Tri-State Chapter NRHS - Monthly Meeting Notice - Thursday, 4-2-15 - Bill McKelvey - Rails Along the Morris Canal

Received the following via email.

Reminder for tomorrow's meeting

4/2/2015 - - - 1st Thursday of April!!!!

TRI-STATE RAILWAY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Presents

Bill McKelvey

Rails Along the Morris Canal

Credit: Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, NJ-29-114

at the Bickford Theater of the

Morris Museum, 6 Normandy Heights Road, Morristown, NJ 07960

Thursday, April 2, 2015, 7:00 PM

Note that this is the 1st Thursday of April!

The April 2 meeting will feature a presentation by long-time member, author

and historian Bill McKelvey. This color slide illustrated program covers the

rail and horse car and trolley lines that paralleled and crossed the route

of the famous Morris Canal from Newark Penn Station through Bloomfield,

Boonton, etc. to the Dover area. Much focuses on the Newark City Subway as

it was built in the bed of the abandoned canal. Come prepared with your

questions as we hope to answer them for you

Bill is well-known in New Jersey preservation circles as a founder of the

Friends of the New Jersey Railroad and Transportation Heritage Center. He

also established the Liberty Historic Railway, serving as its president,

with the purpose of laying rails within the CNJ Communipaw Terminal property

in Jersey City.

The meeting will begin at 7:15 p.m. at the Bickford Theater in the Morris

Museum, 6 Normandy Heights Road, Morristown. The programs usually begin

about 8:00 p.m. Admission is free, open to the public. All are welcome.

Light refreshments are often available. We will have a selection of books,

videos and memorabilia for sale before the meeting. Visit us at

facebook.com/tristaterail.org or the web: TRISTATERAIL.ORG

Easter Is Almost Here

Received the following via email.

Easter is this weekend!  Easter is this weekend, and that means this Friday and Saturday will be your last chance this year to visit Peter Cottontail on the BR&W Railroad! A limited number of seats are still available for all departures this Friday and Saturday. Trains depart Flemington Station only. Visit our website for the complete schedule of departures. Reservations are required, and are now available through our website! Don't forget to ask your Conductor to tell you all about our exciting project to extend the length of our Summer Excursion train rides! Visit our website for complete details and to purchase tickets today! www.blackriverrailroad.com Easter Bunny Express - 2015 Sunday March 22, 2015 to Saturday April 4, 2015 Celebrate Spring aboard the Black River & Western Railroad with Peter Cottontail! The Bunny himself will ride each train and give every child a tasty treat. These round-trip trains all depart FLEMINGTON STATION. Trains run rain or shine. Opening Day 2015 Sunday May 17, 2015 Come join us as we celebrate our 50th anniversary! For one day only we are offering tickets for our Flemington-Ringoes excursions at our original 1965 prices of $1.00 per child and $2.00 per adult (plus ticketing service fee). Passengers will enjoy a steam-powered Flemington-Ringoes round-trip excursion and receive a souvenir ticket - a reproduction of our original 1965 tickets! ALL PASSENGERS MUST BOARD AT FLEMINGTON STATION DURING THIS EVENT. ADVANCE RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED. Comedy Night Fundraiser Friday May 22, 2015 This one-night-only fundraising event will feature a train ride from Flemington to Ringoes and 1 hour comedy set by Raymond the Amish Comic. Proceeds from this event support our project to rehabilitate the Alexauken Division to extend the length of our passenger train excursions! ---Raymond's comedy set is aimed at an adult audience and not recommended for young children.--- Caboose Trains - 2015 Saturday June 6, 2015 to Saturday August 22, 2015 Enjoy an evening train ride from Ringoes to Flemington and return in one of our historic cabooses! Cabooses from several railroads are available and include bay window, cupola, and wide-vision models. THIS TRAIN BOARDS AT RINGOES STATION - RESERVATIONS REQUIRED. Readin' Railroad Story Time - 2015 Saturday June 13, 2015 to Saturday August 15, 2015 Enjoy a round-trip excursion between Flemington and Ringoes, and a reading of a popular children's book. Kids can follow along with their own copy of the book! Reservations required. "A" tickets are Adult tickets (age 12+). "C" tickets are Child tickets (under age 12). Make sure you consider how many books you want when choosing which tickets to purchase. Only tickets that indicate "1 book" in their description include a book! THIS TRAIN DEPARTS FROM FLEMINGTON STATION - RESERVATIONS REQUIRED.

