August 2005 in rail transport
Encyclopedia
August 1 – August 6
August 1-
– KilkisKilkisKilkis is an industrial city in Central Macedonia, Greece. As of 2001 there were 17,430 people living in the city proper, 24,812 people living in the municipal unit, and 56,336 in the municipality of Kilkis. It is also the capital city of the regional unit of Kilkis.-Name:Kilkis is located in a...
, northern Greece: A truckTruckA truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...
driver is killed after he ignored grade crossing warning signs and his truck is hit by an oncoming passenger train of the Hellenic Railways OrganizationOrganismós Sidirodrómon ElládosThe Hellenic Railways Organisation or OSE is the Greek national railway company which owns, maintains and operates all railway infrastructure in Greece with the exception of Athens' rapid transit lines. Train services on these lines are run by TrainOSE S.A., a former OSE subsidiary...
. The train's crew are only slightly injured, and all of the train's passengers are uninjured and continue their journey by bus. (Kathimerini) -
– Union Pacific RailroadUnion Pacific RailroadThe Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
and CSX TransportationCSX TransportationCSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
announce a joint venture to dispatch unit trainUnit trainA unit train, also called a block train, is a railway train in which all the cars making it up are shipped from the same origin to the same destination, without being split up or stored en route...
s of produce (including appleAppleThe apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family . It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans. Apple grow on small, deciduous trees that blossom in the spring...
s, pearPearThe pear is any of several tree species of genus Pyrus and also the name of the pomaceous fruit of these trees. Several species of pear are valued by humans for their edible fruit, but the fruit of other species is small, hard, and astringent....
s, potatoPotatoThe potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
es and onionOnionThe onion , also known as the bulb onion, common onion and garden onion, is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Allium. The genus Allium also contains a number of other species variously referred to as onions and cultivated for food, such as the Japanese bunching onion The onion...
s) between Wallula, WashingtonWallula, WashingtonWallula is a census-designated place in Walla Walla County, Washington, United States. The population was 179 at the 2010 census.-History:Lewis and Clark reached the area April 27, 1806, on their return journey from the Pacific...
, and Albany, New YorkAlbany, New YorkAlbany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, interchanging from one railroad to the other in Chicago. The terminal facilities in Washington and New York will be owned and operated by RailexRailexRailex is a refrigerated rail service in partnership with the Union Pacific and CSX. In 2006 Railex LLC launched a new service between Wallula, Washington, and Rotterdam, New York, that transports fruits and vegetables cross-country. In 2008 Railex opened the Delano, California to NY lane...
, LLC. The new trains will use newly built 64 ft (19.5 m) long refrigerator carRefrigerator carA refrigerator car is a refrigerated boxcar , a piece of railroad rolling stock designed to carry perishable freight at specific temperatures. Refrigerator cars differ from simple insulated boxcars and ventilated boxcars , neither of which are fitted with cooling apparatus...
s equipped with GPS tracking and advanced temperature monitoring equipment to ensure consistent temperatures for the trains' 124-hour coast to coast schedules. The new service is expected to launch in the first quarter of 2006. (UP) -
– Britain's Network RailNetwork RailNetwork Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
announces that it has awarded a group of contracts worth an estimated £Pound sterlingThe pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
60 million to upgrade and overhaul the railroad's signallingRailway signalA signal is a mechanical or electrical device erected beside a railway line to pass information relating to the state of the line ahead to train/engine drivers. The driver interprets the signal's indication and acts accordingly...
system in south Wales. The contracts, awarded to Atkins Rail, Birse Rail and Armey Rail, encompasses Network Rail's Port Talbot East Re-signalling Project to replace equipment that dates to the 1960s; the project is scheduled to be completed in 2007. (RailStaff)
August 2
- – Raleigh, North CarolinaRaleigh, North CarolinaRaleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
, United States: A dump truckDump truckA dump truck is a truck used for transporting loose material for construction. A typical dump truck is equipped with a hydraulically operated open-box bed hinged at the rear, the front of which can be lifted up to allow the contents to be deposited on the ground behind the truck at the site of...
drives around the gates at a grade crossing and is struck by AmtrakAmtrakThe National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
's northbound CarolinianCarolinian-Languages:*The Carolinian language, an Austronesian language spoken in the Northern Mariana Islands in the Pacific Ocean-People:*A person from the Carolinas...
passenger train. Both occupants of the dump truck died at the scene, 15 of the train's occupants suffered minor injuries, and the remaining 182 passengers are bussed to another train to continue their journey to New York City. (WRAL)
August 3
- – The city of Roseville, CaliforniaRoseville, California-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Roseville had a population of 118,788. The population density was 3,279.4 people per square mile...
, officially opens the new display location for Southern Pacific 2252, a preserved Southern Pacific RailroadSouthern Pacific RailroadThe Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
4-6-04-6-0Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles in a leading truck, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels. This wheel arrangement became the second-most popular...
originally built by Cooke Locomotive Works (builder's serial number 2360) in March 1897. From 1929 until the locomotive was retired in 1955, it was used in firefighting service over Donner PassDonner PassDonner Pass is a mountain pass in the northern Sierra Nevada, located above Donner Lake about nine miles west of Truckee, California. It has a steep approach from the east and a gradual approach from the west....
.http://www.trainweb.org/intlrailfair/sp2252.html The new display site overlooks the former SP (now Union Pacific RailroadUnion Pacific RailroadThe Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
) yard in Roseville and features solar-powered lights to illuminate the locomotive at night. The locomotive was moved from its old display site at the Placer County Fairgrounds in October 2004. (Rocklin and Roseville Today) -
– 43 cars (nearly all of them tank carTank carA tank car is a type of railroad rolling stock designed to transport liquid and gaseous commodities.-Timeline:...
s) of a 140-car westbound Canadian National RailwayCanadian National RailwayThe Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
(CN) train from EdmontonEdmontonEdmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
to VancouverVancouverVancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
derail at Wabamun, AlbertaWabamun, AlbertaWabamun is a village located west of Edmonton in central Alberta, Canada.- Demographics :The population of the Village of Wabamun according to its 2009 municipal census is 662....
, about 50 km west of Edmonton, sending nearly 1.3 million litres of oil into nearby waterways including Wabamun LakeWabamun LakeWabamun Lake is one of the most heavily used lakes in Alberta, Canada. It lies west of Edmonton, Alberta. It is long and narrow, covers and is 11 meters deep at its deepest, with somewhat clear water....
. Local residents are evacuated as at least one of the derailed tank cars carried tolueneTolueneToluene, formerly known as toluol, is a clear, water-insoluble liquid with the typical smell of paint thinners. It is a mono-substituted benzene derivative, i.e., one in which a single hydrogen atom from the benzene molecule has been replaced by a univalent group, in this case CH3.It is an aromatic...
