse. The point was reached sense of pride about the whole organization, and where the mate was saying, "six inches to starboard," there are definite signs of progress-on both sides of and the captain would give the twin engines an im­ the bay. Track has been replaced or repaired; age­ perceptible nudge, shifting the immense carfloat ever old debris has been cleared away; and the property so slightly. "Bring the stern around to port ...three has been spruced up. inches more now ...O.K., we've got it." The carfloat was quickly emptied, and soon the "We're in?" Pete Cod called to confil1n. "Yes, cap­ fi rst string of gondolas was being hauled to the tain." Lines were made fast; the float bridge was adjust­ Conrail interchange, about a mile inland. ed to the proper height; and the bolts joining it to the It's always a treat to watch a veteran train crew cat'float were locked in place. handle a switching assignment. Few words were spoken, yet the gondolas were set out and new cars Midday at Greenville Ya rd collected with mathematical precision. After half an Four of the old gantry float bridges still stand at hour the work was done, and the cars left by Con­ Greenville. They are more sophisticated than the pon­ rail were being shunted back toward the dock. toon-type at Bush Terminal, because each of these can The Cross Harbor's yard has some interesting be raised and lowered elech'onically (by means of a 200 neighbors. lu t south is the U.S. import facility for h.p. counter-weighted gantry crane housed in the float BMW luxury automobiles ("Gee," r had said to en­ bridge's supershllcture). For now, only the No. 11 bridge gineer Mike Smith, "Can I have one of those?"). To is fully operational, although Cross Harbor plans to res­ the north is the terminal for Conrail's train CSOJ, urrect a second one as traffic volume increases. The last the five-times-per-week Tropicana orange juice ex­ two are being dismantled. press that comes up from Florida (via CSX).

RaiiNews· 51 •

ABOVE: Manny Parker over­ Break Time Conrail's responsibility. The cars would be picked up sees the unloading. He is Once the switching had been completed, there was by the first shift crew out of Oak Island Yard and also qualified as a Cross time enough for a lunch break before the Falcon's next sent on their way to final destinations in central Harbor engineer but today arrival. Hanging around in the cab of the Alco, I was New Jersey and Pennsylvania. By taking the 45- is serving as a brakeman. instructed by Mike Smith on the basics of drilling the minute trip across the bay (as opposed to the cir­ One of the basic tenets of cal·float. To avoid the wear and tear of the heavy loco­ cuitous all-land routing via Albany), they had saved motive passing back and forth across the relatively up to a week in travel time. Class III railroading is that employees do what has to vulnerable float bridge, an empty "reacher" car is cou­ For the Cross Harbor crew, one final bit of business pled just in front of the motive power. And while load­ remained-the loading of the Brooklyn-bound cars. be done to get the job ing, it's especially im- done. portant that only the Ako's brakes be used. RIGHT: The S4 poses If the train's brakes against a background of were applied while the Manhattan skyline.The the locomotive kept land lying fallow beyond on pushing, the first the locomotive gives a thing to yield would sense of how large be the carfloat, and it Greenville Yard used to be. could be launched out to sea. Just before 2 p.m., the Falcon re­ appeared. The rest of the gondolas were hauled off the car­ float and spotted at the interchange, their 25 hours on the Cross Harbor having officially come to an end. From here on, this shipment was

52 • April 1998 While this was happening, some heavy cumulus clouds ABOVE: The carfloat arrives began drifting in, and suddenly it seemed as if we were back at Greenville. The about to get rained on. mate of the tug is in radio contact with the captain, Homeward Bound at who can be seen in the But just as quickly the weather3:15 system breezed through, the skies began clearing. The sun was shining when the pilot house. Mike Smith is cal·float departed Greenville on the final lap to Bush about to toss a line to the Terminal. On this summer weekend, a hundred sail­ carfloat. boats and other pleasure craft were tooling around the harbor. The law of the sea says that unpowered boats LEFr: With loading of the have light of way, but of course wood or fiberglass is no carfloat almost completed, match for a steel hull. Nevertheless, the captain had ev­ the Alco is chugging up a ery intention of avoiding any such confrontations and cloud of smoke. The engi­ issued regular blasts on the Fa lcon's loud hom. neer leans out of the cab A regatta was taking place in the middle of the bay. Relaxed and tired, I luxuriated in the spectacle as the window, keeping an eye on graceful sailboats went through their paces. Now they the cut of cars ahead. were rulming with the wind, their colorfu l spilmakers flashing brightly in the golden afternoon light. The mate from the Fa lcon was passing by, and he too paused to watch. "Sometimes I can't believe they ac­ tually pay me to do this," he mused. I winked and responded, "But I'll bet there are days when you have a very different opinion." He nodded, smiling. Then taking a final admiring glance at the sail­ boats circling the harbor, he headed below to continue with his chores. A member of the New Yo rk chapter of the Tr ans­ portation Research Forum, Joe Greenstein is a painter, photographer, and writer. His work has appeared in most major rail magazines. RaiiNews

RaiiNews oS3 North Bonneville: Columbia River Gorge Amphitheater A. Text and Photography by Gregory McCommic

BELOW: On May 9, 1997, One of the most scenic places in all of the Pacific North­ low. With over 30 trains a day running on both the a BNSF garbage train, west is the BOImeville Dam area located in the Columbia BNSF and UP main lines, the gorge is one of railroad­ guided by an SD40-2, River Gorge. Here, Burlington Northern & Santa Fe's ing's best-kept secrets-and one of the world's busiest moves through Tunnel 1.5 Fallbridge Subdivision and Union Pacific's Portland Sub­ railroad-inhabited river canyons. at North Bonneville, division exemplify Columbia River Gorge railroading at Washington. There are 12 its finest. This diverse five-mile section of riverside run­ History tunnels in a 50-mile sec­ ning offers everything from tunnels to S-curves, with the Cascade Mountains providing a breathtaking backdrop. The story of the Columbia River Gorge begins with tion of track on the Wash­ Here, the river is at its narrowest width, and the majestic the fiery volcanoes of the Cascade Mountain Range. ington side of the gorge. Cascades tower above, almost surrounding the trains be- Over the centuries, these volcanoes left lava and mud flows up to two miles thick. (Remnants of these flows can still be seen in the cliffs of the gorge.) Then, the mighty Columbia River cut a deep canyon through the lava, ash, and mud. The single greatest force in creating the gorge was flooding. About 15,000 years ago (near the end of the last Ice Age), gigantic flood waters up to 1,200 feet deep swept down the river corridor and scoured its cliffs, leaving its tributary streams hanging high above the riverbed. To day, many streams cascade down the cliffs, creating one of the world's greatest concentra­ tions of waterfalls. The Columbia River Gorge is the only sea level pas­ sage through the Cascade Mountains and is the most im­ portant transportation artery in the Pacific Northwest. On November 11, 1986, the federal government desig­ nated the gorge as a National Scenic Area.

BNSF Fallbridge Subdivision

Burlington Northel11 & Santa Fe enters the North Bon­ neville, Washington, area at m.p. 49.8. and runs to m.p. 54.8. The main line heading east comes around a sweep­ ing curve alongside Washington Route 14, affording a spectacular mountain backdrop for eastbound trains in the mOl11ing and westbounds in the late afternoon. The tracks then run into a giant S-curve that pops into Tu n­ nel No. 1.5, another photogenic location for afternoon westbound trains. Access to this 1,505-foot tunnel is easy, as there is a U.S. Corps of Engineers rest area for hikers across the sh'eet from the Bonneville Dam. You can park there and be near your vehicle, with the curves and tunnel only feet away. The main line then exits the tunnel and ducks under Route 14, with the overpass providing views of the tunnel for morning eastbounds and a remarkable view of the gorge for aftel1100n trains heading west. The railroad now makes a nm for the Columbia Riv­ er and along the way rolls under the Bridge of the Gods, one of the few river crossings in the gorge. The rails are now running on the banks and do so for the most part until Stevenson, Washington, at m.p. 54.8. Stevenson marks the begim1ing of an 11,085-foot siding and is lo­ cated along the waterfront business district. The Wash­ ington side of the river is easy to follow, as Rt. 14 paral­ lels the BNSF for almost the entire length of the gorge. Numerous equipment detectors in the area can easily be picked up by your scanner at m.p. 37.6, m.p. 48.4, and m.p. 61.0. This side of the gorge is a tunnel lover's dream come true. Twelve tunnels of various sizes and

54 ' April 1998 shapes canopy a 50-mile sec­ tion of track. Photography along this sec­ tion of tiverside tunning is in­ deed different, for very few main lines in orth America offer westbound trains during the morning hours. As the riv­ er narrows in its journey to the Pacific Ocean, BNSF's main line hugs the riverbank on a gi­ ant curve with incredible mountain scenery. An excellent vantage point can be had from the Oregon side of the river. The morningsun angle and the narrowness of the river allow for picture taking with just about any type of lens. Head east on Route 14 from the Tu nnel No. 1.5 area and cross the Columbia River over the Bridge of the Gods into Cas­ cade Locks, Oregon. Pay your 75 cents toll, drive to the end of the ramp and take a right. Drive approximately a quarter mile and on your left will be the Cascade Locks Marine Park. Pull into the park, and at the first stop sign take a left, then drive until you reach trains are a treat for the orthwest, as Burlington orth­ ABOVE: On St. Patrick's the fo ot bridge onto a little island. Walk to the other ern SD60Ms and SD70MACs can be found leading Day in 1996, BN Cascade side, and you will find a small piece of heaven with the these trains. Intermodal moves are usually a colorful mix green-escorting a west­ BNSF main line right in front of you. of power with LMX B39-8s, BN SD40-2s, and B SF bound manifest-thunders DASH 9-44CWs providing the muscle. Santa Fe, EMD through Stevenson, Wash­ BNSF Operations Leasing, and MRL power can also be had in these parts, ington, where an 11,085- as trailing or leading units. Run-through and leased pow­ foot siding begins. Burlington Northern & Santa Fe train movements have er from Conrail, Norfolk Southern, CSX, Canadian Na­ declined a bit since the opening of Stampede Pass, but tional, Canadian Pacific, and Kansas City Southern is 30 to 35 trains a day still pound the Fallbridge Subdivi­ present too. Even UP, B SF's main competitor, and its sion. Moming eastbound trains can be a bit thin, with merger partners Southem Pacific and Chicago & forth only one train that you can really count on. The rail­ vVestem make an appearance from time to time. road's hotshot train No. 2 out of Portland makes an early appearance and needs to be sought during the longer UP's Portland Subdivision months of the year. Extra movements, such as empty grain and loaded garbage trains, occur quite often, with Running from m.p. 38 to m.p. 43.5, UP's main line a manifest train thrown in once in a while. When through the Columbia River Gorge is the Portland Sub­ Stevens Pass is clogged with traffic or track work is be­ division, linking Portland and Seattle with points to the ing done, you will find stack trains from the East. This line is on the Oregon side of the Columbia SeattlelTacoma area. These trains usually run eastbound and is basically paralleled by Interstate 84. in the morning, too. Since BNSF cannot yet run stack At m.p. 38 (Exit 40, [-84), we find UP's spur into the trains over Stampede Pass, overflow intel1l10dal move­ Bonneville Dam. Here, the railroad rides high above the ments head south down the Seattle Subdivision and then visitors' center and fish hatchery area on a viaduct. Ex­ shoot eastbound out through the gorge. cellent afternoon shots can be obtained of westbound Westbound trains tend to run in bunches, during trains on both sides of the viaduct. From this point on to early morning and late afternoon. Any type of train Cascade Locks, the main line is not very accessible-the you can think of runs west: Manifest, intermodal, mountains are closer to the rivet; which does not leave

• garbage, automotive, grain, and even coal can show much room for an interstate and a busy main line . up during the big push. At Cascade Locks (m.p. 43.5) is the beginning of a Motive power can be a real treat on this B SF line, 12,695-foot siding, which is a hotspot for meets. The with evetything but the kitchen sink showing up to pow­ main line enters a very sharp S-curve, slowing rail traffic er a train. As a lUle of thumb, loaded grain trains have to a 25 mph restriction. This is definitely railroading in been using the new BNSF DASH 9-44CW, with the the slow lane. Westbound trains creep through the giant mighty SD40-2 fleet no longer dominant. Manifest trains curve, offering repeated opportunities for superb after­ receive everything from GP38-2s to BNSF DASH 9- noon photography. During the longer days of the yem; 44CWs. The Portland, Oregon, Vancouvel; and Rocky incredible photos can be had of eastbound trains [Tom Point, Washington, trains usually run with fo ur-axle the top of the Bridge of the Gods over the Columbia EMD power; the Seattle/Everett trains get bigger units River in the late afternoon. To reach the siding at Cas­ because they must climb the 1.1 percent grade of Napa cade Locks, take Exit 44 off [-84. Park your vehicle un­ Vine Hill on the Seattle Subdivision. The railroad's coal der the bridge and walk down the dirt road to the tracks.

