Some D&H nostaglia from the 80's...

Received the following via email.

Going through some scanned in slides, I came across these two D&H scenes from the 1980s. Even though the nose clearly shows these are D&H diesels, there is no mistaking what these two units heritage is by their green and yellow paint scheme. Detail are sketchy regarding what these train symbols were.

-The first slide was taken in August, 1982 at East Deerfield, MA with D&H 7412 (GP39-2) leading three other unidentified diesels. Those black spots in 7412's exhaust are scratches on the slide!

 

- In the second scene, D&H 7410 is seen passing through Olyphant, PA in April, 1981 with its load of mixed frieght. As a side note, D&H 7410 still labors on today as CSX 4316 according to information found on the Internet.

NS plan to expand Harrisburg intermodal operations moves forward

Received the following via email.

December 15, 2011

Norfolk Southern’s plan to expand Harrisburg intermodal operations moves forward with $15 million federal TIGER grant

HARRISBURG, PA. – Norfolk Southern is moving forward this week with plans to expand operations at its Rutherford Intermodal Facility near Harrisburg, Pa., after the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded a $15 million TIGER III grant to the project.

The $60.5 million project – expected to finish in 2014 – will help Norfolk Southern meet growing demand for intermodal freight transportation in the Harrisburg region. When completed, expanded operations could result in about 400 new direct and indirect jobs in Swatara Township and the surrounding Dauphin County community, in addition to construction jobs beginning as early as 2012.

Intermodal transportation involves the use of two or more transportation modes (train, truck, ship) to move shipping containers and trailers from origin to destination.

“Growing demand for intermodal rail transportation means more jobs for the Harrisburg region and fewer long-distance trucks on congested interstate highways,” said Norfolk Southern CEO Wick Moorman. “This project and the TIGER grant will help Norfolk Southern meet that demand and provide a boost to the local economy. Expanding the Rutherford Intermodal Facility will result in tremendous economic development for Central Pennsylvania, as well as environmental benefits. Railroad locomotives can move a ton of freight 484 miles per gallon of fuel. That’s 75 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions compared with moving freight by truck.

“We are grateful for the support of Gov. Tom Corbett and PennDOT. They are committed to improving transportation in Pennsylvania, and they recognize railroads are a vital part of that. We also would like to thank Secretary Ray LaHood, Sen. Bob Casey Jr., U.S. Rep. Tim Holden, state Sen. Jeffrey Piccola, and state Rep. John Payne for their leadership and advocacy on behalf of the Rutherford project,” Moorman said.

The Rutherford intermodal facility and the Harrisburg region are key routing points for freight rail traffic moving east-west and north-south through Central Pennsylvania. The Harrisburg region also is an important part of an existing 2,500-mile rail network called the Crescent Corridor, stretching from Louisiana to New Jersey, where the railroad company has identified $2.5 billion in infrastructure improvement projects. These projects would link key markets in the Northeast and Southeast with high-quality intermodal rail service and should support some 73,000 jobs, remove long-distance trucks from the highways, lower emissions damaging to the environment, and boost the economy.

When completed, the Rutherford project will:

• Add about 400 permanent jobs to the local economy. These include crane operators, truck drivers, and service industry employees.
• Expand intermodal capacity by 50 percent.
• Alleviate traffic problems on Grayson Road and Mushroom Hill Road by moving the Triple Crown Services truck entrance about a mile east to avoid a private grade crossing.

“The Commonwealth will continue to work with the federal government and Norfolk Southern to both create jobs and reduce long-haul truck traffic on our interstate road system,” Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett said. “Efficient freight movement is important to Pennsylvania's economy, and this project will further enhance our abilities to move freight through the Commonwealth.”

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey Jr. said, “This project is a great boost for the economy of south central Pennsylvania. By reducing the number of long-haul trucks on Pennsylvania’s roadways by 600,000 a year, this project will benefit not only the local economy but drivers on interstates across the Commonwealth as well.”

