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Railroad Newsline for Saturday, March 31, 2007

Compiled by Larry W. Grant

In Memory of Rob Carlson, 1952 – 2006

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RAIL NEWS

BNSF ISSUES WEEKLY PRB COAL UPDATE FO MARCH 30, 2007

Powder River Basin Weather Update

Blizzard conditions beginning mid-day Wednesday, March 28, 2007, in the Powder River Basin (PRB) of Wyoming and Montana have sharply reduced mines’ ability to load coal trains. The weather began improving today, Friday, March 30, 2007, and mines indicate they expect to resume loading Saturday, March 31, 2007.

BNSF has positioned empty trains in and near the PRB so that they will be available as soon as the mines are able to resume loading operations. To maintain fluidity of train flows in the PRB and on its other coal routes, BNSF has asked connecting carriers to hold empty trains pending resumption of more normal coal train flows.

Before the blizzard, train flows and loadings were also being affected by planned and unplanned outages at PRB mines and by outages and unloading delays at some utilities. - BNSF Service Advisory

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BNSF ISSUES UPDATE ON Z TRAIN DERAILMENT AT LORA, TEXAS

At approximately 22:45 CT, Wednesday, March 28, 2007 BNSF Railway Company train Z WSPSTO9-28 derailed 14 cars blocking main track 1 at Lora, Texas. This location is approximately 85 miles east of Amarillo, Texas.

Main track one was returned to service at 12:00 CT, Thursday, March 29, 2007.

Customers may experience delays between 12 and 24 hours on traffic moving through the corridor. - BNSF Service Advisory

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UP WILL INVEST SOME $300 MILLION IN LOS ANGELES INTERMODAL FACILITY

OMAHA, NE -- Union Pacific Railroad Friday announced a plan to modernize its Intermodal Container Transfer Facility (ICTF) in Los Angeles that will transform the 20-year old facility into the most environmentally modern and most efficient rail port in North America. By using state-of-the-art technology, the nation's largest railroad will be capable of supporting the predicted growth for port container traffic in Southern California, while at the same time reducing emissions from the facility's operations.

Union Pacific plans to invest up to $300 million over several years to modernize the facility.
ICTF is a near-dock facility located five miles north of the San Pedro Bay Port complex.

"This plan will more than double the capacity of ICTF, but more importantly, the plan modernizes the way in which cargo is handled," said Jim Young, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Union Pacific. "The goal of this project is to improve the environmental impact of this facility, while supporting the growth of the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach."

Environmental and efficiency improvements will be accomplished through the conversion from diesel-powered equipment to the latest, high-tech electric-powered equipment. Ten existing diesel-powered gantry cranes will be replaced with up to 39 specially designed electric-powered, rail-mounted cantilever gantry cranes. The cranes are used to lift containers on and off railcars. This will support the removal of 71 of the 73 existing diesel-powered truck tractors.
The two remaining truck tractors will be replaced by two new units that operate with an alternative fuel source.

Additionally, the plan calls for a unique process of stacking of containers under the newly designed cantilever cranes in order to reduce the area required for container storage. This new method of stacking containers eliminates the need to increase the size of the facility, which traditionally would have been required to handle the predicted growth of freight volume coming into the L.A. and Long Beach Ports. This also provides the added benefit of a larger buffer zone between the rail yard and the surrounding community. This breakthrough container stacking method will be made possible by the purchase of specially designed wide-span gantry cranes. To further reduce the impact of this facility on the community, the plan calls for a new hooded lighting system that will direct light toward operations in the 24 x 7 facility and away from adjacent neighborhoods.

Union Pacific's new design and technology will speed the entry and exit of trucks by installing UP's state of the art Automatic Gate System which employs Optical Character Recognition for capturing images and converting images into data at the time of both in-gate and out-gate movements. Additionally, Union Pacific's plans to add additional gate lanes which, combined with the new technology, will reduce the time a truck dwells at the Facility by approximately 50 percent.

Union Pacific will also replace the current switching locomotives with state-of-the-art Genset Switchers, which significantly reduce emissions.

The ICTF modernization plan also entails noise reduction measures by replacing or eliminating noise-generating equipment.

"Union Pacific is committed to seeking out ways to improve the environment," Young said. "We're also committed to being good neighbors and supporting our nation's economy by meeting the needs of our customers. The beauty of this plan is that it accomplishes all of these critical goals."

Union Pacific's application for the ICTF Modernization Plan was submitted to the Port of Los Angeles on March 29. The Port of Los Angeles will have 30 days to review the application for completeness. The increased freight traffic and the revenue it generates make these improvements financially feasible for the company. - Kathryn Blackwell, UP News Release

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KCSR MECHANICAL DEPARTMENT SET AGGRESSIVE PLAN TO IMPROVE LOCOMOTIVE AVAILABILITY

For the month of March, locomotive availability in the U.S. is at 81 percent with a goal of 90 percent. In an effort to improve availability, the Kansas City Southern Railway mechanical department in Shreveport has put together an aggressive plan, including track enhancements, personnel and training increases, and equipment and process improvement. The plan is also designed to decrease dwell time, increase shop release, reduce switching and handling and improve departure time.