RaiiNews 'SS FAR RIGHT: A trio of This small town has a few other photographic sites. Gorge is a small horn of plenty. Hot food is available Chicago & North Western's Several different views of both UP and BNSF can be tak­ at Char-Burger in Cascade Locks, which offers a DASH 9-44CWs heads en from the Port of Cascade Locks Marine Park, approx­ wide variety of western-style food. Several smaller west through Cascade imately three quarters of a mile east of I-S4. There are restaurants can be fo und in both Stevenson and Cas­ Locks on September 14, three grade crossings east of the park that can be cade Locks. For those looking for more elegant din­ 1995, with a hot Seattle­ reached by getting back onto Highway U.S. 30 (Wanapa ing, the Mt. Hood Railroad offers a Saturday Dinner bound intermodal train. Road) for less than a mile and then taking a left turn on­ and a Sunday Brunch Train. Take I-S4 east for 20 to Forest Lane Road. The crossings can be found by tak­ miles to Hood River, Oregon, then take Exit 63. ing a series of left turns down the small roads leading to This shortline railroad is located just south of I-S4. BELOW: Freight trains are the tracks. The scenery on this ride is simply awe-inspiring, restricted to 25 mph with Mt. Hood and Mt. Adams providing a dramatic through this sharp S-curve Union Pacific Operations backdrop. To make reservations (which are re­ along the banks of the quired) call (SOO) S72-4661. Columbia. On September Train movements on the mighty UP are sin1ilar to those Lodging in the Bonneville Dam area can be found 20, 1995, a DASH 8-40C on BNSF. Moming eastbound trains can at times be hard on either side of the river in Cascade Locks, Oregon, and its train snake their to come by, but westbound trains are constant through­ or Stevenson, Washington. There are several small way along the curve. out the day. You name it-UP runs it. Inte111l0dal, auto, inexpensive motels in the area, as well as the luxuri­ manifest, grain, and ash h'ains all h'avel these rails, along ous Skamania Lodge in Stevenson, which offers an with dedicated doublestack trains for APL, K-Line, and outdoor whirlpool, 1S-hole golf course, tennis Maersk. Thirty to 40 trains a day are standard toward courts, horseback riding, and gourmet restaurant. the end of the week. For reservations, call, (509) 427-7700. Motive power is interesting, with a large amount of To experience the total Columbia River Gorge fonner C&NW units still sporting their former heritage railroading adventure, reserve a room at the north and oftentimes seen leading trains. As of this writing end of the Columbia River Inn Best Western in Cas­ none of the forn1er SP units have received cab signals, so cade Locks. There you can relax and enjoy the they can't lead; but this will change in the future. For splendor of the Cascade Moun- now, it is possible to see all three of the railroads' loco­ tains and one of the greatest motives in one consist or in multiple variations. Leased shows in the Pacific Northwest and run-through power appears on a regular basis from from your own deck. For reserva­ Helm, NS, CSX, and Conrail, with BNSF power also tions, call (SOO) 595-710S. If you showing up from time to time. Occasionally, a special prefer the great outdoors, you treat comes in the form of the Centennial DDA40X No. can try one of the many state COL 6936 in revenue service. E units and the business train parks in Oregon and Washington. are not strangers either. Visiting the UP in the gorge is For information and reservations, anything but dull. call (SOO) 452-56S7. Columbia River Gorge is fa- Other Attractions mous for its waterfalls-on the Oregon side of the river alone, The Bonneville Dam area of the Columbia River there are 77! One of the best WA �

... Sacagawe

... Aldrich ButtE

14 o North

56 · April 1998 ways to view the waterfalls is by taking a car ride down the historic Columbia River Highway. Two stern wheelers travel along the river, offering dinner and day cruises. Required dinner reservations and spe­ cial event information can be secured by calling (503) 374-8427. There are many other places to visit in the Columbia River Gorge, such as Multnomah Falls, Beacon Rock, and .! the Bonneville Dam. No other location in the Pacific Northwest presents such a diverse sightseeing package. To top it all off, these two separate railroads on each side of the Columbia River offer more than nine different paint schemes. In short, railroading in the Columbia River Gorge affords railfans an unforgettable experience. A railroad car welder/rigger, Grego­ ry A. McCommic comes from a fa mily with long ties to the "late, great" Maine Centra l Railroad. Th is is his fi rst RN byline. RailNews

,UMBIA RIVER GORGE

HINGTON

Bowles,. Lakes,

Blue Lakes�

And Papoose Rocks

Kidney... Lake Spring Lake\

- & Burlington Northern Sante Fe Line Union Pacific Line State Highway Interstate Highway / U.S. Highway

RaiiNews · 57

TRACK BULLETIN Burlington Northern & Santa Fe

Mike Cleary

Late in January, revisions were made to many Burlington Northern & Santa Fe services out of the Tw in Cities area. On July 5, 1997, train Z PTLCHC1 (Portland, Oregon-Chicago) streaks through St. Paul, Minnesota.

FINANCIAL revenue, reflecting high demand and Union while BNSF had the UPS business) departs Wil­ Pacific's troubles, soared 14 percent to $622 low Springs, Illinois, at 2: 15 p.m., with train Z 1997 Roars Back million, with merchandise and coal traffic WSPALT812 following at 6:45 p.m. daily. East­ scoring lesser gains. Lower corn shipments bound, train Z ALTWSP911 leaves Alliance, After a dismal first quarter soured by a diffi­ dropped revenue from agricultural commodi­ Te xas, during the early morning hours, with Z cult winter, Burlington Northern & Santa Fe ties by 12 percent. The operating ratio for the ALTWSP2 following at 2:30 p.m. on Thurs­ steadily gained financial ground and finished quarter was 75.9 percent. days, Fridays, and Saturdays. 1997 with decent results. The company re­ Starting January 10, Indiana Harbor Belt h'af­ ported full-year earnings of $942 million, OPERATIONS fic from former BN and Santa Fe points was with $274 million coming in fourth quarter. Dallas Business Departs, Fighting combined into ll'ain M KCK[HB 1, originating at Both figures exclude a $90 million pretax Argentine Yard in Kansas City. The service oper­ charge related to consolidation of clerical Winter, Northtown Changes ates via the former BN route to Galesburg, Illi­ functions at To peka, Kansas, and Fort Worth, nois, picks up cars from the north, and runs via Texas. The railroad states that this process is United Parcel Service took its Chicago-Dallas Santa Fe to the IHB interchange in McCook, Illi­ essentially completed, though 350 clerks re­ traffic away from BNSF and gave it back to UP nois. The westbound counterpart is listed as main to be laid off. on January 12. This diversion was expected af­ train M IHBKCK I. Trains M GALKCK I and M Revenues for the year were $8.4 billion, ter UP resumed operation of its Chicago-Texas KCKGAL 1 (Galesburg, lllinois-Kansas City, and operating expenses were $6.6 billion, both inteml0dal trains in December. Howevel; BNSF Kansas) shifted over to the Santa Fe route to up 3 percent from 1996 levels. The operating hopes to retain some of the less-than-tmckload make room for these trains. ratio declined to 77.9 percent from the 78.5 traffic it won as a result of UP's service trou­ Also on January 10, BNSF ran a special train percent established one year earlier. During bles. Two BNSF intermodal trains serve the for Chevron from Essex, Califomia, to the EI Se­ fourth quarter, revenues totaled $2.2 billion Willow Springs-Alliance run. Train Z WS­ gundo, California, refinery. Chevron told the rail­ and expenses totaled $1.7 billion. Intermodal PALT I (it had been mnning as the Z WSPALT9 road it absolutely needed 20 empty tank cars

60 • April 1998 stored at Essex and would pay special train Willmar between Northtown and Dilworth, MOTIVE POWER charges to get them moved to EI Segundo im­ Minnesota, with through Northtown-Sioux mediately. Out of Needles came BN SD40-2 City, Iowa, runs reported to be next. Trains M BNSF Scheme Variation, Leases o. 78 16, which pulled this odd consist to the GFDWLM l and M WLMGFD 1 (Grand General Electric began turning out the remain­ refinery as train U NEEWAT3 10 (Needles­ Forks-Wi llmar) were discontinued and re­ Watson Ya rd). placed with a Grand Forks-Breckenridge local der of BNSF's 172 -unit order for DASH 9- Across the northern part of its system , that feeds regional Red River Valley & We st­ 44CWs at the end of 1997, with two in fmal test­ BNSF implemented the following winter ern at the latter point. The number of daily ing at Erie, Pennsylvania, on January 2. As ex­ weather contingency plan: All trains operated switch engine starts at Willmar was reduced pected, these 52 units will fill the 4720-4771 ros­ west of Minneapolis were assigned at least two from six to two. ter spot. Numbers 4720 and 472 1 were deliv­ units equipped with heated cabs; meets on the New Tw in Cities-Barstow train H ered to Chicago in time to power train S CHI­ KOSub (New Rockford Cutoff, Fargo-Surrey, NTWBARI is enjoying healthy traffic, primal'i­ LAC I 15 on January 15. By February 1, units North Dakota) were restricted to four loca­ Iy paper products and grain, on its tri-weekly through No. 4 731 had been reported on the tions with good highway access (Karlsruhe, trips. The train operates via Willmar, property. The new units were delivered in the New Rockford, Hannaford, and Nolan, North Minnesota, and Sioux City, Iowa, on the once original Heritage paint scheme but unaccount­ Dakota) during periods of heavy snow; motive endangered Marshall Sub. ably without lettering, yellow stripes, or nose power was assigned to rotary plows and fixed plows, making it ready to go in case of trouble; and train crews were required to report loco­ motive defects at least two hours in advance of an'ival at Northtown Yard to allow shop forces enough time to prepare for immediate correc­ tive action. Fortunately, generally mild weather COLORADO RAIL ANNUALS did not force a test of this plan through Jan­ Yo ur best source for uary. In fact, the St. Cloud, Minnesota, ballast pits, normally long shut down by Christmas, Colorado railroad history were loading trains through December 23. Late in January, BNSF revised its manifest train schedules radiating from Northtown Yard in Minneapolis to provide solid trains to many intermediate points on the system. A January 30 yard status report revealed 18 trains made FLORENCE &. CRIPPLE CREEK Colorado Rail Annual No.13 up in the 63-t rack Northtown bowl: M NTWMAN I 30 (Mandan, North Dakota); M Hardcover $34.95 NTWBRE 1 31 (Breckenridge, Minnesota/Red River Valley & We stern connection); H NTWKCK I 31 (Kansas City/Argentine Yard); S H 0 RT LINE TO CRIPPLE CREEK H NTWBRC 1 30 and 31 (Belt Railway of Colorado Rail Annual No.16 Chicago/Clearing Yard); H NTWEOL4 30 and Hardcover $29.95 31 (Eola, Illinois); M NTWSUPI 30 and 31 (Superior, Wisconsin, including cars for St. Croix River Valley Railroad at Hinckley, Min­ nesota); H NTWPAS I 30 (Pasco, Washington); ROCK ISLAND, TENNESSEE PASS, H NTWGFD I 30 (Grand Forks, North Dako­ FORT COLLINS TROLLEYS ta); M NTWWLM3 30 (Willmar, Minnesota); Colorado Rail Annual No. 17 H NTWEVE 1 31 (Everett, Washington) ; M Hardcover $35.95 NTWGALI 30 (Galesburg, Illinois); M NTWMINI 30 (Minot, North Dakota); H PAS­ MEMI 28 (Pasco, Washington-Memphis, Ten­ nessee); M NTWSTL l 30 (St. Louis); and M COAL, CINDERS &. PARLORCARS: NTWLINI 30 (Lincoln, Nebraska). A Century of Colorado Passenger Tra ins. Coincident with this change was the Colorado Rail Annual No. 19 downgrading of Willmar, Minnesota, as a ter­ Hardcover $39.95 minal, apparently to eliminate the short 92- mile crew district from Northtown. Starting on January 29, crews began running through ROBERT W. RICHARDSON'S N A R ROW G AUGEN E W S Colorado Rail Annual No. 21 Hardcover $44.95

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RaiiNews · 61 new assembly plant in Mexico early in 1998. (See Modern Powel� p. 32) Renumbering and restenciling of premerg­ er locomotives continued at a slow but steady pace through January, with 128 units com­ pleted by January 11. While a good mix of renumbered locomotives resulted, the biggest block consisted of former Santa Fe GP50s . . Former Santa Fe C30-7 locomotives, turned back to GE in 1989 in the DASH 8- 40BW deal, continue to pull trains on the system under lease, and one, No. 8139 (now 5182) has received a BNSF number. Many of the Santa Fe SF30Cs, now owned by Liv­ ingston Rebuild Center, are returning under lease as well. Other leased power continued to be plen­ tiful on BNSF trains during January, along with units borrowed from other railroads, in­ cluding short lines Kyle and OmniTRAX. However, all of the Norfolk Southern feasel'S had left the property by January, and Metro­ North B23-7 No. 805 had moved over to Minnesota Commercial. An odd sight was train X CEIGFD arriving at Grand Forks,

Michael Gramm North Dakota, on January 14 behind three Illinois Central SD40/SD40-2 Nos. 6140, A trio of SD70MACs leads a string of coal hoppers southbound at Greeneland, Colorado, on February 17, 1997. 6148, and 6006. The first two looked farther from home than they were, since both are former BN SD40-2s. While most of the Santa Fe SD45s have heralds. At press time the reason for this omis­ new SD75Ms in the 8276-8301 series had been sold to Morrison Knudsen (now Motive­ sion was unknown, even to BNSF, whose Jim been delivered by January 1. The laggard was Power Industries) and Wisconsin Central, a Sabourin could not provide an explanation. spotted in full paint at London, Ontario, on few remain on the BNSF roster despite nearly The primer-painted Gray Ghosts, DASH January 3 and joined the roster shortly there­ three decades of continuous service. Because 9-44CW Nos. 776, 777, 789, 790, 791, and after. Contrary to previous reports, not all of of the ongoing power shortage, BNSF is still 792, were scheduled for trips through the these units were painted at VMV; some re­ putting money into these veterans. Mid-America Car paint booth, the first four ceived their Warbonnets at London. As of January 1, Federal Railroad Admin­ locomotives in February and the last two in By mid-January SD70MACs through istration rules require all locomotives operat­ April. As of press time, it was not known 9864 had been delivered. Starting with No. ing in the lead over road crossings at speeds whether they would emerge in red-and-silver 9865, EMD began outs hopping the MACs greater than 20 mph to have ditch lights. Warbonnet paint or the Warpumpkin green­ with headlights mounted in the nose rather Missing that deadline, BNSF asked for an ex­ and-orange scheme used on counterparts than above the windshield. The builder, tension, but received only one week. This re­ units 739 and 740. strapped for capacity by burgeoning orders, sulted in some scrambling to put ditch light­ With the exception of No. 8299, all of the plans to shift production of these units to a equipped units on all through trains.

