==================================================== Rail-Related News for Friday October 18, 2013 ==================================================== Man hit by train and killed Elmira, NY (WBNG Binghamton) A man was killed after being struck by a train Wednesday afternoon. Around 4:56 p.m., the Elmira Police Department responded to the Norfolk Southern railroad tracks the area of East Miller Street. A male victim had been hit by the train and was pronounced dead. The identity of the victim is not being released at this time pending identification procedures, according to police. No foul play is suspected. Witnesses interviewed at the scene indicate this incident to be an accident. The Elmira Police Department was assisted at the scene by the Elmira Fire Department, Chemung County Sheriff’s Department, New York State Police, Southport Fire Department and Norfolk Southern Railroad. Elmira Police said no additional information is being released at this time. The police department reminds citizens that the railroad is private property and is not intended or appropriate for pedestrian traffic. Violators can be subject to arrest. wbng/news/local/Man-hit-by-train-and-killed-228159831.html -------------------------------------------- Portland police identify man killed by train Why the city man was on the tracks and why he was unable to get out of the way are still unclear. By Eric Russell erussell@pressherald Staff Writer Portland police released the identity Thursday of the man who was killed by a train Wednesday night, but said they still don’t know why he was walking along the tracks or why he could not avoid being hit. click image to enlarge Investigators survey the scene of a fatal accident along train tracks between Forest Avenue and Irving Street in Portland on Wednesday night. A man who was walking along the tracks was struck and killed by a freight train. Nicholas Gervin photo Select images available for purchase in the Maine Today Photo Store Richard Cobb, 54, of Portland was walking south along tracks that run parallel to Forest Avenue toward Woodfords Corner when he saw the train approach from the north, police said. “This guy stepped off to the side but not quite enough,” Lt. Bob Ridge said Wednesday. “Something off the side of the train hit him.” Cobb, who did not have a fixed address, died at the scene. The tracks cross Forest Avenue near one of Portland’s most congested intersections, where seven roads converge in a 200-foot stretch. The accident, reported at 7:15 p.m., halted the 84-car train, hauling goods including lumber and paper, for nearly three hours, snarling traffic in the area. It also forced an Amtrak Downeaster train to cancel its run to Brunswick. Passengers were put on buses instead. The train started up again after police from Pan Am Railways, which owns the tracks, arrived and cleared the scene. Cynthia Scarano, executive vice president of Pan Am Railways, said only that the railroad’s police are investigating the accident in conjunction with local authorities. Portland police Lt. James Sweatt said Thursday that police will continue their investigation. He encouraged anyone who might have seen the accident to contact him. Police have interviewed the train’s conductor and some people who responded to the accident after hearing horns and screeching brakes. It was not known Thursday how fast the train was going when it hit Cobb. It is illegal to trespass on train tracks, and many areas are posted with signs warning pedestrians to stay clear. Sweatt said police often work with railroad officials to get signs posted in congested areas, but he couldn’t say whether there are signs in the area of Wednesday’s accident. Accidents that kill people walking along train tracks are rare in Maine. In the last 20 years, there have been 28 deaths statewide, according to data from the Federal Railroad Administration. There has been no more than one fatality involving a pedestrian and a train in any year since 2006, when there were four. Nationwide, there have been an average of 914 fatal crashes involving trains and pedestrians annually since 1993. The Federal Railroad Administration estimates that as many as one-quarter of those deaths are suicides. Portland police said Cobb’s death is not being investigated as a suicide. The last fatality involving a train and a pedestrian in Maine occurred in April 2012 in Biddeford. Sean Page, 40, was hit by an Amtrak train while he walked on the tracks near his home. Police said Page was wearing earbud-style headphones and did not hear the train coming. In August, a man was seriously injured when he was hit by a Downeaster train in Scarborough. Charles Hope, a 36-year-old transient, was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries. And in May, a Portland man lost a leg after trying to jump on a moving train. Matthew Morris, 19, fell and the train ran over him, severing one leg above the knee. Today’s trains make less noise and their crews often do not use horns in some areas, said Fred Hirsch, state