Brushcutting at Lakehurst - follow-up

Last Tuesday, Oct. 27, we posted a question about the brushcutting along railroad tracks near Lakehurst, NJ. We now have an answer via another posting on CRRNJ in Yahoogroups.

This item was in a recent Trains magazine newsletter:

New Jersey branch gets new life

Published: Thursday, October 22, 2009

HAMMONTON, N.J. - A new affiliate of Cape May Seashore Lines has begun working to reopen an ex-Central Railroad of New Jersey branch to Woodmansie, N.J., New Jersey Business has reported. The New Jersey Seashore Lines will operate the line, which hasn't seen a train for more than 20 years.

Anthony Macrie, the railroad's president, said his company has begun work on removing trees from the right-of-way, which is owned by Clayton Cos., operator of a quarry near Woodmansie. The 13-mile route, once part of CNJ's Long Branch to Bay Side, N.J., line, will connect to the Conrail Shared Assets Area at Lakehurst, N.J. Macrie said the quarry will be a major customer.

Clayton bought the line in 1985, after Conrail abandoned it. Short line Ashland Railway operated the line for a time in the late 1980s.

Cape May Seasore Lines currently operates a rail line on New Jersey's southern tip between Cape May and Tuckahoe.

CSX Corporation Chief Financial Officer to Address Goldman Sachs Global Industrials Conference

Received the following via email.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., (October 28, 2009) - Oscar Munoz, CSX Corporation (NYSE: CSX) executive vice president and chief financial officer, will address the Goldman Sachs Global Industrials Conference in New York City on Wednesday, November 4, 2009, at 2:15 p.m. Eastern Time.

Mr. Munoz's presentation will focus on the company's financial performance and core strategies to better position the company in the evolving transportation marketplace.

Investors may listen to the presentation via a live internet audio-webcast at http://cc.talkpoint.com/gold006/110409a_mg/?entity=25_BCDEQ0L,
or visit the CSX website at
http://investors.csx.com.
A replay and accompanying audio will be available within one hour after conclusion of this event.

Contact:
David Baggs, Investor Relations
904-359-4812
Lauren Rueger, Corporate Communications
877-835-5279

About CSX
CSX Corporation, based in Jacksonville, Fla., is one of the nation's leading transportation companies, providing rail, intermodal and rail-to-truck transload services. The company's transportation network spans approximately 21,000 miles, with service to 23 eastern states and the District of Columbia, and connects to more than 70 ocean, river and lake ports. More information about CSX Corporation and its subsidiaries is available at the company's web site, www.csx.com.

Norfolk Southern CFO Squires to address Citi Industrial Manufacturing & Transportation Conference

Received the following via email.

October 29, 2009

Norfolk Southern CFO Squires to address Citi Industrial Manufacturing & Transportation Conference

NORFOLK, VA. - James A. Squires, executive vice president finance and chief financial officer for Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC), will address the 2009 Citi Industrial Manufacturing & Transportation Conference on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009, in New York City. The presentation is scheduled to begin at 10:40 a.m. EST.

Interested investors can listen via a simultaneous webcast at http://www.veracast.com/webcasts/citigroup/imt09/86105111.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

Weekly Rail Carloading Report - Week 42, 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 42 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.

CSXT Employee Wins Rail Industry's Professional Environmental Award

Received the following via email.

Paul J. Kurzanski Honored for Excellence in Leading Environmental Initiatives

Jacksonville, FL - October 27, 2009 - The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today presented its top award for environmental professionals, the 2009 North American Environmental Employee Excellence Award, to Paul J. Kurzanski, manager of environmental remediation at CSX Transportation.

Kurzanski was one of six railroad industry individuals nominated. This is the fifth time in the last seven years that a CSXT employee has been honored with the AAR's Environmental Employee Excellence Award.

Kurzanski received the award during an annual railroad environmental conference. A 30-year railroad veteran, Kurzanski's accomplishments include the successful management of approximately 125 environmental remediation projects in six states (Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, New York, and Ohio); the development and implementation of CSXT's Environmental Leased Property Review and Lab Management programs. Kurzanski is also the author of 19 key Environmental Management System documents covering programs, processes, and instructions. These written standards are essential to CSXT's management of environmental programs.