BNSF 1997

ersion 2 0 MOTIVEB : Robert POW C. DelER Grosso REVI EW V . Comprehensive review of the BNSF owned and W leased motive power fleet . New deliveries . 100% NIs itE a railroad traffic control line-by-line roster of owned and leased fleets as 12/3 1197 (over 4,900 units!) . Repainting Program 10 Announcingsimulator an all ornew a version compu of Traterin Dispa game?tcher with many new features and track territories including: • Renumbering Plan. • Paint Schemes • Retire­ NEC Washington DC to Philadelphia ments • Photo record of entire BNSF fleet . Handy NEC New Haven to Boston fo r home or auto • Essential fo r historians and SP Eugene to Crescent Lake modelers • Hardbound • 220 b&w halftones • 33 SP Eugene to Portland • 6"x9" fo rmat . $34.95 SRA (New South Wales) North Coast Additional track territories are under development. Also announcing Track Builder. With Track Builder you Expires April 25, 1998 - Also Available - can design your own track territories (real, fictitious or t MRL 10 h Anniversary Railfan Guide ($24.95); For Windows 3.1 & Windows 95 your model railroad) to simulate with Train Dispatcher StampedelStevens Passes Railfan Guide ($24.95); Comes on a 3.5 inch diskette 2.0 or change the track territories we included. BNSF Railway 1996 Annual ($48.95); Marias Pass Train Dispatcher 2.0 ...... $44.95 Download demonstration copies of both programs from Guide ($24.95); SP&S Cabooses ($28.95) Others ­ Track Builder 2.0 ...... $64.95 our web page at http://www.usaor.net/signal. See our website for details and price specials: Train Dispatcher 1.0 ...... $1 9.95 htt b l" • • b SIGNAL Computer Consultants • II fi rnf Shipping (US) ...... $4.00 Great Northern Pacific Publications P.O. Box 18445, Pittsburgh, PA 15236 Shipping (non US) ...... $6.00 888 872-4612 412 655-1884 Route 4. Box 627A Add $2.00 for each additional item Tel (toll free) or 412 655-1893 Bonners Ferry, 83805 PA residents add 7% sales tax Fax E-mail [email protected] ID Dealer Inquiries Welcomed MastercardlVisalDiscover/Checks accepted (208) 267-3054

62 • April 1998 ADMINISTRATION On the subject of this monumental agree­ fornia. Santa Fe sold the Redondo Junction fa­ ment, Chief Executive Officer Rob I(rebs stated, cility to Amtrak in 1977. Dispatchers Go Union "The key here is greater coordination between On January 7, BNSF announced the sale of railroads along the Gulf Coast to improve opera­ its 5-mile Stoil to Alpaugh, California, branch Since BNSF relocated the non-union fonner San­ tions and reduce congestion. This will improve to West Isle Line Inc. Santa Fe built this line ta Fe dispatchers from Schaumburg, Illinois, to service options into and out of the Houston in great haste during winter 1915 to keep SP Fort Worth, Texas, in summer 1997, continued area, and increase competitive alternatives for out of Alpaugh, the center of an important friction with the unionized former Burlington rail customers along the former SP Houston to ranching region. The branch survived to han­ Northern dispatchers caused management nu­ New Orleans line and its branches by providing dle fertilizer loads terminating at the We st Isle merous headaches. On January 2, BNSF an­ access to BNSF." production facility of Western Farm Service. nounced an agreement with the American Tr ain The company evidently bought the line to pre­ Dispatchers Department of the Brotherhood of SHORT ITEMS serve rail service. West Isle uses former SP Locomotive Engineers (actually reached in De­ GP9 No. 3399, repainted green and yellow as cember) under which all dispatcher positions Super Bowl Special, Amtrak on its sole power. Mountain States Contracting will be filled by union members. Santa Fe dis­ BNSF, Line Sale was repairing the track during January and patchers have the options of transferring to an West Isle plans to operate on Tuesdays only at exempt position at the same pay and benefits or As a treat for its best customers, BNSF operat­ this point. coming under the fotmer BN union agreement, ed a special business train from San Bernardi­ The rambling old Santa Fe freight house with prior rights to fill former Santa Fe positions. no to San Diego, California, on January 23 as adjacent to the depot and office building at Burlington Northern dispatchers agreed to work part of a Super Bowl outing. The train, sym­ Richmond, California, was destroyed by fire rule revisions in return for a signing bonus, eligi­ boled 0 SBDSDGI 23, consisted of on November IS, 1997. The blaze came as bility to receive yearly performance bonuses, and Warpumpkin DASH 9-44CW Nos. 739 and no surprise, as the building was slated to be 401K plan participation. 740 and cars Santa Fe 68, BN 23, BN 26, San­ demolished. ta Fe 62, and BN 24. In Rialto, California, Metrolink was sched­ JOINT ACCESS After Conrail banned Amtrak's 1400-series uled to complete a $1 million new station Houston to New Orleans material handling cars from trains operating building in January, designed as a replica of on its lines in early January, BNSF followed the original Santa Fe station. Th anks to BNSF, BradAl exander, Arkrail, After three months of haggling between the two suit. The cars collected in Amtrak's Chicago O. R. Bixler, Kyle Brehm, David R. Busse, rail supergiants, BNSF and UP announced on coach yard as the passenger carrier substituted Mike Clem)" Steve Gerbracht, David Hoge, lim February 13 that they would band together to its new express boxcars. Hal/is, layhawk, Ben Kerr, Bill Miller, Rick establish a joint regional dispatching center for Amtrak had completed the foundation for their Gulf Coast operations. Now separately its new Los Angeles locomotive shop by De­ Newton, Skip Nuccio, Malcom Kellogg, owned, the agreement will see BNSF and UP ex­ cember, with structural steel going up. The Michael M. Palmieri, Bill Pollard, Dan achange their half interests in two sections of new facility will replace the former Santa Fe Schroedel; Starpacel; and Rich Wa llace. the 342-mile fotmer Southern Pacific main line Redondo Junction roundhouse, which is the Michael W. Blaszak and Karl Rasmussen between Houston and New Orleans, in order to last such building in service in Southern Cali- receive full access to all customers on the main line and associated branch lines. Headquarters for the joint operation will be * A NEW VIDEO RELEASE FROM PLETS EXPRESS! * located at UP's command center in Spring, Te xas, and dispatching for the Houston-New Orleans line will be handled by UP and BNSF dispatchers at that location. These employees SOO LINE will also manage and coordinate all UP, BNSF, Houston Belt & Te rminal, and Port Terminal Railroad Association movements-no easy task in this heavily congested rail hub. Although no answer had been received by press time, Kansas City Southern and Tex Mex were invited to part­ cipate in this Houston cooperative effort. "A SleI amini Firll Seal I Onl1 APPROXIMAT ELY 90 MINUTES Another provision of the agreement will COLOR 0 LIVE AUDIO & NARRATION grant UP trackage rights over BNSF trackage between Beaumont and Navasota, Texas. This routing will relieve congestion for UP, as it will allow the railroad to bypass the Houston area.

* Fall of 1996 Break in Runs on NSSR. * The 1003 on the Duluth to Two Harbors tourist train over NorthShore Scenic Railroad * The 2-8-2 #1003 shuttle across Wisconsin which includes some freight runs with a caboose * Osceola to New Richmond Passenger trip over the 51. Croix River High Bridge �ocket * The 1003 Doubleheader with Northern Pacific ,. 4-6-0 #328 on the Soo's Dreser Line * 500 Line 1997 Historical Society Convention Train W; Watches out of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin FOR A PROFESSIONAL 2-HR VIDEO * Plus a few SOO, WC and DM&IR Trains SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY OFFER! of Watches for Sale, send $10 J IAt REGULAR PRICE $38.95 $33 • OFFER EXPIRES 4/30/98 (fully refunded with 1 st order) to: owrr 95 SHIPPING & HANDLING: USA $4 CANADA $5 INTERNATIONAL TIMEKEEPERS WISCONStN RESt DENTS ADD 50!. SALES TAX 780 N Western Ave ' Nogates AZ 85621 . 520-287-6578 EBffBrochures also available on request PLETS EXPRESS VISA 833-8899 III Fu lly Res tored• Grade* Rare ' Wa rra nteed i I (715) High PO BOX WI 217 . 54720 RaiiNews oS3 TRACK BULLETIN Kansas City Southern

hearing were evident: Between November 11 and 24, Tex Mex operated 19 trains and 1,945 carloads over the new Algoa route. During the same period, BNSF interchanged over 1,100 carloads to Tex Mex at Flatonia. Prior to the cri­ sis, in March 1997, KCS and Tex Mex were in­ terchanging, on average, 283 carloads of south­ bound traffic and four carloads of northbound traffic monthly at Beaumont, Texas, plus return­ ing empties. Because of UP's service problems, for the month ending October 31, interchange volume had risen to 1,357 carloads south and 48 carloads north, plus returning empties. For the month ending November 30, after STB's emergency service took effect, volume jumped to 1,866 carloads south and 142 cars north, plus returning empties. Regarding detour grain trains between Kansas City and points south, KCS handled 21 loaded and 18 empty trains through November 4. The railroad no longer accepted grain detours on the latter date. Detouring Texas intermodal trains via Norfolk Southern saw KCS receive 58 southbound trains at Meridian, Mississippi, through November 17, not includ­ ing the returning movements. These intetIDodal detours ceased December 16, and UPS shuttle trains 2201221 running on the west end were A rare SD40X escorts a Kansas City Southern freight over the Mississippi River Bridge at Baton Rouge, abolished effective January 12. Louisiana, on January 20, 1996. TEX MEX Adding Capacity CONGESTION original service order received some modifica­ tion and was extended through March 15. After Tex Mex is preparing for an anticipated in­ UP Service Order Extended UP initiated directional operation between crease in international traffic at its busy Laredo, Houston and Laredo, Tex Mex trains now use Texas, border crossing. Construction has begun After reviewing written comments and listening two routes to access Houston-southbound via on a new $7.5 million 480-acre yard and inter­ to remarks presented by interested parties at a Flatonia, Victoria, and Placedo and northbound modal ramp located approximately six miles December 3 hearing, the Surface Transportation via Placedo and Algoa. Some interesting statis­ east of the border on a parcel of land owned by Board concluded that the Union Pacific trans­ tics in the Tex MeX/KCS joint statement dated Tex Mex. The property is located between pOl·tation emergency still exists. In response, the December 1 prepared for the December 3 STB 20 and the Outer Loop, two key north-south

Make plans to be in Chicago on May 22-24, 1998 (Memorial Day Weekend) . The Central Electric Railfans' Association will be celebrating its 60th anniversary and you are invited to join in the fe stivities!

Events planned fo r this memorable we ekend include inspection trips on Metra Electric (Illinois Central) suburban lines and the Chicago Transit Authority's extensive "L" network as well as visits to the Fox River Trolley Museum and the Illinois Railway Museum. Special slide prepresentations and a banquet will also be held. For more information ii and a reservation form write: � CERA P.O. Box 503, Chicago, IL 60690.

64 · April 1998 highway arteries, and is ideally positioned to privatization. Locomotive painting and renum­ tations, TFM is stepping out for new road power. take advantage of the proposed construction of bering are proceeding at a rapid pace. Several The first locomotives expected to arrive are 50 a second international bridge dedicated to com­ units continue to wear former Ferrocarriles Na­ steerable huck-equipped AC44CWs, with a ten­ mercial traffic crossing the border. The new 14- donales de Mexico blue dress and five-digit road tative delivery date scheduled for May through track facility will more than triple the capacity numbers; and a few can even be found wearing August. Next should be 18 GP40-3s (Nos. 1161- of the existing downtown yard. Since the yard National Railways of Mexico (NdeM) red and 117 9), former CSX GP40s to be remanufactured was opened in 1881, the town has grown up black. Many blue units have been renumbered by Boise Locomotive. General Motors will re­ around it, leaving no room for expansion. The and TFM cab emblems applied, and several loco­ portedly ship 75 SD70MAC kits to Bom­ old facility is to be converted to a storage yard motives now wear the KCS corporate gray and bardier/ConcalTil near Mexico City for final as­ and transload facility. The new facility is expect­ yellow. Known KCS-clone units, as of early-Jan­ sembly beginning in late 1998 or early 1999. ed to be completed by fall 1998. Four tracks uary, are C30-7 Nos. 2360, 2381, 2382, 2383, Long-term leased locomotives headed for ranging in length from 7,500 to 9,350 feet will and 2391; GP38-2 No. 112 5; MP 1 5AC Nos. TFM have been spotted on both KCS and Tex be operational by May. The two intermodal 1038 and 1039; and SDP40 No. 1321. Kansas Mex properties. Helm SD40-2 No. 1505, painted tracks will be 6,500 feet long. City Southern units feature a black side sill with in maroon paint and lettered for TFM, spent A new connection between Union Pacific and a yellow reflective stripe. Several leased locomo­ time in Rich Mountain helper service and was Tex Mex is under construction at Robstown, tives on the property are wearing a wide variety seen on a northbound manifest train near As­ Te xas. Negotiating the current connection has of paint schemes, including Conrail blue, Illinois bury, Missouri, on December 27. Counterpart been a source of flUstration and lengthy delays, Central black, CSX gray, and Helm maroon and unit No. 1522 was spotted at Corpus Christi, as southbound h'ains on UP must cross the Tex blue. Freight cars are also receiving new TFM Texas, on the same day. Mex, then back through the existing connection markings, with application of new dimensional toward Corpus Christi before heading west. In a data in English replacing metric units. FACILITY few weeks, southbound trains will instead turn Tra in operations have changed dramatically. right on a new balloon loop after crossing the Cabooses are being replaced by end-of-train de­ Wylie, Texas, Rejects KCS Presence Tex Mex, eliminating the reverse move. Existing vices. Locomotive models MP 15ACs and structures in the northwest quadrant of the GP38-2s have replaced C30-7 switch engines at Listening to the voice of city voters, the Wylie, crossing necessitated placement of the connec­ Monterrey and Saltillo, respectively. Crews ap­ Texas, city council announced on November tion to the south. pear to be more professional and efficient, even 11 that it supports the majority opposing with the end of six-person teams. A pair of KCS's plan to construct a 550-acre, $35 mil­ MEXICO armed security guards is posted at each passing lion intermodal facility at the northeastern Changes All Around siding to discourage looting. The guards will al­ edge of the city. The railroad purchased the so ride train locomotives and freight cars to property in late 1996 and immediately went keep the train safe. Guards patroling yards in public with its intentions. Factions for and After nearly one full year in operation, Kansas Nuevo Leon, Monterrey, Saltillo, and Coahuila against soon split the community, forcing City SouthernlTransportacion Maritima Mexi­ have resulted in a significant reduction in tres­ neighbors into shouting matches and finger­ cana-owned Tr ansportacion Ferroviaria Mexi­ passing on railroad property. pointing. Oddly, the events of the last few cana has become the model for Mexican railroad With business exceeding the wildest of expec- months are the result of KCS' preliminary an-

