Memorial Day Weekend events on the Delaware River Railroad Excursions

Received two announcements about special events this Memorial Day weekend, 2010, on the Delaware River Railroad Excursions, Phillipsburg, NJ. Trains leave their station located at Market Street and the river, Phillipsburg, NJ. More information about the train, special events, and the people behind it all at their web site.
http://www.877trainride.com/steam.htm

This Memorial Day weekend enjoy FREE SPIN ART at the mine! All ticketed passengers are welcome to join us to explore their artistic side and just have fun doing Spin Art!
To enjoy the free spin art you must detrain at the Ol' Susquehanna Mine. Trains leave the mine every 1.5 hours so bring a Picnic or just relax in our beautiful picnic grove. You may also enjoy the Gem Stone Mine for an additional fare.

Fares
Children $11.00
Adults $18.00
SCHEDULE
Saturday
11:00 , 12:30, 2:00 & 3:30
Sunday
11:00, 12:30 & 2:00
Fare includes Steam Train ride, mine history and instructions as well as one bag of mining ore guaranteed to contain 4 to 5 ounces of Gem Stones

See the following web page for more information about the Mine Train.

http://www.877trainride.com/mine.htm

The Warren County Winery Train

Memorial Day Weekend 10% off

Enjoy a scenic journey along the banks of the Delaware River as your wine train car rolls behind New Jersey's only operating steam locomotive, Engine #142. Owned and operated by Delaware River Railroad Excursions, a Non-profit, 501 ( c ) 3 corporation, this historic train is staffed almost entirely by volunteers devoted to trains.

Your Journey
Your train conductor will point out interesting facts as you travel along the Delaware, You will transfer to a bus for a brief bus ride through Warren County's picturesque rolling farmlands to Villa Milagro Vineyards. There you will tour their vineyards to learn how grapevines turn soil, sun and water into grapes. Next, you will learn how wine is made, aged and bottled. Finally you will sample their delicious wines. You may purchase their wines at the "source." Bring a picnic lunch, open a bottle of their wine, and relax on the porch to drink in views of four counties in two states. Read about the winery at http://www.villamilagrovineyards.com/.

WEBSITE:

Warren County Winery Train

Trains depart Phillipsburg at 11:00 AM.

$30.00 per ticket.

Use discount code dowt142 for 10% off your order while ordering online or present this coupon at the ticket office the day of the ride.

To Algiers, Algeria via the Lehigh Line

(Train sightings on 5-22-10.)

Saturday saw an Air Products heat exchanger high/wide load coming down the LEHL. It's journey started at the Air Products facility in Wilkes-Barre (PA), went to Bethlehem (PA), was seen here in Manville (NJ) around 5 PM on 5/22. It will continue this journey down CSX's Trenton Line on Sunday (5/23). I was told that its final destination will be Algiers, Algeria, a country located in North Africa. Even though it's length and weight are unknown, previous heat exchangers have weighed in around 600,000 pounds and measured 145 feet long. Motive power for this move was NS 3438 (ex-CR 6984) and NS 5664. Bringing up the rear markers was Air Products caboose APTX 2002.

Erie - Lackawanna Slide Show

Received the following via email.

Erie - Lackawanna Slide Show
Tuesday, May 25, 2010 at 7:30

The Tri-State Railway Historical Society invites you.

The Tri-State Railway Historical Society will be hosting a Slide Show covering the Erie-Lackawanna Railroad main line between Hoboken and the Delaware Water Gap during the era from immediately after the merger (1960) until the New Jersey Cut-Off was abandoned during early Conrail (late 1970’s). Coverage will include the final runs of the Phoebe Snow and Lake Cities passenger trains, and many freight trains, some pulled by F3’s like Tri-State’s future DL&W 663 in Scranton. An added bonus will be the addition of the Morris County Central 2-8-0 No. 385 on its famous fan trip runs between Morristown and Summit in the late 1970’s. This steam locomotive is today in Whippany in full Southern Railway lettering. The meeting begins at 7:30 PM with the entertainment beginning shortly after 8:00 PM. Admission is free. All are welcome.

The presentation will be given by noted rail photographer Rich Taylor.