A rebuilding of service tracks 54, 55 and 56 is nearly complete. Track 56 will be connected through the shed and a 300 foot ramp will be added, as well as sewage drops, drainage directed through the oil separator for locomotive washing, lighting in the shed and load tests on units. Plans are being made to add ramps to tracks 70 and 71 inside the shed; add ramps inside and outside of the building; replace the existing fuel line from storage tank to service track for better volume and pressure; and add a 15-ton crane.

Currently, the Shreveport locomotive shop has .14 persons per locomotive responsible for direct maintenance. Plans are underway to add 30 machinists, 15 electricians, 15 laborers, seven ARSA foremen, five managers, four switch crews, three trainers, two system support technicians, one electrical engineer and one mechanical engineer. Management training is underway and technical and Locomotive Management System training will begin soon.

In addition, by the end of the year, 30 SD70MAC locomotives will be overhauled, including trucks, motors and wheel sets, changing out rotating equipment and various other components. - KCS News

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KCSR VELOCITY COMMITTEES IMPROVE EOT/HED DEVICE AVAILABILITY

End of Train (EOT) devices and Head End Devices (HED) allow a train's crew to monitor what is happening at the front and back of the train. When a device is in disrepair, it affects system velocity and our ability to meet customer expectations. In an ongoing effort to improve the availability of these devices, the Kansas City Southern Railway division velocity committees keep the matter as part of monthly discussions, and have implemented a number of initiatives to prevent damage or failure and ensure availability.

· The Shreveport car shop built racks to hold battery and air turbine EOT devices and their chargers. These racks are being distributed to other KCSR mechanical and transportation locations.

· Eight more Quantum Frequency Testers, which detect defects, were purchased for the following mechanical and transportation locations: Jackson and Meridian, MS, Dallas, Laredo and Port Arthur, TX, Heavener, OK, Kansas City, MO and East St. Louis, IL.

· Bad order tags for devices were designed and made standard on all locomotives and at mechanical and transportation locations. The tag allows operating personnel to quickly identify defective devices.

· Wabtec "No Com Ping" testing was conducted, with results expected this week. These results will allow telecommunications to target "No Com" areas for possible repeater installation.

· The Shreveport locomotive shop incorporated antenna, coax leads and wiring testing into the 92-day standard locomotive maintenance check.

· Telecommunications installed repeaters at Union and Meehan, MS over the last three months.

· Comet will add a technician at Jackson, MS on May 1 to expedite repairs, reducing downtime and shipping costs.

· The KCSR mechanical department is researching "No Com" issues on KCSM locomotives.

· Comet has improved its quality assurance process, resulting in more reliable service.

- KCS News

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WORKERS HIT THE PAVEMENT ON GRADE PROJECT

FREMONT, CA -- The Washington Boulevard/Paseo Padre Parkway Grade Separation Project is the city's largest ever public works project.

Given the numerous public agencies, utilities and private companies with which city officials have negotiated for the $111.2 million project, it likely also is the city's most daunting.

Fittingly, the construction budget for its next stage -- a complex 12-phase job along Washington Boulevard -- will be done by two companies for an attention-grabbing sum of $48.15 million.

Fremont council members unanimously approved a construction contract Tuesday with Dublin-based DeSilva Gates Construction and R.&L. Brosamer Inc., with headquarters in Walnut Creek.

The companies will build an overpass on Washington Boulevard between Bruce Drive and Roberts Avenue near the Irvington neighborhood, city officials said.

The City Council first rejected the companies' joint-venture bid two months ago, when the lowest submittal was roughly 40 percent above the city's estimate. In contrast, when bids reopened last month the DeSilva Gates-Brosamer joint venture bid -- the lowest among the competition -- was closer to city expectations. The re-bidding process saved Fremont about $3.4 million, Fremont transportation and operations director Jim Pierson said.

And every dollar counts with a project as large as this.

Fremont officials have had to scramble at various times to fill financing shortfalls, as construction costs have continued to rise. For instance, the project estimate just four years ago was about $75 million, Pierson said.

The most recent reshuffling of funds came Tuesday, when the Fremont Redevelopment Agency Board -- comprising the five-member City Council -- reallocated $5.1 million of Redevelopment Agency money to fill a funding gap. A total of nearly $36 million of Redevelopment Agency funds has been spent on the grade-separation project, Pierson said.

Artist's rendering here:

[www.insidebayarea.com]

In addition to the Washington Boulevard phase, Fremont officials say other objectives have included:

-Building an underpass on Paseo Padre Parkway, between Shadowbrooke Common Road and Hancock Drive.

-Moving 1-1/2 miles of Union Pacific railroad tracks about 500 feet.

-Allowing the BART extension to proceed, which should result one day in the proposed Warm Springs BART station.

In addition, the project will eliminate traffic jams at train crossings, City Manager Fred Diaz said.

