It's been a while...

(Train sightings on 6-27-09.)

Being given a break from what seemed like a unending stretch of rainy weather, NJ was finally given a Saturday morning in which the sun shone brightly. That enabled me to get trackside to see what was running along the Lehigh Line. From 9 AM until 10:30, I only saw four trains, two eastbounders and two westbounders. No foreign power but the still was some ex-CR units to be seen. The trains seen were as follows:

Lansdown Junction: NS 21M had NS 2758, NS 2778 and NS 7529 for power at 8:45.

NS 214 must have been holding for 21M at Pattenburg because it came east at 9:02. Motive power consisted of NS 9732, PRR 6769 (ex-CR 5512) and NS 9415. Note the solar panel that has been recently installed in the accompanying scene.



Heading down to Three Bridges, I was fortunate to catch NS 22V at 9:50. Its leader was PRR 8335 (ex-CR 6086) and NS 8372.



My final train for today was NS 213 with NS 9839 and NS 9157 for power.

At both of my locations, there was also piles of ballast that had been recently placed there off to the side. Perhaps for more LEHL MOW to be done in the near future?

17 Beautiful Train Stations that fell to the Wrecking Ball

Received the following links via email. If you have an appreciation for architecture, railroads, history or all three, you will likely recognize some of these lost landmarks:

http://www.infrastructurist.com/2009/06/22/11-beautiful-train-stations-that-fell-to-the-wrecking-ball/

http://www.infrastructurist.com/2009/06/25/6-more-great-train-stations-lost-to-the-wrecking-ball/

Columbus (OH) Union Station (all that is left)...one of the few major rail station demolitions where an effort to save anything tangible was made, though this giant relocated arch is still but a token hint of what it used to be connected with, downtown:

http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM3863

What do D&RGW, SP, UP and the late Michael Jackson have in common?

Received the following via email.

Michael Jackson's death leaves AEG in the lurch

"The death of Michael Jackson came just weeks before he was to start a series of comeback concerts that the onetime King of Pop hoped would relaunch his career and straighten out his finances. Now concert promoter AEG Live is left in the lurch. The company, which is owned by reclusive media mogul Philip Anschutz, had shelled out more than $20 million on the concerts."

"In 1984, he [Anschutz] entered the railroad business by purchasing the Rio Grande Railroad's holding company, Rio Grande Industries. Four years later, in 1988, the Rio Grande Railroad purchased the Southern Pacific Railroad under his direction. With the merger of the Southern Pacific and Union Pacific Corporation in September 1996, Anschutz became Vice-Chairman of Union Pacific."

Weekly Rail Carloading Report - Week 24, 2009

There is an interesting report available on the web that is "A Weekly Report of North American Rail Freight Traffic by Major Railroad and Commodity." It is currently showing data for week 24 of 2009.

http://railfax.transmatch.com/

Here is an example of the information available on this web site. This graph shows Total Traffic for 2008-2009 vs. 2007-2008. There are more graphs and tables on the web site showing data by railroad and by commodity.

Note: This web site has new tables and graphs every Thursday. So, if I am late or miss a week with this blog posting, you can check for new data on Thursdays.

Hal Carstens has passed away

Hal Carstens passed away Tuesday, June 23, 2009. He was the founder of Carstens Publications, publishers of Railroad Model Craftsman, Railfan & Railroad, and Flying Models magazines plus numerous books on railroads and model railroading.

It's Over, Folks: Kodak retires Kodachrome

Received the following via email. We can all weep - no more NEAT Train pictures in Kodachrome :(


Kodak retires Kodachrome

The company will discontinue the color film after 74 years

Posted by Elizabeth Strott on Monday, June 22, 2009 10:52 AM
"They give us those nice bright colors. They give us the greens of summers. Makes you think all the world's a sunny day," Paul Simon sang in the 1973 song "Kodachrome."

It looks like Simon will have to come up with a new song now that Eastman Kodak (EK) is retiring its Kodachrome color film after a 74-year run. Kodachrome sales have plunged since the introduction of both new films and digital technology, and the product now makes up less than 1% of Kodak's still-picture-film sales, the company said. About 70% of Kodak's revenue now comes from its commercial and consumer digital businesses.

"It was certainly a difficult decision to retire it, given its rich history," Mary Jane Hellyar, president of Kodak’s Film, Photofin ishing and Entertainment Group, said in a statement. "However, the majority of today's photographers have voiced their preference to capture images with newer technology -- both film and digital."