Date & Time: Tuesday, May 25, 2010 at 7:30 pm

Location: Bickford Theater at the Morris County Museum
6 Normandy Heights Road
Morristown, NJ 07960
.Exit 36 off Rt. 287
See: http://www.morrismuseum.org/static/bickford/directions.html
for directions.

Becker Farm and the Centerville & Southwestern

Received the following request via email.
Please respond directly to Tom Rose as noted below.

I'm doing research on the Becker Farm & Railroad in Roseland NJ, 1938-1972. Would you have any stories, photographs or 8mm film of the Centerville & Southwestern Railroad (miniature) on Becker's Dairy Farm?

Tom Rose
31 Forest Way
Clifton, NJ 07013
tbrose@optonline.net

Mine Train Gemstone Panning

Received the following information via email.

Ride The Steam Train To The

Susquehanna Mining Company

Gemstone Mining!

Gemstone Panning is a great activity for all ages. Participants may find up to 11 ounces of gemstones in a single bag which may include amethyst, rubies, rose quartz, emeralds, crystals, and an arrowhead. All gems are of high quality and may be suitable for cutting, polishing, and mounting. With every mine train ticket you will receive one bag of mining ore from the Ole' Susquehanna Mine.

Upon arriving at the mine site your guide will tell you the story of Sylas Smith and how he found the mine and about his tragic death which left the mind uncovered until this very year! Next you will walk over the the Ole' Susquehanna mines operating sluice and learn how to pan for gem stones. once you understand how to pan give it a try and see if you can find some gems!

FARES
Children $11.00
Adults $18.00

SCHEDULE
Saturday
11:00 , 12:30, 2:00
Sunday
11:00, 12:30 & 2:00

Fare includes Steam Train ride, mine history and instructions as well as one bag of mining ore guaranteed to contain 4 to 5 ounces of Gem Stones.

For more info call 908-454-4433
or visit the web site
http://www.877trainride.com/mine.htm

Trains leave from Phillipsburg, NJ.

Some Lehigh Line weekend sightings...

With two days of sunshine and decent temperatures, Saturday and Sunday would be a good time to take advantage of Mother Nature's kindness and spend some time trackside. Doing that would also provided a escape for me, albeit a temporary one, from cutting grass and planting flowers. Saturday's trains started off with NS 11J at 8:37 passing by with 114 empty autoracks at the Roycefield Road grade crossing. Motive power consisted of NS 9498 and NS 9907. At 9:18, NS Intermodal 22V came through with its consist of COFCs. After mowing a lawn, I returned to the Roycefield Road grade crossing to see NS 64J haul its consist of empty garbage containers on to the Roycefield siding. Motive power was two SD40-2s, NS 3373 (ex-CR 6436) and NS 3424 (ex-CR 6520).



Sunday's sighting at Stanton Station were sparse when compared to Saturday with one surprise. A late running NS 212 would have two UP units as the second and third units in its power trio. 212 would pass by Stanton Station aorund 12:30 with NS 9219 as its leader, followed by UP 9791 and UP 4297. All in all, not a bad day to be trackside and still manage to get all the grass cut along with all those flowers planted!

NS wins Harriman Award for employee safety

Received the following via email.

May 18, 2010

Norfolk Southern wins 21st consecutive gold E.H. Harriman Award for employee safety

Rail Industry Honors Annual Safety Achievements at E.H. Harriman Awards
2009 Was Safest Year On Record for Railroads and their Employees

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 18, 2010 - America's railroads today honored the industry's safety achievements and celebrated railroads with the best employee safety records at the annual E.H. Harriman Awards. According to the Association of American Railroads (AAR), 2009 was the safest year ever for railroads, with significant milestones achieved across the board in reduced train accidents, employee casualties and grade crossing collisions.

Compared with 2008, train accidents and accident rates were down 25 percent and 12 percent respectively in 2009. Employee casualties and casualty rates were down 12 and 2 percent respectively last year compared with 2008, while grade crossing collisions and collision rates were down 21 percent and 9 percent respectively.

"It is the tremendous dedication and hard work of our employees that makes rail the safest mode of transportation today," said AAR President and CEO Edward R. Hamberger. "Our industry continuously invests, innovates, improves and implements systems and technology that make our business ever safer."