B&LE F7 #712A in Vancouver, 04-67 with Ditch Lights(!), by Peter Cox

Received the following via email from our correspondent in NW Pennsylvania.

Thanks to Steve Timko and those who shared with him a set of Canadian slides from The Peter Cox Collection, here is B&LE F7  #712A and an unidentified B unit (that may well be #712B) outside a shop on the Canadian Pacific in Vancouver, British Columbia. Note the snow-capped mountain peaks in the background. Also note the unfortunate marring of the classic B&LE nose wings to attach temporary, Canadian-compliant ditch lights to the unit so it can lead trains on CP, nearly a half-century ago.

Craig Rutherford commented to me back in 2011 that some slides he had from the mid-through-late Sixties showed B&LE F7As and Bs on lease to power-short CP Rail. CPR leased several B&LE units, plus B&M and UP engines because, "Most CPR power at the time was dedicated to hauling wheat for Russia, while leased power handled secondary trains."

Craig had notes on some slides in his collection that also showed B&LE #712A the following year on the then newly-merged Penn Central at the former New York Central West Detroit shops and fueling racks. In April, 1968, #712A was there at the shops and then, in June of that year, #712A was photographed at the fueling rack.

Action for Healthy Kids and CSX Announce Every Kid Healthy Grants for 2015-2016 School Year

Received the following via email. 

Action for Healthy Kids and CSX Announce Every Kid Healthy Grants for 2015-2016 School Year

Funds will advance health and wellness initiatives in schools and increase physical activity among students

CHICAGO (March 17, 2015) - Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK) and CSX today announced the call for applications for Every Kid Healthy Grants for the 2015-2016 school year. Nearly 300 grants will be awarded to schools to support increasing physical activity and promoting nutrition initiatives.

Every Kid Healthy Grants will range from $500 to $2,500 to provide funding for physical activity, including facilities and equipment for recess, playgrounds and play spaces, classroom energizers, physical education, and walking and running clubs. Grants may also be used to fund nutrition initiatives to help schools work towards healthy schools certification programs. The Every Kid Healthy Grants are part of $1.4 million in grants for school breakfast and physical activity to be awarded by AFHK in the 2015-2016 school year.

"Study after study shows that kids who get regular physical activity experience improvements not just in their fitness levels but in brain function and behavior - yet funding for physical education continues to decline in schools," said Rob Bisceglie, CEO of Action for Healthy Kids. "The support we get from CSX recognizes the positive impact of physical activity on children's health and preparedness to learn, and helps to fill a gap in the national resources provided to schools for wellness initiatives."

For the 2014-2015 school year, CSX funded 287 AFHK grants to increase students' physical activity time, improve attitudes and behaviors, and engage parents in supporting activity at school and at home. Schools currently in the Active Kids Campaign are reporting an average of 55 minutes of physical activity per day among more than 143,000 students. CSX also supports AFHK's advancement of physical activity and nutrition initiatives in an additional 5,000 schools around the country, and hosts "Get in the Action" service events throughout the year where CSX employees volunteer at select schools to improve physical activity environments.

"Our partnership with Action for Healthy Kids has enabled us to share CSX's focus on health and wellness with kids and families in the communities where we work and live, while also involving CSX employees along the way," explained Tori Kaplan, Assistant Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility. "We are proud to support physical activity programs that help students be better prepared to learn and succeed in and out of the classroom, and create a healthy generation of employees, customers and neighbors for tomorrow."