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RaiiNews oS5 nouncement. There has yet to be an official gan appearing on the line-up. These symbols had rail banking of the line. The city has until July unveiling of the plan or a request for rezoning. been used for the monster Kansas City-Port 8 to negotiate an agreement with KCS; other­ After citizen oppostion forced a non-binding Arthur manifest trains as recently as the early wise, the railroad will be permitted to fully vote on the issue in September, it was only a 1970s. Most recently, these numeric symbols abandon the line. matter of time until the city council was simi­ were assigned to the Shreveport -Beaumont -Lare­ larly forced to take sides. Officials at KCS do trains via Tex Mex (M-SHMXl IM-MXSHI). MISCELLANEOUS continue to examine alternatives. Other trains may revert to the old numbering system by the end of the year. New Dispatching System, F Units OPERATIONS ABANDONMENTS General Railway Signal will install a new com­ Short-Term Coal, Symbol Changes puterized dispatching system at the Shreve­ Hope Subdivision port, Louisiana, facility beginning in June. The After a nearby coal mine ceased production, Em­ company's advanced TMX Transportation pire Electric's Opolis, Missouri, generating sta­ On Decem ber 24, 1997, the Director of Parks, Management System will control the entire tion southeast of Pittsburg, Kansas, began exper­ Recreation and Tourism of the City of Hope railroad, including CTC and dark territory, imenting with alternative sources for lower-grade filed a request for a notice of interim trail use and will display the operational status to dis­ coal to mix with its steady diet of UP-OJiginated for 42.78 miles of KCS' abandoned Hope Sub­ patchers. Hardware consists of redundant Wyoming coal. In mid-January, two 75-car train­ division between m.p. 4 (south of Hope, client-server architecture with nine work sta­ loads of Kentucky bituminous coal rumbled over Arkansas) to m.p. 46.78 (Arkansas-Louisiana tions. The railroad will also receive Track CSX rails to KCS-subsidiary Gateway Western at state line). The Surface Tr ansportation Board's Builder graphics software to simplify territory St. Louis. Gateway We stern passed the trains off July 3, 1997, decision authorizing abandon­ additions and modifications. to KCS at Kansas City for the remaining 133 ment of the line provided a l80-day period for All four KCS F units were pressed into ac­ miles to the plant. Loads were symboled as train KCS to negotiate an agreement with the Na­ tion shortly before the Christmas holiday. Ap­ 67 and empties were train 68. As the Kentucky tional Salvage and Service Corporation for dis­ pointments were scheduled for the High Oak product proved unsatisfactory, trains 67 and 68 mantling of the line, expiring on December Yard dedication near Jackson, Mississippi, on were discontinued on January 24. 31, 1997. Since KCS had not yet consummat­ December II and Gateway Western's Santa Train symbols on the north end of the Gulf ed the abandonment, the City of Hope submit­ Claus train departing East St. Louis, Illinois, Division appear to be shifting again. The railroad ted a statement indicating its willingness to as­ on December 13. KCS 1 and 4 handled the had long identified its trains with a numetic sym­ sume full financial responsibility and all legal train to High Oak Yard, and KCS 2 and 3 bol until two years ago when a new dual alpha­ liability arising out of the transfer or use of the tended to the Santa Train. The train was sent numeric system was adopted. For example, the right-of-way, and for payment of property tax­ to Kansas City for display and tours during Kansas City-Shreveport freight, once known as es for the right-of-way. It also acknowledged an employee open house on December 20. No. 5, is now M-KCSHl. Dispatchers and crews that the use of the right-of-way for trail pur­ On January 19-21, the Southern Belle en ter­ preferred the old numeric symbols, so the new poses is subject to future reactivation for rail tained invited guests and company officials alpha symbols were rarely used. In mid-January, service. The railroad indicated a willingness to during a leisurely round trip between Shreve­ crews were surprised when trains 41 and 42 be- negotiate with the City of Hope for trail use or port, Louisianna, and Meridian, Mississippi. Upon returning to Kansas City on January 23, the train was scheduled for a six-week break for maintenance. KCS I, Meridian, al­ so received a new desktop control stand dur­ ing its recent overhaul. Embroidered Railroad Gateway Western GP38-2 No. 2024 has re­ ceived its KCS corporate make-over and has been renumbered to 4098. Apparel Thanks to KCS, Ca rl Codney, Charles For The Entire Pitcher, Mike Palmieri, Chris Palmieri, David Family-173+ Palmieri, Lowell McManus, Sean Graham­ White, John Locke, Tim Ren, Stephen Robin­ Railroads son, Bill Ertman, Bob Ticknel; Rich Wa llace, With 500 To m Holley, David Hurt, Karl Sollman, Tracy Va riations Bullard, David Bridges, Danny Johnson, Pat McCarthy, Dan Schroedel; Andy Smith, Mal­ com Kellogg, and Jerry Sample.

Michael Hasbargen Railroad

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RoadRailers streak through the plush countryside at Spruce Creek, Pennsylvania. Scenes like these have become synonymous with Conrail operations in the 1990s.

OPERATIONS schedules include intermodal train TV-78 MOTIVE POWER (carrying both trailers and double stacks), CN Traffic Changes, New Trains which once again runs via the Southern Tier Kits Arriving To expedite automotive traffic and improve in place of TV-202. Tr ain TV-78 had been In early January, work began on the first of equipment cycling, Com-ail revised the pattern rerouted off the Tier in 1996. Symbols on the 15 General Motors Locomotive Group of its trains to and from Canadian National via Wisconsin Central run-through trains have SD70MACs being built by Conrail at Juniata Buffalo, New York. Blocking instructions, been revised slightly. Previously denoted Shops in Altoona, Pennsylvania. The initial times, and equipment cycles have changed on WCEL and ELWC, they are now known as locomotive kit arrived in Altoona on train CWEL and ELCW, respectively. some existing trains, and three new trains PlAT (Pittsburgh-Altoona) the day after Conrail issued a directive stating that lo­ have been established. One of the new trains, Christmas. The kits are being shipped via comotives are no longer to be pooled to or CN-232, carries mostly automotive traffic be­ Canadian Pacific from GM's plant in Lon­ tween Buffalo and Oakville, Ontario. The oth­ from Norfolk Southern through the Hager­ don, Ontario, to Niagara Falls, New York, stown, Maryland, gateway with the excep­ er two, trains CN-333 and CN-563, are To ron­ where they are interchanged to Conrail for tion of RoadRailer trains RR-265 and RR- to to Buffalo manifests. A total of four pairs of forwarding to Altoona. First unit No. 4130 266. Previouse procedure saw power from trains are involved in the equipment cycling. and its 14 counterparts (Nos. 4131-4144) both railroads intermingling and roaming Tr ain SFSE is a new daily run-through train are slated to go to CSX if the Conrail trans­ freely on such trains as ALNS (Allentown, from Burlington Northern & Santa Fe handed action is approved. off to Conrail at Streator, Illinois, and termi­ Pennsylvania-Roanoke, Virginia, via NS); nated in Selkirk, New York. On BNSF, the SENS (Selkirk, New York-Linwood, North M ISCELLAN EO US train is symboled HMODSXR 9. [t leaves Carolina, via NS); and TV-2 13 (Kearny, New Streator at 1 :30 p.m., arriving in Selkirk the Jersey-Atlanta, Georgia, via NS). The reason New Timetables, Business Train second day at 2:30 a.m. that power is now changed out at Hager­ Recent revisions to Conrail's freight stown is unclear. On January IS, new employee timetable No. 6

68 · April 1998 was issued for each of Conrail's five divisions, Collinwoood Yard on the east side of Cleveland, along with the System Special Instructions. as part of the Cleveland Union Tenninal project Latest Release! This release could be the last set of Conrail that produced what is now known as the Short­ employee timetables issued. line passing just south of the downtown area. GREAT NORTHERN D.F. Barnhart & Associates has been re­ With the recent closure of Berea Tower, and tained to evaluate Conrail's business train Quaker Tower during fall 1997, Drawbridge re­ LINES WEST fleet. The company is appraising the value of mains as the last staffed Conrail tower in the the OCS (Office Car Special) equipment and Cleveland area. will most likely handle its liquidation. At pre­ GREAT NORTHERN sent, sources indicate it does not appear likely RUM SAVED LINES WEST that either CSX or NS will retain any of the cars or the E8 locomotives. In preparation for Quick-Thinking Conrail Police the inspection in early January, the OCS fleet Alert police, video technology, and coopera­ was moved to Enola, Pennsylvania, for wheel tive investigative techniques resulted in Con­ truing and other work. The sleek £8 Nos. rail Police recovering two stolen trailers on 4020 and 402 1 handled the II-car train under February 10, 1998. the symbol OCS-40 1. South Kearny TrailVan Terminal reported END OF AN ERA to Conrail Police that a trailerload of rum was missing from the yard . Video cameras that Berea Tower Closes monitor the area were quickly consulted, and Newly revised by Charles R. Wo od the trailer was seen being pulled from the gate. Excellent photo quality, added color Moments after the passage of eastbound inter­ Within an hour, a Conrail special agent modal train TVlO B around nooontime on Febru­ noticed the same tractor from the video photos, updated and improved ary I, Berea Tower ceased operation as a staffed pulling another trailer from the yard, this one 208 pages · 283 photos · index interlocking tower. Berea, Ohio, 13 miles west of full of televisions. downtown Cleveland, is what many consider the The agent apprehended the driver who, Price: heart of the Conrail system, where the Chicago after noticing the approaching agent, at­ Plus $3 shipping ($5 $55fo reign shipping) . to Buffalo, New Yo rk, main line meets up with tempted to get rid of the paperwork from the California residents add $4.26 sales tax. routes from Indianapolis, Indiana, and Pitts­ stolen load of rum. burgh, Pennsylvania. As many as 70 h'ain move­ FBI agents later recovered the stolen trailer ments a day pass through this crucial junction of of rum in a nearby warehouse. SIGNATURE PRESS major Conrail routes, which is now controlled by Th anks to Kevin Burkholder, Pf. Gratz, Drawer 3A the Cleveland Lakefront dispatcher at Conrail's Andy Kirk, fohn Krattinger, Fred Schaefe r, Order direct: 11508 Green Rd, WiltOn, CA 95693 Dearborn, Michigan, dispatch office. Known as Mark Sublette, and foe Rubin. \vww.signarurepress.com BE, the tower was built in 1929 by the New Visa & Mastercard orders: 1-800-305-7942 York Central, along with Quaker Tower at George Fletcher and Mike Abalos DEALERINQUIRlES INVITED

Baltimore & Ohio Cabooses

- SP&S Vo lume 1 Diagrams and Photographs Color Guide to Freight by DwightJo nes and 128 Pages, Hardbound . Fully illustrated r------, Passenger Equipment with 110 b/w photos, and 55 diagrams The colorful The first of a new series of books on Balti­ more and Ohio Cabooses! Much of the materi­ al, most of the photos and all of the diagrams in tllis volume are being reproduced for the first time. This book will be particularly useful to modelers, as all of the drawings are uni-

fomily scaled and dimensioned, many ,--_-,..--,--____ ,---_____ -----, prepared specifically for this book. Over 30 years of meticulous research Chesapeake & Ohio Color Guide to has gone into this volume and is the C Freight and Passenger Equipment most accurate publication ever pro­ �V by David H. Hickcox While mostly thought of as a coal hauler, the duced, correcting many errors now in C&O rostered some very attracti ve passenger and circulation on the subject. Due general merchandise equipment. Contains over Ap ril/May 1998. 300 vintage (pre-Chessie System) color photos! Order today at the special pre-publication price of: Only $26.95 + $4 Each @$40 + $3.50 postage, $5 foreign. sm Include street address for UPS delivery. + U.S. funds only. NJ residents add $2.40 tax. Sp ecial Price of $21.95 $4 before Ap ril 30, 199 7 Available April 1, 1998 sm ORDER FROM: PUBLISHING • DEPARTMENT After 4/1/98, price is $49.95 each. nc RN Morning Sun Books, Inc. WINDING CREEK LANE • LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA 9 Pheasant Lane 13Virg87inia Residents Add State Sales Tax Foreign Orders add 24503-3per book extra776 Scotch Plains, NJ 07076 BOOKS INC. Maximum Shipping4.5% and Handling For Single Order$4.00 is �1it()-4> $7.00 RailNews oS9 TRACK BULLETIN Union Pacific

As expected, Union Pacific's profits for fourth-quarter 1997 went up in smoke. The railroad faces additional losses and multiple lawsuits in 1998.

FINANCIAL used as a water conduit, was purchased by routed west up the Moffat Tu nnel main line the Denver Water Department for $7 million. with a short string of cars. Lead SD90s was Losses Initiate Pains under load, and the trailing pair of SD90s OPERATI ONS were in fu ll dynamic braking to test the units For fourth-quarter 1997, Union Pacific re­ Coal Loads Up, Te sting for overheating during full throttle operation ported a net loss five times worse than ex­ through the line's multiple tunnels. pected-$ 152 million, or 62 cents per diluted share. The loss was blamed on unprecedent­ Additional train sets and reduced cycle times RIO GRANDE ed service failures and the cost of bottleneck are responsible for a marked increase of coal recovery efforts. Estimates by a consultant to loadings from Colorado and Utah mines dur­ Service Updates the Texas Railroad Commission found that ing January and February. The railroad load­ the company's widespread shipping delays ed 355 trains during January alone, up 31 As of press time, the local cycle to Malta, may have cost the U.S. economy more than percent from January 1997. Colorado, from Pueblo, Colorado, was on an $2 billion through the end of January 1998. The railroad dispatched a quartet of out-one-day, back-the-next operation. Be­ Colorado's legislature recently put the SD90MACs to the Moffat Tu nnel main line cause of deteriorating track conditions on Moffat Tu nnel up for sale, after disbanding west of Denver for high-altitude testing dur­ the former Rio Grande line, the local was re­ the Moffat Tu nnel Commission. While it was ing early February. The foursome included stricted to less than 25 mph between Malta thought that UP would purchase the bore, UP Nos. 8202-8205. The group was comple­ and Salida. East of Salida, the local was able the railroad's bid for the tunnel did not meet mented by EMD test car ET820. The test set to roll at mainline track speed through most minimum criteria. Thus, UP will continue to was first tied down at Plainview, Colorado, locations. Union Pacific has given the Pueblo pay $12,000 a year in rental fees. The rail­ and later at the east portal of Moffat Tunnel to Malta cycle a discontinuance date of road recently spent $12 million to revise the for static testing. After the East Portal stint, March 13, at which time all service will tunnel's ventilation system. The adjacent pio­ the set descended to North Yard in Denver. cease. The two affected mines on the line neer bore for the railroad tunnel, presently On February 3, the quartet and test car were have protested, and litigation regarding the