The Washington Boulevard portion of construction should begin next month, and is expected to be finished by the end of 2010.

Some of its phases will call for severe traffic disruptions, such as closing whole intersections for an entire weekend, and forcing detours onto other roads, Pierson said.

Fremont officials have the challenge of informing motorists of such measures well in advance.

"Now we have to do our level-best with public outreach and help them through the construction phase by letting them know the impacts and mitigation of the project," Diaz said.

Diaz and Pierson both praised city staff members for their negotiations with a large number of private and public entities, including PG&E, BART, the San Francisco Public Utilities
Commission, Caltrans, Union Pacific, Sprint, AT&T and the Alameda County Congestion Management Agency.

"This has been an exercise (that is) half-engineering and half-legal," Pierson said.

Recurring updates on the project may be found at [www.fremontgradesep.com].

Residents seeking information about the project may call (510) 273-2488 or send an
e-mail to info@fremontgradesep.com.

However, the city is planning other steps to communicate with Fremont residents, holding a kickoff meeting "probably around the first week of July to lay out the construction schedule and planned detours," Pierson said. - Chris De Benedetti, The Fremont Argus

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BILL WOULD TIE RAILROAD TAXES TO SHIPPING RATES

HELENA, MT -- The only way to deal with the high shipping rates that the BNSF Railway Company charges Montana grain growers is by raising property taxes on the railroad, Rep. Julie French, D-Scobey, told a House panel Friday.

French is sponsoring a bill that would raise those property taxes if the railroad's fees for shipping agricultural products go above a certain amount. With 90 percent of the track in Montana, BNSF has a virtual monopoly, and charges farmers here higher rates than in surrounding states.

"Our farmers are held captive," French said.

Alec Vincent, general director of taxes for BNSF, called the bill "poor tax policy," and said it violated federal law. The federal Surface Transportation Board is the proper place to settle disputes, he said.

Rep. Ed Butcher, R-Winifred, told of a case before the board that took 17 years to settle. "Most farmers are broke or dead by then," he told Vincent.

The House Taxation Committee took no action on French's bill Friday. - The Great Falls Tribune

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COLLAPSED BRIDGE AND SUBMERGED RAIL CARS

CHASKA, MN -- A Union Pacific train carrying sugar to the Crystal Sugar Factory in Chaska, Minnesota dumped several cars into the Minnesota River last Friday when a railroad bridge collapsed due to flood waters.

No one was injured in the incident which happened 1-2,000 feet upstream from downtown Carver, but railroad officials say it may take weeks to get the submerged cars out of the river.

Meanwhile, there is a question as to whether or not the bridge will be rebuilt.

Photo gallery here:

[www.chaskaherald.com]

- Mollee Francisco, The Chaska Herald

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UNION PACIFIC CEO RECEIVED $13 MILLION IN 2006

OMAHA, NE -- Union Pacific President and Chief Executive Jim Young received compensation the company valued at $13,043,583 in 2006 while the nation's largest railroad continued to reap robust profits.

Most of Young's compensation came in the form of stock and options grants with an estimated value of $9.7 million at the time they were granted, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission Tuesday. Young also took on the duties of chairman of the board in February after Dick Davidson retired.

The Associated Press calculations of total pay include executives' salary, bonus, incentives, perks, above-market returns on deferred compensation and the estimated value of stock options and awards granted during the year. The total may vary from totals that companies report.

In his last year with the railroad, Davidson was also one of its highest paid executives, receiving compensation the company valued at $4,376,619 in 2006, including a $2.5 million bonus and personal flights on company planes worth $312,350.

At the end of 2006, Davidson's pension benefits were worth $31.3 million dollars. He started collecting those when he retired Feb. 1.

The railroad also gave Davidson $200,000 to set up an office and hire office staff when he retired. He will receive $10,000 a month for the rest of his life to support that office.

Union Pacific said its 2006 net income jumped 57 percent to $1.606 billion, or $5.91 per share, as the railroad worked to become more efficient. And Union Pacific is still enjoying strong demand for the agricultural products, coal and other goods that it ships.

The company cited last year's profit figures and improvements in efficiency and safety in the filing to justify the salary and bonuses the railroad executives received.

"Our company's achievements in 2006 reflect the leadership and efforts of our senior management team under the direction of Mr. Young, our CEO," the company said.

Young, Davidson and the railroad's three other top executives all received bonuses in 2006, and all the top executives who didn't retire either received raises last year or early this year.

Young's $1 million salary increased to $1.1 million in January, and he received a $2.25 million bonus.

Dennis Duffy, executive vice president for operation of the railroad, received a $56,667 raise in September to make his salary $575,000. He also received a $915,000 bonus in 2006 and stock and options grants worth nearly $2.6 million.

Robert Knight, executive vice president of finance, has received two raises since September to bring his salary to $420,000. He also received an $800,000 bonus in 2006 and stock and options grants worth $1.63 million.