"CSXT is committed to being a responsible steward of the environment. Paul's many contributions and his significant and consistent leadership role in CSXT's environmental activities make him a role model in our company, as well as the industry," said Skip Elliott, CSX Transportation's vice president, public safety and environment. "We are fortunate to benefit from employees like Paul, who continuously work to improve the environmental future of CSXT through their dedication and innovativeness."

Within CSXT, Kurzanski is a well-respected subject matter expert and mentor providing environmental guidance and support to field operations. His efforts have inspired field operation employees to become more environmentally astute, resulting in improved employee environmental performance. As a Compliance Assistance Team (CAT) captain, Kurzanski and his team have provided outstanding support to field operations, helping a large terminal to achieve a platinum-level environmental certification score of 95% or greater.

CSX Transportation Inc. is a principal operating company of CSX Corporation. CSX Corporation, based in Jacksonville, Fla., is one of the nation's leading transportation companies, providing rail, intermodal and rail-to-truck transload services. The company's transportation network spans approximately 21,000 miles, with service to 23 eastern states and the District of Columbia, and connects to more than 70 ocean, river and lake ports. More information about CSX Corporation and its subsidiaries is available at the company's web site, www.csx.com.

Norfolk Southern reports third-quarter 2009 results

Received the following via email.

October 27, 2009

Norfolk Southern reports third-quarter 2009 results

For third-quarter 2009:

· Railway operating revenues were $2.1 billion.
· Income from railway operations was $562 million.
· Net income was $303 million.
· Diluted earnings per share were $0.81.
· The railway operating ratio was 72.8 percent.

Financial Statements
Quarterly Financial Review Third Quarter 2009
Earnings Presentation Slides Third Quarter 2009

NORFOLK, VA. - For the third quarter of 2009, Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) reported net income of $303 million, or $0.81 per diluted share, compared with $520 million, or $1.37 per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2008.

"While our third-quarter results reflect the continuing weak economy, they also show Norfolk Southern's resilience and the strength of our franchise," said Norfolk Southern CEO Wick Moorman. "By controlling costs and maintaining service levels, we are managing through this economic downturn and will emerge an even stronger company."

Third-quarter railway operating revenues were $2.1 billion, down 29 percent, compared with the third quarter of 2008, primarily the result of a 20 percent reduction in traffic volume and lower fuel-related revenues.

General merchandise revenues were $1.1 billion, 24 percent lower compared with the same period last year. Coal revenues declined 35 percent to $571 million compared with third-quarter 2008 results. Intermodal revenues decreased 31 percent to $389 million compared with the third quarter of last year.

Railway operating expenses for the quarter were $1.5 billion, a decrease of 25 percent over the same period of 2008.

The railway operating ratio was 72.8 percent, compared with 69.1 percent during third-quarter 2008.

Norfolk Southern Corporation 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

8-year-old wants to restore Point of Rocks train station

Following article is from the Frederick (MD) News-Post.

8-year-old wants to restore Point of Rocks train station

Originally published October 26, 2009

By Megan Eckstein

An 8-year-old train enthusiast came to Point of Rocks a few weeks ago to see one of the country's most famous historic train stations.
He left wondering why his new favorite station had fallen into disrepair, and he decided he wanted to help fix it.

"It needed to be painted and get the windows fixed," said Connor Fischer, a third-grader who lives in Darnestown in Montgomery County.

"We were driving home and he said 'I want to start a renovation project,'" said Lisa Fischer, his mother. "To hear the words 'renovation project' come out of an 8-year-old's mouth was so funny."

"He was ready, literally that day, to take a giant Reese's peanut butter jar to school and collect money," said Jack Diamond, Connor's father and a popular radio show host in Washington, D.C.

Connor said he had visited train stations in Frostburg, Gettysburg, and other parts of Maryland and Pennsylvania. He liked the one in Point of Rocks the most because it is so close to home and looks old-fashioned.

