In the News…

Ride the Santa Train Saturday, December 6th!
The North Carolina Department of Transportation and Amtrak are sponsoring the Santa Train on Saturday, December 6th! In the Triangle and Triad area ride the Santa Train from Raleigh, Cary, Durham, and Burlington to Greensboro and back. In the Charlotte area, ride the Santa train from Charlotte and Kannapolis to Salisbury and back. For more information on times, fares, and buying tickets visit www.bytrain.org.

Alex Kummant resigns from Amtrak
Alex Kummant resigned on November 14th, after serving for two years as the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) Chief Executive Officer. Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Boardman will serve as interim CEO, until Amtrak's board selects a permanent replacement. Prior to his arrival at Amtrak, Kummant worked for Union Pacific. As the head of Amtrak, Kummant focused on improving short (less than 500 miles), more frequently traveled routes. He also coordinated labor agreements with Amtrak employees and worked to improve the relationship between freight and passenger rail.
Progressive Railroading, "Amtrak names Boardman interim CEO" 26 November 2008.

NCRR and NCSS launch pilot project
The North Carolina Railroad Company and the North Carolina Society of Surveyors (NCSS) have partnered to create a historic railroad map repository.  These maps will be stored on the NCSS website in pdf format and will be accessible to registered Professional Land Surveyors.   The project is a product of the NCRR Geographic Information System (GIS) and displays historic 1851 railroad documents overlaid with a current NCDOT road network.  Access to these maps will provide surveyors with a tool to help their property research.  The overlay of the present day road network will provide location reference between the ‘lay of the land’ in 1851 and how it looks today. To learn more visit www.ncsurveyors.com.

Selma and Hillsborough consider rail possibilities
Selma and Hillsborough, towns which form the east and west buffers of the Greater Triangle area in North Carolina, have begun to consider passenger rail service. A group of Hillsborough and Orange County residents have organized a Rail Station Task Force to select a suitable site for a passenger station. Hillsborough hopes to once again be a stop on Amtrak's route through North Carolina. They also hope the station could be part of any commuter rail system developed in the future.

Selma recently hosted a presentation by the North Carolina Railroad Company to learn more about the potential for commuter rail in that area. The North Carolina Railroad Company has completed a Commuter Rail Capacity Study from Goldsboro to Greensboro and explained that about $115.7 million would need to be spent on infrastructure improvements in the Raleigh to Goldsboro section to make commuter rail feasible. Selma's existing Amtrak station, which sits at the crossroads of NCRR and CSX, could be a stop on such a commuter system.
ACO News, "Six potential rail station sites identified" 25 November 2008.
The Herald, "Chamber hears plans for rail" 19 November 2008.


Railroads proving resilient
A recent survey of more than 350 U.S. and Canadian freight shippers by the investment banking house Morgan Stanley, shows railroads are performing more favorably than trucks during the current recession. According to the survey, shippers see more value in rail. Morgan Stanley projected a 12-45% upside for the rail industry by the end of 2009. The report chose Union Pacific as the top performer within the industry.
Railway Age, "Railroads top truckers in key shipper survey" 31 October 2008.

Young train fans need to consider safety
The recent accident involving the collision of a commuter train and a freight train in Los Angeles has highlighted concerns about rail fans interfering with train operations. As many are aware, the engineer of the Metrolink commuter train was texting with a young rail fan just prior to the collision. Several similar, but less tragic incidents, have also occurred recently, raising concerns about the interactions between engineers and train admirers. An engineer in Chicago was suspended after he reportedly let an 18-year old operate a Metra commuter train. A trolley driver in Boston was fired after he let his young son and nephew ride behind the wheel. Since the September 12th Los Angeles accident the Federal Railroad Administration has prohibited the use of all personal electronic devices by railroad employees while operating trains. President Bush has also passed a railroad safety bill mandating Positive Train Control and other measures to prevent such accidents.
The Baltimore Sun, "Young train fans can pose dangerous distraction" 24 October 2008.

Congressmen oppose RRIF rule change
U.S. Representative James Oberstar and U.S. Representative Corrine Brown have opposed a proposed rule change by the USDOT to the Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing Program (RRIF). Under the RRIF program, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) provides loans to railroads, state and local governments, government sponsored authorities, joint ventures including at least one railroad, and limited-option freight shippers to improve or rehabilitate rail equipment and facilities. The USDOT is considering adding several preconditions to the loans, including a 20-30% equity contribution, capping the cumulative outstanding balance to a single borrower, and requiring the applicants obtain a credit rating or assessment. Oberstar, Brown, and the Association of Short Line and Regional Railroads (ASLRRA) feel the proposed changes would make it harder for applicants to qualify for a RRIF loan and that existing measures effectively examine the applicant's business and financial performance. Oberstar and Brown point out that no recipients of the 21 existing RRIF loans have ever defaulted or been delinquent in making payments.
Progressive Railroading, "USDOT's proposed RRIF rule changes a detriment to well-working program" 13 November 2008.

Did you know ...

Over 20 railroads crisscross the state
Click for larger image

There are 3,240 miles of railroad operated in the state of North Carolina. Two Class I railroads operate in NC (Norfolk Southern and CSX Transportation), as well as 13 local/short line railroads, and 8 switching & terminal railroads. Norfolk Southern and CSX operate 2,552 of the miles of railroad in North Carolina, most of which they own. Some railroads, however, are operated through Trackage Rights Agreements, like the one between Norfolk Southern and the North Carolina Railroad Company.

In 2006, 1,642,019 carloads (or 116,046,738 tons) of freight were carried in the state. 51% of the tons terminated were coal. The top originating commodity in North Carolina is nonmetallic minerals (26% of tons originated). In addition to freight, twelve Amtrak trains operate daily in North Carolina, serving sixteen cities.

For more information about railroad service in North Carolina visit www.aar.org or www.bytrain.org.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM RAIL LINES!

Published by the North Carolina Railroad Company Volume 2, Issue 6
Comments or questions? Call Catherine Campbell or Kat Christian at (919) 954-7601 or e-mail: raillines@ncrr.com

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Raleigh, NC 27604

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