J. Michael Hemmer, the railroad's general counsel, has also received two raises since September to make his salary $443,000. He also received a $725,000 bonus in 2006 and stock and options grants worth $1.65 million.

Omaha-based Union Pacific Corp. operates Union Pacific Railroad. It is the largest railroad in North America with 32,400 miles of track covering 23 states.

The company said it will hold its annual shareholder meeting May 3 in Salt Lake City, where the railroad was incorporated, even though company headquarters are in Omaha.

Shareholders will be asked to reconsider a proposal they rejected last year that would force the company to make regular disclosures of political contributions in reports separate from government filings.

The proposal, made by New York City public workers with pension investments in Union Pacific, would promote transparency and accountability. The group said Union Pacific contributed at least $237,500 during the 2003-04 election cycle.

The company has opposed the measure because political donations already are disclosed in filings with the Federal Elections Commission, and Union Pacific says political contributions benefit the company. - John Funk, The Associated Press, The Kansas City Star

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KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN CEO GETS COMPENSATION VALUED AT $3.2 MILLION

KANSAS CITY, MO -- Railroad operator Kansas City Southern's chairman and chief executive officer received compensation valued by the company at more than $3.2 million in 2006, according to a regulatory filing Friday.

Michael Haverty received $700,008 in salary, $892,027 in non-equity incentives and $43,016 in other compensation, which included contributions to his 401(k), insurance premiums, company matches on charitable gifts and $470 for his wife to accompany him on commercial flights for business.

He also received shares and stock options that were valued by the company at $1.6 million when they were granted last year, according to the filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The Associated Press calculations of total pay include executives' salary, bonus, incentives, perks, above-market returns on deferred compensation and the estimated value of stock options and awards granted during the year. The calculations don't include changes in the present value of pension benefits and sometimes differ from the totals released by the companies.

For the year, Kansas City Southern said it earned $89.4 million, or $1.08 per share, compared with $91.4 million, or $1.10 per share, in 2005. Annual revenues increased 23 percent from $1.35 billion to $1.66 billion. - David Twiddy, The Associated Press, The Belleville News-Democrat

COVER CONTRACEPTION

IS IT COVERED? Every American with health insurance faces this question at some point in any odyssey through the healthcare system. When it comes to contraception, the question has special relevance for women.

Many health plans do cover prescription contraceptives for women. Earlier this month, however, a federal appeals court ruled that if they don't, it's not discrimination. The decision flies in the face of both the law and logic, and it should give Congress added incentive to pass a bill that would ensure that health insurers provide the same level of coverage for prescription drugs and services for men and women.

The decision, issued by the U.S. 8th Circuit Court of Appeals, relied on an odd interpretation of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. An amendment to the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the law prohibits discrimination "on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions."

The court ruled that contraception was not a "related medical condition" to pregnancy and that no discrimination existed if an employer denied contraception coverage to men as well as women.

Neither argument is persuasive. First, there is no such thing as a prescription contraceptive for men. Second, because only women can get pregnant, denying them contraceptives can amount to discrimination.

The law (and biology) aside, there are other reasons to provide coverage for contraception. Most employers understand that providing contraceptives leads to savings in healthcare costs. Even Union Pacific Corp., the defendant in this case, came to that sensible conclusion and voluntarily opted to include them in its plan. Still, the appeals court's ruling could be cited by other courts and companies across the country.

Congress passed the Pregnancy Discrimination Act in 1978. Since then, 24 states, including California, have passed laws requiring healthcare plans to cover contraceptives. Oregon passed such a law the day the appeals court ruling was issued. But state laws are not the solution.

Congress must correct this misguided decision. In January, Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) introduced the Prevention First Act, aimed at reducing unintended pregnancies. It would provide women better access to contraceptives and would require health insurance firms to provide coverage for contraceptives if they also provide coverage for other prescriptions. The bill, which stalled in the last Congress, now has new urgency. - Editorial Opinion, The Los Angeles Times

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WORKING ON THE RAILROAD NEXT WEEK: PULLMAN TO BE MOVED BEHIND POSTAL CAR

Photo here:

[www.register-mail.com]

Caption reads: The Pullman Meath car sits at its familiar location on the northeast corner of Seminary and Mulberry streets Friday morning. City barricades block parking spaces immediately north of the car. (Photo by Bill Gautger/The Register-Mail)

GALESBURG, IL -- It's been a landmark at the corner of Mulberry and Seminary streets for 25 years. Come Monday, work to move the Pullman Meath car will begin and by Tuesday, the Pullman car should be in place near the Galesburg Railroad Museum.

Until 2004, the No. 2645 Pullman car was the Galesburg Railroad Museum. But, in 2004, Hein Construction built a 2,800 square foot building with the exterior look of an old-time depot to serve as the new museum.

Goodwin House Movers of Washington, Iowa, will handle the move. The company earlier this week had a job not too far from Galesburg. Goodwin moved a 100-year-old, two-story house from Henry to Mossville, two small towns located in the Illinois River valley.