. No injuries are reported, but the accident closes CN's mainline for 36 hours while crews clean up the spill. The closure also impacts Via Rail Canada's passenger trains, requiring passengers to be bussed around the accident scene. (Trainboard) (Reuters)
August 4
-
– Russian President Vladimir PutinVladimir PutinVladimir Vladimirovich Putin served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when...
visits a railroad technology development and testing center near ShcherbinkaShcherbinkaShcherbinka is a town in Moscow Oblast, Russia, located south of Moscow. Population: It was founded in the late 14th century as a village of Shcherbinino and granted town status in 1975....
; one of the highlights of the visit is Yermak (named in honor of Yermak TimofeyevichYermak TimofeyevichYermak Timofeyevich , Cossack leader, Russian folk hero and explorer of Siberia. His exploration of Siberia marked the beginning of the expansion of Russia towards this region and its colonization...
who helped open SiberiaSiberiaSiberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
to Russian expansion), the first new domestic locomotive built in Russia in nearly 25 years. The new electric locomotiveElectric locomotiveAn electric locomotive is a locomotive powered by electricity from overhead lines, a third rail or an on-board energy storage device...
is anticipated to use 15% less energy to operate than comparable foreign-built locomotives. (ITAR-TASS) -
– Argentinian railroad workers across the country (except for the subwayRapid transitA rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
operators in Buenos AiresBuenos AiresBuenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
) go on strikeStrike actionStrike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
for 24 hours demanding higher wages. The strike comes after 100 days of failed negotiations between the railroads and the engine driver unions; if an agreement cannot be reached within a week, the unions have threatened a subsequent 36-hour strike. The railroad employees strike coincides with a 72-hour health care workers strike that is still occurring. (Prensa Latina)
August 5
- – About 100 residents of Wabamun, AlbertaWabamun, AlbertaWabamun is a village located west of Edmonton in central Alberta, Canada.- Demographics :The population of the Village of Wabamun according to its 2009 municipal census is 662....
, Canada, participate in a five-hour blockadeBlockadeA blockade is an effort to cut off food, supplies, war material or communications from a particular area by force, either in part or totally. A blockade should not be confused with an embargo or sanctions, which are legal barriers to trade, and is distinct from a siege in that a blockade is usually...
in protest on the Canadian National RailwayCanadian National RailwayThe Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
mainline through the community. The protesters aim for more frequent updates and a better response to the spillage of nearly 1300000 litres (343,423.6 US gal) of heavy bunker fuel oil after the derailment there on August 3. (CBC) - - Cheakamus River derailmentCheakamus River derailmentThe Cheakamus River derailment occurred on August 5, 2005, when nine cars from a Canadian National Railway freight train derailed into the Cheakamus River in British Columbia...
- A Canadian National RailwayCanadian National RailwayThe Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
train derails near Squamish, British ColumbiaSquamish, British ColumbiaSquamish is a community and a district municipality in the Canadian province of British Columbia, located at the north end of Howe Sound on the Sea to Sky Highway...
(about 30 km south of WhistlerWhistler, British ColumbiaWhistler is a Canadian resort town in the southern Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains in the province of British Columbia, Canada, approximately north of Vancouver...
), on the former BC Rail mainline. Nine cars fell off of a bridge landing in the Cheakumus River below. Of the 9 cars, most were lumber flat cars, but one was a chemical tank carTank carA tank car is a type of railroad rolling stock designed to transport liquid and gaseous commodities.-Timeline:...
that spilled 40,000 litres of Sodium Hydroxide into the river. The spill had a large negative impact on the fishFishFish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
population of the area.
August 6
- – The city of Toledo, OhioToledo, OhioToledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
prepares the paperwork to file suit against Norfolk Southern RailwayNorfolk Southern RailwayThe Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
. After a steel plate weighing 24 pounds (10.9 kg) was thrown by two people off an overpass, and then the plate fell onto a passing automobile killing its driver, the city vowed to put up fences on all of the overpasses in the city to prevent a similar accident from recurring. The city claims that NS has been unresponsive in getting the fences installed and plans to sue the railroad to get the work completed. NS has declined comment stating that it is the railroad's policy not to comment on any pending lawsuits. (WTOL)
August 7 – August 13
August 8- United States – Norfolk Southern RailwayNorfolk Southern RailwayThe Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
contacts the office of the mayor of Toledo, OhioToledo, OhioToledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
, in response to the threatened lawsuit. The railroad has committed to doing what needs to be done to put up the fences that the city wanted on the railroad overpasses, and the city suspends its legal action against the railroad. (WTOL)
August 9
- United States – BNSF RailwayBNSF RailwayThe BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
rejects a proposal made by Southern California officials in RiversideRiverside County, CaliforniaRiverside County is a county in the U.S. state of California. One of 58 California counties, it covers in the southern part of the state, and stretches from Orange County to the Colorado River, which forms the state border with Arizona. The county derives its name from the city of Riverside,...
and OrangeOrange County, CaliforniaOrange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
Counties to build an elevated freeway above its tracks adjacent to the Riverside FreewayRiverside FreewayThe Riverside Freeway is a named freeway in Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties in the U.S. state of California. It refers to the following two segments:...
. BNSF claims that the construction would be too disruptive of the traffic on the railroad, traffic which serves the ports of Los Angeles and Long BeachLong Beach, CaliforniaLong Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
. BNSF also cited the difficulties such a freeway would cause the railroad when it would want to expand its own right-of-wayRight-of-way (railroad)A right-of-way is a strip of land that is granted, through an easement or other mechanism, for transportation purposes, such as for a trail, driveway, rail line or highway. A right-of-way is reserved for the purposes of maintenance or expansion of existing services with the right-of-way...
to add more tracks along the corridor. (KTLA) (LA Times) - – Officials of the Abkhazia
AbkhaziaAbkhazia is a disputed political entity on the eastern coast of the Black Sea and the south-western flank of the Caucasus.Abkhazia considers itself an independent state, called the Republic of Abkhazia or Apsny...
n delegation to talks on rebuilding the railroad link between Russia and GeorgiaGeorgia (country)Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
through Abkhazia disrupt the proceedings by refusing to allow two Georgian officials entry to the meeting in SukhumiSukhumiSukhumi is the capital of Abkhazia, a disputed region on the Black Sea coast. The city suffered heavily during the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict in the early 1990s.-Naming:...
. The Abkhazian officials refuse entry on the grounds that the two Georgian officials "are internally displaced persons who fled Abkhazia during the 1992–93 war." Previous meetings between Abkhazian and Georgian officials have proceeded without incident; a subsequent meeting date has not been announced. (Eurasia Daily Monitor)
August 10
- United States – Paducah and Louisville RailwayPaducah and Louisville RailwayThe Paducah & Louisville Railway is a Class II railroad that operates freight service between Paducah and Louisville, Kentucky.The 270-mile line was purchased from Illinois Central Gulf Railroad in August, 1986. The 223-mile main route runs between Paducah and Louisville with a branch line from...