The Point of Rocks train station was built in the 1870s. Though it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, train station owner CSX is under no additional obligation to maintain the facility. Connor said there was only one entrance to the building for workers, unlike other train stations with rooms inside and benches for passengers to wait.

"I wanted people to be able to go in and take pictures," he said.

Connor said he knows it will take a lot of work to get the station fixed up. He said he believes one of the tracks might need to be closed so workers can safely get to and from the train station, but he has an idea of how the trains could be rerouted to not interrupt the flow of traffic.

"It would be nice for him to talk to CSX directly," Lisa said. "Sometimes it's easy for an adult to blow off another adult, but it's another thing to have to explain it to a kid."

She said she is curious to see how they would deal with her son and whether they would be receptive to his ideas.

"He believes just about anything is possible, and if enough good people come together then it will get done for all the right reasons," Diamond said.

Though his parents have spoken to some railway workers and are still looking for the right official to talk to about the donation, Connor already has a game plan for raising money. He said he wanted to cover his wagon with a sheet with a slit cut in it, so neighbors can drop in their donations. Some of his friends are on board, too.

"They thought it was cool, and two of them wanted to help," he said. He also plans to write a report for school about the train station, so he can teach others about its history.

The interesting thing about Connor's efforts is that he doesn't see them as anything out of the ordinary. He said many children at his school write reports about animals or other things they like, though he said he's the first to organize a restoration effort.

"He's very humble and very sweet," Diamond said. "He's just one of those spirits who wants to bring people together."

He said Connor's interest in helping the community started at a young age, since he and his four older siblings always participated in radio station fundraisers and toy drives.

Connor, who also enjoys karate, soccer and equestrian vaulting, developed an interest in trains at a young age that doesn't seem to have waned.

"I started when I was 2 years old, I got my first wooden Thomas (the Tank Engine) trains, and I got a train table for them," he said.

Part of the allure of Thomas the Tank Engine was that Connor "had the opportunity to not only watch the DVDs but also play with the toys and make up his own story lines," said Diamond, adding that Connor has always had a good imagination.

Because Diamond used Amtrak and other train lines for work so often, "the whole mythical part of Thomas the Tank Engine became very real to him," Diamond said.

Connor now has model trains of all sizes and brands, and he's working to build a train track for them. And, of course, he visits local train stations to watch freight and passenger trains go by for hours on end.

"I just like seeing trains, it makes me feel good," said Connor, who hopes to run a model train store and maybe even drive a train when he grows up.

"Whatever attracts people to a life on the tracks, he seems to have it," Diamond said.

A "911" day in Rochester, NY

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

Greetings! Found a rare sunny weekend day in Rochester, NY and was able to get out with a good friend in the area! Hi Dan.M.!! The SLRG units left headed west in the rain in the morning, but the afternoon was nice! This was also the day for unusual numbers with 911 showing up twice! The other number was the 888, on the same train as the 911!

TANX 911 at Rochester, NY

CSXT 52 & MVCX train at Rochester, NY

CSXT 911 & train at Caswell Rd, Byron, NY

Norfolk Southern declares quarterly dividend

Received the following via email.

October 27, 2009

Norfolk Southern declares quarterly dividend

NORFOLK, VA. - Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) today announced the regular quarterly dividend of 34 cents per share on its common stock, payable on Dec. 10, to stockholders of record on Nov. 6.

Since its inception in 1982, Norfolk Southern has paid dividends on its common stock for 109 consecutive quarters.

Norfolk Southern Corporation 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

Brushcutting in Lakehurst - anybody know what's going on?

Received the following via email. It is a posting on CRRNJ in Yahoogroups.
If anyone has any info, please email me: Jan@Biglittle.com.

Hi All:

My In-laws live just east of the CNJ tracks in between Ridgeway and Lakehurst. I took a ride to Lakehurst on Sunday am and was surprised to see a rail-mounted brushcutter had cleared the line headed south for as far as I could see.

This is new news - it was all overgrown as recently as this summer. Anybody know if they're perhaps reopening it to the sandpit in Chatsworth (I think it is) or more likely - scrapping the rails finally?

Photo posted in "Lakehurst Oct 2009" folder.