Michael Godsil, president of the Galesburg Railroad Museum board, said the movers will put a beam under each end of the Pullman car on Monday and jack it up, then slide it onto a dolly.
Godsil said the exact time is not yet known, but he expects it will be sometime around 09:00.

Tuesday will be the big day. Goodwin hopes to drive the dolly down Mulberry Street, then "right down the sidewalk on the east side of the steam engine," Godsil said. He also is not yet sure when this will happen, but he expects it will start fairly early in the morning.

The city plans to close Mulberry Street, from Seminary to Chambers streets, all day Tuesday, as well as the southbound lane of Chambers Street from the Post Office to Mulberry Street.

The Pullman car will be put behind the railway postal car.

Godsil said anyone who cannot make it downtown to watch the move can watch it on the Galesburg Railroad Museum's Rail Cam at [www.galesburgrailroadmuseum.org] - the museum's Web site.

"It's going to look different at that corner," Godsil said of the move of the Pullman car. "I think it will be better over here."

The lot at Mulberry and Seminary streets is owned by the Railroad Museum. Godsil said museum officials will probably have the property appraised. He said Jay Matson of the Seminary Street Historic Commercial District has expressed some interest in the land. - John R. Pulliam, The Galesburg Register-Mail

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CSX STEPS UP INSPECTIONS ON NORTHEAST RAIL LINES

CSX Corp. is conducting tests on some of its rail lines in New York and New Jersey in response to an inspection report from the Federal Railroad Administration.

A series of derailments this year in New York, Kentucky and West Virginia have highlighted CSX's safety record and prompted FRA Administrator Joseph H. Boardman to meet with CSX executives.
CSX CEO Michael Ward said the company will address safety issues with heightened inspections and other initiatives.

"We are committed to working closely with FRA on all safety issues," Ward said.

The steps CSX Transportation is taking on its New York state rail lines include:

· Operating three rail test cars that use ultrasound technology to detect internal defects in rails on all main lines in New York. The testing began March 14 and is scheduled to be finished by the end of April.

· Additional weekend inspections that began March 10 of track between Erie, Pa., and Selkirk, N.Y. Those inspections are in addition to regular twice-weekly inspections.

· Running track geometry cars on its main lines between Erie and Bergen, N.J., via Selkirk, starting April 2 after FRA testing. CSXT plans to do the tests at least three times annually.

Jacksonville-based CSX Corp. (NYSE: CSX) has a 21,000-mile railroad network with service to 23 eastern states and the District of Columbia. - The Jacksonville Business Journal

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MAKE WAY FOR TRAIN TRANSPORT

This letter is in response to the recent letter written by Naomi Flury and to support her position.

According to the experts, we have been saved from the ravages of the railroad by defeating the DM&E project. Have you considered the number of trucks required to come through our city to carry the freight that is carried on just one train? Have you considered the fumes that will be discharged into the air by all those trucks belching exhaust? Have you considered the cost of the roadways to accommodate those trucks that taxpayers will have to pay for?

In a recent article in the Post-Bulletin, it was stated that there is already a problem with distributing ethanol. The demand for tankers is coming on rapidly. The cheapest way and the most efficient way to move material is by rail, and we are postponing the solution.

I'm not a historian, but I do not recall that there has been a train wreck anywhere in the country that shut down a city or disrupted business in the city for more than a couple of days.
Amtrak has a poor safety record, but even with its statistics business returns to normal very soon after derailments. - Letter to the Editor, Claire Vomhof, Rochester, MN, The Rochester Post-Bulletin

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NEW BOOK SHOWS HOW RAILROAD SERVED AS PENN STATE'S ECONOMIC LIFELINE

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA -- The Bellefonte Central Railroad provided a vital economic service in facilitating Penn State's transformation from an obscure agricultural college to one of the nation's elite public universities, say the authors of a newly published book, "Rails to Penn State."

The 19-mile-long rail line was Penn State's primary passenger and freight transportation link to the outside world for several decades, beginning in 1892. At Bellefonte, it connected the campus and the surrounding State College community to the vast Pennsylvania Railroad system. Even with the advent of better highways in the 1930s, the railroad continued to be an important bulk freight carrier for town and campus until 1974.

The book is the culmination of a 20-year research and writing effort by Michael Bezilla and Jack Rudnicki, both alumni of the University. Bezilla is a longtime member of the University Relations staff and author of several books on Penn State history. Rudnicki, a graduate of the Smeal College of Business's supply chain management program, is in sales management for BNSF Railway.

"As a passenger hauler, the Bellefonte Central carried thousands of undergraduates and faculty members, along with such notables as steel magnates Andrew Carnegie and Charles Schwab and U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower," Bezilla said. "As a freight railroad, it carried virtually everything that Penn State and State College needed to function and to grow -- bricks, office furniture, food, home appliances, paper, coal, gasoline, even new automobiles for the town's dealerships. Plus mail and express."

The book analyzes how changes in the local transportation marketplace mirrored nationwide trends, causing Penn State and other shippers to prefer truck delivery rather than rail. The Bellefonte Central ended service to State College in 1974 and ceased operations altogether in 1982.