Interested schools are encouraged to apply online at www.actionforhealthykids.org/grants through May 1, 2015. To be eligible, schools must be located in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia or Washington, D.C. 

An optional introductory webinar on the Every Kid Healthy Grants will be hosted by AFHK on Tuesday, March 24, 2015 from 2:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. Central Time. Registration is available online at http://www.actionforhealthykids.org/events/event/287. 

About Action for Healthy Kids®

Action for Healthy Kids® is a nationwide grassroots network that supports school-based healthy eating and physical activity improvements that increase academic success. With funding opportunities, expert technical assistance and our flagship program, Game On, we mobilize schools, administrators and parents to develop healthy school environments for children. To learn more about the ways our 85,000+ volunteer network is helping to make Every Kid HealthyT, visit us at www.ActionforHealthyKids.org, on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/act4healthykids) and on Twitter (https://twitter.com/Act4HlthyKids).

About CSX

CSX, based in Jacksonville, Florida, is a premier transportation company.  It provides rail, intermodal and rail-to-truck transload services and solutions to customers across a broad array of markets, including energy, industrial, construction, agricultural, and consumer products.  For nearly 190 years, CSX has played a critical role in the nation's economic expansion and industrial development.  Its network connects every major metropolitan area in the eastern United States, where nearly two-thirds of the nation's population resides.  It also links more than 240 short-line railroads and more than 70 ocean, river and lake ports with major population centers and farming towns alike.  More information about CSX Corporation and its subsidiaries is available at www.csx.com. Like us on Facebook (http://facebook.com/OfficialCSX) and follow us on Twitter (http://twitter.com/CSX).

Contacts:                             

Loren Fisher-Coleman

Action for Healthy Kids

(312) 878-7672

lcoleman@ActionforHealthyKids.org

Kaitlyn Barrett

CSX Corporate Communications

(904) 359-1037

kaitlyn_barrett@csx.com

The Lehigh Valley Railroad Lives, sort of...

(Train sightings on 3-12-15.)

In a scene vaguely reminiscent of when the LVRR owned this stretch of track, NS 64K, with the Lehigh Valley heritage unit leading NS 1077, heads east over NS's Lehigh Line through Three Bridges, NJ (MP 48) around 8:26 AM. This ethanol tank train continues an easterly journey which started in Chicago (IL) and will terminate in Sewaren (NJ). That red building off to 8104's right is the former LVRR Three Bridges Depot. Perhaps the ghost of a former LVRR ticket agent is peering through the alcove's window and watching 8104's passage!

A Lehigh Line visitor...

(Train sightings on 3-10-15.)

On Tuesday, NS's Lehigh Line had a departure from the 'normal' trains I am accustom to seeing along this stretch of track. It was the Federal Railway Administration train, NS symbol 901, consisting of NS 5175 (ex-SOU 5175; GP38-2), NS 5609 (ex-NW 4138; GP38-2), DOTX 218 and DOTX 220 passing by LEHL MP 40 around 1 PM. The DOTX 218 Entered service in 2004 and operates in self-propelled and towed mode, is equipped with a track geometry measurement system to measure gauge, alignment and track surface. It has a Gage Restraint Measurement System (GRMS), utilizes a deployable fifth axle to apply lateral and vertical loads to the rail and then take measurements of the impact to the rail from the forces. DOTX 218 is also equipped with a differential global positional system to provide high accuracy GPS coordinates to each foot of track surveyed. DOTX 220 was built in 2007 and is equipped with a full suite of track geometry measurement and mapping systems, allowing it to take real time track geomertry, laser-measured gauge, profile and ride quality measurements and record the data in its own systems at extremely high speeds. The car has crew seating for up to 16 to 20 in the inspection gallery at the B-end and 4 in a technicians' station at mid-car. It is also equipped with a small galley, ample storage, and an ADA-compliant restroom.