Thanks,

Frank

There was still some LEHL autumn colors to be seen...

(Train sightings on 10-25-09.)

...albeit rather sparse in nature to be seen along the Lehigh Line. I suppose that Friday night and Saturday's four inches worth of rain contributed to the lack of leaves on the trees. With what remained on the trees and with a sunny morning, there was still some nice fall images to be seen but I will let you be the judge and jury on that. The first two trains were seen passing through the Lansdown Road grade crossing (MP 58) while 214 was seen as it passed by the Hamden Road grade crossing. In time sequence, the three trains seen were as follows:


NS 22V @ 9:04 would have as its leader NS 8705 followed by NS 9011.

NS 212 @ 9:27 had NS 9707, NS 8788 and NS 8887 for motive power.


NS 214 @ 10:22 had NS 8747, NS 9108 and NS 2635 bring this intermodal east.

MTH sues Broadway Limited Imports

Following article is from The Daily Record, a Maryland newspaper, for Oct. 19, 2009.

Model train maker Mike's Train House sues longtime rival

BRENDAN KEARNEY
Daily Record Legal Affairs Writer
October 19, 2009

A Columbia (,MD) model train manufacturer has filed the latest in a series of patent infringement lawsuits aimed at a longtime competitor, alleging he and his company made unauthorized use of technology that syncs a locomotive’s sound and smoke to its speed on the tracks.

Mike’s Train House Inc. claims Robert Grubba has a history of stealing such prized intellectual property in their niche industry. In its most recent suit filed Oct. 8, MTH alleges that the company where Grubba is now president, Broadway Limited Imports, stole the patented microprocessing technology that synchronizes puffing smoke with the “chuffing” of the engine in a particular model of train, the HO-gauge. MTH claims it first developed the technology in 2000, according to the suit filed in U.S. District Court in Baltimore.

“That’s the problem,” said Mike Wolf, a model train enthusiast since childhood who founded the company that bears his name in 1980.

Wolf discovered the infringement when he recently purchased one of the locomotives in Florida-based BLI’s new line, whose five models range from $350 to $500, to have an engineer look at its syncing system.

“I think it’s going to be pretty clean cut,” said Wolf, 49, in an interview Monday. “I think [Grubba] knows he’s doing it and he can try to cover it up, but it is what it is. He can’t be using my intellectual property with no regard.”

Wolf’s suit asks for declaratory and injunctive relief relating to its two patents, issued in 2002 and 2003, as well as compensatory damages and attorney’s fees.

Wolf’s lawyer William E. Erskine, who also tinkered with trains as a kid, said the disputed technology lends authenticity to the models and thus augments their value in the marketplace.

Grubba did not return calls for comment Monday, but in an August interview with the Daytona Beach News Journal about BLI’s new facility in Ormond Beach, Fl., he said, “We do all the product design, research and development, electronics design, sound recordings — all the trains have recorded sounds of the real train.”

Grubba, like Wolf, has had a lifelong interest in model trains, according to that newspaper interview. But their shared interest has led to repeat legal battles and bad blood.

“He’s not a good guy, in my opinion,” said Wolf of Grubba.

Grubba was previously chief engineer at Lionel Trains, perhaps the most famous name in the industry. MTH sued Lionel in a Detroit federal court in 2000, won at trial and later settled. MTH alleges in its most recent complaint that Grubba, while at Lionel, “organized and participated in a scheme to steal over 3,000 of MTH’s secret blueprints for designing more than 20 separate model trains.”

After Grubba left Lionel to become chief engineer for K-Line Electric Trains Inc., Lionel sued in federal court in Manhattan in 2005, claiming Grubba had conspired to steal Lionel’s trade secrets, one of which involved realistic sound effects for model trains. That case settled on terms favorable to Lionel, according to MTH’s suit this month.

Grubba started BLI in 2002, and the company “continues to lead the model railroading world with cutting-edge electronics, synchronous smoke and the most realistic and powerful sound available,” according to the company’s Web site.

But Mike’s Train House has a markedly different view of its competitor’s business.