The authors drew extensively on Bellefonte Central corporate records acquired in 2001 by the University Libraries, now consisting of 122 archival boxes inventoried and catalogued in the Special Collections library.

"The BFC corporate archive is one of the most detailed and comprehensive collections of its kind anywhere," Bezilla noted. "It's likely to be a tremendous asset for other researchers interested in the history of railroads, the University, and some of the other customers the BFC served, such as the lime and limestone industry."

In addition to serving the University, the BFC hauled some 14 million tons of Nittany Valley lime and stone, more than any other short-line railroad in the nation.

"Centre County has one of the nation's purest deposits of limestone, and quarrying and lime-making have had an enormous economic impact," said Rudnicki. "We made a special effort to show how the lime and limestone business evolved hand-in-hand with the railroad."

Rudnicki said the book is the first detailed exploration of the relationship between trunk lines and short lines, an important aspect of railroad history. "The BFC was David to the Pennsylvania Railroad's Goliath," he explained. "Each railroad benefited financially from the other, but they were often at each other's throats over things like rates, service quality and car supply."

"Rails to Penn State" also shows the University sometimes had a difficult relationship with the Bellefonte Central. Penn State Presidents George Atherton and Edwin Sparks tried to convince the Pennsylvania Railroad to build a line through State College so their institution would have the prestige of being served by the "Standard Railroad of the World." Meanwhile, BFC management was annoyed with Penn State during the Atherton and Sparks eras because it often fell behind in paying its freight bills.

"Rails to Penn State" is published by Stackpole Books. Visit the authors' Web site [bellefonte.com] for more information and photos about the Bellefonte Central. - Laura Stocker and Michael Bezilla, Penn State Live

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TRANSIT NEWS

MIDWEST'S GREAT NEW FORM OF TRANSPORTATION AGAIN IS THE TRAIN

Photo here:

[www.midwestbusiness.com]

Caption reads: The St. Louis light rail line. (Photo courtesy of Milwaukee alderman Robert Bruman)

CHICAGO, IL -- If I had shared it out loud, a recent shock I had experienced probably would've been laughed out of the room at last Saturday's joint conference of the Midwest High-Speed Rail Association (MHSRA) and the National Association of Rail Passengers (NARP).

Ten days earlier, I had driven to an interview in Rockford that took less than 90 minutes one way but more than three hours round trip because of the afternoon rush. Because I may make that drive fairly often, I looked up the train schedule to Rockford for times when inclement weather, fatigue or boredom might contraindicate driving in the future.

What's the joke? There's no train to Rockford (at least for passengers). However, if I was a ton of lettuce, 20,000 lumps of coal or 5,000 gallons of milk, I'll be all set.

"Welcome to the shrinking world of passenger rail," NARP President George Chilson would say. I realized that this is what rail passengers and aficionados have been enduring arguably for the 36 years since Amtrak kicked in back in 1971. Chilson reported that new Amtrak President Alex Kummant phoned him on his first day on the job.

He also cited the need for private-public partnerships, much greater involvement at the state level and tax-credit bonds to help support and expand ridership.

Fortunately, this model may find real-world support since the trend of shrinking passenger routes has been reversed. Still, any futuristic visions of bullet trains or other high-speed rail systems will have to wait on the back burner a while longer. In essence, we're still functioning on centuries-old technologies and millennia-old standards: the old saw about railroad tracks being "as wide as a Roman horse" is still accurate and true.

Nonetheless, passenger train ridership is on the increase and it appears that the number of runs and lines will continue to expand within the foreseeable future. This is good news for all types of businesses throughout the Midwest where the greatest resurgence appears to be happening.

This repeated message kept the 200-plus attendees at last Saturday's conference enthused, engaged and hopeful. Reports from Chilson, MHSRA executive director Rick Harnish and Anne Canby (president of a national initiative called the Surface Transportation Policy Project) detailed acknowledgment by governments and civilians alike that "trains aren't such a bad idea".

Some of the main factors contributing to the return of passenger rail include unstable gasoline prices, increasingly unbearable lines and security procedures at airports, the gridlock-level congestion on our highways and the worsening environmental effects of greenhouse gasses and corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards.

Here, Chicagoans have been able to boast one of the best transportation systems in the U.S. Of course, there are high-speed trains in Europe and Asia that put Amtrak's predictably late-running systems to shame. It's no secret that the CTA's crumbling infrastructure is barely able to carry its burgeoning ridership.

This past Monday, for example, the New York Times reported deteriorating tracks and trains, chronic budget shortfalls and a region ever more dependent on rail service are forcing Chicagoans to confront the possibility that the system (commonly known as the "El" or the "L") may be at a breaking point. "We're living on borrowed time," said Frank Kruesi, the president of the Chicago Transit Authority.

The fact is there's no magic wand when we're looking at modernizing a system that's 100 years old in a very dense urban environment.