The Rutherford expansion is one of three significant economic projects Norfolk Southern has slated for Central Pennsylvania. The other two are a new $96.9 million intermodal facility under construction near Greencastle in Franklin County, and a $28 million expansion of operations at the Harrisburg intermodal terminal on Industrial Road.

“I am pleased that the Rutherford Intermodal Terminal will be receiving $15 million in the form of a TIGER III grant,” said U.S. Rep. Tim Holden. “This money will expand the terminal, allowing the Harrisburg area to meet its growing demand of freight traffic. In addition, this money will result in over 900 well-paying jobs for both the construction and administration of the terminal. This award is a win-win for the region.”

For more information about the Crescent Corridor, visit http://www.thefutureneedsus.com/.

Norfolk Southern Corporation is one of the nation’s premier transportation companies. Its Norfolk Southern Railway subsidiary operates approximately 20,000 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) Dave Pidgeon, 717-541-2247 (david.pidgeon@nscorp.com)
(Investors) Michael Hostutler, 757-629-2861 (michael.hostutler@nscorp.com)

December Steam

Received the following set of pictures via email from Kermit Geary, Jr.  Photos and captions are his.  These were taken last weekend on the Strasburg Railroad in Pennsylvania.
To view a picture full size, merely click on it.  Then use your browser's BACK botton to return here.

Strasburg 90 heads back to Strasburg from Leaman Place, PA

Strasburg 90 at Cherry Hill, PA

Strasburg 90 crossing new bridge outside of Paradise, PA

MPA 20 'William Moedinger' at Cherry Hill, PA

Strasburg 89 follows the path of the 90 at Leaman Place, PA

Strasburg 89 works uphill past new bridge west of Paradise, PA

Raritan Valley Line (MP36) @Raritan, NJ in 1981 and 2011...

Received the following via email.

August, 1981 found me crossing over the Anderson Street grade crossing in Raritan, NJ. Looking west I noticed a train's headlight approaching and thought I would wait around to see what was coming. In the lead was CR 2170 (GP30; ex-RDG 3602) leading a mixed freight. Still familiarizing myself with a new 35 mm camera, I photographed it as it approached the grade crossing. In this scene, NJT's engine facility can be seen off to the left in the background.

Now fast forward to December 11, 2011. It is around 8:15 AM as the "Santa Claus Train", sponsored by the Jersey Central Railway Historical Society, approaches the Raritan station. With the exception of the signals being obvious, other changes that have occurred over the thirty years between these two scenes are rather subtle.

NS Christmas Holiday Operations

Received the following via email.

Christmas Holiday Operations

Due to reduced shipments expected over the Christmas holiday weekend, Norfolk Southern will suspend most train and terminal operations beginning Saturday afternoon, December 24 with normal operations returning by 7:00 AM Monday, December 26. Operations necessary to protect critical shipments and to assure a rapid return to scheduled operations will continue through the period. Local train operations (pickup and delivery) during this period will be based on customer requirements.

Customers with critical shipments, particularly unit trains, where customer operations will continue through the holiday, should contact their Customer Service representative regarding service requirements.

Where local service (pickup/delivery) will be required through the holiday period, customers are encouraged to contact their Operations and Service Support representative.

National Customer Service Center- - 800 635.5768
Operations & Service Support - - 800 898.4296

More Lionel & O-scale consignment items

Lionel collectible items. 

We have received more Lionel "pre-owned" collectible items for consignment sale.  These are new in-the-box items from a collector, not directly from the manufacturer, hence the designation "pre-owned."  They include a number of animated or operating cars, regular cars, and a few locomotives.  We also have some O-scale animated modules.  These are being sold on a first come first sold basis, and it is highly unlikely that we will ever have any of these items again.  The best way to find out more about this equipment would be to come into the store.  Otherwise, you can phone or send an email.  Contact information is at the top of the sidebar on the left.

Also see our post dated Friday, November 11, 2011.

Documentary film - Deluxe: The Tale of the Blue

Received the following via email.