 

February Reading & Northern GP39RNs (rebuilt ex-Santa Fe GP30s)

Received the following 2 emails from our correspondent in NW Pennsylvania.  First one is the original from Brian Plant which included the photos below.  Photo captions are the photo labels from Brian's email. 

If you didn't receive the first email from a couple weeks ago, I was on vacation the last week of February and traveled from New York to Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, and even cut through part of West Virginia on the way back home. Tom Mik from Connecticut was my travel partner and we met up with good friends Pete Ruesch, Chris Thompson and Barry Lennon in Indiana. We also received tour guide support in person from John Means on the South Shore and Mark Mautner in the St. Louis metro area, as well as tactical intel from Terry Chicwak, John Leopard, Todd Novak, Scott Snell and many others along the way.

The following images are from the first day of the trip when we followed the classy Reading & Northern GP39RN models, former Santa Fe GP30 REBUILDS painted to match the Reading Company's final paint scheme for freight diesels, from Tamaqua to Mount Carmel and back as far as Ashland. It's hard to imagine just how much Anthracite coal traffic used to be shipped by rail before the 1950s, when the oil industry took a stranglehold on the home heating business. The R&N has done a wonderful job rebuilding the Anthracite traffic since taking over the former Reading lines from Conrail in 1991. 

Brian Plant


Wonderful, Brian!

I love the accentuated, snow-covered grades, as seen through your telephoto. Long-lens operations views can really highlight the roller-coaster profiles that railroaders and their locomotives have to overcome in their routine execution of their daily duties while conducting interstate commerce...even (especially!) on customer sidetracks. There is no doubt as to the wisdom of having derail protection, in particular, on that one track with the yellow derail reminder!

It might seem for most of the year to be almost overkill to 'remind' conductors of the presence of a derail, but beneath that substantial blanket of snow, these brightly-colored safety devices can 'look' just like all of their surroundings. The distractions and difficulties of switching in snow (especially if at night, accompanied by heavy snowfall or frigid, drift-forming winds) could allow the momentary lapse of focus that could get a crew just a few feet beyond a buried derail's actual vs. perceived location, with a unit's wheel-set or truck on the ground or a derail plowed off the rail.

R&N's #2532's retained class lights, which appear to be illuminated 'white' in one scene, are a nice retro touch. I understand why the FRA has allowed their removal and the discontinuance of their inclusion on new-builds, but to my vintage eyes, motive power noses -- especially on units that once had class lights -- simply look 'naked' without them. It is so nice to see a pair of clean units with the classic and classy, half-century+ old EMD GP30 profile still generating revenue ton miles, as we approach the end of the first quarter of 2015!

Thank you for sharing this nice photo set (typical of your work!), Brian.

2532  locust summit cloudy

2532 locust summit 320mm

2532 snowy detail

2532 gordon last

2531 east of gordon close

2531 east of gordon

2531 silhobw

2531 locust descent

2531 locust summit wide

2531 locust summit yard

2531 p activ steep grade

2531 p activ start down

2531 p activ spot

2531 red light p activ

2531 snowy ip spot

2531 spotting gordon 

Erie Lackawanna Historical Society SPRING MEETINGS

Received the following via email. 

ELHS Spring Meetings You can now sign up for the Eastern and Western Region ELHS Spring Meetings! Links to the registration forms can be found below (Adobe PDF reader required to open them). Please get those forms in soon, as the meetings are less than a month away!  Marion station photo by Larry De Young This year's Western Region Spring Meeting is being held in Marion, Ohio on April 18, 2015. Full details can be found on the Registration Form at the link below. http://www.erielackhs.org/images/ELHS%20Western%20Region%202015%20flyer.pdf  Pompton Plains station photo by Adam Moss This year's Eastern Region Spring Meeting is being held in Pompton Lakes, N.J. on April 12, 2015. Full details can be found on the Registration Form at the link below.  http://www.erielackhs.org/images/ELHS%20Eastern%20Region%202015%20flyer.pdf Copyright © 2015 Erie Lackawanna Historical Society, All rights reserved.