The 2009 E.H. Harriman Awards winners are as follows:

· In Group A, comprising line-haul railroads whose employees worked 15 million employee-hours or more, Norfolk Southern received the gold award for the 21st year in a row. CSX Transportation won the silver award and Union Pacific Railroad the bronze award.

· In Group B, line-haul railroads whose employees worked 4 to 15 million employee-hours, the gold award went to Kansas City Southern Railway for the fourth year in a row. The silver award went to Metra, the Chicago commuter railroad, while the bronze went to Canadian National (U.S. Operations).

· Group C includes railroads whose employees worked between 250,000 and 4 million employee-hours. The gold award went to the Buffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad, while the BNSF Suburban Operations took the silver and the Paducah and Louisville Railway the bronze.

· In Group S&T, for switching and terminal companies with more than 250,000 employee hours, the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad took the gold, while the silver award went to Gary Railway and the Birmingham Southern Railroad received the bronze award.

Certificates of Commendation also were awarded to four railroads with continuous gains in employee safety improvements over a three-year period and showing the most improvement between 2008 and 2009. Certificates went to Union Pacific Railroad (Group A), Metra (Group B), BNSF Suburban Operations (Group C) and the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad (S&T).

The Harriman Awards were established by the late Mrs. Mary W. Harriman in memory of her husband, Edward H. Harriman, an American legend in railroading. Today, the awards are administered by the E.H. Harriman Memorial Awards Institute, with support from the Mary W. Harriman Foundation. Harriman winners are selected by a committee of representatives from the transportation field and are granted on the basis of the lowest casualty rates per 200,000 employee-hours worked. All data is documented by the Federal Railroad Administration.

AAR Contact:
Holly Arthur, harthur@aar.org 202-639-2344 www.aar.org

NS CEO Moorman to address Conference

Received the following via email.

May 17, 2010

Norfolk Southern CEO Moorman to address Wolfe Trahan & Co. 3rd Annual Global Transportation Conference

NORFOLK, VA. - Wick Moorman, CEO of Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC), will address the Wolfe Trahan & Co. 3rd Annual Global Transportation Conference on Wednesday, May 26, 2010, in New York City during an 11 a.m. panel discussion.

Interested investors can listen via simultaneous webcast at http://www.wsw.com/webcast/wolfe/nsc/.

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

BNSF Virtual Train Tour

Received the following via email.

BNSF has launched an interactive "Virtual Train Tour" as part of its new website. It uses 3D images of railcars and is loaded with information about BNSF trains. Check it out at http://www.bnsf.com/tour.

BNSF Train Derailment in Wyoming

A BNSF train derailed on May 12, 2010, near Thermopolis, WY, when it hit a rock slide. Full story with pictures on a CNN iReport. Link below.

http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-443404

A Day Out With Thomas Tickets On Sale Now!

Received the following information via email.

Tickets are now on sale for A Day Out With Thomas.

July 2, 3, 4, and 9, 10, 11, 2010

The Delaware River Railroad Excursions

Phillipsburg, New Jersey

Please visit their web site for more information.

http://877trainride.com/dowt/

Steam Special 5-14-2010

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

For more information on Reading & Northern's excursions, visit their web site: http://www.readingnorthern.com/
Click on Passenger Excursions.

R&N's dead head move to Tunkhannock, PA for Saturday's excursion. Testing on the C&S when it passed by!!!

R&N 426 - 425 passes SRS 811 at Hometown, PA

R&N 426's train heads towards Jim Thorpe, PA

Prospects for rail remain bright, Norfolk Southern CEO tells stockholders

Received the following via email.

May 13, 2010

Prospects for rail remain bright, Norfolk Southern CEO tells stockholders

NORFOLK, VA. - Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) performed well through the recession and has positive momentum for continuing success in 2010 and beyond, said Chief Executive Officer Wick Moorman during the company's 28th annual stockholders meeting, held today in Williamsburg, Va.

"The longer-term prospects for Norfolk Southern and the rail industry remain very bright," Moorman said. "Overall, our first-quarter 2010 performance reflects the strength of our high-value transportation product and operating efficiency, and provides a strong platform from which to build momentum throughout the remainder of this year. Against the backdrop of an improving economy, the stage is set for a good 2010." Moorman's remarks and a related video are posted on the company's Web site at www.nscorp.com.