70 • April 1998 service cut-off is pending. to Malta, Colorado. This work assignment com­ The former Rio Grande main line across pleted its operation at the end of january. Our tapes show the whole train Utah's intermountain desert continues to see Th anks to U/� H. W Fa rewell, Ben A. Ken; Expert commentary tells the story of today's railroading medium levels of traffic. Up to 16 trains per Allen Meyers, Wall Parson, j. (Chip) Sherman and recent changes. All trains are shown in Iheir entirety and are identified by symbol and destination. day were operated over the line during jan­ /1: , and M.e. lIu rek. uary. Included in the traffic flow were two to four BNSF operations each day excercising Rich Farewell and Malcom Kellogg trackage rights. Union Pacific hotshots, ZRODV and ZDVRO, predominantly UPS TOFC traffic, remained assigned to this cor­ You can't tell the players ridor through the beginning of February. Fol­ lowing a practice developed by the Rio without a program! Grande, motive power is cycled back and forth across the main line between Roper Yard, near Salt Lake City, Utah, and Denver. New " UP and BNSF at Rochelle, IL" Thus, motive power seen crossing the desert Rochelle, 75 miles west of Chicago, is one of the most visited railfan hot spots in the Midwest with 85 trains ham­ westbound one afternoon will commonly be mering the diamonds on a good day. The former CNW, assigned to tonnage rolling east the follow­ now UP main line to Omaha crosses the former BN, now ing day. Following an established Rio Grande BNSF main line to the Tw in Cities at grade. Most any type of train and run-through power can be seen. CN's trains schedule, the Grand junction, Colorado­ from Deluth run through Rochelle also. The tape shows based Potash local remained dispatched 24 hours of action at Rochelle in Sept. 1997. 2 tape Union Pacific west, cycling over the Cane Creek branch set. 3 hours, 62 minutes. $45.95. each Friday. Locomotive Directory 1998 New "Midwest Regionals 1997" This videotape shows the trains and operations on five re­ by Don Strack gional railroads in the Midwest in the fall of 1997. It gives MOTIVE POWER With Ihe recent mergers, Chicago & North Western a last look at the Chicago Central and Pacific which was and Southern Pacific, along with a host predecessor recently reacquired by the IC, and a first look at the five Leases, Other Changes railroads, Missouri Pacific, Missouri-Kansas-Texas, month old I&M Rail Link. We shot quite a few trains on the Western Pacific, and Denver & Rio Grande Western, other three Midwest regionals_the To ledo, Peoria, and have turned the relatively simple UP roster of the 1 970s Western, Iowa Interstate, and Dakota, Minnesota, and Former Southern Pacific units stored by IS into a tangled mess when trying to identify the heri­ Eastern. There were many 151 generation units seen on at Exeter, California, through early February, tage of any UP locomotive. Now we have solved the these railroads including two Alcos. 132 min, $31.95. pending lease or sale, included: SD7R lOS. problem. Withers Publishing, in association with Don New "Conrail in the Berkshires" Strack, presents the Union Pacific Locomotive Direc­ 1502, 1511, and 1529; SD9R No. 4363; and This tape shows the current trains and operation on the tory 1998. This 6x9 inch, vertical format, 200+ page first mountain railroad in the World, Conrail's former GP9R No. 3878. No. 3399, a GP9R, has been softcover book covers the 6.400+ locomotives oper­ Boston and Albany line, at peak fall foliage in Oct. 1997. ated by Union Pacific - from number 98, a Morrison leased to Western Farm Service, near Alpaugh, We caught a day and a half of Conrail action on the steep Knudson-built MK 1 200G natural gas-powered switcher, California. Kaiser Ven tures near Fontana, Cal­ grades between Chester and Pittsfield in western MA., in­ to number 9999, a General Electric AC4400CW. In cluding plenty of SD80MACs. 89 min. $27.97. ifornia, has leased SD9R Nos. 4408, 44 17, addition to complete roster data, more than 200 and 4434, while No. 3822 has been sent to photos document this diverse roster. New "CN on Ye llowhead Pass" Ye llowhead Pass in the majestic Canadian Rockies west California Steel Industries. Price: $19.95 plus $2.50 s&h. of Jasper, is the lowest and easiest rail crossing of the (A very limited number of hardcover editions Former Rio Grande G P40 No. 3 102 has been continental divide in the Rockies. All Canadian National are available for $25.00 plus $3.00 s&h) repainted as UP 5256 and was assigned to the transcontinental traffic and Via's trains run through Ye llow· head. CN's business has grown rapidly in recent years. Canon City local out of Pueblo, Colorado, during Available from hobby shops, book dealers or direct. The tape highlights 30 hours of CN action in July of 1997. january. Southern Pacific-repainted, but not Withers Publishing 93 min. $29.95. renumbered, former Rio Grande No. 3134 pow­ 528 Dunkle School Road New "BNSF on Marias Pass" ered a multi-month work train assignment Halifax, PA 17032 This tape shows a day and a half of continuous action in July of 1997 amid the splendor of Marias Pass between charged with picking up scrap rail and fittings on 717-896-3 173 M-F 9am-5pm Whitefish and Browning in northern Montana along the MasterCard and VISA accepted the Te nnessee Pass main line west from Pueblo boundary of Glacier National Park. 25 or more daily BNSF PA residents add 6% sales tox trains, most of them hot inter modal trains between Chica· go & Seattle, traverse this beautiful pass, the lowest crossi of the Rockies in the U.S. 115 min $29.95. New "BNSF - UP Puget Sound Joint Line" This tape shows 24 hours of action in July of 1997 around Union Pacific Remembered Centralia, WA on the busiest rail line in the Pacific North· west · the BNSF - UP joint line between Seattle and Port­

.-- land. This line has an incredible mix of regional and transcontinental traffic. Nearly 50 freights, locals and Amtrak trains run daily on this scenic but seldom pho­ " ..;f' tographed or written about line. 87 min. $29.95. New "Montana Rail Link in the Rockies" Montana Rail Link is one of the largest and most dynamic : If!1'. ' - of the new regional railways. This video shows over 30 UP Cheyenne Servicing hours of awesome action on MRL in the Rocky Mountains Belbin, 17" x 23" - $22.00 on Mullan Pass with its steep grades and on Winston Hill, east of Helena, in July of 1997. 108 min. $29.95. New "CP Around Kicking Horse Pass" BUY 3-GET Centennial �-� The Canadian Pacific's main transcontinental line runs through spectacular Kicking Horse Pass in the Canadian Rsher, 17" x 22",'/n- $125.00 A PRINT - - -"��� Rockies. The famous Spiral Tu nnels are on the steep ' 1 FOR$20 FREE! west slope. This video shows 32 hours of action between --. � - " ' � I I Morant's Curve on the east slope along the scenic Bow �_��-:f-�, ��;��Ii:'"... -'" ..,.:� BEST SELE('I'ION River and Golden at the base of the lower Kicking Horse UP Turbine Canyon in July of 1997. 106 min. $29.95. BEST PRICES "Climbmg Ihe Wo solch" Big "E" has 76 videos out covering contemporary railroad BenneH, 18" x 24" · $20.00 operations in the U.S. and Canada. Write or call for details. Send 4-stomp SSAE for HUGE LIST of over 300 olher RR prinls. Add $4.00 per order shipping. Send Check, MO, VISA, MC info 10: BIG "E"P.o. Pr Boxoduct 75 ions Box 690503 • Houston, TX 77269-0503 03840 ( Texans : Please mid 8% sales tax.) Greenland, NH 800-832-1228 or 603-430-3055 24 hours a day UP Country The Future Passes TRACKS IDE Visa, Me, Discover, check, or M.O. Add $4 for WinReld, Fisher, x 18" x 24" . $20.00 24" 36" · $25.00 PRI NTS AND HOIlIlIES shipping and handling plus $1 for each addition­ al tape. All tapes ship priority mail. VHS only.

RaiiNews · 71 TRACK BULLETIN Regionals/Short Lines

On the local to Owensville, Rio Grande meets Rock Island at Lackland, Missouri, on March 28, 1997. A plan afoot may replace Union Pacific with Missouri Central on the mostly dormant RI St. Louis-Kansas City line.

CENTRAL OREGON 4000 and 4001, and the cOlTesponding slugs are Central Railroad of Indiana owns 83 4165 and 4166, respectively. Once the former miles of former New York Central Big Four & PACIFIC RAILROAD Norfolk Southern units alTive on CO&P proper­ line between Cincinnati, Ohio, and Shel­ Power Crunch ty, they will be more than likely used for helper byville, Indiana, with 75 miles of trackage service over Siskiyou Summit. It is not known if rights over Conrail from Shelbyville via Indi­ According to Central Oregon & Pacific parent these are the only mated GP40s to be purchased anapolis to a connection with the Central Railtex, no six-axle locomotives can be operated and repainted by Railtex for use on CO&P. Railroad of Indianapolis at Frankfort, Indi­ south of Cornutt (m.p. 540.3) on the Siskiyou ana. The line has a diverse traffic base in­ Daniel J. Sheets line. This directive restricts the type of motive cluding grain, chemical, sand, soda ash, and power that can be used between Springfield fertilizer; carloadings total 7,000 a year. The Junction, Oregon, and Black Butte, California. CENTRAL PROPERTIES 58-mile portion between Thatcher, Indiana, Southern Oregon has leased two former Impending Sale of Indiana Lines and Shelbyville, previously abandoned by SouthernPacific SD9 os. 4433 and 4364 from Conrail, is currently proposed for abandon­ Oregon short line Willamette Valley temporarily. Central Properties Inc., a railroad holding ment by CIND. These six-axle units were used primarily for lo­ company with headquarters in the former Central Railroad of Indianapolis operates cal and switching duties between Eugene Yard Nickel Plate depot in Kokomo, Indiana, ex­ 85 miles of former Nickel Plate lines from and Dillard. With expiration of the lease and re­ pects to complete the sale of its rail line con­ Frankfort to Marion, Indiana, via Kokomo, turn of these first-generation locomotives, glomerate by the end of June. The sale, by Indiana, and a branch from Kokomo to Tip­ CO&P is short of power once again. competitive bidding, started in December. ton, Indiana. The railroad is operated under Railtex has responded to the railroad's needs. The Central Properties includes three rail­ a Thoroughbred Lease from Norfolk South­ On December 30, 1997, two repainted CO&P roads: the Central Railroad of Indiana, the ern and carries 11,000 cars a year, primarily GP40 slug sets were spotted at Railtex's Gar­ Central Railroad of Indianapolis, and the grain, sand, and soda ash. Central railroad of land, Texas, yard. The GP40s are numbered Winamac Southern. Indianapolis also operates the Winamac