Hellyar said current supplies of Kodachrome will likely last until early fall. Dwayne's Photo, in Parsons, Kan., is the only photofinishing lab that still processes the complex Kodachrome film, Kodak said, and it will continue to do so through 2010.

Photojournalist Steve McCurry's famous National Geographic cover of an Afghan refugee girl was shot on Kodachrome in 1985. McCurry will shoot one of the last rolls of Kodachrome film and donate the images to the George Eastman House museum, which honors the company's founder, in Rochester, N.Y. Kodak will also compile other iconic images and post them on its Web site.

Shares of Kodak stock were down 18 cents, or 6.3%, to $2.67 th is afternoon. The stock has plunged more than 76% over the past year.

Red Caboose/InterMountain "Partnership"

Following text is from the Red Caboose web site concerning the recently announced "partnership" with InterMountain. We carry both manufacture's products when we can get them. Getting InterMountain directly from the manufacturer hasn't been too difficult if the items are in stock. Orders for future runs can take a long time. Getting Red Caboose products directly from the manufacturer has been difficult for some reason. Maybe with this "partnership" things will be better.


RED CABOOSE/INTERMOUTAIN "PARTNERSHIP"

Red Caboose and InterMountain Railway Company have entered into a "partnership" arrangement under which InterMountain will be responsible for the manufacturing and distribution of all Red Caboose product beginning May 1, 2009. InterMountain will provide information to its dealer network for Advance Reservations on all new releases, and production quantities will be determined by the interest shown through the reservations. The reservation period will be approximately seven weeks and production will follow within four to five months.

InterMountain will also have access to all of the existing Red Caboose inventory and will make that product available through its dealer network as well. All Red Caboose finished product will be shown on both the Red Caboose and InterMountain websites. Undecorated kits and miscellaneous parts will continue to be available directly from Red Caboose.

Both Red Caboose and InterMountain are pleased to announce this new relationship and to continue providing this fine line of railroad models to the model railroad hobby.

More information on the Red Caboose web site.

http://www.red-caboose.com/cgi-bin/e_catalog/catalog.cgi

A Blue Day in Binghamton, NY

Received the following from Kermit Geary, Jr. Text and photos are his.

Finally made it from Syracuse to Binghamton, NY on the NYSW....80 miles, 324 defects...whew!!! Starting on the CNYK to Port Jervis tomorrow, then down the Southern Div to Little Ferry, NJ. From there ...who knows! Might be heading back to the A&O before taking two weeks off for a Photo Charter on the MIDH and the Steam Fest in Owosso, MI. Hope all is well.

Video of Miniatur Wunderland in Germany

Below is a link to the official YouTube video of the Miniatur Wunderland train set in Hamburg, Germany. (See our posting of Sunday, March 29, 2009, titled World's largest model train layout.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PN_oDdGmKyA&feature=player_embedded

Lackawanna Cutoff Chugs Closer to Federal Funding

Following article is from the Daily Record web site.

Lackawanna Cutoff chugs closer to federal funding

June 14, 2009

The plan to restart rail service on the Lackawanna Cutoff - which runs from Port Morris in Roxbury to the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River - has entered the final stage of it environmental review.

If the Federal Transit Authority adopts a revised environmental assessment for the proposed rail line, the project would be eligible for further funding.

Advocates for rebuilding the historic cutoff, which operated from 1911 to 1979 and is a necessary link to restore passenger service between Scranton, Pa. to Hoboken, a 133-mile trip, would help reduce the daily traffic clogging Route 80.

Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen, R-Harding, a long-time supporter, said, "This development is welcome news to all of us who want to get cars off our clogged highways and will assist our efforts to secure funding for the entire Lackawanna Cutoff."

The Federal Transit Authority next week will publish a revised environmental assessment, which after a 30-day public comment period, could result in the issuance of a finding of no significant impact, or FONSI, which would give the project environmental approval.

The assessment generally concluded that there would be limited environmental damage from the construction of the rail line because the work would be done on an existing rail right-of-way or on state-owned land that once supported rail activities.

"This is the end of the environmental review,'' said Joe Dee, spokesman for NJ Transit, the lead agency for the $551 million restoration project.

The FTA already issued a FONSI for the 7.3-mile section of the cutoff between Port Murray, near Landing in Roxbury, to Andover. NJ Transit last year announced a $36 million project to rebuild tracks along that stretch.

Gerald Rohsler, Morris County's transportation director, said, the FTA announcement means "this is essentially done. This is a good thing."