(PAL) and CSX TransportationCSX TransportationCSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
(CSX) announce that PAL will lease 124.5 miles (200.4 km) of track from CSX to form a new Class III railroadClass III railroadA Class III railroad, as defined by the Surface Transportation Board, is a railroad with an annual operating revenue of less than $20 million . The term only applies to United States railroads, but is sometimes applied to other countries...
. The new railroad, the Evansville Western RailwayEvansville Western RailwayThe Evansville Western Railway is a Class III common carrier shortline railroad operating in the Southern Illinois and Indiana region. It is one of three regional railroad subsidiaries owned and operated by Four Rivers Transportation Inc.- Overview :...
(EVWR), will operate as a subsidiary to PAL over the leased track between Evansville, IndianaEvansville, IndianaEvansville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Indiana and the largest city in Southern Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 117,429. It is the county seat of Vanderburgh County and the regional hub for both Southwestern Indiana and the...
, and Okawville, IllinoisOkawville, IllinoisOkawville is a village in Washington County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,434 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Okawville is located at...
, which includes part of CSX's Mount Vernon Branch. PAL has secured a 20 year lease on the track with an option for a five-year extension for an undisclosed sum. (Evansville Courier) (STB) - United States – The Flying YankeeFlying YankeeThe Flying Yankee was a diesel-powered streamliner built in 1935 for the Maine Central Railroad and the Boston and Maine Railroad by Budd Company and with mechanical and electrical equipment from Electro-Motive Corporation...
trainset, one of the earliest streamlinerStreamlinerA streamliner is a vehicle incorporating streamlining in a shape providing reduced air resistance. The term is applied to high-speed railway trainsets of the 1930s to 1950s, and to their successor "bullet trains". Less commonly, the term is applied to fully faired recumbent bicycles...
s built in 1935 by General Motors Electro-Motive DivisionGeneral Motors Electro-Motive DivisionElectro-Motive Diesel, Inc., also referred to as "EMD", is a wholly owned subsidiary of Progress Rail Services Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Caterpillar Inc., that designs, manufactures and sells diesel-electric locomotives and diesel power engines worldwide under the Electro-Motive...
for the Boston and Maine RailroadBoston and Maine RailroadThe Boston and Maine Corporation , known as the Boston and Maine Railroad until 1964, was the dominant railroad of the northern New England region of the United States for a century...
soon after the BurlingtonChicago, Burlington and Quincy RailroadThe Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington or as the Q, the Burlington Route served a large area, including extensive trackage in the states of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri,...
's Pioneer ZephyrPioneer ZephyrThe Pioneer Zephyr is a diesel-powered railroad train formed of railroad cars permanently articulated together with Jacobs bogies, built by the Budd Company in 1934 for the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad , commonly known as the Burlington...
, is moved from its display location to Lincoln, New HampshireLincoln, New HampshireLincoln is a town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. It is the second-largest town by area in New Hampshire. The population was 1,662 at the 2010 census. The town is home to the New Hampshire Highland Games and to a portion of Franconia Notch State Park. Set in the White Mountains,...
. The train has already had a cosmetic restoration, now it will undergo a mechanical restoration so it can travel under its own power again. (NH Union Leader)
August 13
- – Russian president Vladimir PutinVladimir PutinVladimir Vladimirovich Putin served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when...
names Alexander Tishanin, currently head of the East Siberian RailwayEast Siberian RailwayThe East Siberian Railway is a railway in Russia , which runs across Irkutsk Oblast, Chita Oblast, Buryatia, and Yakutia. The railway administration is located in Irkutsk...
to become governor of IrkutskIrkutskIrkutsk is a city and the administrative center of Irkutsk Oblast, Russia, one of the largest cities in Siberia. Population: .-History:In 1652, Ivan Pokhabov built a zimovye near the site of Irkutsk for gold trading and for the collection of fur taxes from the Buryats. In 1661, Yakov Pokhabov...
. Tishanin was appointed to the railroad in 2004, succeeding Alexander Kasyanov after safety concerns were raised on the railroad with four serious accidents in 2003 and 2004. Previously, Tishanin was deputy head of Transbaikal Railway. (Kommersant)
August 14 – August 20
August 14-
– Ofer Linchevski is appointed as the new general manager of Israel RailwaysIsrael RailwaysIsrael Railways is the principal passenger railway operating company in Israel, and is responsible for all inter-city and suburban rail way passenger and freight traffic in the country. All its lines are standard gauge. The network is centered in Israel's densely populated coastal plain, from...
. Linchevski leaves a lucrative position as CEO of Egged Holdings and CFO of Egged bus cooperative, where he was involved in projects including the Carmel TunnelsCarmel TunnelsThe Carmel Tunnels are a set of road tunnels in and around Haifa, Israel. The tunnels' purpose is to reduce road congestion in the Haifa area and to provide an alternate route of reaching the eastern and central parts of the city, Haifa Bay and the Krayot area to and from Israel's central coastal...
, Yitzhak Rabin Highway and public transportation reforms. He is expected to begin his tenure at Israel Railways in the beginning of September. (Globes)
August 15
- – A new Class III railroadClass III railroadA Class III railroad, as defined by the Surface Transportation Board, is a railroad with an annual operating revenue of less than $20 million . The term only applies to United States railroads, but is sometimes applied to other countries...
, the Yellowstone Valley RailroadYellowstone Valley RailroadThe Yellowstone Valley Railroad is a shortline railroad in northeastern Montana, also crossing into North Dakota. It operates two branch lines leased from the BNSF Railway in 2005 - Snowden to Glendive and Bainville to Scobey - connected by trackage rights over BNSF's Northern Transcon between...
owned by Watco CompaniesWatco CompaniesWatco Companies, Inc. is a Pittsburg, Kansas-based transportation company that was formed in 1983 by Charles R. Webb. Watco is composed of three divisions: transportation, mechanical and transloading. WCI is the owner of Watco Transportation Services, Inc...
, begins operations over 172 miles (276.8 km) of tracks leased from BNSF RailwayBNSF RailwayThe BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
in two sections between GlendiveGlendive, MontanaGlendive is a city in and the county seat of Dawson County, Montana, United States. The population was 4,935 at the 2010 census.The town of Glendive is located in South Eastern Montana and is considered by many as an agricultural hub of Eastern Montana...
and Snowden, Montana, with the second section between BainvilleBainville, MontanaAs of the census of 2000, there were 153 people, 72 households, and 43 families residing in the town. The population density was 147.9 people per square mile . There were 83 housing units at an average density of 80.2 per square mile . The racial makeup of the town was 89.54% White, 5.23% Native...
and ScobeyScobey, MontanaAs of the census of 2000, there were 1,082 people, 500 households, and 280 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,481.6 people per square mile . There were 611 housing units at an average density of 836.6 per square mile...