coordinator of Maine Operation Lifesaver, a nonprofit organization that works to prevent train accidents. “Any or all of these factors are likely to contribute to the increase in serious injury or death on the railroad’s private right of way,” he said. Eric Russell can be contacted at 791-6344 or at: erussell@pressherald Twitter: @PPHEricRussell pressherald/news/Portland_police_identify_man_killed_by_train.html ------------------------------------------------- Trash truck and train collide in Independence INDEPENDENCE, Mo. — A dumpster trash truck collided with an Amtrak train Thursday morning at about 8:30 and dispatchers said there were reports of injuries. The collision happened at tracks near 24 Highway and Wilson Road. The injuries are to the person or people inside the trash truck. FOX 4 has a crew on the way to the scene and will update this story as new information comes in. Refresh this page for the latest. fox4kc/2013/10/17/trash-truck-and-train-collide-in-independence/ ---------------------------------------------- TRUCK SMASHES INTO TWO VEHICLES AFTER BEING HIT BY TRAIN AT RAILROAD CROSSING SAN DIEGO A northbound Amtrak train struck a box truck, which then smashed into two other vehicles at a railroad crossing in Sorrento Valley Thursday afternoon, authorities said. The driver of the box truck, from San Diego Die Cutting, was taken to a hospital with minor injuries, as was the driver of a landscaping truck that was struck, said San Diego fire Battalion Chief Rick Ballard. The train engineer also had minor injuries but waited for passengers to disembark before being transported to a hospital, said fire spokesman Maurice Luque. No passengers on the Surfliner train were hurt. The crash occurred about 3:15 p.m. on Sorrento Valley Boulevard at Sorrento Valley Road. Sheriff’s Deputy Ed Macken said the driver of the box truck was “overzealous” when he drove eastbound on the tracks and was broadsided by the oncoming train. The impact pushed the truck on its side and over a center median, into a Del Sol Landscaping pickup truck and a Ford Taurus that were waiting at the crossing in the westbound lanes, the deputy said. The two vehicles sustained front-end damage. The Ford’s driver was an on-duty FBI agent, FBI officials confirmed. He was not transported. The crossing arms and signals were working properly at the time of the crash, Macken said. Fritz Doran and his son, Chad, had just gotten off the freeway when they saw the back of the box truck on the tracks. Doran said he remarked to his son, “He’s not quite clear.” The engineer sounded a warning whistle about 150 to 200 feet from the crossing, then sounded it again, Doran said. The truck driver appeared to move the truck forward 2 to 3 feet, but it was not enough, and the train hit it. Doran said it was fortunate that no one was seriously injured and that no train cars derailed. “That could have gone really bad, really fast, given the circumstances,” he said. utsandiego/news/2013/oct/18/tp-truck-smashes-into-two-vehicles-after-being/ --------------------------------------------- Trains running again after 5-car derailment near Central Square, CSX says Central Square, N.Y. -- Service has been restored along the rail line where five cars derailed and a 100-foot section of track washed out earlier this week. A CSX spokesman said service on the line was restored Wednesday. Crews worked around the clock to repair the tracks. Nearly 50 dump-trucks loaded with stone lined the road near the site of the derailment. Workers operated heavy equipment under dozens of massive spotlights and tractor-trailers carrying fresh wooden railroad ties waited nearby. About 100 feet of track near Central Square had washed out Saturday. Neighbors said the area experiences flooding caused by a housing development on one side of the tracks and a beaver dam on the other. Then on Monday evening in the same area, five cars derailed from a train that included to locomotives and 23 freight cars. The train was heading from Syracuse to Watertown and was carrying stone for track work. No one was injured in either incident. Mary Steffen, whose home backs up to the railroad tracks, said the repair effort on the part of CSX was astounding. She was also glad trains would begin running again. Steffen said she knows its time to get up for work when she hears a train go by at about 5 a.m. each morning. Its just one of those things you get used to, she said. The CSX Transportation network encompasses more than 20,000 miles of track in 23 states and two Canadian provinces. syracuse/news/index.ssf/2013/10/trains_running_again_after_5-car_derailment_near_central_square_csx_says.html --------------------------------------------------- CSX Selects McKees Rocks and Stowe Township for New Pittsburgh Intermodal Facility JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - October 17, 2013 - CSX Corporation (CSX) and its transportation and intermodal terminals subsidiaries today announced plans to design and build a new intermodal facility in McKees