The release of the FONSI will trigger a three-year period in which action on the project must occur, or the environmental approval will be withdrawn, Rohsler said.

What hampered progress on the cutoff for years was the lack of rail capacity in the eastern end of the line into New York, Rohsler said. That was resolved last week with the start of a project to build an $8 billion transit tunnel from New Jersey to New York City. It will be the third transit tunnel into Manhattan.

Norman Ressler of Lake Hopatcong, president of the Penn-Jersey Rail Coalition, a longtime advocate of the cutoff, said the release of the environmental assessment will finally move the project along.

The project calls for eight passenger stations.

The project has been panned by some environmentalists.

At a 2007 public hearing Rich Anoh of Blairstown asked, "What is the possible logic in this, making it easy, in fact subsidizing a person's choice to travel from Scranton to Hoboken on a daily basis? How is traveling 260 miles a day environmentally responsible?"

The environmental assessment estimates the new train service will carry 40,640 two-way passengers annually in 2012, increasing to 66,040 by 2030. It would serve part of eastern Pennsylvania where population has been increasing, as well as parts of Sussex and Morris counties.

Excursion train hit by car in North Carolina

Following is an article from The News & Observer newspaper of Raleigh, NC, about an accident that occured on Sunday, 6/7/09 on the New Hope Valley Railway. This accident was also caught on video by a passenger on the train. That video has been posted on YouTube, and the link is below also.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enkh9A5jdUI

Excursion train hit by car

BY JACK HAGEL AND ROBERT WILLETT, Staff Writers

BONSAL, NC - On the first Sunday of most months, hundreds come to this small town, about half an hour southwest of Raleigh, to get a close look at old trains.

But few, if any, have gotten as close a look as Brian Kielty got Sunday -- and certainly not without paying the fare.

Kielty, 50, of Apex was driving about 10 mph in a 21-year-old, blue-with-wood-trim Mercury Colony station wagon, approaching a railroad crossing on Daisey Street shortly before 4 p.m.

Problem is, a New Hope Valley Railway train, operated by a volunteer crew as part of the N.C. Railroad Museum, was making use of that crossing at the time, finishing a nine-mile trek carrying about 100 train enthusiasts.

"You're obviously not going to move a train with a car, especially at that speed," Trooper Ricardo Quiñones said.

Nobody was injured in the collision, which happened near the Chatham-Wake county line, Quiñones said. But he estimated that there was about $1,000 in damage to the train.

The station wagon was rendered undriveable.

Kielty said he was all right, but he declined to comment further before eventually being driven home by a family member.

Kielty was charged with failure to reduce speed, Quiñones said. "I've never seen anything like this," said the seven-year law enforcement veteran.

Indeed, train-on-car collisions are the ones we tend to remember, not the other way around.

But Bob Crowley, corporate secretary of the New Hope Valley Railway, says it's much more common than one would think.

"You'd be surprised at the number of people who just don't pay attention and drive into the side of the train," he said.

Yet it's never happened to New Hope Valley Railway, he said.

For 21 years, Triangle train fanatics have flocked here to ride the New Hope Valley Railway.

The rides run on the first Sunday of each month from May to December, and have been known to draw 1,000 passengers a day for five round-trim runs on 41/2 miles of track in Chatham and Wake counties. Tickets usually sell out weeks in advance.

The volunteer organization, with about 100 members, maintains and operates seven locomotives, including one of about 100 steam engines still in operation in the country.

Engine No. 17 was pulling the 50-year-old excursion car that was struck in the wreck.

The collision caused the railway to cancel the day's last run.

But the trains are expected to run on schedule next month, Crowley said. "About the only thing we're going to have to do different," he added, "is put a little paint on the car."

Weekly Rail Carloading Report - Week 22, 2009

There is an interesting report available on the web that is "A Weekly Report of North American Rail Freight Traffic by Major Railroad and Commodity." It is currently showing data for week 22 of 2009.

http://railfax.transmatch.com/

Here is an example of the information available on this web site. This graph shows Total Traffic for 2008-2009 vs. 2007-2008. There are more graphs and tables on the web site showing data by railroad and by commodity.

Note: This web site has new tables and graphs every Thursday. So, if I am late or miss a week with this blog posting, you can check for new data on Thursdays.

Welcome to Syracuse, NY

Received the following via email from Kermit Geary, Jr. Text, photos, and captions are his.