. YVRR's lease extends for 15 years. (Sidney Herald) (STB) -
– All America Latina LogisticaAll America Latina LogisticaAmérica Latina Logística is a Brazilian holding company that operates railway lines in Argentina and Brazil and provides transportation services such as logistics, intermodal transport, port operations, movement and storage of merchandise, administration of storage facilities and general storage...
SA (ALL) of Brazil announces that it has formed a partnership with Besco Engineering and Services Private Limited of India to build new railroad carRailroad carA railroad car or railway vehicle , also known as a bogie in Indian English, is a vehicle on a rail transport system that is used for the carrying of cargo or passengers. Cars can be coupled together into a train and hauled by one or more locomotives...
s in Brazil. The new enterprise, to be named Santa Fe Vagoes SA, will be located in Brazil and 40% owned by ALL. (Bloomberg)
August 16
- – New York, Susquehanna and Western RailwayNew York, Susquehanna and Western RailwayThe New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway , also known as the Susie-Q, or simply the Susquehanna, is a Class II American freight railway operating over 500 miles of track in the northeastern states of New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. It was formed in 1881 from the merger of several...
files suit in U.S. District Court in an attempt to reduce or eliminate nearly US$2.5 million in fines imposed by agencies of the state of New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
for alleged pollutionPollutionPollution is the introduction of contaminants into a natural environment that causes instability, disorder, harm or discomfort to the ecosystem i.e. physical systems or living organisms. Pollution can take the form of chemical substances or energy, such as noise, heat or light...
and environmental regulation violations. State officials claim that the railroad's five construction sites in North Bergen are operating in violation of state regulations in regard to environmental issues. The railroad claims that the regulations and fines "are preempted by federal law and are an unconstitutional interference with interstate commerce." Judge Katherine S. Hayden granted the railroad a temporary block until the case can be more thoroughly reviewed at a hearing on September 26. (North Jersey Media). - – One maintenance of way employee on High Speed 1 dies and a second is treated for severe burns when a fire erupts at a railway tunnel construction site at SwanscombeSwanscombeSwanscombe is a small town, part of the Borough of Dartford on the north Kent coast in England. It is part of the civil parish of Swanscombe and Greenhithe.-Prehistory:...
, KentKentKent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England. About 50 firefighterFirefighterFirefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...
s responded to the blaze around 7:15 PM local time. Initial reports indicate the cause of the fire may be a collision between two work trains. Regular EurostarEurostarEurostar is a high-speed railway service connecting London with Paris and Brussels. All its trains traverse the Channel Tunnel between England and France, owned and operated separately by Eurotunnel....
service between England and France is unaffected by the incident. (Edinburgh News) (Reuters UK)
August 17
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– The 150th anniversary of the opening of the Inverness and Nairn RailwayInverness and Nairn RailwayThe Inverness and Nairn Railway was a railway worked by, and later absorbed by the Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway.- History :The line was opened in the year 1855 and connected the towns of Inverness and Nairn. Opening had been delayed from 1 August 1855 due to delays in the contractor's...
in Scotland is commemorated with the official naming of unit 158720 (a Class 158 DMUBritish Rail Class 158British Rail Class 158 Express Sprinter is a diesel multiple-unit train, built for British Rail between 1989 and 1992 by BREL at its Derby Works. They were built to replace many locomotive-hauled passenger trains, and allowed cascading of existing Sprinter units to replace elderly 'heritage' DMUs...
) "Inverness and Nairn Railway – 150 Years". The naming ceremony, which included attendees from the Association Française des Amis des Chemins de Fer, is presided over by Mary Dickson, managing director of First ScotRailFirst ScotRailScotRail Railways Ltd. is the FirstGroup-owned train operating company running domestic passenger trains within Scotland, northern England and the cross-border Caledonian Sleeper service to London using the brand ScotRail which is the property of the Scottish Government...
, and carried out by Her Grace the Countess of SeafieldEarl of SeafieldEarl of Seafield is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1701 for James Ogilvy, who in 1711 succeeded his father as Earl of Findlater. The titles remained united until the earldom of Findlater became extinct in 1811. The earldom of Seafield is still extant, however...
. In 1854, when construction began, an earlier Countess of Seafield turned the first shovel of dirt at the groundbreakingGroundbreakingGroundbreaking, also known as cutting, sod-cutting, turning the first sod or a sod-turning ceremony, is a traditional ceremony in many cultures that celebrates the first day of construction for a building or other project. Such ceremonies are often attended by dignitaries such as politicians and...
ceremony and was aboard the first train in 1855. (RailStaff)
August 18
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– More than 500 commuters in ThaneThaneThane , is a city in Maharashtra, India, part of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, northeastern suburb of Mumbai at the head of the Thane Creek. It is the administrative headquarters of Thane district. On 16 April 1853, G.I.P...
, India, protest the slow restoration of service on Indian RailwaysIndian RailwaysIndian Railways , abbreviated as IR , is a departmental undertaking of Government of India, which owns and operates most of India's rail transport. It is overseen by the Ministry of Railways of the Government of India....
after heavy rain and flooding closed a part of the Central Railway on July 26. The protesters squatted on the tracksRail tracksThe track on a railway or railroad, also known as the permanent way, is the structure consisting of the rails, fasteners, sleepers and ballast , plus the underlying subgrade...
at 10:30 AM local time, blocking the trains from advancing. The protest affected all trains headed toward MumbaiMumbaiMumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, forcing them to stop at various points along the railroad. (rediff) (Mumbai Newsline) - – LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
Governor Kathleen BlancoKathleen BlancoKathleen Babineaux Blanco was the 54th Governor of Louisiana, having served from January 2004 until January 2008. She was the first woman to be elected to the office of governor of Louisiana....
signs the state's Railroad Safety Bill into law. The new law mandates that US$25 out of every railroad-related fine imposed in the state will be used to pay for improved or replacement safety devices at railroad grade crossings across the state. The bill signing ceremony was held in Tangipahoa ParishTangipahoa Parish, LouisianaTangipahoa Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana, one of the Florida Parishes. The parish seat is Amite City, but the major city is Hammond. As of 2006, the population was 113,137...