Another >Proposed< NS 'TRUE Heritage' Unit?

Received the following from our correspondent in NW Pennsylvania.

Former Erie Lackawanna locomotive engineer Fred Stuckmann made the following suggestion after seeing the NS SD40 recently repainted in a Southern RR scheme (see our post on Friday, March 6,2015), and I think he's on to something. 

"Maybe they could paint one of the 1700s back into EL, wouldn't that be something?"

Electro-Motive built the EL's baker's dozen SD45-2s in November, 1972, just 18 months after building the Southern Railway SD40 that NS shop forces only recently brought back from the dead (literally!) and returned to service in her as-delivered livery (below). There are a half-dozen of the ex-EL Dash-2 brutes on the active NS roster (#1700-1705).

Just as the full Southern freight scheme was not among those to appear on one of the thirty 30th anniversary NS Heritage Units (though the Savannah & Atlanta Railway unit was 'close'), there were only EL predecessors represented (DL&W and ERIE), even though EL was the second largest component of Conrail. While I very much appreciate what NS had EMD do, cosmetically, to both of those new engines, the possibility of returning an active, authentic, 1972-vintage EL six-axle road unit to accurate maroon, yellow and gray presents a tempting goal.Though de-rated from 3,600 to 3,000 horsepower, the three highest numbers (NS #1703-1705) still retain their EMD 20-cylinder 645E3 engines. Two of those NS 1700s, '03 & '05, ex-EL #3679 and 3681 (the latter was the last new locomotive the EL acquired) still have nose class light 'knock-outs' and gaskets, fore and aft, which would enhance the 'EMD as-delivered look', if one were to be returned to EL paint. These six locomotives already have a strong following of admirers in New Jersey and elsewhere. NS could elevate its positive image further, yet again, by leveraging a bit more Good Will with an 'extension' of their Heritage Fleet.

(Following are links to SD45-2's in both EL and NS paint schemes.) 

   https://www.flickr.com/photos/wrongmain/8078759850/
http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2425091
   http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2099775
http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2393633  

_http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3922664
   http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3947100
http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1479841
   http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=604660
http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=810067  

Crazy as this suggestion might at first sound, remember that there is already a tangible, positive result regarding the gorgeous Southern SD40 out on NS rails. And SOMEbody asked the key question, "What if?" (And if you DON'T ask, the answer is 'no', for sure!)

Yes, it is kinetics, not aesthetics, that moves freight.But now that Norfolk Southern has named James Squires as Chief Executive Officer, to succeed Wick Moorman effective June 1, perhaps there is a bit of urgency to 'planting this seed', if Mr. Moorman was indeed the sympathetic audience for the repainting of SOU #3170...

2015 NERPM is May 29-30 in Collinsville, Conn.

Received the following via email. 

The 13th New England/Northeast Prototype Modelers Meet (NERPM) will be
Friday and Saturday, May 29-30 at the Canton Community Center in
Collinsville, Connecticut. We are an NMRA-sponsored event.

The meet is two days of clinics, a large model display and layout open
houses on Sunday, May 31.

Registrations forms can be downloaded from our website,
www.neprototypemeet.com. There are also photos form past meets.

We're planning a full array of clinics and programs, a DCC round
table, a white elephant table, a raffle with spectacular contributions
from the finest manufacturers and retailers, and a host of great
manufacturers and vendors, including Bob's Photo, Ron's Books and
Funaro & Camerlengo, ESU Loksound, Atlas and Rapido.

Do you have a clinic or program you'd like to present? We'd love to
hear from you. I can be reached at neprotomeet@gmail.com.

For more information, please visit our website or join us at Facebook.com/nerpm.

Any questions? Please don't hesitate to contact me.

Thank you,

Dave Owens
West Hartford, Conn.