Attention, railroad fans! The documentary Deluxe: The Tale of the Blue Comet , about the iconic New Jersey train of the 1930s, will be shown at the Alexander Library in New Brunswick on Thursday December 15th at 4:30 pm. Filmmaker Robert A. Emmons Jr. will be on hand to introduce the film and answer questions. Take this opportunity to see or revisit All Aboard: Railroads and New Jersey, 1812-1930 , the exhibition on display at the Special Collections and University Archives Gallery in the Alexander Library. For more  information, please see

http://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rul/news/11/11_blue_comet.shtml

--

Fernanda H. Perrone
Special Collections and University Archives
Rutgers University Libraries
169 College Avenue
New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1163
voice: 732 932 7006 x363
fax: 732 932 7012
email: mailto:hperrone%40rulmail.rutgers.edu

Hershey (PA) railroading variety...

(Train sightings on 12-4-11.)

Spending the weekend in Hershey to see the Hershey Bears skate against the Portland Pirates in ice hockey, I managed to get out and take in some of the railroading variety that this area had to offer before and after this game. What follows is some of the highlights of what I saw...

Photo 1- There was a O-gauge layout set up in the Derry Township Historical Society's building that I went in to see. It was quite an impressive seeing it in operation. Seen here is the "Hershey Special" featuring rolling stock of various Hershey products. That was only one of the many trains running simultaneously.

Photo 2- Was taken at the Elizabethtown AMTRAK Station on Sunday morning just as Train 664 was pulling into the station to pick up five passengers. Since 1985, I have been photographing the changes this station has undergone. With renovations now complete, I will say this is one of the nicer stations I have seen.

Photo 3- With my wife waiting patiently in the car, I wanted to capture this one image that showed those Hershey lettered smokestacks. Bless her heart and patience with me for allowing me to get this image of what I think was NS 21M!

Hampton Roads CEOs, three cities explore shared services

Received the following via email.

December 5, 2011


Hampton Roads CEOs team up with three cities to explore pilot shared services project

NORFOLK, Va. - The chief executive officers of the region's Fortune 500 companies and the mayors of the three largest South Hampton Roads cities are teaming up to explore how the region could benefit from potentially sharing public services. The Hampton Roads Partnership is organizing the pilot Hampton Roads Shared Services Project (SSP) with Management Partners, a Cincinnati, Ohio-based management-consulting firm that specializes in helping local government leaders.

This joint public-private venture combines the business expertise of the top executives from Amerigroup, Dollar Tree, Huntington-Ingalls, Norfolk Southern Corporation, and Smithfield Foods with the municipal government acumen of the leaders of Chesapeake, Norfolk and Virginia Beach to analyze those services that offer the greatest opportunity for successful integration to reduce service delivery costs while providing the best service quality.

"With multiple adjacent cities in the Hampton Roads area, there are opportunities for cities to share services and avoid the costs of providing those services separately," said Wick Moorman, CEO of Norfolk Southern and chair of the SSP. "The ability of business leaders in the region to work successfully with government leaders offers a particular opportunity to take advantage of shared services and reduce the cost of local government."

Management Partners recommended the Hampton Roads Partnership take the lead role in organizing shared services projects as part of a coordinated regional initiative. The first pilot project includes the cities of Chesapeake, Norfolk and Virginia Beach. Results will determine potential future projects.

The steering committee guiding the project held its first meeting Nov. 30. The steering committee includes E. Dana Dickens, III, president and CEO of Hampton Roads Partnership; William Harrell, Chesapeake City Manager; Rick West, Chesapeake City Council; Marcus Jones, Norfolk City Manager; Barclay Winn, Norfolk City Council; Jim Spore, Virginia Beach City Manager; Glenn Davis, Virginia Beach City Council; James Fothergill, chief people officer of Dollar Tree; Jeff Gough, Smithfield Foods vice president for Human Resources; and Tina Gill, Amerigroup vice president for External Relations Operations. Jim Hixon, Norfolk Southern executive vice president-Law and Corporate Relations, serves as chair of the steering committee, which plans to meet monthly. Cost of this pilot project is $150,000, shared equally among the participating cities and five Fortune 500 companies.