Rocks and Stowe Township, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh. The proposed facility will create transportation saving opportunities by giving western Pennsylvania shippers direct intermodal freight rail access, allowing for the shift of long-haul freight from highway to rail and strengthening the transportation infrastructure serving the regions economy. We look forward to deepening our long-standing relationship with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania through our commitment to invest up to $50 million on a facility that will create more economic opportunity for its residents and significantly enhance distribution opportunities for its businesses, said Michael J. Ward, chairman, president and chief executive officer, CSX. The proposed site in McKees Rocks would redevelop the former Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad Yard, which operated for over 100 years. The project will generate approximately 360 jobs during construction. Once operational, the facility will support approximately 40 on-site jobs, 40 drayage jobs and 100 indirect jobs throughout the region as a result of improved transportation access and distribution opportunities for local and regional businesses. McKees Rocks is quickly establishing itself as a business-friendly community, said Jack Muhr, mayor of McKees Rocks. This is the kind of development project that can pave the way for more growth. The terminal will clearly boost the profile of Stowe Township and the entire area as a growing home for business and industry, said Frank Zieger, president, Stowe Township Commission. This facility will further enhance the ability of businesses in the Allegheny County region to expand their presence and quickly and efficiently deliver products to the global marketplace, said Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. As plans are developed, CSX will work with the community to ensure that this facility considers the needs of McKees Rocks and Stowe Township as well as CSX customers and the Pittsburgh regions economy. The Pittsburgh Intermodal Facility will utilize CSXs National Gateway project, an $850 million public-private partnership to create a highly efficient and environmentally friendly double-stack cleared rail corridor on the CSX network between the Mid-Atlantic and the Midwest. Funded by CSX and its federal and state government partners, including a $35 million Pennsylvania Transportation Assistance Program Grant, the National Gateway will create more than 9,000 jobs in Pennsylvania. In early September, the National Gateway coalition announced that the first phase of the project had been cleared, making way for double-stack intermodal rail service between CSXs intermodal terminal in Chambersburg, Pa., and its new state-of-the-art hub facility in Northwest Ohio. CSX expects to complete planning, design, permitting and property acquisition for the approximately 65-70 acre Pittsburgh Intermodal Facility in 2014, with the goal of beginning the two-year construction process in 2015. As part of the design process, CSX will work with local officials to ensure the terminal supports local industrial development already in the planning stage. This intermodal facility is the biggest missing piece of a development puzzle that we have been assembling for over a decade, said Taris Vrcek, executive director, McKees Rocks Community Development Corporation. CSX is a proven partner who has demonstrated how these facilities can have far-reaching impact and change market dynamics. When you couple this catalytic $50 million investment with the adjacent Rocks Industrial Park, $2 million in corporate commitments for Main Street development on lower Chartiers Avenue, and the $40 million reconstruction of West Carson Street, this signals a new beginning for McKees Rocks, Stowe Township and our neighboring communities. CSXs investment in the intermodal terminal will help open our region to global markets and have an immediate positive impact on the communities of Stowe Township and McKees Rocks, said Dewitt Peart, president, Pittsburgh Regional Alliance. When completed, this critical element of infrastructure will also benefit businesses throughout our region in helping expedite the shipment and delivery of goods and materials. About CSX CSX, based in Jacksonville, Florida, is a premier transportation company. It provides rail, intermodal and rail-to-truck transload services and solutions to customers across a broad array of markets, including energy, industrial, construction, agricultural, and consumer products. For more than 185 years, CSX has played a critical role in the nations economic expansion and industrial development. Its network connects every major metropolitan area in the eastern United States, where nearly two-thirds of the nations population resides. It also links more than 240 short-line railroads and more than 70 ocean, river and lake ports with major population centers and small farming towns alike. More information about CSX