, northwest of New OrleansNew Orleans, LouisianaNew Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
, where many accidents have occurred already in 2005. Across the state in 2004 there were 25 deaths at grade crossing accidents. (The Advocate)
August 20
- – Authorities in the JamnagarJamnagarJamnagar is a city and a municipal corporation in Jamnagar district in the Indian state of Gujarat. The city was built up substantially by Maharaja Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji in the 1920s, when the district was known as Nawanagar. The district lies just to the south of the Gulf of Kutch and is...
district of Gujarat, India, averted a disaster when a leak of liquefied petroleum gas was discovered and sealed. The gas was leaking from a tank carTank carA tank car is a type of railroad rolling stock designed to transport liquid and gaseous commodities.-Timeline:...
in a stationary train at the Aliabada station. Fire and other emergency crews rushed to the scene as a precaution, and the leak was controlled without incident. The car was loaded at the Reliance refinery; officials have begun an inquiry into how the car was loaded and to find out what can be done to prevent such an incident from recurring. (newindpress.com)
August 21 – August 27
August 21-
– The Bulgarian State Railway Company (BDZ) files the paperwork needed for a road hauling permit. The permit will allow the company to operate busBusA bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
es in lieu of trains to make the passenger connections around areas of the railroad system that have been washed out by flooding; the washouts are not due to be repaired before 2006. BDZ will operate the buses as part of its normal operations and not as a subsidiarySubsidiaryA subsidiary company, subsidiary, or daughter company is a company that is completely or partly owned and wholly controlled by another company that owns more than half of the subsidiary's stock. The subsidiary can be a company, corporation, or limited liability company. In some cases it is a...
company. (Dnevnik)
August 22
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– The Lower House of the Czech Republic approves a bill that would enable České dráhyCeské dráhyČeské dráhy or Czech Railways is the main railway operator of the Czech Republic. In 2010 its consolidated revenues reached CZK 41.0 bn...
, the national rail operator, to take out a kCzech korunaThe Czech koruna or Czech crown has been the currency of the Czech Republic since 8 February 1993 when, together with its Slovak counterpart, it replaced the Czechoslovak koruna at par....
1.4 billion loan to purchase new rolling stockRolling stockRolling stock comprises all the vehicles that move on a railway. It usually includes both powered and unpowered vehicles, for example locomotives, railroad cars, coaches and wagons...
. The railroad had already taken out loans worth €EuroThe euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
45 million in 2004 and €15 million in 2003. (Prague Daily Monitor) -
– Russian and North KoreaNorth KoreaThe Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
n railway officials open a meeting in Rajin, North Korea, to discuss the state of rail operations and interchange between the two nations' systems. The joint Russia-North Korea Railway Commission is expected to discuss the transfer of freight between the two systems as well as streamlining passenger operations between Khasan, Russia, and Tumangan, North Korea. So far in 2005, passenger traffic along this route has increased by nearly 20% while freight traffic has increased by 7% over 2004 figures. (RIA Novosti) - – India's Parliament passes the Railway Bill that will allow Indian RailwaysIndian RailwaysIndian Railways , abbreviated as IR , is a departmental undertaking of Government of India, which owns and operates most of India's rail transport. It is overseen by the Ministry of Railways of the Government of India....
to commercially develop land adjoining the railroad's right-of-wayRight-of-way (railroad)A right-of-way is a strip of land that is granted, through an easement or other mechanism, for transportation purposes, such as for a trail, driveway, rail line or highway. A right-of-way is reserved for the purposes of maintenance or expansion of existing services with the right-of-way...
. Lalu Prasad, India's Railway Minister announced that the land would be used to provide better amenities to passengers and that it would generate an estimated Rs.Indian rupeeThe Indian rupee is the official currency of the Republic of India. The issuance of the currency is controlled by the Reserve Bank of India....
10,000 by year's end. Parcels of land that are not adjacent to stations will be used for beautification projects, such as the planting of jatropa trees along the railroad. (rediff) -
– The Japanese External Trade Organization announces that it will fund a feasibility study on a new elevated commuter railwayRapid transitA rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
in HanoiHanoiHanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam...
, VietnamVietnamVietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. The agreement means that the Vietnamese project leaders will be able to request further funding from the Japanese Bank for International Cooperation to be used for the line's construction. The proposed railway would connect Yen Vien to Ngoc HoiNgoc HoiNgọc Hồi is a rural district of Kon Tum province, in the Central Highlands region of Vietnam. As of 2003 the district had a population of 30,392. The district covers an area of 824 km². The district capital lies at Plei Can.-References:...
, a distance of 25 km (15.5 mi) and is estimated to cost nearly US$1.2 billion when it is completed. If everything goes well, construction could begin in early 2006. (Bernama) - – BNSF RailwayBNSF RailwayThe BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
begins a week-long appreciation of truckers and the services they provide to the railroad by hosting "BNSF Really Digs Your Rig" events at BNSF's intermodalIntermodal freight transportIntermodal freight transport involves the transportation of freight in an intermodal container or vehicle, using multiple modes of transportation , without any handling of the freight itself when changing modes. The method reduces cargo handling, and so improves security, reduces damages and...
terminals in Chicago, OaklandOakland, CaliforniaOakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
, San BernardinoSan Bernardino, CaliforniaSan Bernardino is a city located in the Riverside-San Bernardino metropolitan area , and serves as the county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States...
, Los Angeles, and Seattle. Drivers who visit these facilities are treated to lunch and refreshments provided by the railroad and its partners. Other BNSF facilities across the system are displaying banners "expressing BNSF's appreciation of the nation's truck drivers." BNSF's efforts are in conjunction with other national Truck Driver Appreciation Week efforts. (PR Newswire) -
– The external auditors report requested by Swiss Federal RailwaysSBB-CFF-FFSSwiss Federal Railways and SFR are not in official use) is the national railway company of Switzerland headquartered in Bern. Formerly a government institution, it is since 1999 a special stock corporation with all shares held by the Swiss Confederation or the Swiss cantons...
after a power outage shut down the system on June 22 is released. The report states that the incident which left about 200,000 passengers stranded temporarily was caused by "an unfortunate chain reaction caused by separate incidents." The root of the problem was identified as an incorrect information about the capacity of a central power line in Switzerland; this led to an incorrect risk assessment by railway engineers. (SwissInfo)
August 24
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– Chinese railroad workers laid rails on the Tanggula Mountain Pass in TibetTibet Autonomous RegionThe Tibet Autonomous Region , Tibet or Xizang for short, also called the Xizang Autonomous Region is a province-level autonomous region of the People's Republic of China , created in 1965....
at 5,072 m (16,640 ft) above sea levelSea levelMean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
, surpassing the altitude of the highest PeruPeruPeru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
vian railway by 255 m (837 ft). This section of the Qingzang RailwayQingzang railwayThe Qinghai–Xizang railway, Qingzang railway, or Qinghai–Tibet railway , is a high-elevation railway that connects Xining, Qinghai Province, to Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region, in People's Republic of China....
is now the highest railway in the world. The railway also includes the highest railway stationTrain stationA train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
in the world at LhasaLhasaLhasa is the administrative capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China and the second most populous city on the Tibetan Plateau, after Xining. At an altitude of , Lhasa is one of the highest cities in the world...