72 • April 1998 , comprised of a former Minnesota, and Rapid City, South Dakota. On Pennsylvania line from Kokomo to January 30, after deciding to hold his endorse­ Bringhurst, Indiana, via Logansport, Indi­ ment until other issues are addressed, Gover­ ana, and 13 miles of the former Chesapeake nor Janklow told the citizens of his state, & Ohio Chicago to Cincinnati line between "There's such a tremendous tendency these Marion and Amboy. days for everybody to rush to judgment before After a history of unprofitable operations, we have the facts. It's too early. If the project the railroads began a turnaround in 1995. is built, it won't happen anytime soon." The company completed a substantial real While delays for a state government en­ 8&0 Passenger Service, Vl&2, 128 ...... EA 21.95 estate sale in 1996 in the Lawrenceburg, In­ dorsement come as no shock, a real surprise 8 a�k �i�� ndi 138 102 diana, area along the Ohio River, thus per­ surfaced when DM&E's headquarters city, ���m�4�5 � A y. l i : 8NSF 1997 Mot. Pwr Review, 175-115 ...... 27.50 mitting the company to pay its debts. Its op­ Brookings, South Dakota, decided to hold off 80slon & Albany, Vl&2, 164-103 ...... EA EA 38.95��§g Canadian Pac Color Guide FrtlPass Equipment, 106-195 ...... 35.25 erating ratio has improved from over 100 on its support. Fervent protests from home­ Chessie's Road, 168-121 ...... 28.95 Classic Steam Era, NP Pt3, 205-105 ...... 45.99 percent in 1994 to 75 percent in 1997. Chris owners prompted the city commission to table Colo Rail Annual #23 S -Inter-Mln, 10B-23 ...... 36.95 Burger, a former Chicago & North Western a decision supporting the cause until addition­ Denver & New Orleans,F 146-138 ...... 35.95 a e ...... ue and Central Vermont official, has been presi­ al public hearings could be held. Brookings g���I���r;, i�toioW ;bueFeii) ...... D. F�'�n�� East of Ihe Hudson, Trackside Pict ...... 35.25 dent and chief executive officer since area citizens residing along DM&E's existing GN Color Pictorial, Vl·4, 121 ...... EA 34.95 Novem ber 1994. GN Freight Equipment, BK 1-2, 121 ...... EA 34.95 main line fear health risks associated with air­ Guide to Tourist Railroads/Museums, 131·01086...... 12.95 Central Railroads owns 1 1 locomotives, borne coal dust and insist that grade crossing L&N Diesel Locos, 128-137 ...... 21.75 Lackawanna-Sup/Pwr RR of NE, 128-138 ...... 19.95 including five GP30s, four GP7s, and two accidents will increase and that property val­ Locomotive Roster and News, 1997-98, 178-104 ...... 14.95 GP9s. The GP30s and one GP7 are assigned ues will decline. One citizen at the meeting Moffat',191-111 ...... 33.52 MRL 10th Anniv. Rail-Fan Guide, 175-114 ...... 20.92 to Central of Indianapolis and Winamac challenged DM&E by saying, "I believe N&W's Shenandoah Valley Ln., 208-101 ...... 36.95 New Haven-Slreamline Era, 128-141 ...... 27.95 Southern; the rest of the units are assigned progress should not be narrowly defined just NKP Diesel Locomolives, 128-140 .22.95 NP Color Piclorial, Vl-2, 121 ...... EA 34.95 to Central of Indiana. as economic development. There is another el­ NYC Trackside Pictorial, 106-192 ...... 35.25 ement that is just as important. I t's called hu­ Omaha Road, 205-104 .. Pre-Pub Special 45.98 PA-ALCO's Glamour Girl, 121·030 ...... 35.50 John Gruber man development." Pacific Coast Co: Ships & NG Rails, 195·104 ...... 38.95 Pacific Coast Railway, 162-103 ...... 38 .95 Penn Central Col. Guide Frt.Pass Equipment, 106·194 ...... 35.25 Chris Goepel Powder River Coal Trains, 172-105 ...... 24.88 DAKOTA MINNESOTA Railroad Atlas, Vl-7, 169 ...... EA 22.00 l d f n n & EASTERN �f��r�n�� i� g�1 �t���v1�; 06:j 96 ' ...... •• MISSOURI CENTRAL RGS Siory, V3-6,146 ...... EA 52.95 Rock Island Color Pictorial, Vl-2, 121 ...... EAj� 34.95�g Opposition Rock Island Revival in Missouri? 25 ���:��m���s, 183��J5 'in Coloi, 236:j ii3 ·· •••••••••••••••• a a canWest, 2 1 7 12 The voices of those opposing Dakota Min­ ����r;�0� �� �@��� v :. � :.. � .•••••••••••••• m� During dismemberment of the Chicago, Rock Is­ Stations/Trains of Ark & SW, 166-106 ...... 24.92 nesota & Eastern's proposed Powder River ex­ land & Pacific system after its 1980 bankruptcy, Texas & Pacific Color Pictorial, 121·031 ...... 34.95�g� 2 tension have grown louder in South Dakota Cotton Belt (St. Louis Southwestern, later t��I��r �11�e �r��t Trains: i 3i :oi 06i; pie:pub s'peCial Western Pacific Locos/Cars, 128-139 ...... 20.95 during the first three months of 1998. Attacks Southern Pacific) acquired the Rock's trackage Whistles Blow No More, 237-104 ...... 25.95�U� on DM&E are being generated by various between Kansas City and St. Louis, Missouri. In­ Willamette Locomotives, 227-104...... 29.97 grassroots campaigns scattered across South NE"" VIDEOS terestingly, this portion of the system had not Along the Feather River, 184-127 ...... 28.50 Dakota, Minnesota, and Wyoming. The battle seen active service in nearly a year by this point, BC Rail Cab Ride, 100·BCRCAB ...... 23.95 Beyond Hope, 184-126 ...... 28.50 against the DM&E proposal comes on two as in July 1979, Rock Island trustees had closed Big Boys on TV, 100-BBTV ...... 23.95 fronts: those questioning the constitutionality BNSF-UP Pugel Sound Joint Line 246-17 ...... 29.95 the line in an effort to save the dying company's BNSF on Manas Pass, 246-18 ...... 29 .95 of the railroad's right to use eminent domain scarce resources. A few factors, namely the poor Cheyenne St'm Tr'n-lnc'l Cab Ride, 225·V V34 ...... 15.95 CN on Yellowhead Pass, 246-20 ...... 29.95 to acquire real estate for the extension; and condition and circuity of the Rock Island route Conrail in 8erkshires, 246-21 ...... 27.95 those concerned with health, safety, and envi­ i - kept the line out of service even longer while the 5U�� ����I���in��, i29:53i44 .. .. ronmental issues resulting from an increased "Cotton Rock" contemplated other routes of en­ Garden Railway Dreamin', V6, 225-W35 ...... 19 .95 Great Train Sialions of America, 100-STATIONS (PBS) ...... m�18.50 number of fast-moving freight trains on a line tTy into St. Louis. During this period of dOlman­ R al ���Vw���k GR�enr �o J�£7i ..••••• only moderately traveled at present. cy, Cotton Belt removed several switches, On Loc. Feather �iver. 131 039V ...... 22.50 Even though the railroad has already pre­ On Loc. Sleven's Pass-BNSF-Cascades,J�-��O ' 131·15036V ...... n§22.50 g stretches of auxiliary trackage, and dilapidated On Loc. UP's Donner Pass, 131038V ...... 22.50 sented various facets of the project and its depots from the right-oF-way. Sea to the Sky, 100·BCRCAB ...... 23.95 Soo Line #1003·Steamin' Season, 134-121 . . ... 31.50 benefits at public meetings and in the media in The line's future as a through route was Steam 10 Squamish, 100-BCRSQ ...... 15.50 hopes of easing the chaos, many citizens are Super Trains. 100-SUPER...... 1 5.50 dashed in 1983 when Cotton Belt (SP) received Those Incredible Alcos, Vl, 100-ALCOl ...... 23.95 simply confused and claim that they have been Thunder Under Heaven, 248-2 ...... 29.53 trackage rights on the parallel former MissOUli UP & BNSF al Rochelle, Illinois, 246-19 (2 tape set) ...... 45.95 misinformed or simply kept in the dark. At Pacific main line between Missouri's two largest UP Super RR'D, V5, 129·53140 ...... 14.25 one such meeting held in Wall, South Dakota, cities as a provision of the Missouri Workin' on the Coast Slarlighl, 100-WCS ...... 16.95 DM&E President Kevin Schieffer proclaimed Pacific/Union Pacific merger. The Rock Island TRAINSMEN"S TOTE BAGS-Your Roadname 32 95 the positive aspects of the railroad's recon­ CA.lON RAILS struction to area residents, namely the fact 101 W. CENTRAL, UNIT B, #125P that a rehabilitated main line would be able to CONRAIL MERGER MAKES BREA, CA 92821 transport grain faster and more efficiently, CONRAIL ITEMS COLLECTIBLE thus making South Dakota more competitive Info & Other Mailers: SHIPPING/HANDLING FDR 714/529·0436 BDOKS & VIDEOS ONLY - in the world market. Ever mindful of rail ac­ $4.00 first item. 24 Hour Fax: Add $1.00 each additional item. tivity in his state, South Dakota Governor Bill 714/529·6665 Janklow concurs and states that a high-speed SORRY NO C.O.D.S f-MA IL: California residents add main line across the state might also attract [email protected] 7.75% sales tax. other industries. Skeptics question why the Rush deliveries available. Firm Orders Only! Prices are subject to change railroad would be interested in loads of corn, Order Toll Free without notice. wheat, and wood chips when the real money is 1·800·352·2923 Sale ends last day of cover month to be made transporting the Powder River's Mail Orders Welcome! � "black diamonds." $15.00 MINIMUM ORDER � All of this could not have come at a worse FOREIGN CUSTOMERS: Our Special Sales Pricing is extended 30 days lust (or you! time, as DM&E is presently examining options Send check or m/o p $3.005th per item to: l You must mention this in your order. among its "sh·ategic partners" for construction DURHAM PUBLISHING COMPANY us FOREIGN: 86.00 per bOOk/tape plus 83.00 per additional. funds and is attempting to gain endorsements P.o. Box 222, Friedensburg, PA 17933 PA. residents please odd 696sales lax. Send (4) 32¢ stamps for a FREE Book/Video Catalog. along the length of its former Chicago & send for list o( steam railroad books; '931· 1956 Tee Shirts/Sweat Shirts/Jackets 20% Off. North Western main line between Winona, Send SASE for listing.

RailNews · 73 route remained mostly closed until 1984, when a a third, yet-to-be-named company. One com­ portion of the line between the St. Louis area pany has also proposed passenger excursion and Owensville via Labadie was re-opened to service out of Eldon that would cover the serve a coal-fired power plant at Owensville. most scenic portion of the line. According to During the last 14 years, coal traffic has contin­ the Eldon Chamber of Commerce, none of ued, and some additional online (Taffic has sur­ these prospects has contacted its office. faced on this section-quite a contrast to the re­ There are a number of opponents to the All colorNEW books! (48 pages each) mainder of the line, which has become hopeless­ purchase of the rail line by General Railway ly overgrown with vegetation. Corp. and affiliated companies. The residents Hard to believe, but plans to revive the en­ of Raytown and Lee's Summit, Missouri, have tire Rock Island St. Louis to Kansas City line sent petitions to the STB to reject General have been in the works for just over a year. Railway's offer. Although the odds of seeing a According to john Larkin, president of Gener­ true Missouri Central through-freight on this al Railway Corporation, the holding company former Rock Island trackage remain slim, the of the Missouri Central Railroad, it may not regional railroad prospect has come a step be too long before trains start rolling over a closer to reality. 244.5-mile section of the line between Pleas­ Thanks to Michael W Blaszak, Malcom ant Hill and Vigus, Missouri. Kellogg and Chris Goepel. On january 27, Missouri Central filed with the Surface Transportation Board to acquire Bryan Pieper the 244.5-mile segment, along with 8.7 miles C. I..f.I.t..J. AI, The Chicago North Western of trackage rights between Vigus and Rock Is­ NEW ENGLAND CENTRAL by Gerard Bernet...... SI9.95 land Junction, Missouri (St. Louis) and 24.8 SO photos show the CNW in the last 30 years in this miles of trackage rights on Union Pacific be­ Traffic brief look at the railroad. The book contains both tween Pleasant Hill and Leeds junction, Mis­ action and roster shots. souri (Kansas City). A ru ling from the STB New England Central announced that the e.I-/. I.t..J. AI, Conrail's SD-40 and SD40-2's railroad carried 30,000 carloads in 1997, 7 by Gerard Bernet••...... SI9.95 was expected by April I. percent higher than 1996 levels. Management 66 views of both action and roster shots. Complete Although General Railway Corp. is con­ roster and mechanical specs. are done in chart fo rm. vinced that it has the money to complete the expects to handle 34,000 cars during 1998. project, fu nding for the purchase of the line The railroad has unfortunately lost terminat­ PTC Rails ... by Kramer & James...... $21.95 from UP had not been secured as of press ing traffic for PMI Lumber Company to a 104 pages with over 200 black & white photos and time. Additionally, the railroad has suffered new facility on Green Mountain rails. The illustrations giving an in depth look at Philadelphia's from nearly 25 years of deferred maintenance railroad has been successful in retaining trolleys before SEPTA by Rock Island, Cotton Belt, Southern Pacific, some interchange with short line Green Mountain at Bellows Falls, Vermont. The Hard Coal Carriers: and Union Pacific; and many question whether Missouri Central will obtain enough Vol. 1 - "First Generation Geeps" Peter Phillips by Gerard Bemet...... $19 .95 capital to renew the decrepit line's rail, ties, SO page with 11 color and 119 B&W photosofGP7, and ballast. The route is remarkably scenic, 9 & IS's of EL, Erie, DLW, CNJ, LV and RDG. with numerous bridges, rock cuts, and five PITTSBURG & SHAWMUT Vol. 2 - "Camelback Twilight" tunnels. The tunnels, one located near Argyle, by Gerard Bernel...... $19.95 one under the town of Freeburg, two west of Abandonment 96 page 130 B&W photos on Jersey Central Eldon, and one within the city limits of passenger camel backs. Kansas City, will require close inspection to The Pittsburg & Shawmut's Piney branch be­ determine their structural integrity before op­ tween its connection to the Laurel Subdivi­ Change At Ozone Park...... SIS.95 by Herbert George SO pages with 12color and erations can commence. sion near Coder, Pennsylvania (m.p. 40.6), 112 B&W photos on L1RR Far Rockaway & In a recent interview with the Eldon, Mis­ and Piney, Pennsylvania (m.p. 23.8), was Rockaway Beach Branches. souri, ADVERTISER, Larkin stated that Eldon placed up for abandonment on November 25. Pennsy K-4's Remembered ...... $ 6.95 would be the central base of operations for Among the branch's 25 bridges and single by Frederick Kramer the new short line. Current plans indicate that tunnel are structures of historical significance Electric Trains To Reading Terminnl...... $17.95 Missouri Central headquarters will be located being preserved at the request of the Pennsyl­ by Wes Coates (almost gone) The Handsomest Trains In The World ...... $IS.95 in the town's impressive Rock Island depot. vania Historical and Museum Commission. By Greenberg & Kramer (LV Psgr trains) Larkin also said that three new industries may This effort includes the Piney Tu nnel (m.p. The Morristown & Erie Railway...... S S.95 build in Eldon, including Ironwood Corp., 23.52) and the Coder Viaduct (m.p. 1.41). by Bob Pennisi which would build a tie and timber treating Passenger Cars ...... SI3.95 plant; a company that refines soybean oil; and Mike Zollitsch by Mickey & Warfel 26 Miles To Jersey City ...... S S.95 by Pete Komelski (CNJ stations) Railroad Stations Of New England Today V-I Boston & Maine..... M. Beauregard...... S 7.95 by Mark Beauregard Rock-A-Bye-Baby.... T. Taber...... •.•....•...... $ 11.95

The Northeast Railroad Scene Series Vol. 2 Lehigh & Hudson River...... S 4.00 Vol. 5 The Jersey Central ...... S 6.00 HOTOGRAPHS ...... S 2.50 each ur catalog lists over 5,500 different steam, diesel, lectric & trolley photos printed on Sx lO paper. atalog also lists books & videos of other publishers nd misc. railroadiana ...... $1.00 (free w/order) RDERING INFO: Orders under $25.00 add $2.00 &H. NJ residents add 6% sales tax. Foriegn orders dd 10% fo r shipping (minimum S4.00) aloow up to weeks for delivery. Dealer inquiries invited.

ept. 205 .0. Box 114 Flanders, NJ 07836

74 · April 1998 ticipation of additional loads of wood chips CATs , Red River Valley & Westel1l presently ros­ PORTLAN D WESTERN that will come from Willamette as the compa­ ters seven CF7s; six TC&W GPI0s; TC&W ny starts to accept additional wood chips at its SD20 No. 60 1; and former Norfolk Southel1l New ConstructionBe new rotary dump facility. Boosting carloads on slug No. 20 t. The canier also has NS slug No. South Central Tennessee in 1998, Willamette 9826 stored at Breckenridge, Minnesota. Portland & Western is considering the viabil­ expects a 20 percent increase in volume des­ ity of constructing a new connection be­ tined for its newly expanded Hawesville, Te n­ Karl Rasmussen tween the Oregon Electric and West Side nessee, mill complex. districts in the vicinity of Tualatin, Oregon. The connection will allow P&W to abandon Chris Goepel a portion of the Oregon Electric District vzau from Tualatin (Sherwood Road) to Greton, TWIN CITIES WESTERN/ I:MllfAaV PRDUUcnDNi Oregon. The railroad has contracted an engi­ neering firm to design a new bridge that will RED RIVERBe VA LLEY /,�\\--�, I �outhern Pacific's replace a 428-foot-long trestle on the recent­ WESTERN Be V ly purchased Cornelius Pass line. The origi­ nal wood trestle on this long-dormant, for­ Motive Power Update ��08R_' �����,!m mer Burlington Northern trackage burned in � September 1994. Managed by Oakes Development Group, 687- mile Red River Valley & Westel1l and 229-mile "Rbsolutel ly Mike Zollitsch ��Wl Tw in Cities & Western may experience some re­ -- '-�\. � FabulOUS! " markable changes in their combined locomotive , � SOUTH CENTRAL TENNESSEE rosters during 1998. Canadian Pacific's former "An LJncl'ed.���\� ible Recol'd!" Increase in Volume Soo GP20C, No. 4300, retul1led to the Twin "Brines the Cities from SuperiOt; Wisconsin, in late Decem­ past to fifer" Inbound shipments of rail were received in ber to be restored for service on TC&W. The A Classic "t, r. mid-January for use in a project that will ulti­ short line will be cycling its fleet of CATs ({lltrospec:HVIl UP/u et fhe E. e mately replace three miles of track on the SI­ through Ziegler's shop located in Bloomington, Volume One: Mostly Californi/sent 01 fh e[r " mile South Central Tennessee. To boost ton­ Minnesota, for Class I overhauls this year. Soo Volume Tw o: Mostly Oregon u nage ratings on the line, two contracts were No. 4300 will be the replacement locomotive as Each Ta pe is 62 Minutes awarded: one to McHann Railroad Contrac­ each of the nine GP20Cs on TC&W and Only $35 ea, $70for both tors for the rehabilitation of several wooden RRV&W is cycled through the shop. As the two Catenary Video Productions sh'uctures; and the other to American Bridge caniers consider potential service expansion op­ Toll Free: 800-343-5540 FAX: 201-652-1973 Repair for the strengthening of one steel portunities, Canadian Pacific may be contacted Mail:22-D HclIywoocl Ave. Ho-Ho-Kus,NJ 07423 bridge. In conjunction with these repairs, 100 to purchase the nine remaining former Soo CAT­ Please enclose $4 S&H first tape; $ lea. add'l open-top hoppers have been purchased in an- powered road switchers. In addition to the two Calif. Residentsadd 8.25 % Tax VISA & Mastercard Accepted