The El, with its 1,190 rail cars and 222 miles of track, is the . second-largest public transit system in the country after New York's. The CTA's trains and buses serve the city and 40 suburbs. [They log] 1.55 million rides daily. The El alone accounted for more than 195 million rides last year.

"We call this 'the year of decision,'" said Stephen E. Schlickman, executive director of the RTA. "The choice," Schlickman said, "is between a 'world-class transit system' and an economic downturn that . a hobbled transit system would most likely bring about."

The Regional Transit Authority's Schlickman was in attendance on Saturday. We briefly discussed the fact that the Chicago 2016 committee, which is in the process of wooing the International Olympics Committee, has not yet specified a method of either upgrading or adding to the CTA infrastructure in order to deal with the incredible additional congestion those Olympics would create.

Still, other Midwest cities are playing catch up to Chicago when it comes to developing a rapid-transit system. For example, when Minneapolis finally launched its Hiawatha Line light-rail transit (LRT) system two years ago, officials expected 10,000 riders on the first day. There were 15,000.

Speaking strictly in terms of speed and convenience, most folks are willing to put up with the risk of delays and accidents if they can count on a public transportation system that predictably runs on time. Chicago Amtrak media relations manager Marc Magliari used a PowerPoint presentation to review several encouraging trends including an uptick in ridership just in the four months from late last Oct. 6 through Feb. 7:

1. Five Chicago-St. Louis round trips (up from three) saw an increase in ridership of 62,309 passengers

2. Three Chicago-Carbondale round trips saw an increase of 40,604 passengers, and

3. Two Chicago-Quincy round trips (up from one) saw an increase of 47,437.

Overall ridership growth so far this year, according to Magliari, totals 150,350.

Amtrak is now undergoing its first funding reauthorization hearings since 1997. More than simple budgetary legislation, serious updates to the system (including the development of a state corridor system), demands for on-time performance, strengthening of long-distance routes and serious labor contracts (the last ones having expired in 2000) are on the table.

Alderman Robert Bauman of Milwaukee, who is a staunch advocate of advanced rail systems, provided an encouraging report regarding that city's progress. He added: "We should be building a seamlessly connected intermodal transportation system based on public service rather than profitability."

"Since the early 1990s, Milwaukee has been studying and restudying light rail transit. Ironically, during this time over a dozen new light rail systems have been studied and built in other mid-sized cities," Bauman said. "The study process seems destined to continue for at least several more months as another alternatives analysis - known as the 'downtown transit connector study' - is about to be completed."

According to Bauman, this study proposes the expenditure of significant sums of public money and recommends transportation technologies that may or may not be in the public interest.

For example, there's a rather absurd concept called the guided bus. Bauman added: "Suffice it to say that guided buses are not a cheap form of light rail but a very expensive version of a bus service." Fortunately, that concept has been abandoned in favor of several light rail and standard passenger rail routes.

These include commuter routes along the Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee (KRM) corridor and in downtown Milwaukee, a vision to expand throughout southeast Wisconsin into northeastern Illinois and even a line linking Milwaukee to state capitol Madison. Also, the downtown Milwaukee train station's $15 million renovation will be completed later in 2007.

Other experts included Bill Hutchinson of All Aboard Ohio (who related plans for a commuter line along Lake Erie from Cleveland to Lorraine) and Mike Whims of the Michigan NARP chapter (who described a commuter line from Detroit to Ann Arbor as well as an Ann Arbor internal line).

Joe Shacter of the Illinois Fast-Track Initiative discussed five-year plans to increase or build passenger lines including Joliet-Springfield, Springfield-St. Louis as well as Rockford, the Quad Cities, Galena-Dubuque, Peoria and Decatur.

The event's greatest call to arms, however, came from Seattle-based author Alfred Runte, who calls himself a "consulting environmental historian". A former candidate for mayor of Seattle and ex-professor at the University of Washington, Runte called for a returned to Theodore Roosevelt-styled progressivism by echoing Alderman's call for "public service rather than profitability" as the guidepost for rebuilding our nation's railroads.

Oddly enough, Runte was addressing the conference in the same ballroom in which he had celebrated his wedding dinner 36 years earlier. "For the record," he said, "that marriage ended." Of equal irony, Runte went on, the railroads were instrumental in the allocation and development of our national park system thanks to President Roosevelt.

Runte's new book "Allies of the Earth: Railroads and the Soul of Preservation" traces this partnership between the railroads of 100 years ago to the Sierra Club in developing the parks including Yosemite, Sequoia, Glacier, the Grand Canyon and Denali. He is in fact consulting with PBS filmmaker Ken Burns on the latter's latest documentary "The Best Idea Ever," whose subject is the U.S. National Parks system.