P.S. -- Please excuse the cross posting. Since we are non-profit and
scramble to pay for the meet, one of the ways we reach people is
through various email lists. Thank you.

--
2015 New England/Northeast Prototype Modelers Meet
May 29-30, 2015 (Always the weekend after Memorial Day)
Collinsville, Connecticut
www.neprototypemeet.com
www.facebook.com/NERPM

The next stop will be Three Bridges!

(Train sightings on 3-6-15.)

With Thursday's snowfall now just a bad memory, it was time to head track side for some winter scenes. Because of the snow I decided that Three Bridges (LEHL MP 48) would offer me the best opportunity to get some snow images without my vehicle getting stuck in that snow. It wouldn't be long before NS 22V passed by eastbound with NS 9487 (D9-44CW) and NS 8777 (D9-40C). After it passed, I had to wonder just how many trains had passed that old red LVRR Three Bridges depot? The old photo shows that it is still managing to hold its own against time and the elements. There was also BR Tower, located near the present day NS block signal and adjacent to the Main Street grade crossing. BR Tower controlled the movements on the four tracks that were once here. Note the signal bridge to the left of the tower. That road to the tower's right is Railroad Avenue. Today the only evidence that remains of this tower is a huge concrete slab near that block signal. 

Ocala / Marion County Commerce Park Site Receives CSX Select Site Designation

Received the following via email.

Ocala / Marion County Commerce Park Site Receives CSX Select Site Designation

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - March 4, 2015 - CSX Corporation today announced that a portion of the Ocala / Marion County Commerce Park in Ocala, Florida has been designated a CSX Select Site.

Select Sites are properties identified and vetted as capable locations for future manufacturing facilities along the CSX network. These sites can be developed quickly since standard land use issues and comprehensive due diligence items have already been addressed. 

"Through the Select Site program, we can significantly reduce the time it takes for companies to evaluate a competitive site, and ultimately construct their facility and bring products to market," said Clark Robertson, assistant vice president, regional development at CSX.

CSX introduced the Select Site program in 2012 to better serve new or existing customers on its network.  CSX partnered with The Austin Company, a nationally-known site selection consulting firm, to screen candidate sites and assist communities with the application and certification process.

The Ocala / Marion County Commerce Park is a 489-acre industrial park adjacent to Interstate 75.  An 83-acre parcel on the eastern edge of the park has been designated as a CSX Select Site, as a planned rail spur will connect this parcel to the Florida Northern Railroad's mainline, located just over one-half mile east of the site. 

"The investment by both the City of Ocala and Marion County to bring a four-lane roadway and utility infrastructure to this property made this Select Site designation possible," said Jonathan Gemmen, senior location consultant with The Austin Company.

"The future for rail-oriented job creation in and around Ocala has never been better," says Tom Owen, vice president of marketing and sales for the Florida Northern Railroad. CSX's short line partner, Florida Northern Railroad, will provide local service to the Ocala / Marion County Commerce Park.

The Ocala / Marion County Commerce Park is the first site in Florida to be designated as a CSX Select Site. 

"This designation enhances our ability to be globally competitive for rail-served manufacturing and distribution projects," said Kevin Sheilley, president of Ocala / Marion County Chamber and Economic Partnership.

To receive CSX Select Site designation, the location must meet a rigorous list of criteria, including infrastructure and utility availability, environmental reviews, appropriate zoning and entitlement, rail serviceability, proximity to highways or interstates, and other attributes. Once certified, the sites are featured on a new user-friendly web portal that includes press releases, promotional materials and direct marketing to site selection professionals.