“A recent brochure of defendants states that its products are ‘so affordable because we have been able to reduce our costs significantly by producing our own proprietary sound system, thereby eliminating product licensing fees,’” according to MTH’s suit. “While it is untrue that defendants have ‘produced their own sound system,’ they have indeed sought to ‘eliminate product licensing fees’ by infringing MTH’s patents.”

Weekly Rail Carloading Report - Week 41, 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 41 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.

Local railroad videos on youtube

Received the following list via email. These are youtube videos of local rail fan excursions by Adam Christman. Enjoy.

R&N 425 on October 18th excursion - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8An8jwo7q8

RDG FP7s on the Perk - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5w79-uPDh2E

The WM S6 Charter - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-W9qo-AmFXE

The CRHS Trip - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nM9qz-x3UHI

MTH Authorized Service Center

Not only do we sell MTH (Mike's Train House) products, we are also an MTH Authorized Service Center.

New power for the San Luis & Rio Grande

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

Had the opportunity to get inside American Motive Power (AMP) at Danville, NY to see the new power for the San Luis & Rio Grande. Sitting outside were two slugs and a mother unit. Also a derelict F40 from Canadian American # 453, the stripped SD-45 from the NYSW # 3614, a frame from a GP-9? F#5519-34. Shop switcher AMP2008 was seen, but unable to get close to it.

SLRG 227 slug F# 757099-x2

SLRG 245 slug

SLRG 459 mother

Update on Hillsborough, NJ Quiet Zones

The following article is from The Courier News for 10-15-09.
(Previous postings on this topic were on 11-9-08, 4-2-08, and 2-20-07.)

Hillsborough, Norfolk Southern agree on safety improvements to train crossing

By PAMELA SROKA-HOLZMANN
STAFF WRITER

Courier News

October 15, 2009

Municipal officials have approved an agreement with Norfolk Southern Railway Company that would allow train quiet zone electronic safety improvements at the Valley Road crossing.

Quiet zones are a section of a rail line that have one or more public crossings, where locomotive horns will not be routinely sounded. Under federal law, locomotives are required to sound their horns when approaching crossings.

Quiet zones previously were constructed at the Beekman Lane and Auten Road grade crossings, and safety improvements at the Roycefield Road crossing have been completed. But because Roycefield Road is less than one half mile from the Valley Road crossing, federal regulations require that both crossings be set as quiet zones together, Mayor Frank DelCore said.

Norfolk Southern must construct an electronic "power-out" indicator at the Valley Road grade crossing, which would tell the train engineer if the AC power is off. That way, the engineer can sound a train horn as a safety precaution, DelCore said.

The township wants to install a wayside horn at the Valley Road crossing, but Norfolk Southern continues testing the horn at other sites nationally and is not prepared to proceed, DelCore said. A wayside horn is one placed at a train crossing intersection and directed at vehicles.

Committeeman Carl Suraci said the quiet zone issue can be resolved by a new order from the state Transportation Department commissioner allowing for an interim quiet zone at Valley Road -- based upon meeting safety index criteria required in the federal regulations.

Suraci said a link will be added on the township's Web site for residents wanting to comment on the issue. DelCore added that once the new order is adopted, the township will continue working with Norfolk Southern to complete improvements at Valley Road and establish quiet zones at that crossing and the Roycefield Road crossing.

October delights #3

Received the following via email from Kermit Geary, Jr. Text and photos his.
Also see October delights #1 and #2 below.

Finally the best....saving it for last!! Spent Saturday on the Foster Brook & State Line RR riding and chasing (on foot) the neatest 2-foot gauge railroad in PA!! Power is the smallest SHAY ever built by LIMA. Privately owned and operated, this operation as a gem to behold! The ride consists of a single switch-back and about a 1/2 mile of trackage...work is underway to extend the line through a second switch-back to the top of the local mountain! This will add about another mile to the line. Enjoy the virtual ride!!

Weekly Rail Carloading Report - Week 40, 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 40 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.

Now that we are in the 4th quarter, you can see how rapidly carloadings dropped last year and how they have been slowly increasing in the 3rd quarter of this year. Let's hope they continue that trend.