In official business, stockholders re-elected four directors: Thomas D. Bell Jr., chairman of SecurAmerica LLC; Alston D. Correll, chairman of Atlanta Equity Investors LLC; Landon Hilliard, a partner in Brown Brothers Harriman & Co.; and Burton M. Joyce, former chairman of IPSCO.

Stockholders also approved a company proposal to declassify the board of directors, setting the stage for annual election of the full board, which will occur for the first time in 2013. In other business, stockholders ratified the appointment of KPMG LLP as auditors, approved amendments to the corporation's long-term and executive management incentive plans, and did not approve a stockholder proposal concerning disclosure of political corporate contributions.

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

Take Mom on the Winery Train 10% off this weekend!

Received the following information via email.

The Warren County Winery Train
Mothers Day Weekend 10% off

Take Mom for a ride on the Winery Train and take 10% off of your order! Enjoy a wonderful trip to Villa Milagro Vineyards where you are sure to have an experience you will never forget.

What's Included:
Round Trip train fare in the "Wine Train Car" on the Delaware River Railroad Excursions. A short 3 mile bus ride through the rolling farm land of Warren County. A vineyard tour, wine and cheese tasting and a free wine glass. Feel free to bring a picnic lunch and a blanket and find a comfortable place on the grounds for your lunch or relax on the vineyards front porch. At the Vineyard you will be able to purchase wines from their company store. Space is provided on the bus for your purchases and our crews will assist you with loading your car once the train returns to Phillipsburg.

The whole experience lasts just short of 3 hours.

There are a number of great local restaurants where you can dine after your trip and enjoy your wine!

$30.00 per ticket.

Save 10%
Use discount code dowt142 for 10% off your order while ordering online or present this coupon at the ticket office the day of the ride.
Offer Expires: May 14.

Visit their web site to learn more and to buy tickets online.

http://www.warrencountywinetrain.com/

Trains leave our station located at Market Street and the river, Phillipsburg, NJ, at 11:00 AM.

Take Mom for a Train Ride FREE!

Received the following information via email.

From:
The Delaware River Railroad Excursions
99 Elizabeth Street
Phillipsburg, New Jersey 08865


Mom's Ride Free All Weekend - May 8th & 9th

This weekend Mom's Ride free! Simply present your mom at the ticket office for her complimentary ticket. Mom must be accompanied by a ticketed passenger.

The NYSWTHS operates the ONLY steam locomotive in the state of New Jersey. Please join us for a beautiful ride behind our historic railroad equipment. All year long you can ride along the beautiful Delaware river departing from Phillipsburg New Jersey or join us on one of our many themed excursions such as Santa Claus and Easter Bunny Train Rides

Trains leave 11 AM, 12:30pm, 2:00pm and 3:30PM

For more info call
908-454-4433
(answered in person operating days)

Visit their web site for more information and to buy tickets online.

http://877trainride.com/

More people choosing train over plane

Another interesting article on this subject at the following web site.

Fliers’ pain is Amtrak’s gain
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36918633/ns/travel-rob_lovitt_columns/

Also see our posting on Tuesday, April 27, 2010 - Fed up flyers flirt with train travel

National Train Day, 2010

National Train Day, sponsored by Amtrak, is this Saturday, May 8th. For complete information, please visit the following web site.

http://www.nationaltrainday.com/

National Train Day was started to commemorate the Golden Spike event of May 10, 1869, when this nation was officially spanned by railroads. Please see the following web site for more information.

http://www.nps.gov/gosp/index.htm

We are not planning any celebration in the store, but we do specialize in trains and model railroading. We have plenty of model railroading merchandise including models of Amtrak equipment.

Stop in Saturday, take a look around, and wish us a Happy Train Day.

NS Service Alert Update

Received the following via email.

May 05, 2010

Flooding Between Memphis and Sheffield

Floodwaters have receded and operations restored over Norfolk Southern's line between Memphis, Tennessee and Sheffield, Alabama. However, slow orders are in effect as track conditions are closely monitored. With improving conditions, operations should be gradually returning to normal over the next couple of days. Customers with shipments normally moving over this route should expect delays of 24 to 48 hours.