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RaiiNews o75 RAILROAD Focus

Arizona & California Railroad

Jim Speaker

Arizona & California's lone GP38-2 waits for its next assignment at the Parker, Arizona, enginehouse. Parker is the hub for this Santa Fe spin-off.

ne of the last major Santa Fe spin­ gas. The most important commodities han­ offs, short line Arizona & Califomia dled by the railroad in 1997, in order, in­ joined the ranks of the U.S. short­ clude flammable gas, cement, lumbel� steel, line network on May 9, 1991. The new com­ and automotive products. The volume of pany,O controlled by a limited partnership led flammable gas, lumber, and cement shipped by Dave Parkinson, included 191 miles of has seen a marked increase during the past trackage between Cadiz, California, and several months, and numbers are expected Matthie, Arizona; a 50-mile branch line to increase in 1998. from Rice to Ripley, Califomia; and 57 miles Fortunately, service levels on the rail­ of important trackage rights over Santa Fe road are not as dry as the desert region it between Matthie and Phoenix, Arizona. Ad­ serves. Trains ply much of the system on a ditionally, the partnership initiated Califor­ daily basis, and timely schedules on the nia orthern in 1993 to operate lines it main line between Cadiz and Castle Hot leased from Southern Pacific and created Springs/Phoenix have been established to short line Puget Sound & Pacific from for­ meet BNSF trains at those locations, allow­ mer Burlington Northern lines in Washing­ ing for a seamless trip between Southern ton State in 1997. The latter railroad is op­ California and Arizona. erated as a division of Arizona & California. The logistical nightmare of receiving As the railroad is situated between major overhead carloads, namely lumber, from gateways served mostly by Class I roads, BNSF origins in the Pacific Northwest, Jim Speaker overhead traffic has become a staple on routed via Billings, Montana; Denver, Col­ A&C. This piece of the logistics pipeline sees orado; and Phoenix, Arizona; came to a This desert scene typifies Arizona & California's everything from intermodal to lumber and close in 1997 with initiation of service on operating territory.

76 · April 1998 General Information:

• Headquarters: Parkel� Arizona

• Miles Operated: 241 miles owned, 57 miles of trackage rights

• Employees: 35

• Maintenance Facility: Parker, Arizona

• Rolling Stock: 11 locomotives (five GP30s, fo ur GP38s, and two GP35s); freight cars obtained from other roads

• Volume: 13,490 carloads in 1996; 14, 142 carloads in 1997

• Major Commodities: agricultural prod­ ucts, alcoholic beverages, asphalt, auto­ mobiles, canned goods, cement, copper concentrates, flammable gases, lumber, merchandise, metal products, scrap pa­ per, and solid waste. Jim Speaker Led by two Geeps, an Arizona & California special winds passengers through arid landscape en route Source: Arizona & Calirornia to Wickenburg, Arizona. the Interstate 5 corridor. According to A&C California is passed off to A&C at Cadiz for branch, for example, Blythe has proved to be Chairman Dave Parkinson, "The 1-5 corri­ forwarding to BNSF at Castle Hot Springs. a true stronghold of online business for the dor makes economic sense for both BNSF From this point, BNSF crews will move the company. In addition to an 8-acre intermodal and us. Currently, the route to Phoenix via gas to salt caverns off the Ennis branch near tenninal that loads a 25-car doublestack train Colorado in some cases is up to 1,000 miles Phoenix for subterranean storage. weekly, hay is compacted into 40-foot con­ longer. " The corridor, via Stockton and Unusual for a short line, A&C holds a tainers here for export to the Japanese dairy Barstow, California, also creates a better contract with BNSF to transport United Par­ industry via ports in Southern California. connection with affiliated roads California cel Service (UPS) priOlity merchandise ship­ Whilevolume has increased since start-up, lo­ Northern and Puget Sound & Pacific. With ments from Los Angeles to Phoenix. Since cal traffic dropped 27 percent from 2,290 the inception of the corridor routing, traffic the railroad does not have traffic rights into carloads handled in 1996 to 1,639 in 1997. is now forwarded to A&C at Cadiz for Los Angeles, this prized traffic is handed off Railroad Vice President of Marketing Russ Phoenix and other online destinations. to A&C by BNSF at Cadiz. Gottschalk explains, "Much of this relates to One of the most unique opportunities for Even though much of the railroad's traffic equipment turnaroundproblems on container the railroad in recent years has come from the is overhead originating in Phoenix or on the moves to the Port of Los Angeles." Howevel; transportation of flammable gas. Gas from West Coast, the company has made great with additional overhead shipments offsetting Union Pacific and BNSF Oligins in Southern progress attracting local traffic. On the Ripley the loss of local traffic, Gottschalk states, "This is the best showing since start­ up." Furthel; "We don't look for any slowdown in growth in 1998." , Nevada '. To keep operations on the railroad fluid, A&C has made a strong com­ ARIZONA & CALIFORNIA RAILROAD mitment to line maintenance. The most noteworthy capital improve­ ment completed in 1997 was a new enginehouse and fueling system at Parker, Arizona. Investing in its fu­ ture, the railroad has allocated $700,000 for improvements to track, equipment, and structures in 1998. Work includes the replace­ ment of 20,000 mainline ties, grind­ ing of one mile of h·ack, and struc­ tural improvements to bridges at various locations. Also planned is a new service track at the locomotive facility in Parker. With the Phoenix area economy and population growing by leaps and bounds and a top-notch man­ agement team at the helm, Arizona ARIZONA & CALIFORNIA & California is assured a strong TRACKAGE RIGHTS and prosperous future in the south­ western United States. RaiiNclVs

RaiiNews · 77 COMMENTARY

The Last Word • • • By Ed Ripley Reaching the Next Level

Bill Lang

Blue skies and sunshine-all is seemingly quiet at the ATSF Yard in Amarillo, Texas, on the day before Christmas 1995.

retend you are the chairperson and chief ex­ company, how it should change to adapt to the ever­ ecutive of one of our few rem aining major changing marketplace and respond to its competitors is railroads, walking into your corner office to the chairperson's job. It's never been easy. To day it may he chair­ Pbegin a day's work. Whether you effect the affable be tougher than evet: persona of Norfolk Southern's David Goode, greet­ ing your staff with a hearty "Good Morning," or To ANALYZE WHERE TI-IE RAILROAD needs to go, the chair­ person the aloof intensity of Burlington Northern & Santa person must start with his or her customers. No cus­ Fe's Rob Krebs, fixating workers with an icy stare tomers, no railroad. Years ago, railroad customers were Tmust start or a curt complaint, is your choice. a large and fractured bunch, often picking regulatory Thousands, perhaps tens of thousands, of people re­ fights with the carriers through their lobbying groups. with his or her port to you. Most of them pull the locomotive throttles, Now most railroads depend on a hundred or less cus­ switch the cars, repair the track, and do the other things tomers for the bulk of their business. Each of these that make the railroad run. A select few sit in the office huge shippers has the economic muscle to tell the rail­ customers. to count beans, quote prices to shippers, and negotiate road what to do, in private, out of the regulators' sight. with labor unions. You have a vice president of market­ What customers want, they have told you over and No customers, ing who brings in the money, a vice president of opera­ over again, is rail service that is reliable, cheap, and easy tions who spends it, and a vice president of fi nance who to use. Practically every business tuns on tight inventory counts it. Yo u're responsible for their performance, but these days, and just one late or damaged carload of no railroad. performing those functions isn't your role. Leadership freight can shut down a humming, money-making is. Deciding what's right and what's wrong with the plant. Customers must be able to rely on their railroad

78 • April 1998 to deliver on schedule, every day, without fa il. railroads such as Kansas City Southern and illi­ benefits. If satellites can feed your computers Accustomed to the same convenience with mo­ nois Central have decided the advantages of new enough information to determine exactly where tor carriers, customers also want to be able to power don't outweigh the costs and are sticking every train, locomotive, maintenance machine, make one call to that railroad to negotiate rates with the old stuff. Both builders are perfecting and Hi-Rail vehicle is, the computers can relay and arrange for shipments anywhere. But no one 6,000 h.p. designs, which promise to replace old that information back to the operators of that wants to pay more for this level of service. units on a two-for-one basis, but progress has equipment and set brakes automatically to avoid As a railroad chairperson, you recognize that been far slower than anticipated. Should you collisions. Your railroad would not only enjoy these objectives conflict. You could make the take a chance on these in 1998 or let someone this safety benefit, but trains could be spaced customers happy by running more frequent else make the mistakes first? more closely, increasing fixed plant capacity, and trains, adding yard jobs, and switching shippers Cars are another matter. As big customers trackside signal systems could be phased out for twice a day instead of once. Your costs, though, have come to dominate the railroads' traffic in substantial savings. The technology has been would balloon, and customers would resist rate recent years, the railroads have had some success tried successfully on BNSF and Union Pacific increases to cover them. Lower profits would in telling those customers to get their own cars. branch lines in the Pacific Northwest, with test­ make your stockholders upset, and they deter­ The number of "private" cars provided by or on ing on UP's Portland-The Dalles, Oregon, main mine your salary. behalf of shippers now almost equals the rail­ line slated for early 1998. How do you map out your capital budget to roads' own fleet. As a railroad chairperson, you Once again, though, cost is a major issue. To reach the next level of railroad service, satisfying like this trend because it keeps assets off your install PTS on the entire BNSF system, according customer expectations at lower operating cost? balance sheet without greatly reducing income to the railroad, would cost over $300 million, or The amount your board will let you spend is lim­ and commits investors in private cars to about as much as 200 locomotives. You can see ited, and given the voracious appetite of existing transporting freight by rail. But should you de­ how Rob Krebs resolved that inveShnent issue: track for new rail and ties, there won't be much vote at least some funds to a limited number of He ordered 409 locomotives for 1998 delivery. left over for anything else. Keep in mind that the new cars to attract new customers to the fold? railroad industry's total capital spending in 1996 And, if so, what types of cars? No new car type THERE'S ONE MORE METHOD OF improving cus­ was about $6.5 billion. That's not likely to in­ promising dramatic productivity or service im­ tomer service: raising the competence and con­ crease significantly as long as industry operating provement, such as the doublestack container tentment level of your employees. These men profits remain at their 1996 level of $4.3 billion. car of the early 1980s, is on the horizon. Today's and women occupy the front lines of your orga­ Convinced their biggest problem is insuffi­ cars have incrementally larger carrying capacities nization, delivering the transportation your cus­ cient mainline capacity, many railroads are pour­ (typically 286,000 lbs. instead of 263,000 lbs. tomers buy. They can make or break your service ing capital money into new and lengthened sid­ gross weight) but otherwise are much the same in every way, from coupling cars at speeds that ings and more main track. On the former Santa as in past years. don't damage the freight to completing road Fe, a second main line is steadily creeping across hauls safely and on time. the mesas and arroyos of New Mexico, while THERE REMAIN TWO TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES Illinois Central President and CEO Hunter double track is being restored on the western that could have dramatic impacts on the opera­ HaiTi on sees "quality of life" for railroad em­ Iowa bottleneck of the former North Western. tion of your railroad: electronic braking systems ployees as a critical issue on his midsize prop­ Union Pacific has grand plans to upgrade the and next-generation positive train separation erty. In Harrison's view, the high-seniority "old Sunset and Golden State routes of the fonner control systems. heads" who operate his trains now, having sur­ Southern Pacific, along with its coal-carrying Electronic braking is past the test stage. It vived the drastic cutbacks of the TIIinois Cen­ main lines, with miles of new second track and substantially reduces stopping distance by instan­ tral Gulf era, will be retiring in significant sidings; and there will be plenty of new tTack if taneous application of brakes throughout the numbers in the next few years. Attracting qual­ the Conrail split-up is approved. consist. Trains that can stop in less time can op­ ity workers who will maintain, much less im­ All this investment will reduce train meets or erate closer together safely, reducing the need for prove, today's service levels will be difficult, make them more efficient, getting trains over the expensive second main track. Brake shoe and Harrison thinks, unless the industry can make road more reliably. But how much will that im­ wheel wear should be reduced, saving money. railroad work more family-friendly by provid­ prove door-to-door service, the only kind cus­ Moreover, the communications system support­ ing regular call times and returning crews to tomers care about? Without better terminals, ing elech·onic braking also can carry other infor­ their home terminal most nights. where trains are switched, loaded or unloaded, mation regarding the train, such as the tempera­ But how do you get there? Harrison admits it's doubtful they will notice the impact. Though ture of each bearing. If all your trains could tell frustration with the bargaining process, which he there has been considerable investment in inter­ how hot their bearings were running, they says hasn't yet achieved a win-win solution on modal terminals, railroads have not been as ea­ wouldn't need those expensive and sometimes the IC. Union negotiators generally won't agree ger to improve their switching yards for carload inaccurate hotbox detectors your predecessor in­ to any change adversely affecting their members freight, which often suffer from deferred track stalled in the 1980s. unless the company comes across with more maintenance and obsolete design (built for build­ The obstacle is implementation. The benefits money. Loosen the purse strings to buy off the ing and breaking down shorter trains than com­ of electronic braking won't be fu lly realized until unions, and you've raised your costs and cut monly operate today). For every rebuilt facility every locomotive and car has it. Ye t unsettled is your profits. Conversely, if you keep throwing like BNSF's Argentine, there are many more the issue of whether control of EBS should be raw recruits into the mainline fire, as BNSF and yards like SP's Englewood in Houston teetering exercised through a cable running the length of UP have found out, you end up paying a price in on the brink of collapse. Moreover, railroaders the train or via radio. While the Association of terms of wrecks and on-the-job injuries, neither have proved far less successful in managing yard American Railroads has adopted standards for of which does anything to improve service. operations than main lines, which is understand­ inter-car cable connectors, radio-controlled sys­ It all goes to show that, in the railroad busi­ able given the relative complexity of the two. Un­ tems could provide added efficiencies by doing ness, reaching the next level of customer service til these barriers are overcome, substantial im­ away with the cable, though getting electrical will be difficult indeed. Customers know how provements in customer service are problematic. power through the train is still a challenge. other industries have succeeded in raising the Do you take the plunge into EBS with your bar. Managed care organizations are driving How ABOUT MORE LOCOMOTIVES AND cars? Lo­ 1998 car orders? Even if you guess right on the down medical costs, to the delight of the COl-pO­ comotives currently are a popular option, with hardware, there won't be any payoff until most, rations that buy their services. Overnight pack­ both General Electric and Electro-Motive Divi­ if not all, of the trains on at least portions of the age carriers such as Federal Express perfOim on sion pushing every new unit they can out the railroad have EBS, and the physical plant can be ever-tighter schedules. We almost expect person­ plant door to their impatient customers. New modified and operated to take advantage of its al computer prices to decline as their capabilities units are (or at least should be) more reliable additional capabilities. Perhaps if you are plan­ soar. But in the railroad industry, there's no im­ and cheaper to operate than old ones. But the ning an essentially all-new, single-commodity, minent technological breakthrough that will cut financial obligations of buying new are heavy, unit h·ain railroad, as Dakota, Minnesota & East­ a new paradigm, and there are plenty of financial and the current crop of 4,300-4,400 h.p. mod­ ern is, EBS makes sense. Otherwise, balancing and in titutional restraints in the way of incre­ els hasn't unifornlly replaced the SD40-2s and the higher cost of EBS today against improved mental progress. If you leave your make-believe C30-7s of ye teryear on a three-to-two ba is, as profits years from now is tough. corner office feeling more like Krebs than the railroads had hoped they would. Smaller Positive train separation promises similar Goode, I won't be surprised. RailNew s