Started the very slooooow test of the Squeak today....made 8 miles and about 40 defects! This is going to take a while....on top of the slow test, Sperry has instituted a policy of not allowing the trucks to be driven at posted speed limits. All movements must be made AT LEAST 5 miles/ hour under the posted limits! if you are in a 15 mph school zone, one MUST be at 10 mph. GRRR, never gonna be able to catch anything again! And with the GPS, all movements are recorded.

Any good lawyers out there that want to sue these people for invasion of privacy???

CSXT 4581 & train at Syracuse, NY

NYSW 3010, SRS 811, NHRX 95038 at Syracuse, NY

M&H Photo freight 7-19-2009

Received the following via email from Kermit Geary, Jr.

Greetings all: This is a general announcement that there will be a Photo Freight on the Middletown & Hummelstown RR using the WM-painted ALCO S-6 # 151 and vintage freight equipment.

The fare will be $45.00.

You will be required to sign a release prior to boarding the train.

Date: Sunday July 19th, 2009

For more info and tickets contact:

http://www.briansmodeltrains.com

or

Brian Saul briansmodeltrains@yahoo.com

June 1st's Monday morning in Harrisburg...

Received the following via email.

...turned out to be a great day for being trackside in Harrisburg, PA. The sun was warm and there were no clouds to contend with when it came to doing some railroad photography from the Linglestown Road Bridge. One of the first trains I saw was a NS local with a string of mostly gondolas. Motive power was NS 5219 (GP38-2) and NS 2223 (SW1500, ex-CR 9567).

Around 12:30 came the news over the scanner I was waiting to hear. NS 047 was ready to roll west behind NS 2753 and NS 2607. That symbol was assigned to Ringling Brothers Red Unit circus train! There was a thirty-minute stop planned for Harrisburg to have a crew change and watering the animals. Once that was done, the circus train would continue its 1,213 mile trip to Omaha, Nebraska after closing out its engagement in Trenton, NJ on 5/31. The specifics of the Red Unit's train are as follows: there are 59 cars that weigh in at 4,290 tons for a length of 5,235 feet. That is a almost one mile long. Amtrak, CR, NS handled the moves until this train reached Chicago where it was handed over to UP for the remainder of its trip.

Harrisburg - NS HBG local

Harrisburg - RBBB Red circus train

Harrisburg - Rear of circus train

Weekly Rail Carloading Report - Week 21, 2009

There is an interesting report available on the web that is "A Weekly Report of North American Rail Freight Traffic by Major Railroad and Commodity." It is currently showing data for week 21 of 2009.

http://railfax.transmatch.com/

Here is an example of the information available on this web site. This graph shows Total Traffic for 2008-2009 vs. 2007-2008. There are more graphs and tables on the web site showing data by railroad and by commodity.

Note: This web site has new tables and graphs every Thursday. So, if I am late or miss a week with this blog posting, you can check for new data on Thursdays.

Pocono Delights

Received the following from Kermit Geary, Jr. Text, photos, and captions are his.

Hope this finds everyone in Good Health, Spirits, and Employment!! After working in North Carolina for a couple of weeks, got a chance to head home for the Memorial Day holiday and then head to Scranton, PA and the Delaware Lackawanna test. Finishing that then head towards Lockport, NY and start on the Falls Road RR on Monday 6-1-2009. And then head on to the NYSW in Syracuse, NY. Got to see a grain train with the 405-1804-3000-3643 combo yesterday and today's PT-97 with the 2423 & 211. NICE variety and REAL NICE to see the 3000 in service!

Looking forward to seeing some of the good people in Rochester, NY this weekend and then through the NYS area along the NYSW. If you see the illustrious, notorious 811, stop by and say HI!!!!

SRS 811 at Moscow, PA

Sperry Car pilot Mike Vassallo watches DL 2423 lead PT-97 through Moscow, PA

DL 405 at Nay Aug, PA

DL 3642 at Moscow, PA

Norfolk Southern CEO Moorman To Address Bank of America and Merrill Lynch Global Transportation Conference

Received the following via email.

June 1, 2009

Norfolk Southern CEO Moorman To Address Bank of America and Merrill Lynch Global Transportation Conference

NORFOLK, VA. - Norfolk Southern Corporation CEO Wick Moorman will address the Bank of America and Merrill Lynch 2009 Global Transportation Conference in New York City at 11:05 a.m. EDT on Thursday, June 11.

Interested investors can listen via a simultaneous webcast at http://www.veracast.com/webcasts/bas/transportation09/id16207177.cfm. After the webcast, the presentation will be posted at www.nscorp.com.

Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) is one of the nation's premier transportation companies. Its Norfolk Southern Railway subsidiary operates approximately 21,000 route miles in 22 states and the District of Columbia, serves every major container port in the eastern United States, and provides efficient connections to other rail carriers. Norfolk Southern operates the most extensive intermodal network in the East and is a major transporter of coal and industrial products.

Norfolk Southern contacts
Media Frank Brown 757-629-2710 fsbrown@nscorp.com
Investors Leanne Marilley 757-629-2861 leanne.marilley@nscorp.com

Norfolk Southern Earns Automotive Logistics Excellence Award

Received the following via email.

June 1, 2009

Norfolk Southern Earns Automotive Logistics Excellence Award

NORFOLK, VA - UPS Autogistics, in conjunction with Ford Motor Company, has presented Norfolk Southern the 2008 Carrier of the Year Award for overall logistics excellence among all North American rail carriers for the transportation of Ford vehicles.

The award recognizes superior performance in on-time delivery, quality and damage-free handling, and total customer service. Norfolk Southern transported more than 1.4 million Ford vehicles in 2008.

Walter Lowe, Ford's manager for North America vehicle logistics, said, "Ford and Norfolk Southern have had a long, mutually beneficial relationship, and this award is a testament to their commitment to excellence and customer service."

"Ford Motor Company and Norfolk Southern have been very close supply chain partners for several decades, and over the years, we have remained strongly committed to providing Ford with industry leading rail transportation service and customer support," said David Julian, NS president, automotive and supply chain services. "We are honored to have earned this recognition for our overall performance during 2008."

Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) is a leading North American transportation provider. Its Norfolk Southern Railway subsidiary operates approximately 21,000 route miles in 22 states and the District of Columbia, serves every major container port in the eastern United States, and provides efficient connections to other rail carriers. Norfolk Southern operates the most extensive intermodal network in the East and is a major transporter of coal and industrial products.

Norfolk Southern contacts
Media Frank Brown 757-629-2710 fsbrown@nscorp.com
Investors Leanne Marilley 757-629-2861 leanne.marilley@nscorp.com

Somerset County 4-H Trainmasters Train Show - Spring, 2009

The Somerset County 4-H Trainmasters will be hosting their annual Spring Train Show on June 6 and 7, 2009 at the Somerset County 4-H Center.

Hours are 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM both days.

The 4-H Center is located at 310 Milltown Road, Bridgewater, NJ. Directions can be found at

http://somerset.rce.rutgers.edu/directions

Admission is $3.00 for adults and $1.00 for children under 12.

There will be door prizes and concessions will be available all day.

This show will be featuring demonstrations and hands-on activities as well as the ever-growing and ever-improving O-Scale trains and layout.

Weekly Rail Carloading Report - Week 20, 2009

There is an interesting report available on the web that is "A Weekly Report of North American Rail Freight Traffic by Major Railroad and Commodity." It is currently showing data for week 20 of 2009.

http://railfax.transmatch.com/

Here is an example of the information available on this web site. This graph shows Total Traffic for 2008-2009 vs. 2007-2008. There are more graphs and tables on the web site showing data by railroad and by commodity.


Note: This web site has new tables and graphs every Thursday. So, if I am late or miss a week with this blog posting, you can check for new data on Thursdays.

Webcast Information For Norfolk Southern 2009 Investor Day

Received the following via email.

May 29, 2009

Webcast Information For Norfolk Southern 2009 Investor Day

ATLANTA, GA - Norfolk Southern Corporation will present an overview of the company's financial and strategic initiatives as part of its 2009 Investor and Financial Analyst Conference on June 3, 2009, in Atlanta.

Interested investors can listen via a simultaneous webcast and view presentation slides on the Investors section of Norfolk Southern's Web site at www.nscorp.com/investors. The webcast will start at 8 a.m. and conclude around noon.

After the webcast, the presentations will be made available as an audio download at www.nscorp.com.

Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) is one of the nation's premier transportation companies. Its Norfolk Southern Railway subsidiary operates approximately 21,000 route miles in 22 states and the District of Columbia, serves every major container port in the eastern United States, and provides superior connections to other rail carriers. Norfolk Southern operates the most extensive intermodal network in the East and is a major transporter of coal and industrial products. Norfolk Southern is an industry leader in safety, sustainability, and corridor development, using its resources in partnership with the communities it serves.

Norfolk Southern contacts
Media Frank Brown 757-629-2710 fsbrown@nscorp.com
Investors Leanne Marilley 757-629-2861 leanne.marilley@nscorp.com