Customers with questions regarding specific shipments should contact their Customer Service Representative:
Customer Service- 800 635.5768

Customers with questions regarding local service (pickup or delivery) should contact Central Yard Operations:
Central Yard Operations- 800 898.4296

Norfolk Southern Service Alert: Flooding Between Memphis and Sheffield

Received the following via email.

May 04, 2010

Flooding Between Memphis and Sheffield

Storms over the last weekend and into Monday resulted in flooding conditions in many areas of the Southeast, most with only minimal impact on operations. However, operations over Norfolk Southern's line between Memphis, Tennessee, and Sheffield, Alabama, have been discontinued due to flooding near the Tennessee-Mississippi border, west of Corinth. Some trains are being routed around the impacted area but customers with shipments normally moving over this route should expect delays of at least 48 hours.

Customers with questions regarding specific shipments should contact their Customer Service Representative:
Customer Service - - 800 635.5768

Customers with questions regarding local service (pickup or delivery) should contact Central Yard Operations:
Central Yard Operations - - 800 898.4296

46 NS customers earn Thoroughbred Chemical Safety Award for 2009

Received the following via email.

May 3, 2010

Forty-six Norfolk Southern customers earn Thoroughbred Chemical Safety Award for 2009

NORFOLK, VA. – Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) announced today that 46 customers will receive the company’s Thoroughbred Chemical Safety Award for 2009 in recognition of their safe handling of hazardous chemical products.

Given annually for 14 years, the award is earned by a company or facility that ships more than 1,000 carloads of hazardous material without incident for the year. In 2009, 38 corporations and eight plants attained that achievement. Altogether, they safely shipped more than 120,000 carloads of goods that are vital to American communities and commerce but could be dangerous if mishandled. These materials range from industrial chemicals and petroleum products to sulfur and related chemicals.

“We are pleased to recognize these valued customers for their outstanding industry leadership in chemical safety,” said Norfolk Southern CEO Wick Moorman. “By their unrelenting commitment to safe practices, they demonstrate on a daily basis the value of rail transportation as the safest, most reliable way to move their product. We salute these customers for partnering with us to make safety the No. 1 priority, and for their efforts to help make Norfolk Southern the safest railroad in North America.”

Customers earning the award for 2009 are:

■ Airgas Carbonic Inc.
■ Akzo Nobel Chemicals Inc.
■ American Ecology Corporation
■ The Andersons, Inc. Ethanol Division
■ ArcelorMittal USA
■ Aventine Renewable Energy, Inc.
■ BASF Corporation
■ BP
■ Cargill Biofuels
■ ConocoPhillips
■ The Dow Chemical Company
■ Eastman Chemical Company plant at Kingsport, Tenn.
■ ERCO Worldwide
■ ExxonMobil
■ Finnchem USA Inc.
■ Glacial Lakes Energy LLC
■ Global Ethanol
■ Green Plains Renewable Energy, Inc.
■ Hawkeye Gold
■ Heartland Grain Fuels
■ Husky Marketing and Supply Company
■ INEOS USA LLC
■ INVISTA S.à.r.l.
■ Koppers Inc.
■ Linde LLC
■ Lyondell Chemical Company
■ Marathon Petroleum Company, LLC
■ Marquis Energy
■ Olin Corporation Chlor Alkali Division plant at Nixon, Ga.
■ Olin Corporation Chlor Alkali Division plant at Charleston, Tenn.
■ Nucor Corp.
■ NuStar Marketing LLC
■ One Earth Energy
■ PCS Phosphate plant at White Springs, Fla.
■ Platinum Ethanol
■ POET Ethanol Products
■ Rhodia Inc.
■ Sunbelt Chlor Alkali Partnership
■ Sunoco, Inc. (R&M) plant at Toledo, Ohio
■ Sunoco Chemicals, Inc., plant at Frankford, Pa.
■ Targa Transport, LLC
■ Tennessee Valley Authority
■ Transmontaigne
■ Valero Marketing & Supply plant at Paulsboro, N.J.
■ Valero Marketing & Supply plant at Reybold, Del.
■ WRB Refining LLC.

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