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.

October delights #2

Received the following via email from Kermit Geary, Jr. Text, photos and captions are his.
WNYP is the Western New York and Pennsylvania railroad.
Also see October delights #1 below.

Chased the Hornell turn from Elm Valley, NY to Hornell NY on Sunday, after a fabulous day on the Foster Brook & State Line Railroad on Saturday...more next email!

The beautiful day combined with fantastic foliage...and two six-axle MLW's...made for a good day of photography. It was an easy chase, no need to challenge the smokey bears on the chase!!

Alstrom even obliged by letting the #1 posed by the shop!

WNYP 630 & train passing through CASS interlocking with NS in Hornell, NY

WNYP 630 switching interchange at Hornell, NY 10-11-2009

WNYP 637 passing Erie RR deopt and offices at Hornell, NY 10-11-2009

WNYP 637 ready to depart Hornell, NY for Olean, NY 10-11-2009

Alstrom 1 at Hornell, NY 10-11-2009

October delights #1

Received the following via email from Kermit Geary, Jr. Text, photos, and captions are his.
WNYP is the Western New York and Pennsylvania railroad.

Chased the Hornell turn from Elm Valley, NY to Hornell NY on Sunday, after a fabulous day on the Foster Brook & State Line Railroad on Saturday...more next email!

The beautiful day combined with fantastic foliage...and two six-axle MLW's...made for a good day of photography. It was an easy chase, no need to challenge the smokey bears on the chase!!

WNYP 630 & train passing Canacadea State Forest, Almond, NY 10-11-2009

WNYP 630 approaching Tip Top, NY 10-11-2009

WNYP 630 leads Hornell Turn at Elm Valley, NY 10-11-2009

WNYP 430 (with yellow ribbon to Support our Troops) at rest in Olean, NY 10-11-2009

NS adds new features to its e-commerce web site

Received the following via email.

October 12, 2009

Norfolk Southern e-commerce offers 'Railcar Event - Text Message Alerts' and live chat support

NORFOLK, Va. - Norfolk Southern customers now can receive text messages notifying them of the status of shipments with Railcar Event Alerts. Using a simple application on the company's e-commerce site, accessNS, customers can set up alerts to advise them of a variety of events for as many as three railcars, containers, trailers, or chassis at a time.

Once an alert is set up, Railcar Event Alerts checks the status of the equipment every hour and sends a text message to the customer's cell phone if the status has changed. Information available through Railcar Event Alerts includes:

· Changes in ETA or ETI
· Bad order notification
· When a shipment is received from another rail carrier
· When a shipment is placed for a shipper's customer
· When a car in the shop has been repaired and is moving again

For customers needing assistance with e-commerce applications, Norfolk Southern has added live online chat support. This is in addition to the toll-free help line and email support the accessNS team has provided all along. By clicking the "Live Support" link, available in the top left corner of the accessNS title bar or as a button on the accessNS sign-on screen, customers can open a chat session with support personnel in real time. This new feature allows the accessNS support team to help more customers in less time.

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 Robin C. Chapman 757-629-2713 robin.chapman@nscorp.com
Investors Leanne Marilley 757-629-2861 leanne.marilley@nscorp.com

Weekly Rail Carloading Report - Week 39, 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 39 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.

Book signing

Please join us in the store on Saturday, 10/10/09, from 12 to 3 for a book signing by Ralph A. Heiss of his book: The Lehigh Valley Railroad Across New Jersey.

From the publishers (Arcadia Publishing) web site:

“From Phillipsburg to Jersey City and all points in between, the Lehigh Valley Railroad hauled freight and passengers, while at the same time contributing to the social fabric of the area. The Lehigh Valley Railroad across New Jersey paints a picture of a railroad that provided over 100 years of quality service to the Garden State.”

"Author Bio: A resident of South Plainfield, Ralph A. Heiss has had an interest in railroads since childhood. He has lectured and authored numerous articles on various railroad topics."

Overland U.S. Army Hospital Cars

We have two Overland (OMI) brass, HO scale, factory painted U.S. Army Hospital Cars for sale.