"We all know that government at every level is trying to figure out how to maintain and even improve services under difficult budget conditions," said James G. Carlson, chairman and chief executive officer for Amerigroup Corporation. "We are certainly happy to help, especially when we see local leaders willing to put aside boundaries in search of more affordable and effective services for their constituents. This makes sense for all involved."

The team will scan each of the three cities' organizations to identify public services for further analysis, assess which of those services are the most likely candidates for sharing among jurisdictions, analyze the costs and benefits of integration and identify the steps required to integrate them.

"The ultimate objectives of the project are to save taxpayer money and improve government efficiencies," said Dickens, "which could also establish a basis for future sharing and improvement of services for citizens."

"This project will not solve every budget problem, but it's a great start using collaboration, cooperation and consensus," said Management Partners president and CEO Jerry Newfarmer. "Sharing services is not a new idea; it's as old as local government itself. The Hampton Roads' project has real potential, though, with this trailblazing partnership of city governments and the business community."

Targeted for completion in early 2012, the team will produce a report, which municipal leaders could use to implement shared delivery of specific services and potentially make a positive impact on their budgeting process. Management Partners has recommended this approach based on its extensive experience in helping a large variety of governments under different circumstances take advantage of opportunities to consolidate or share in service delivery.

Find more information including project progress at http://hrp.org/Site/sharedservices .

The Hampton Roads Partnership is a public-private nonprofit organization formed in 1996 and represents ten cities, six counties and one town in Southeastern Virginia, equaling nearly 1.7 million citizens. Comprised of the chief elected officials of all seventeen communities as well as community leaders from the private business sector, education, military, and labor from both south Hampton Roads and the Virginia Peninsula, the Partnership is the only organization in Hampton Roads that focuses on the region's strategic issues for enhancing its competitiveness in today’s global economy with resulting income and job growth for its citizens. Led by the Hampton Roads Partnership and the Planning District Commission, the first region-wide comprehensive economic development strategy, Vision Hampton Roads, created a roadmap of strategies and actions - to engage citizens and embrace ongoing region-wide economic development practices.

http://hrp.org/
http://visionhamptonroads.com/

Management Partners, founded in 1994 by president and CEO Jerry Newfarmer, provides clients with the expertise of professionals with extensive experience in all aspects of local government management and the full range of city and county services. Staff includes former city managers, analysts, department directors and other public service professionals with experience in a variety of program areas. Newfarmer is a national leader in local government performance management, having led his firm to nationally recognized expertise in municipal development review processes, strategic planning, budgeting and finance, and organizational analysis.

http://managementpartners.com/

###

SSI Media Contacts:

Missy Schmidt, Hampton Roads Partnership, (757) 625-4696 ( Missy@HRP.org )
Jerry Newfarmer, Management Partners, (513) 861-5400 ( JNewfarmer@ManagementPartners.com )
Mark Cox, City of Chesapeake, (757) 382-6241 ( MCox@CityOfChesapeake.net )
Bob Batcher, City of Norfolk, (757) 664-4338 ( Bob.Batcher@Norfolk.gov )
Mary Hancock, City of Virginia Beach, (757) 385-4436 ( MHancock@VBgov.com )
Maureen C. McDonnell, Amerigroup Corporation, (757) 473-2731 ( mmcdonn@amerigroupcorp.com )
Tim Reid, Dollar Tree Stores, (757) 321-5284 ( mailto:TRied@DollarTree.com)
Gerri Dickseski, Huntington Ingalls Industries, (757) 380-3552 ( Gerri.Dickseski@hii-co.com )
Robin Chapman, Norfolk Southern Corporation, (757) 629-2713 ( Robin.Chapman@NScorp.com )
Keira Lombardo, Smithfield Foods, (757) 365-3050 ( KeiraLombardo@SmithfieldFoods.com )

CSX Introduces Improved Carbon Calculator

Received the following via email. 