, 5,068 m (16,627 ft) above sea level.(Xinhua) It opened to regular trial service on 1 July 2006. - – Tokyo gained its newest passenger rail line as the Tsukuba Express entered service. The line connects Akihabara StationAkihabara Stationis a railway station locatedin Tokyo's Chiyoda ward. It is at the center of the famous Akihabara shopping district specializing in electronic goods.-Lines:JR East:* Keihin-Tōhoku Line* Yamanote Line* Chūō-Sōbu LineTokyo Metro:...
in Japan's capital with the "science city" of TsukubaTsukuba, Ibarakiis a city located in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. It is known as the location of the , a planned city developed in the 1960s.As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 207,394 and a population density of 730 persons per km². Its total area is 284.07 km².Mount Tsukuba, particularly well-known...
in Ibaraki PrefectureIbaraki Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan, located in the Kantō region on the main island of Honshu. The capital is Mito.-History:Ibaraki Prefecture was previously known as Hitachi Province...
. The new connection will provide commuters with a 45 minute ride for ¥1,150 (US$10.40), compared to a 65 minute bus ride for ¥1,250 or a 73 minute ride on JR EastEast Japan Railway Companyis the largest passenger railway company in the world and one of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo....
's Jōban LineJoban LineThe is a railway line in Japan operated by East Japan Railway Company . It begins at Nippori Station in Taitō, Tokyo and follows the Pacific coasts of Chiba, Ibaraki, and Fukushima Prefectures before the line officially ends at Iwanuma Station in Iwanuma, Miyagi...
for ¥1,550. During peak hours, between 12 and 16 trains will operate over the line each hour. (Japan Times) (Science Daily) (Mainichi Daily News)
August 25
- – New York City's Metropolitan Transportation AuthorityNew York City Transit AuthorityThe New York City Transit Authority is a public authority in the U.S. state of New York that operates public transportation in New York City...
solicits bids to enable cellular phone usage on the city's subwayNew York City SubwayThe New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the City of New York and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, a subsidiary agency of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and also known as MTA New York City Transit...
system. The 10-year exclusive contract to provide cellular coverage in 277 of the system's almost 500 stations is estimated to value between US$50 million and $100 million, and would include two 5-year renewal options. The contract includes a clause requiring the winning bidder to carry calls of rival companies so that passengers' phones would work regardless of which provider a subscriber uses. Similar systems are already in use on the London UndergroundLondon UndergroundThe London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
, in England, and MTRMTRMass Transit Railway is the rapid transit railway system in Hong Kong. Originally opened in 1979, the system now includes 211.6 km of rail with 155 stations, including 86 railway stations and 69 light rail stops...
, in Hong Kong. (NY Times)
August 27
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– A slow order is imposed on the NaplesNaplesNaples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
-Rome line of TrenitaliaTrenitaliaTrenitalia is the primary train operator in Italy. Trenitalia is owned by Ferrovie dello Stato, itself owned by the Italian Government. It was created in 2000 following the EU directive on the deregulation of rail transport.-Passenger transport:...
when an unexploded World War II American bombBombA bomb is any of a range of explosive weapons that only rely on the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy...
is discovered in excavations at a house site near the railroad line. The bomb's outer shell was scraped by the excavating equipment. Officials hope to move the bomb to a safe location and explode it on September 1 at 8:30 AM local time; if moving it is not possible, then bomb experts will empty the bomb and explode the remainder on site. Until the threat of uncontrolled explosion is contained, all trains in the area are restricted to 40 km/h (25 mph) for approximately 500 metres (0.3 miles). (AGI) - – A bombBombA bomb is any of a range of explosive weapons that only rely on the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy...
explodes under the locomotiveLocomotiveA locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
of a passenger train at Rostov-on-DonRostov-on-Don-History:The mouth of the Don River has been of great commercial and cultural importance since the ancient times. It was the site of the Greek colony Tanais, of the Genoese fort Tana, and of the Turkish fortress Azak...
on the line from SulakŠulakIn the Babylonian magico-medical tradition, Šulak is the Lurker of the bathroom or the demon of the privy. Šulak appears in the Babylonian Diagnostic Handbook , in which various diseases are described and attributed to the "hand" of a god, goddess, or spirit...
to Kurush. Officials with the North Caucasus RailwayNorth Caucasus RailwayNorth Caucasus Railway is a broad gauge Russian railway network that links the Sea of Azov and Caspian Sea . It runs through ten federal subjects: Rostov Oblast, Krasnodar Krai, Stavropol Krai, Republic of Adygeya, Karachay-Cherkessia, North Ossetia, Ingushetia, Chechnya, Dagestan, and Kalmykia...
report that the explosion derailed the locomotive and two passenger cars and created a 50 cm (19.7 in) deep, 1.5 metre (4.9 ft) diameterDiameterIn geometry, a diameter of a circle is any straight line segment that passes through the center of the circle and whose endpoints are on the circle. The diameters are the longest chords of the circle...
crater. About 60 m of trackRail tracksThe track on a railway or railroad, also known as the permanent way, is the structure consisting of the rails, fasteners, sleepers and ballast , plus the underlying subgrade...
was damaged in the explosion and derailment. Railway officials added that the passenger train in the dreailment was preceded by an armored train whose responsibility was to detect and neutralize such explosive devices. The railway was able to resume limited service through the affected area at 5:30 AM local time on Sunday. (Interfax) - – The Cass Scenic Railroad State ParkCass Scenic Railroad State ParkCass Scenic Railroad State Park is a State Park located in Cass, Pocahontas County, West Virginia.It consists of the Cass Scenic Railroad, an long heritage railroad that is owned by the state of West Virginia...
celebrates the 100th "birthday" of the railroad's Shay locomotiveShay locomotiveThe Shay locomotive was the most widely used geared steam locomotive. The locomotives were built to the patents of Ephraim Shay, who has been credited with the popularization of the concept of a geared steam locomotive...
number 5, the oldest operable Shay in the world. Originally built for the West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company, the locomotive has spent its entire working life in the Cass, West VirginiaCass, West VirginiaCass is an unincorporated census-designated place on the Greenbrier River in Pocahontas County, West Virginia, USA. As of the 2010 census, its population was 52...
, area. (Herald-Dispatch) -
– KazakhstanKazakhstanKazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
Prime Minister Daniyal AkhmetovDaniyal AkhmetovDaniyal Kenzhetayuly Akhmetov has served as the Minister of Defense and Gm/fr/neeneral of the Army of Kazakhstan since Prime Minister Karim Massimov appointed him on 10 January 2007. He previously served as Prime Minister from 13 June 2003 to 9 January 2007...
places the first stone in the construction of a new Ust Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan, to Charsk, Russia, railroad. The new rail connection is expected to reduce travel times and expenses for both passengers and freight between the two regions. (Kazinform) -
– The first section of the Asker Line, from AskerAsker StationAsker is a railway station located in downtown Asker in Akershus, Norway. The station serves as the main public transportation hub for the municipalities located around the Asker Line, the Drammen Line and the Spikkestad Line. The station was opened with the Drammen Line in 1872...
to SandvikaSandvika StationSandvika Station is a railway station located in downtown Sandvika in Bærum, Akershus, Norway. The station serves as a local public transport hub and is located on the Asker Line and the Drammen Line. The station was opened with the Drammen Line in 1872. In 2005 the Asker Line opened allowing...