To learn more about CSX Select Sites online, visit www.csxselectsites.com

About CSX

CSX, based in Jacksonville, Florida, is a premier transportation company.  It provides rail, intermodal and rail-to-truck transload services and solutions to customers across a broad array of markets, including energy, industrial, construction, agricultural, and consumer products.  For nearly 190 years, CSX has played a critical role in the nation's economic expansion and industrial development.  Its network connects every major metropolitan area in the eastern United States, where nearly two-thirds of the nation's population resides.  It also links more than 240 short-line railroads and more than 70 ocean, river and lake ports with major population centers and farming towns alike.  More information about CSX Corporation and its subsidiaries is available at www.csx.com. Like us on Facebook (http://facebook.com/OfficialCSX) and follow us on Twitter (http://twitter.com/CSX). 

About Florida Northern Railroad (FNOR)

The FNOR is owned by Pinsly Railroad Company, one of the oldest short line railroad companies in the United States. Pinsly remains focused on growth that it achieves by maintaining a focus on the needs of its customers and by developing strong partnerships with the communities it serves. Pinsly's subsidiary, Railroad Distribution Services, provides warehouse, reload, and distribution services. CSX Transportation participates in every carload handled by Pinsly's rail subsidiaries. More information about Pinsly Railroad and its subsidiaries is available at www.pinsly.com.

Contact:

Kristin Seay

(404) 350-5029

CSX CFO Reviews Market Environment and Earnings Growth Expectations for 2015

Received the following via email.

CSX CFO Reviews Market Environment and Earnings Growth Expectations for 2015

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - March 4, 2015 - CSX (NYSE: CSX) Chief Financial Officer Fredrik Eliasson today discussed the drivers of a decade of strong financial performance for the company, updated its first-quarter market outlook and discussed earnings expectations for 2015 at the JP Morgan Aviation, Transportation and Industrials Conference in New York City.

At the conference, Eliasson highlighted the company's sustained record of superior shareholder value creation over the past decade, which leveraged its network reach and balanced portfolio of business to overcome the global recession and transition in the energy markets. This performance provides a strong foundation for 2015 as CSX expects its merchandise and intermodal markets to continue to grow faster than the overall economy.

At the same time, Eliasson indicated that CSX's domestic coal volume is now expected to decline at least 5 percent, reflecting the relatively mild winter weather and low natural gas prices. He also noted that as oil prices remain low, the company expects growth in crude oil shipments to be more moderate than originally expected.

"We continue to expect strong earnings growth in the first quarter as merchandise and intermodal customers see growth opportunities and recognize the value and efficiency of freight rail service," Eliasson said. "By leveraging price and efficiency gains combined with expected volume increases, we continue to target double-digit earnings growth for the full-year 2015, though achieving that goal will be more challenging with the expected decline in coal movements."

Eliasson also reinforced the foundation of the company's strategy for creating superior shareholder value is delivering service excellence for its customers. That allows CSX to maximize its three key value levers: growing its merchandise and intermodal business faster than the economy, pricing above inflation and driving efficiency in operations.

About CSX Disclosures and the Company

This announcement, as well as additional financial information, is available on the company's website at http://investors.csx.com.  CSX also uses social media channels to communicate information about the company. Although social media channels are not intended to be the primary method of disclosure for material information, it is possible that certain information CSX posts on social media could be deemed to be material.

Therefore, we encourage investors, the media, and others interested in the company to review the information we post on Twitter (http://twitter.com/CSX) and on Slideshare (http://www.slideshare.net/HowTomorrowMoves).  The social media channels used by CSX may be updated from time to time.

More information about CSX Corporation and its subsidiaries is available at www.csx.com and on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/OfficialCSX).

CSX, based in Jacksonville, Florida, is a premier transportation company.  It provides rail, intermodal and rail-to-truck transload services and solutions to customers across a broad array of markets, including energy, industrial, construction, agricultural, and consumer products.  For nearly 190 years, CSX has played a critical role in the nation's economic expansion and industrial development.  Its network connects every major metropolitan area in the eastern United States, where nearly two-thirds of the nation's population resides.  It also links more than 240 short-line railroads and more than 70 ocean, river and lake ports with major population centers and farming towns alike. 