CSX Introduces Improved Carbon Calculator

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - November 29, 2011 - As millions of Americans head to stores or make online purchases, CSX has launched an improved Carbon Calculator aimed at helping consumers and businesses better understand the key role freight rail plays in a sustainable supply chain.

"CSX's online Carbon Calculator not only helps our customers make smart supply chain decisions, it also helps educate consumers about the path items take to get to store shelves or their front door," said Carl Gerhardstein, assistant vice president, environmental systems and sustainability. "This tool demonstrates our commitment to responsible business and helps consumers understand how freight rail positively affects the life-cycle of the goods they buy."

To demonstrate the efficiencies of CSX's network, the calculator compares the carbon emissions generated by freight rail to those of long-haul trucks over similar routes. Consumers are able to choose from a number of variables - from the type and volume of goods transported to the length of the route - to estimate the average carbon emissions reduced by shipping via rail.

The tool also plays an important role for businesses, helping them optimize their supply chains as they bring goods to market more sustainably than ever before. The calculator provides shippers an opportunity to better understand the environmental benefits of shipping their goods via rail. The tool shows how intermodal shipments - combining both truck and rail transport to maximize efficiency - can drastically reduce carbon emissions.

Check out CSX's enhanced carbon calculator on http://www.csx.com/ to learn how freight rail can reduce the environmental footprint of businesses and consumers alike.

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. CSX's network connects more than 240 short line and regional railroads and more than 70 ocean, river, and lake ports. More information about CSX Corporation and its subsidiaries is available at http://www.csx.com/.

Follow CSX on Twitter (http://twitter.com/CSX) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/OfficialCSX).

Contact:

Lauren Rueger
1 (877) TELL-CSX

Brand-new (2011) Concrete Arch Bridge: Strasburg RR in PA

Received the following via email.  The photographer was not identified.  First picture was taken on 11/2/11 and last 2 pictures on 11/18/11. 

Construction and in-service photographs of just-completed Closed Spandrel Concrete Elliptical Arch Bridge project on the historic Strasburg Railroad (now in its 180th year).  The line has been operated as a steam-powered tourist attraction near Lancaster, PA for over a half-century.  The blue-sky day photo of Great Western #90, a steam locomotive built in 1924  crossing the newly-opened span, with its 2011 build date cast into the concrete of the arch's crown, is a bit of a chronological mind-bender! 

Santa Trains on the Black River & Western RR - 2011

The Black River Railroad Historical Trust will be operating Santa Trains out of Flemington, NJ on the next 4 Sundays:  11/27, 12/4. 12/11, and 12/18.  Santa and his elves will go through the train greeting each child and present them with a candy cane.  Round-trip trains depart the Flemington PRR station each day of operation at 11:00 AM, 1:00 PM, and 3:00 PM.  The round-trip is approximately 85 minutes.  For more information, please see the following web site.

http://www.brrht.org/eventSantaExpress.html

Black Friday 2011 - Christmas Shopping at the Big Little Railroad Shop

Avoid the crowds at the malls by coming to the Big Little Railroad Shop in downtown Somerville on "Black Friday." We have all sorts of wonderful model railroad items from full sets to individual cars, locomotives, track, buildings, scenery supplies, etc. If you don't know exactly what to get your modeler, we have gift certificates. We also carry books, videos, and calendars. We have items in all the popular scales: G, O, HO, and N. And, if we don't have what you want in stock, we probably can order it for you.

In addition to a full line of model railroading "stuff," The Big Little Railroad Shop carries plastic model kits for airplanes, ships, automobiles, and military vehicles. We also have Ninco slot cars.  New this year, we have a variety of science kits.

We are located at 63 West Main Street in Somerville, NJ. Phone: 908-685-8892.