, is opened. This allows for more and faster trains to operate west of OsloOsloOslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
. The rest of the line is scheduled to open in 2011.
August 28 – August 31
August 28- – The first 34 families out of a total of 1,150 families and 51 corporations are moved to new homes in Shanghai to make way for the construction of a new multi-level trainTrain stationA train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
, bus and metroRapid transitA rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
station. The Chinese government is working with the families and businesses affected to help them find new locations. This and four other renovation projects in the city will displace about 8,300 families and 300 businesses on six sites that cover 259,000 square metres of land. (english.eastday.com) - – Canadian National RailwayCanadian National RailwayThe Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
(CN) suspends all rail traffic on its lines south of McComb, MississippiMcComb, MississippiMcComb is a city in Pike County, Mississippi, United States, about south of Jackson. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 13,644. It is the principal city of the McComb, Mississippi, Micropolitan Statistical Area...
(lines formerly owned by Illinois Central RailroadIllinois Central RailroadThe Illinois Central Railroad , sometimes called the Main Line of Mid-America, is a railroad in the central United States, with its primary routes connecting Chicago, Illinois with New Orleans, Louisiana and Birmingham, Alabama. A line also connected Chicago with Sioux City, Iowa...
that extend into New Orleans, LouisianaNew Orleans, LouisianaNew Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
), in anticipation of damaging wind and flooding from Hurricane KatrinaHurricane KatrinaHurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
. To help ease the resumption of services after the storm passes, CN also issues an embargo with the Association of American RailroadsAssociation of American RailroadsThe Association of American Railroads is an industry trade group representing primarily the major freight railroads of North America . Amtrak and some regional commuter railroads are also members...
against all deliveries to points south of Osyka, MississippiOsyka, MississippiOsyka is a town in Pike County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 481 at the 2000 census. It is part of the McComb, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Osyka is located at ....
. (CN)
August 29
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– Saudi ArabiaSaudi ArabiaThe Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
's Prince Abdul AzizAbdul AzizAbdul Aziz is a male Muslim given name and in modern usage, surname. It is built from the Arabic words Abd, al- and Aziz. The name means "servant of the Almighty", Al-Azīz being one of the names of God in the Qur'an, which give rise to the Muslim theophoric names.The letter a of the al- is...
announces the start of construction of a new railway to connect DammamDammamDammam is the capital of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, the most oil-rich region in the world. The judicial and administrative bodies of the province and several government departments are located in the city. Dammam is the largest city in the Eastern Province and third largest in Saudi...
, RiyadhRiyadhRiyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of Riyadh Province, and belongs to the historical regions of Najd and Al-Yamama. It is situated in the center of the Arabian Peninsula on a large plateau, and is home to 5,254,560 people, and the urban center of a...
and JeddahJeddahJeddah, Jiddah, Jidda, or Jedda is a city located on the coast of the Red Sea and is the major urban center of western Saudi Arabia. It is the largest city in Makkah Province, the largest sea port on the Red Sea, and the second largest city in Saudi Arabia after the capital city, Riyadh. The...
, as part of a larger strategy to connect the Arabian SeaArabian SeaThe Arabian Sea is a region of the Indian Ocean bounded on the east by India, on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, on the south, approximately, by a line between Cape Guardafui in northeastern Somalia and Kanyakumari in India...
to the Red SeaRed SeaThe Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
. The project is led by Al Shu'la group and an international coalition of engineers. (BNA) - – Indian Railways Catering And Tourism Development Corporation (IRCTC) and ICICI BankICICI BankICICI Bank Ltd. is India's second largest financial services company headquartered in Mumbai, India. It offers a wide range of banking products and financial services to corporate and retail customers through a variety of delivery channels and through its specialised subsidiaries in the areas of...
, the second-largest bank in India, jointly inaugurate a new Railway Ticket Booking via SMSShort message serviceShort Message Service is a text messaging service component of phone, web, or mobile communication systems, using standardized communications protocols that allow the exchange of short text messages between fixed line or mobile phone devices...
service. The service will allow cellular phone users to place and pay for Indian RailwaysIndian RailwaysIndian Railways , abbreviated as IR , is a departmental undertaking of Government of India, which owns and operates most of India's rail transport. It is overseen by the Ministry of Railways of the Government of India....
reservations using their phones' text messaging capabilities. To use the service, a customer will send a message to the service requesting booking. The service will reply to the customer with a price quote which, when confirmed by the customer, will debit the cost from the customer's ICICI Bank account. (India Infoline) - – AmtrakAmtrakThe National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
announces that due to Hurricane KatrinaHurricane KatrinaHurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
, the southbound City of New OrleansCity of New OrleansThe City of New Orleans is a nightly passenger train operated by Amtrak which travels between Chicago, Illinois and New Orleans, Louisiana. Before Amtrak's formation in 1971, the train was operated by the Illinois Central Railroad along the same route . The train currently operates on a 19½ hour...
passenger trains from Chicago, Illinois, on August 29 and 30 will terminate in Memphis, TennesseeMemphis, TennesseeMemphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, rather than their usual destination of New Orleans, LouisianaNew Orleans, LouisianaNew Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
; the corresponding northbound trains will also originate in Memphis. The southbound Crescent from New York, for the same period will terminate in Atlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, with the corresponding northbound trains originating in Atlanta as well. Amtrak's westbound Sunset LimitedSunset LimitedThe Sunset Limited is a passenger train that for most of its history has run between New Orleans, Louisiana and Los Angeles, California, and that from early 1993 through late August 2005 also ran east of New Orleans to Jacksonville, Florida, making it during that time the only true transcontinental...
will originate in San Antonio, TexasSan Antonio, TexasSan Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
, rather than its normal origin point of Orlando, FloridaOrlando, FloridaOrlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
. Amtrak announced that no alternate transportation options will be made available into or out of the affected area during this time. (Amtrak)
August 30
- – For a seventh time, automaker American Honda Motor CompanyHondais a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
has awarded its Premier Partner Award to BNSF RailwayBNSF RailwayThe BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
for outstanding service in railway transportationRail transportRail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
. Honda established the award in 1998 to recognize vendors that provide exceptional customer service; railway transportation is one category out of many for this award. (Finanzen.net) -
– At a groundbreakingGroundbreakingGroundbreaking, also known as cutting, sod-cutting, turning the first sod or a sod-turning ceremony, is a traditional ceremony in many cultures that celebrates the first day of construction for a building or other project. Such ceremonies are often attended by dignitaries such as politicians and...
ceremony for a new highwayHighwayA highway is any public road. In American English, the term is common and almost always designates major roads. In British English, the term designates any road open to the public. Any interconnected set of highways can be variously referred to as a "highway system", a "highway network", or a...
through Mount Roskill, New ZealandMount Roskill, New ZealandMount Roskill is both a volcanic peak and the suburban area in the city of Auckland, New Zealand.- Mountain :The peak, which is to the southwest end of the suburb, is 110 metres in height, and is one of the many extinct cones which dot the isthmus of Auckland, all of which are part of the Auckland...