Contact:

David Baggs, Investor Relations

904-359-4812

Melanie Cost, Corporate Communications

904-359-1702

New Jersey Railroad History Facebook Pages

Received the following via email.

In addition to his long-running Camden & Amboy Railroad Historians FaceBook page, John Kilbride has recently created a Railroads of Trenton page, and is looking to expand their memberships towards the purpose of sharing historical information on those interests!!!

Note:  To access these pages you must logged onto Facebook and you must be a member of the respective group.  Here are direct links:  

Camden & Amboy Railroad Historians 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/182450498488350/ 

Railroads of Trenton 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/TRERRs/edit/ 

Spring Is Coming and so is the Easter Bunny Express

Received the following via email from The Black River & Western Railroad, Flemington, NJ. 

Spring is almost here!  Dear Patron, Spring is almost here, and that means it's time for Peter Cottontail to visit BR&W! The Easter Bunny Express operates Sunday March 22, Saturday - Sunday March 28-29, and Friday - Saturday April 3-4. Trains depart Flemington Station only. Visit our website for the complete schedule of departures. Reservations are required, and are now available through our website! Don't forget to ask your Conductor to tell you all about our exciting project to extend the length of our Summer Excursion train rides! Visit our website for complete details and to purchase tickets today! www.blackriverrailroad.com Easter Bunny Express - 2015 Sunday March 22, 2015 to Saturday April 4, 2015 Celebrate Spring aboard the Black River & Western Railroad with Peter Cottontail! The Bunny himself will ride each train and give every child a tasty treat. These round-trip trains all depart FLEMINGTON STATION. Trains run rain or shine. Opening Day 2015 Sunday May 17, 2015 Come join us as we celebrate our 50th anniversary! For one day only we are offering tickets for our Flemington-Ringoes excursions at our original 1965 prices of $1.00 per child and $2.00 per adult (plus ticketing service fee). Passengers will enjoy a steam-powered Flemington-Ringoes round-trip excursion and receive a souvenir ticket - a reproduction of our original 1965 tickets! ALL PASSENGERS MUST BOARD AT FLEMINGTON STATION DURING THIS EVENT. ADVANCE RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED.

NYSME 89th Annual Spring Model Railroad Exhibition

Received the following via email.

89th Annual Spring Model Railroad Exhibition

The members of The New York Society of Model Engineers, Inc., wish to invite you, your family and friends to attend our 89th Annual Spring Model Railroad Exhibition.

Discount Show Coupon

Featuring: For our youngest fans Thomas and His Friends will be operating during all weekends on our Club's Layouts.                   Older Model Railroad Enthusiasts needn't feel left out however, for your enjoyment many prototypical trains of various eras, operating signal systems and the country's largest collection of vintage railroad tail signs are on display at our Carlstadt, NJ headquarters.

Where? New York Society of Model Engineers, Inc. 341 Hoboken Road Carlstadt, New Jersey 07072 (One Mile West of the Meadowlands Sports Complex, off NJ Rt. 17 South - Follow the signs to our show)

When? Saturdays & Sundays from 1:00 - 6:00 PM March 7-8, 14-15, 21-22 & 28-29, 2015 Just two more weekends

SAVE $1.00 PRESENT THIS COUPON TO RECEIVE A $1.00 DISCOUNT ON EACH PAID ADULT ADMISSION TO OUR 89TH ANNUAL SPRING MODEL RAILROAD EXHIBITION Offer Expires 03/29/2015. Printed coupon must be presented in person at the time of admission. Limit 1 coupon per person per day.  NO CASH VALUE

For More Information: Please visit our website - for additional information about our organization, show dates & times and directions. Membership VISIT US

Donate: Don't have the time to participate? We would still greatly appreciate your support. DONATE

Share with others: Know someone else who'd like to go? Forward this to someone else. SHARE

Sincerely, Charles Lekowski, President New York Society of Model Engineers, Inc. (201) 939-9212 contact@modelengineers.org

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