Visit our web site at: http://www.biglittle.com/

For your holiday shopping convenience we are open the following hours through Christmas:

Tuesday - Wednesday 11AM - 7PM

Thursday - Friday 11AM -8PM

Saturday 11AM - 5PM

Sunday 12noon - 4PM

Somerville's Downtown Dollars Sweepstakes - 2011

Received a flyer via email about above titled sweepstakes.  Tried to reproduce the flyer for this blog post, but it didn't turn out too well.  To see the flyer full size, click on the picture.  Then use your browser's BACK button to return here. 

Shop and Dine at Downtown Somerville this holiday season and
YOU COULD WIN !

For more information see the following web site: 

http://www.findsomerville.com/pub/gen/holiday2011

NS 30th Anniversary special photo train

Received the following set of photos via email.  This special train was assembled to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the railroad merger that created the Norfolk Southern Corporation.  The train ran on the old N&W Shenandoah division between Roanoke and Glasgow, Virginia on Sunday, 10/23/11, primarily so NS could obtain publicity photos.  The train was made up of 4 locomotives wearing NS heritage paint schemes, a string of brand new hopper cars, and a Norfolk & Western caboose.   The locomotives were as follows:

• Norfolk Southern SD40-2 #6103 from NS Corp.
• Norfolk & Western GP30 # 522 from the Roanoke Chapter of the NRHS
• Southern Railway GP30 #5294 from the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum
• Conrail GP30 #2233 from the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania

Unable to determine the source of the N&W caboose. 

Don't know exact locotations of photos.

Believe the photographer was Casey Thomason, a NS employee. 

To see a photo full size, click on it.  Then use your browser's BACK button to return here.

CSX Named Top Military Friendly Employer in Transportation Industry

Received the following via email.

CSX Named Top Military Friendly Employer in Transportation Industry

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - November 14, 2011 - CSX was recognized today as the number three military-friendly employer on G.I. Jobs' 2012 Top 100 Military Friendly Employers list, ranking first in the transportation industry. Holding the overall number three spot for the second year in a row, CSX has
been included on the G.I. Jobs annual ranking, which recognizes businesses that emphasize the recruitment of U.S. military veterans, since 2006.

"Hiring veterans is both an honor and a patriotic duty for CSX, and something we are committed to continuing," said Michael Ward, CSX chairman, president and chief executive officer. "Our military veterans prove themselves exceptional employees, and their hard work helps us to continue delivering quality service to our customers."

With nearly one in five employees a veteran of the armed services, CSX recognizes the integral role that veterans play. With their leadership, critical thinking, technical and problem solving skills, veterans typically have the invaluable skills CSX actively recruits. Earlier this year, CSX was also one of 15 recipients, and the only two-time recipient, of the Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award, chosen from more than 4,000 applicants. This award recognizes employers that support active duty reservist employees.

CSX's relationship with U.S. troops extends beyond the hiring of America's servicemen and women. The military is also a valued customer, as CSX serves more military installations than any other Class I Railroad.

The annual G.I. Jobs rankings examine more than 5,000 American businesses with more than $500 million in annual revenues. G.I. Jobs ranks these businesses based on dedication to military hiring, percentage of new veteran hires, and internal recruitment programs, among other outreach activities.

To view the full list of G.I. Jobs' 2012 Top 100 Military Friendly Employers, please visit http://www.gijobs.com/2012Top100.aspx?i.

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. CSX's network connects more than 240 short line and regional railroads and more than 70 ocean, river, and lake ports. More information about CSX Corporation and its subsidiaries is available at http://www.csx.com/.

Contact:
Carla Groleau
1 (877) TELL-CSX

Greenbrier Express Done?

Following article is from The Pottstown Mercury newspaper serving Pottstown, PA.

Luxury rail car project put on hold; 21 laid off

Friday, November 11, 2011

By Evan Brandt

POTTSTOWN — Work on refurbishing passenger rail cars for the luxurious Greenbrier Express has stopped, and 21 of the workers there have been laid off, the entrepreneur in charge of the project has confirmed.

Ross Rowland, who in February began hiring workers to refurbish 15 passenger cars in a portion of the former Bethlehem Steel plant to be used on an exclusive luxury rail line between the resort and Washington, D.C., confirmed the news this week.