Corporation and its subsidiaries is available at csx. Like us on Facebook (facebook/OfficialCSX) and follow us on Twitter (twitter/CSX). Contact: Robert Sullivan 904-245-2401 -------------------------------------------------- CSX Launches New Website for Intermodal Business JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - October 17, 2013 - CSX recently launched a new website (intermodal) that showcases the value of intermodal rail in todays supply chains through videos and interactive tools. CSXs expansive intermodal service provides businesses with a way to meet evolving supply chain requirements economically, while also promoting environmental sustainability, said Bill Clement, CSX Transportations vice president of intermodal. Were pleased to introduce our new intermodal website, which will help new and existing customers learn about our robust offerings in an engaging way. Intermodal transportation relies on a combination of rail, ocean vessels and trucks to move containerized freight through the domestic and international supply chain. As the largest railroad in the eastern United States serving 40 intermodal terminals across its network, and providing nation-wide connectivity through Class I rail partners, CSX Transportations intermodal business provides shippers with a transportation solution that offers scalable capacity, sustainable savings and predictable service. Intermodal provides a variety of new features, including: - A multimedia library that features informational videos and interviews; - Informational brochures and fact sheets that explain topics such as blocking and bracing; - An interactive build a shipment map that enables users to customize a potential route for intermodal freight movements; - Customer testimonials. To learn more about CSXs intermodal services, please visit intermodal. About CSX CSX, based in Jacksonville, Florida, is a premier transportation company. It provides rail, intermodal and rail-to-truck transload services and solutions to customers across a broad array of markets, including energy, industrial, construction, agricultural, and consumer products. For more than 185 years, CSX has played a critical role in the nations economic expansion and industrial development. Its network connects every major metropolitan area in the eastern United States, where nearly two-thirds of the nations population resides. It also links more than 240 short-line railroads and more than 70 ocean, river and lake ports with major population centers and small farming towns alike. More information about CSX Corporation and its subsidiaries is available at csx. Like us on Facebook (facebook/OfficialCSX) and follow us on Twitter (twitter/CSX). Contact: Carla Groleau (904) 359-1708 ------------------------------------------------------------ Rail strike may further slow movement of huge West Canada crop By Rod Nickel WINNIPEG, Manitoba | Wed Oct 16, 2013 1:19pm EDT Oct 16 (Reuters) - A possible strike at Canadas biggest railway is compounding a vexing problem in the second-biggest wheat exporting country - how to move the western crop belts abundant harvest to port with a strained transportation system. A dispute between Canadian National Railway Co and its railroad workers raises the possibility of a strike or lockout as early as Oct. 29. Talks are scheduled to resume on Oct. 21, with both the union and railway hopeful of avoiding a work stoppage. Whenever theres a labor disruption, it has a huge impact on us, said Wade Sobkowich, executive director of the Western Grain Elevator Association, which represents grain handlers such as Richardson International Limited, Viterra and Cargill Ltd. All grain shippers are concerned that we wont have sufficient rail capacity to move this large crop when we need to move it. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada estimates total crop production in Western Canada at a record-high 67.3 million tonnes and transport infrastructure is already struggling. Canada exports about two-thirds of its wheat and more than half of its canola. Some farmers, waiting for congested country elevators to clear space, have piled grain on the ground, potentially risking contamination, while others are filling plastic silo bags that snake hundreds of feet across fields. Some bursting-at-the-seams grain handlers, meanwhile, have resorted to storing crops in temporary bunkers that resemble hockey rinks with boards along the sides, pipes to dry the grain and tarps protecting it from rain and snow. Railways are filling about half of the grain car orders within the same week, a situation that isnt unprecedented during the harvest, but not ideal for moving crops quickly, Sobkowich said, adding that elevators are about 95 percent full. A bottleneck in Western Canadas crop pipeline has already expanded the discount in the cash price grain handlers pay farmers versus the wheat futures price, according to crop marketer CWB. It may also prevent some export sales as handlers look to avoid penalties for late delivery, Sobkowich