OMI # AF-1035-5 Road # 89471
OMI # AF-1035-6 Road # 89480

Picture on the Overland web site: http://www.overlandmodels.com/showroom.php?model_name_id=97

List Price $618 each.

If you are interested, please email me: Jan@BigLittle.com

If you are really, really interested call me during store hours: 908-685-8892.

Better late than never...

(Train sightings on 10-4-09.)

...Is a listing of the trains spotted at Lansdown Junction along with a fall foliage report on if there is any color along the Lehigh Line at this early stage of autumn. First, a listing of the trains spotted Sunday morning...

NS 11J @ 8:56- had NS 2734 and NS 2628 bringing fifty-five autoracks west.

NS 18G @ 9:27- would have a trio of diesels, NS 9788, PRR 8437 (ex-CR 6261) and NS 2747, bringing 113 cars of mixed freight east. As you can see in this image, there is very little color to be seen at this location. About the only color to be found was from the poison ivy that had turned into a burnt orange.

NS 971 @ 9:50 was a short intermodal of mostly EMP COFCs. Motive power consisted of NS 9504, NS 8887 and NS 2546.

On the drive home, most of the trees along this stretch of the Lehigh Line were still wearing their green leaves. Might be a while before the reds and yellows of fall will be seen.

NS Quarterly Earnings Conference Call

Received the following via email.

Norfolk Southern Quarterly Earnings Conference Call

We cordially invite you to join us on Tuesday, October 27, 2009, at 4:30 p.m. ET to review our third-quarter results. We will issue earnings results shortly after market close on Oct. 27.

For those interested in participating, we will broadcast via teleconference that will be available by dialing 877-869-3847 several minutes prior to the start of the call. At the conclusion, you may listen to an audio replay, which will be available until November 3, 2009. The replay number is 877-660-6853, using PIN 2861, and access code 330016.

In conjunction with the call, a live webcast will be accessible and presentation materials will be posted on the company's web site at www.nscorp.com under the Investors section. Following the earnings call, an Internet replay of the presentation will be archived on the company's web site. In addition, the replay will be available for download to a portable audio player or computer as a MP3 - or podcast - file. Both the replay and MP3 file can be found at www.nscorp.com in the Investors section.

For electronic notification of future earnings events, we invite you to subscribe to NSInvest, Norfolk Southern's e-mail distribution list for news releases on earnings and issues pertaining to the financial performance of Norfolk Southern. To subscribe, please follow directions on our website under the Investors section.

Sincerely,

Leanne D. Marilley
Director Investor Relations
Norfolk Southern Corporation

The first Ohio Central unit in G&W paint?

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

Notes:

• The Ohio Central was bought by the Genesee & Wyoming Railroad (G&W) in 2008. Their locomotives are orange with two black stripes, as shown in these photos. Logos are different though.
• To see a picture enlarged, click on it. Then use your browser's BACK button to return to the Blog.

Released from Brookville, PA is the Ohio Central 4099. This is an ex Monongahela Super Seven. Seen in transit today (9-28-2009) in Dubois, PA.

Ohio Central 4099 at DuBois, PA (8)

Ohio Central 4099 at DuBois, PA (2)

Ohio Central 4099 frame number

(Number is stamped in the metal frame which is painted yellow. It is difficult to see. Enlarge the picture and look for shadows. I think it is 2525-4, but I'm not sure.)

Weekly Rail Carloading Report - Week 38, 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 38 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.

NS launches new web site: TheFutureNeedsUs.com

Received the following via email.

September 29, 2009

Norfolk Southern's TheFutureNeedsUs.com focuses on the benefits of partnerships and rail corridors

NORFOLK, VA. - Norfolk Southern has launched a new Web site focusing on the benefits of its corridor and public-private partnership projects.

The Web site, TheFutureNeedsUs.com, describes projects to increase rail freight transportation capacity and improve mobility and the environment. Information is provided for projects in Alabama, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, where governors Riley, Barbour, Rendell, Bredesen, Kaine, and Manchin are leaders in supporting transportation solutions.