Crews had just about finished all the demolition work on the inside of the cars and were getting ready to prepare the cars for the second phase, installing the new interiors.

He said 21 workers have been laid off, but 17 have been kept on to do “engineering work.”

The problem, Rowland said, is rules issued by the Federal Railroad Administration that require that the equipment and furnishings in the cars be designed to withstand extremely high impacts.

Rowland said Jim Justice — the West Virginia billionaire who owns and is restoring the 710-room, 200-year-old resort at Greenbrier — “decided to put the project on hold” until the impact of the regulations can be fully analyzed.

The engineering workers are being kept on, re-designing the interiors of the rooms to meet the new regulations, for when — or if — the project gets a green light to move forward.

“They’re getting things ready,” said Rowland, who has been involved with railroads all his life and is perhaps best known for helping stage the American Freedom Train.

During the 21 months surrounding America’s bicentennial, the 25-car American Freedom Train, packed with more than 550 original documents, artifacts and memorabilia on loan from the National Archives and 285 lenders, brought American history along 25,000 miles to 138 cities and seven million paid visitors.

It was government regulations, and not the economy, that put the brakes on the project, said Rowland, who added “there have been people who said we should not be launching a luxury railroad in this economy, but the product was going to determine that. Either the market would accept it or it wouldn’t.”

Rowland, who knew presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan, said the work stoppage is “absolutely” an example of government over-regulation costing jobs.

One of those jobs was held by welder and fabricator Mark Carlson of Honey Brook.

“I joined up for one reason and that was to do something great,” said Carlson.

“I wanted to be a part of history and I passed up other opportunities to take this job,” said Carlson, who said, “I’ve worked on the space program, ships, bridges and power plants and I wanted to put a piece of history back on the tracks.”

Carlson said he already has interviews lined up but “if my phone rings and they want me back, I’ll be there in a New York minute,” but then added, “but I’m not holding my breath.”

Showcasing Railroad History Through Various Events

Showcasing Railroad History Through Various Events

By Elena Lathrop – Railroad.net

 
Railroads have been a vital component of American history ever since their invention. They symbolize industrialization, human ingenuity, migration, trade, exploration, and much more. Americans value this greatly, and they show this through the vast array of museums, preservation efforts, festivals, and events dedicated to railroads and railroad history. For instance, the National Railway Historical Society holds an annual convention in various cities around the nation where attendees can take heritage tours of local sites, among many other activities. In 2012 it will be held in Cedar Rapids, Iowa from June 18th-24th. Snoqualmie, Washington also holds an annual event titled Railroad Days, which occur around the historical Snoqualmie Depot train station. This festival not only teaches participants about the history of the vintage Snoqualmie railroad, it also allows them to experience it firsthand through train rides to the Snoqualmie Falls viewpoint. On Labor Day weekend of this year, the Norfolk Southern Corporation and the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum joined forces to bring steam engines back to the Norfolk Southern Rails in the “21st Century Steam” program, featuring passenger excursions on the restored Southern Railway 630 steam locomotive. Similarly, at the 2011 Rail Fest event in North Platte, Nebraska, Union Pacific’s classic Steam Locomotive No. 844 made an appearance. Additionally, it was made a part of New Mexico and Arizona’s state centennial celebrations which took place this year. It was built in 1944 and later made obsolete by the diesel-electric train, but Union Pacific decided to bring it out of retirement in 2000 for historical, commemorative purposes. Amtrak has also put on historical railroad events, such as an exhibit on the importance of railroads in the Great Migration. This period in the early 20th century witnessed heavy migration of blacks from the Southern states to northern cities to seek employment in the new, booming industrial job market. The migrants traveled mainly by passenger train or by hopping on freight trains. Amtrak’s exhibit consisted primarily of historical documents and photographs showcasing the strong connection between this era and the railroad industry. To celebrate its own history, Amtrak created an exhibit train with a museum inside of it, chronicling the company’s history and displaying memorabilia. The train toured the United States to mark Amtrak’s 40th anniversary.