RailNews o79 Classifieds EXCHANGE strongholds. From $2, 100 for a week to about $3600 two weeks. Departures: April 15, 18, 25; SAME LOW PRICE: 40e a word/$ IO per issue mini­ june 13; Oct. 17, 28, 31. Sanmao-South Novem­ mum. Payment in advance. R N reserves the right to ed­ ber 8. INCLUDES-AIR-LODGING-TRAIN it all copy and refuse any listings. Ads cannot be ac­ News and information regarding a TRIPS-MEALS-GUIDES. Article in April RaiINews." knowledged, nor can proof copies be sent. Closing date: RAILFAN. Also Australia (August); Hedjaz (july), specific column can be sent to the two months before issue date. Count all numbers, and more. lnfo: Kent Patterson, 95 North Broad­ Waukesha editorial office or to the ap­ name, and address. Home/office street address and propriate columnist. telephone number must accompany order. Mail to: way A2-2, White Plains, NY, 10603. Tel (914) Classifieds, Pentrex Publishing, P. O. Box 379, 428-0723. Fax (9 14) 428- 1287. E-mail: nycen­ Waukesha, WI 53 187. [email protected]. See China's Rail Railroad Columnists website:http://severn.dmu.ac.ukl-mlp/crsg.html. OPEN HOUSE & RAILFAN DAY. May 2, ALASKA RAILROAD-Daniel J. Sheets 1998, Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad, 10 a.m.-5 FINALLY, A NEWSLETTER that is your 220 I Blittany Dr., Eugene, OR 97405 p.m., featuring five steam locomotives , Alco news letter. You ask the questions; you express E-mail: [email protected] diesels, train rides, runbys, meets, freight trains, your ideas and thoughts; you express your opin­ AMTRAK-Leo King exhibits, and shop tour. Prepaid advance reser­ ion about others' ideas, thoughts, and com­ P. O. Box 379, Waukesha, WI 53 187 vations are required. Coach $80, Deluxe Coach E-mail: Tr ainI [email protected] ments; you set the agenda; you tell others about BNSF-Michael W. Blaszak $90, add $10 for box lunch per ticket; and firs t your experiences as a railroader or railfan (yes, 21 1 South Leitch Ave., La Grange, IL 60525 class $125, lunch included. MRSRR, P. O. Box old "war stories" are welcome). Written and E-mail: [email protected] 92 1, Elbe, WA 98330-092 1. (360) 569-2588, or edited by a 30-year railroad veteran (who has a BNSF-Karl Rasmussen fax (360) 569-2438. Check, money order, Visa, few of his own stories to tell). $34.95/12 issues. 11449 Goldenrod St. I\'W,Coon Rapids, M 55448 and Mastercard accepted. RA I L FAN FA RE, 3257 Bentley Rd, Custer, WI CANADIAN PACIFIC-Karl Rasmussen 54423. 11449 Goldenrod St. NW,Coon Rapids, MN 55448 RAILROAD EQUIPMENT: locomotives, rail­ CANADIAN NATIONAL-Mike Cleary cars , tourist trains, crossties, etc. Free FRIENDS OF THE GOLDEN SPIKE. The 565 Mariner Way, WoodbuI1', MN 55 129 brochure-D.F. Barnhardt & Associates, P. O. purpose of the Friends of the Golden Spike is to CENTRAL OREGON & PACIFIC-Daniel J. Sheets Box 1088, Mt. Pleasant, NC 28124. (704) 436- support the mission of the Golden Spike Na­ 2201 Blittany 01:, Eugene, OR 97405 9393. E-mail: [email protected] tional His toric Site: to commemorate the com­ E-mail: [email protected] pletion of the first Transcontinental Railroad. COMMUTER/TRANSIT-Julian Wolinsky STOCK CERTIFICATES, BONDS: 40-page list For information, call (435) 47 1 -2209 or write: P. O. Box 379, Waukesha, WI 53187 for two stamps. 50 different, $25. 15 different Friends of the Golden Spike, 833 W. Forest St., CONRAIL-George Fletcher railroads, $26. Clinton Hollins , Box 112, Dept. 224 Riverside Drive, Nashville, TN 37206 Brigham City, UT 84302. E-mail: [email protected] RD, Springfield, VA 22 1 50-0 1 12. CSX TRANSPORTATION-Mark Sublette TED ROSE WATER COLORS: Classic and 2119 Reynolds St., Falls Church, VA 22043-1 609 KNOX STATION BED AND RAILS TRACK­ contemporary subjects available. Commissions GENESEE & WYOMING-Mike Zollitsch SIDE B&B. 100 feet fwm BNSF main line (for­ considered. Contact: Ted Rose, P. O. Box 266, 37 Taft Ave., Lancastel; NY 14086 mer SF). Seven miles east of Galesburg, Illinois: Santa Fe, NM 87504. (505) 983-948 1. E-mail: [email protected] 976 Mine Road, Knoxville, IL 61448. (309) ILLINOIS CENTRAL-Erik Coleman 289-4047. E-mail: [email protected] or INTERURBAN TROLLEY BOOKLETS, some 2728 Helitage Champaign, IL 61821-2378 01:, http://www.rrhistorical.com/knox 50 years old. Railroad Annual Reports, many E-mail: [email protected] years, both list $1. Nevin, I I Wisteria, Syo set, I&M RAIL LINK-Dave Kroeger MEXICO'S COPPER CANYON BY RAIL. NY 1179 1. 2535 5th Ave., Unit A Most dramatic train ride in the Western Hemi­ Marion, IA 52302 sphere. Small groups or individuals. S&S Tou rs, 22ND KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN-Michael Hasbargen ANNUAL MIDWEST RAILROADIANA 1718 King Eider Drive, West Lafayette, IN 47906 (800) 499-5685. Fax: (520) 458-6365. E-mail: SHOW AND SALE. June 14, 1998, Kane Coun­ NORFOLK SOUTHERN-Chris To th [email protected] or http://www.ss-tours.com ty Fairgrounds, St. Charles, Illinois, 10 a.m. to 4 P.O. Box 301, Spencer, OH 44275 p.m. Admission, $5. Children free. Info: Turner E-mail: [email protected] WORKING FOR THE CHESSIE SYSTEM (railroad): junction Enterprises, P.O. Box 158, Middle REGIONALS/SHORT LINES-Chris Goepel Inside illustrated story by retired AVP. 268-page Amana, IA 52307. P.O. Box 379, Waukesha, WI 53 187 hardbound. $14.75 to Vandalia, Box 8392, UNION PACIFIC-Richard C. Farewell Huntington, WV 25705. RAILFAN TIMETABLES: Perfect reference 9729 W. 76th Ave., Arvada, CO 80005 while trackside! Complete station profiles for all VIA RAIL CANADA-Steve Bradley MINIATURE GOLF COURSE LOOKING railroads in each region, complete with rosters, P.O. Box 225, Schomberg, ONT., Canada LOG I TO FOR RAILROAD, EQUIPMENT, STRUC­ symbols, maps, and frequencies. Current edi­ E-mail: [email protected] TURES, AND DEVICES. We are also interest­ tons: CALIFORNIA $17.50; ROCKY MOUN­ WISCONSIN CENTRAL-Mike Abalos ed in a used portable golf course. Will pay for 3425 W. 79th St., Chicago, IL 60652 TAIN (CO/UTI V) $16.50; SOUTHWEST equipment referrals, if known where to locate (AZ/NM) $14.50. Maps: ROSEVILLE $5.00, them. CALL TO LL-FREE (888) 594-6453. WEST COLTON $5.00, BOTH $8.50. Altamont Other Columnists Press, P. O. Box 754-P, Modesto, CA 95353- FOR SALE: PT/s from winter 1973-1 974 issues 0754. Web Page: http://altamontpress.com. FROM THE CAB-Doug Riddell through December 1996 issue. just 10 issues P. O. Box 379, Waukesha, WI 53187 missing. Contact Paul Beyer, 11915 Grandview, ATTENTION-EUROPEAN TRAIN ENTHUSI­ MARKET WATCH-Tom Murray Overland Park, KS 662 13. Phone (913) 45 1- ASTS!! Keep up with the latest European rail­ 519 Banyan Circle, Walnut Creek, CA 94598-2501 4982. Call or write for details and any offers to TODAY'S RAILWAYS­ E-mail: [email protected] road news by subscribing to LAST WORD-Ed Ripley purchase. the only monthly magazine devoted entirely to P.O. Box 379, Waukesha, WI 53187 the European rail scene. Sample copy-$7; sub­ LAST WORD-Jim Giblin TOUR CHINA STEAM & MORE. Several trips scription-$79. Send check payable to Wise Owl P.O. Box 379, Waukesha, WI 53187 in 1998-99, catching the twilight of China's Worldwide Publications, 43 14 W. 238th Street, working mainline steam: 2-8-2s and 2- 1 0-2s. Suite B, Torrance, CA 90505-4509; (3 10) 375- Northern and southern mainline steam 6258.

80 • April 1998 SCREAMING STACKS, IMMACULATE IMAGES, AWESOME AUDIO, DEUGHTFUL DESERTS '. Remember the old Bob Dylan song (I'm showing my age!) "The times they are a changing"? Well, they sure are in Arizona, so we went out to document them. Superfleet and Heritage paint on BNSF,still an awesome sight with a steady parade of trains, and anything UP owns or can borrow on the old SP Sunset Route . Check out the changing times in Arizona, you'll be glad you did.

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Wa rbonnets still rule on the former Santa Fe main line across Arizona, but the merger is now starting to show. There are still solids sets of red and silver, with the new 700's much in evidence but the new "Heritage" paint can be seen, and not only on C44's! There are a few solid sets of cascade green, but not a lot of yellow and blue. Impressive, heavy duty main line railroad­ ing in the Seligman Sub from Needles to Winslow. We got into all kinds of places, including Kingman Canyon, with meets at sunset, Crozier Canyon with more meets, the line relocation beyond Crookton (ace sunset shot) , a lonely place (I was happy to get out with intact tires), the Arizona Divide, Canyon Diablo and lots more. Shot in the wonderful winter light of January and February of 1 998. Two houn SAGE $35.95 plus $3.00 SltH

..

It's all change in Arizona, so anything goes on the Sunset Route these days, from brand new SD90MAC's to scruffy tunnel motors, C&NW C44's to an SP SD7, SP AC's to elderly UP C36's. UP puts on quite a show in the magnificent scenery of Arizona, from Steins on the New Mexico border all the way across Arizona to Yuma on the California border. Slogging up the mountains to racing across the desert, coal trains to double stacks, this is a time of change and we caught all the action. Ta ped in December, '97 and February '98 in wonderful winter light. Twohoun SUNS $35.95 plus $3.00 SltH

SPECIAL OFFER Both Arizona tapes for AND we pay the shipping. Yo u save ten bucks!$65.0 Call0 and order today!

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1qq�-10 YEA�5 P�01)lJC'NG Q,lJALfTY �'L�OA1) V(1)E051

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82 • April 1998 Please send me one year (4 issues) of In Issue #33 of we take The Railroad Press magazine for only $16. The Railroad Press , you to four railfanning locations in New Yo rk Please send me two years (8 issues) of Th e Railroad Press magazine for only $30. City. See freight and passenger action in the Foreign customers write for rates Big Apple! We also take you to California for a Send check, moneyorder or credit card information 10: TRP look at an unusual day at Keddie Wye, cab­ DEALER 1150 Carlisle St. Suite 444-L INQUIRIES riding in the Golden State, and ALCO action Hanover, PA 17331 WELCOME! in Quebec. A subscription to Name The Railroad is only $16 for one year (4 issues) or Address Press $30 for two years (8 issues). To get the best in City State Zip railroad writing and photography, start your Phone No. required for credit card orders subscription to today and Credit Card No. Exp. The RailroadPress Circle One VISA AMEX DISC MC ask to begin it with our Big Apple Issue #33. Bill required for credit card orders (GG-l photo courtesy of Myers.) Get close The view doesn't get better than this. Yo ur own picture window on the ever-changing kaleidoscope of this spectacular to yjanatJa. country Relaxed travel that really allows you to see it all . in comfort and style. Experience it Whether you choose our classic train journey aboard tlain. the Ca nadian'" between Va ncouver and To ronto, our Light, Rapid by Comfortable trains in the Quebec

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