The site outlines how upgrading the Crescent Corridor - the existing 2,500-mile rail route from the Southeast to the Northeast - will support a stronger economy, less highway congestion, cleaner air, and fuel savings.

The Crescent Corridor will be among the largest additions of new freight transportation capacity since the Interstate Highway System. That means creating or benefiting some 47,000 green jobs and producing these estimated annual benefits:

· $326 million in tax revenues to states and communities
· 1.3 million long-haul trucks diverted from interstates
· $146 million in accident avoidance savings
· 1.9 million tons in CO2 reduction
· $575 million in congestion savings
· $92 million in highway maintenance savings
· 169 million gallons in fuel savings

Crescent Corridor components include new intermodal facilities at Memphis, Birmingham, and Franklin County, Pa., and the expansion of terminals in Harrisburg and Philadelphia. Other projects include straightening curves; adding passing tracks, double tracks, and signals; and running more efficient trains.

TheFutureNeedsUs.com provides detailed information about other Norfolk Southern corridor projects, as well. This includes the Heartland Corridor to open a new gateway for double-stacked container traffic from the East Coast to the Midwest; the MidAmerica Corridor to create shorter and faster routes for merchandise moving between the Midwest and Southeast; and the Pan Am Southern Corridor to create an improved rail route between Albany, N.Y., and the greater Boston area.

The site includes photos, videos, maps, fact sheets, links, contacts, and a convenient form for contacting Norfolk Southern.

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

NS unveils experimental electric locomotive

Received the following via email.

September 28, 2009

Batteries ARE included:

Norfolk Southern unveils experimental electric locomotive

ALTOONA, PA. - With U.S. Dept. of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Congressman Bill Shuster in attendance, Norfolk Southern today unveiled the latest in alternative energy locomotive technology at its Juniata Locomotive Shop in Altoona, Pa. NS 999 is a prototype 1,500-horsepower switching locomotive that relies solely on rechargeable batteries for power.

"At Norfolk Southern we strongly subscribe to the view that sustainability and reducing our carbon footprint are solid business objectives that also provide enormous benefits to the communities we serve," said CEO Wick Moorman. "By utilizing regenerated kinetic energy of the train and with no diesel exhaust emissions, NS 999 achieves those goals. This prototype locomotive was developed by Norfolk Southern, with the help of an incredibly creative partnership, including the U.S. Dept. of Energy, the Federal Railroad Administration, and The Pennsylvania State University, for which we are grateful. We must also recognize Congressman Bill Shuster, as without his active interest and participation in this project NS 999 would still be merely a concept."

"Today, the transportation sector currently accounts for just under a third of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, more than half of nitrogen oxide emissions, and almost three-quarters of our petroleum consumption. We need to change that," said Secretary LaHood. "By working together to develop alternative energy sources and innovative technologies like this electric locomotive, we will make transportation more sustainable and energy-efficient."

"Historically, Pennsylvania has had a tremendous history in railroading, and it remains my belief that our state can still have a bright future in rail if we take advantage of dynamic partnerships between the private and public sectors like the one that produced this locomotive," said Congressman Bill Shuster, the Ranking Republican on the Railroads Subcommittee. "What Norfolk Southern and Penn State are doing with Congress and Secretary LaHood's support is truly significant and will help usher in a new generation of green locomotives fueled by American ingenuity. Let's not forget about the great work done by the Juniata Locomotive Shop employees who did a superior job producing this engine. I am proud to have worked to secure funding for this project, and I look forward to seeing it working the rail lines soon."

Congressman Shuster secured $1.3 million in federal funding for the NS 999 project.

NS 999 is an entirely electric locomotive that uses a lead-acid energy storage system comprised of 1,080 12-volt batteries to operate in railroad switching applications without the use of a diesel engine and with zero exhaust emissions. The plug-in locomotive also can regenerate dynamic braking energy through a system provided by Brookville Equipment Company. The recovered dynamic braking energy continually replenishes the energy storage system, and uses this recovered energy for tractive effort in rail operations. The batteries are carefully monitored and controlled through an elaborate battery management system to assure safety and maximum battery life, and when fully charged NS 999 is able to operate three shifts before recharging is required.

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