These events highlight just how much effort is put into preserving, restoring, and showcasing historical trains, railroads, and train stations – all for the sake of allowing Americans to experience railroad history and learn its importance in the most authentic way possible. It is also done in a fun, accessible manner. As railroads represent so much of what America stands for and is all about, these efforts are highly pertinent and warranted. If you are a railroad enthusiast, you are certainly in luck when it comes to finding events to attend to pursue your interest in the subject.

Large consignment of Lionel equipment available

We have acquired a large consignment of "pre-owned" Lionel equipment - about 200 pieces.  Some of these items are still in unopened, original boxes.  A few of the items are from the MPC/General Mills era (1969 -1986), but most are from 1987 up to today.  The best way to find out more about this equipment would be to come into the store.  Otherwise, you can phone or send an email.  Contact information is at the top of the sidebar on the left. 

NS’s virtual inventory system delivers real savings for ethanol shippers

Received the following via email.

November 7, 2011

Norfolk Southern’s virtual inventory system delivers real savings for ethanol shippers

NORFOLK, VA. – Norfolk Southern is supporting ethanol shippers with a new virtual inventory management and delivery system that can cut in half the time it takes to transload shipments at Thoroughbred Bulk Transfer (TBT) facilities.

The new system, the first of its kind in the rail industry, combines ethanol shipments from multiple customers into a single inventory in a process called comingling. This expedites transloading operations by enabling trucks to access ethanol from any rail car when they arrive at the terminal.

Since the system was implemented in October 2010, NS has increased the efficiency and capacity of its TBT comingling facilities. For example, at Alexandria, Va., the transload process dropped from an average 90 minutes to just 30 minutes.

“By creating a virtual inventory, we are taking the variability out of service, increasing flexibility and accessibility to the product, and decreasing the time it takes to get the product to blending and storage facilities,” said Charlie Brenner, NS assistant vice president market systems and development. “We visualize it as a ‘rolling storage tank’ that streamlines access to a customer’s ethanol supply.”

Customers can access real-time information on shipments through the enhanced NS Ethanol Dashboard, a component of the new inventory system’s software developed by NS’ e-commerce team. The Web-based application tracks the quantity of ethanol each shipper uses and automatically updates inventory levels, monitors shipments in transit, and provides access to historical data. Truck arrival and departure times also are recorded. In addition, NS monitors each customer’s supply chain, sends automated alerts if inventory levels are low, and in some cases assists with purchasing.

OSAGE Inc., the largest independent distributor of motor-fuel grade ethanol in the Southeast, has been using the new dashboard since the beginning of 2011. “The operational change at the rail siding from segregated inventory to comingled inventory has improved efficiency and reduced incurred demurrage charges to almost zero,” said OSAGE Chief Financial Officer Wes Spruill. “This represents real cost savings to our business. With the NS Ethanol Dashboard and comingled storage, the Pineville rail siding has now become one of the simplest distribution points with which I work on a regular basis.”

So far, more than 150 million gallons of ethanol have been transloaded using the new system at Norfolk Southern TBT facilities at Doraville (Atlanta), Pineville (Charlotte), N.C., and Alexandria, and Petersburg, Va. NS also will offer the new inventory system at its recently opened TBT at Pottstown, Pa., and in Roanoke, Va., scheduled to open in January 2012.

Norfolk Southern serves 22 ethanol production plants that manufacture 2.16 billion gallons of ethanol annually. In 2010, NS transported 2.13 billion gallons of ethanol, about 16 percent of the total U.S. production, through a network of 75 facilities strategically located to serve suppliers and consumers in the eastern and southern U.S.

Norfolk Southern Corporation is one of the nation’s premier transportation companies. Its Norfolk Southern Railway subsidiary operates approximately 20,000 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.

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Norfolk Southern contacts:

(Media) Susan Terpay, 757-823-5204 (susan.terpay@nscorp.com)
(Investors) Michael Hostutler, 757-629-2861 (michael.hostutler@nscorp.com)