, Prime MinisterPrime Minister of New ZealandThe Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealand's head of government consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand...
Helen ClarkHelen ClarkHelen Elizabeth Clark, ONZ is a New Zealand political figure who was the 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand for three consecutive terms from 1999 to 2008...
and Transport Minister Pete HodgsonPete HodgsonPeter Colin Hodgson is a New Zealand politician. He is a member of the Labour Party.Hodgson was born in Whangarei, and received a Bachelor's degree in veterinary science from Massey University...
announce government plans to pay for significant expansion of the western railway line. About $New Zealand dollarThe New Zealand dollar is the currency of New Zealand. It also circulates in the Cook Islands , Niue, Tokelau, and the Pitcairn Islands. It is divided into 100 cents....
200 million will be provided to double trackDouble trackA double track railway usually involves running one track in each direction, compared to a single track railway where trains in both directions share the same track.- Overview :...
the line and to build a new branch lineBranch lineA branch line is a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line...
connecting ManukauManukauManukau City was a large territorial authority in Auckland, New Zealand. The city was sometimes referred to as South Auckland, but this term did not possess official recognition and did not encompass areas like East Auckland, which was previously within the official boundaries of Manukau City...
, a suburbSuburbThe word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of AucklandAucklandThe Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, with the main line at WiriWiriWiri is a mostly industrial-commercial focused suburb in Manukau City, located to the southwest of the city.As of 2009, Ports of Auckland is building an inland port / rail siding in Wiri, to connect road freight to the port facilities on the Waitemata Harbour further north...
. An additional $150 million to $200 million would be made available for new railway signalRailway signalA signal is a mechanical or electrical device erected beside a railway line to pass information relating to the state of the line ahead to train/engine drivers. The driver interprets the signal's indication and acts accordingly...
systems. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2008. (NZ Herald)
August 31
-
– Engine drivers across Sri LankaSri LankaSri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
go on strikeStrike actionStrike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
protesting what has been termed as "salary anomalies". To counter the strike, the government of Sri Lanka used emergency regulations to revoke the drivers' leave. In addition, the railway has asked retired workers to report for duty to take the place of those on strike. About 16 trains ran on limited schedules with these workers. (ColomboPage) - – Canadian Pacific RailwayCanadian Pacific RailwayThe Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
(CP) files a motion to dismiss all claims from a derailment that occurred on January 18, 2002. In 2004 the United States National Transportation Safety BoardNational Transportation Safety BoardThe National Transportation Safety Board is an independent U.S. government investigative agency responsible for civil transportation accident investigation. In this role, the NTSB investigates and reports on aviation accidents and incidents, certain types of highway crashes, ship and marine...
(NTSB) released a report that blamed the accident, which released a cloud of anhydrous ammoniaAmmoniaAmmonia is a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the formula . It is a colourless gas with a characteristic pungent odour. Ammonia contributes significantly to the nutritional needs of terrestrial organisms by serving as a precursor to food and fertilizers. Ammonia, either directly or...
over Minot, North DakotaMinot, North DakotaMinot is a city located in north central North Dakota in the United States. It is most widely known for the Air Force base located approximately 15 miles north of the city. With a population of 40,888 at the 2010 census, Minot is the fourth largest city in the state...
, on poor trackworkRail tracksThe track on a railway or railroad, also known as the permanent way, is the structure consisting of the rails, fasteners, sleepers and ballast , plus the underlying subgrade...
and inspections, a claim which CP is disputing. Soon after the report was released, several suits were filed against CP, and the cases have been granted class actionClass actionIn law, a class action, a class suit, or a representative action is a form of lawsuit in which a large group of people collectively bring a claim to court and/or in which a class of defendants is being sued...
status. In its filing today, CP cites a recent decision in a similar case involving a BNSF RailwayBNSF RailwayThe BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
derailment and chemical spill that occurred in 2000; in that case, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of AppealsUnited States court of appealsThe United States courts of appeals are the intermediate appellate courts of the United States federal court system...
ruled that BNSF's violation of certain federal regulations "is generally not recognized as negligence" under law. The first suit against CP is currently scheduled to be heard on October 10 in Minneapolis, MinnesotaMinneapolis, MinnesotaMinneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
. (Duluth News Tribune) - – BNSF RailwayBNSF RailwayThe BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
announces that it expects to restore limited freight service to southern LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
by the end of the day on September 1. Other than debris on the mainline, the biggest problem facing crews working to reopen the line is the damage to the Bayou Boeuf bridge in Morgan CityMorgan City, LouisianaMorgan City is a city in St. Martin and St. Mary parishes in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The population was 12,404 at the 2010 census....
; the bridge and bridge piers were struck by a bargeBargeA barge is a flat-bottomed boat, built mainly for river and canal transport of heavy goods. Some barges are not self-propelled and need to be towed by tugboats or pushed by towboats...
propelled by the storm's winds and wave action. BNSF sent crews to repair damaged railway signalRailway signalA signal is a mechanical or electrical device erected beside a railway line to pass information relating to the state of the line ahead to train/engine drivers. The driver interprets the signal's indication and acts accordingly...
systems starting on August 30. Until the southern connections are rebuilt and restored to service, BNSF is transferring freight through other hubs such as St. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, Chicago, Illinois, and Memphis, TennesseeMemphis, TennesseeMemphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
. (BNSF) - – Norfolk Southern RailwayNorfolk Southern RailwayThe Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
(NS) announces that the majority of the company's mainlines that were damaged by Hurricane KatrinaHurricane KatrinaHurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
are again operational. NS removed almost 3,700 fallen trees and inspected over 1400 miles (2,253.1 km) of trackRail tracksThe track on a railway or railroad, also known as the permanent way, is the structure consisting of the rails, fasteners, sleepers and ballast , plus the underlying subgrade...
before setting trains in motion. Track directly into New OrleansNew Orleans, LouisianaNew Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
, however, is still out of service due to washoutWashoutA washout is the sudden erosion of soft soil or other support surfaces by a gush of water, usually occurring during a heavy downpour of rain or other stream flooding. These downpours may occur locally in a thunderstorm , or over a large area, such as following the landfall of a tropical cyclone...
s and continued flooding and the city's emergency evacuationEmergency evacuationEmergency evacuation is the immediate and rapid movement of people away from the threat or actual occurrence of a hazard. Examples range from the small scale evacuation of a building due to a bomb threat or fire to the large scale evacuation of a district because of a flood, bombardment or...
orders. Freight that normally would have transferred in New Orleans is being handled by other terminals across the NS system. NS's experience with previous hurricanes helped it to prepare action plans before Katrina made landfall; NS moved repair equipment, supplies and employees into nearby areas and quickly deployed them to inspect and repair the system after the storm passed. (NS)