said. Most of Canadas crop production comes from its western provinces, where farmers and grain handlers rely heavily on Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Railway to move crops into export position on the Great Lakes or West Coast. Effectively moving the big harvest will require all parties along the supply chain to work together, not just railways, said Canadian National spokesman Mark Hallman. CN expects to have a C$100-million ($97 million) upgrade to its capacity on the Winnipeg-Edmonton corridor in place by the end of November, Chief Operating Officer Jim Vena said in September. Canadian Pacific noticed strong rail demand from the grain sector before autumn, and increased the length of grain trains, said spokesman Ed Greenberg. The railways are both offering a larger number of rail cars for grain than usual, said Mark Hemmes, president of Quorum Corp, which monitors rail performance in the grain sector for the Canadian government. But moving crops fluidly is also about matching the specific needs of vessels lined up, he said. The railways are motivated to move as much grain as they can, and they may have a tendency to grab grain from an origin that might not match whats required in that timeframe at the port. Thats where we end up with congestion. The bumper grain harvest comes amid a slump in offshore demand for potash fertilizer, but coal movements at Port Metro Vancouver are at a record high, said Doug Mills, senior account representative of trade development at Canadas largest port. The projected record grain volumes and diverse profile of this years wheat crop have led some vessels to anchor off Vancouver Island to wait for cargo, Mills said. The federal regulator Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) has also fielded inquiries from exporters about using British Columbia terminals that typically store less grain than others, such as Kinder Morgans North Vancouver terminal, said CGC chief grain inspector Randy Dennis. Hemmes said he doubts much more of the Canadian crop than usual will move through the United States. Grain handlers rely on the same two railways to move crops south, and it is costly for Canadian farmers to truck crops to U.S. elevators unless they live close to the border, he said. Such a big crop caught some farmers off guard. Around mid-summer, when it became clear big crops were on the way, demand spiked for on-farm grain bins and portable handling equipment. (There was) a mad scramble to buy it and get it installed, said Daniel Donner, senior vice-president of sales and marketing at Ag Growth International Inc. -------------------------------------------------------------- Teamsters Threaten Strike Against Canadian National The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, which represents about 3,300 conductors, trainmen, yardmen and traffic coordinators at Canadian National, is gearing up for a strike or lockout in its relations with the Class I railroad on Oct. 28. Ongoing talks, following the expiration of the union members’ contract on July 22, broke down between the two parties on Oct. 7. The negotiations are now in an automatic 21-day “cooling off” period. The Teamsters union said it offered to extend the mediation period, but CN’s management rejected the proposal. “We’re extremely disappointed by CN’s refusal (to extend the mediation period),” said Roland Hackl, TCRC spokesperson, in a written statement. “The railway uses an old tactic: pointing a gun to its workers’ heads to force them to make concessions.” However, CN told the JOC that the two sides are scheduled to resume collective bargaining on Oct. 21, with the help of the federally appointed mediators who were part of the original conciliation process. The Teamsters union said it did not take issue with wages and the retirement plan in this bargaining round, but talks were stalled because of concessions that it said would require CN employees to work longer hours with less rest time in between trips. The union cited issues with safety, specifically scientific research on fatigue management and the recent Lac-Mégantic derailment, as the main reasons for its rejection of the new contract. “CN’s managers have to walk the walk and talk the talk; they have to understand that people are not machines and that you should never place profits before people,” Hackl said. CN’s Mark Hallman, director of communications and public affairs, said company policy does not permit him to comment on any specifics of the contract talks, but he said that the contract would not “in any way compromise the health and safety of TCRC members.” He also noted that CN believes the contract would actually “positively affect the health and safety of employees.” Hallman also mentioned that CN remains “optimistic” that the talks will be resolved before the strike could occur later this month. -------------------------------------------------------------
Posted on: Fri, 18 Oct 2013 14:23:04 +0000
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