The coolest new transportation technology at the moment currently appears to be our revived rail system, which will be playing catch up for the next five to 10 years using existing tracks before we see any true, new approaches. Environmentally, in terms of recycling and reuse, this makes more sense than starting from scratch any way. - John P. Katsantonis, MidwestBusiness.com

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AS LIGHT RAIL PROJECT MOVES FORWARD, A MAINSTAY MEXICAN EATERY IN CENTRAL PHOENIX CLOSES

Photo here:

[www.azcentral.com]

PHOENIX, AZ -- Jordan's Mexican Food on North Central Avenue, a Phoenix institution and purveyor of what some say is the best hot sauce in the country, will close Saturday.

"I'm not happy about it closing," said Bobby Jordan, who blames the light rail project for killing his family business. "I've worked here for 41 years."

Most of his employees have also been long-term and several will move to another Jordan's Mexican Food restaurant, run by his brother Joe Jr. at 6247 N. Seventh St.As for Bobby, he hasn't a plan for his employment.

"Customers have offered me money to stay in business but I can't take it," he said. - Linda Helser, The Arizona Republic

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TUNNEL FIRE DELAYS LIRR

NEW YORK, NY -- Smoke in the East River Tunnel filtered briefly into an eastbound Long Island Rail Road train leaving Penn Station, alarming passengers en route to Ronkonkoma early Friday.

But, apparently, the smoke was from a trash fire about 25 feet from the station platform -- a fire possibly ignited by a blown fuse, a LIRR spokesman said. No one was injured.

Though the train continued through the tunnel, passengers were forced to transfer to another train at Jamaica causing about a 25-minute delay, LIRR spokesman Sam Zambuto said. The train was the 05:11 train from Penn Station.

Firefighters told the Associated Press the fire was reported at 05:30 and brought under control within 15 minutes.

It is unclear how many passengers were on the train. - John Valenti, Newsday

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LAGNIAPPE (Something extra, not always railroad related, for Saturday’s only)

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING FRANK: EARLY BLACK PIONEER FRANK FITCHUE FOILED BANK ROBBERY AND STOOD UP TO NOTORIOUS DURANGO GANG

DURANGO, CO -- The photo, dated 1883, is found buried in a box of archival records at the Center of Southwest Studies. The name of the man is penciled lightly on the bottom -- it is Frank Fitchue, an odd name, it seems.

In small print is a further notation: "Employee at the bank. More information in Pioneers of the San Juans, Volume I ."

The book does indeed have more information. In fact it describes an amazing story of courage and character in the face of great pressure and reveals the story of a young black man living a rather isolated life in a room in the First National Bank of Durango building in the early pioneer days of Durango, Colorado.

Who was this man, where did he come from and how did he find his way to Durango?

The search for Frank Fitchue leads into a sepia-colored world of dusty corners, file cabinets, crinkly rolls of microfiche, and boxes overflowing with dry, yellowed papers. It winds its way to the Durango library where there are old copies of local newspapers from the 1880s to study, meanders around Virginia and along the western pioneer trail to Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas before finally coming full-circle back to Durango. By reading between the lines and by looking at what is not there, a little bit is revealed about the life of this first-generation man of a post-Civil War country.

The Frank Fitchue story

He is born Franklin Fitchue in 1855 in Missouri, to Sam and Caroline Fitchue. His parents are free inhabitants of St. Louis, Missouri, possibly freed slaves. His father is a "boat man." He has at least one sibling, an older brother named William. A few years after the end of the Civil War, Frank and his family leave Missouri and head west to settle in Kansas. What is extraordinary is that his parents are able to hold the family together even during the turbulent years of the Civil War and its aftermath.

When Fitchue is about 15 his parents have probably died, because he and William are now living with relatives, including a cousin named James, in Kansas. Sometime between 1870 and 1882 he sets out on his own and comes to Durango where he rents a room in the house of Thomas Burgess, a clerk at the First National Bank of Durango.

There is much to be learned from studying the La Plata County census records of 1885. They reveal that white people who rent rooms are described by the census takers as "boarders." But Fitchue, like other black residents of the county who are renting rooms in private homes, is described as a "servant" in the Burgess home, not as a boarder.

He has a good job -- he is a porter at the new First National Bank of Durango. Did Thomas Burgess help him get that job? He is single, but on June 19, 1895, he marries a 35-year-old woman named Jennie Moore. He is probably childless as there are no children listed in later census records. After 1900 Jennie disappears from all accounts, and in the 1910 census, Fitchue, age 55, is again single. His name appears in the 1911 Durango phone directory, and then he too disappears.

Certainly Fitchue is not the only black person living in Durango in those early days. In the late 1880s Durango supports a modest community of blacks who work mostly as cooks, laundresses, railroad porters and teamsters. But, by 1910 most seem to have gone elsewhere.

One gets the feeling that Fitchue is an impressive man for his times and circumstances. He is literate and has a responsible job in the bank. In November 1900, the Durango Democrat publishes a statement he has written in his capacity as trustee of the African Methodist Episcopal Church of Durango. The statement praises those who aided escapees and survivors of the infamous Andersonville prison during the Civil War.

Later there is another report of him in the Durango Democrat . He has signed a petition showing "steadfast opposition" to silver coinage. On Oct. 10, 1903, the Durango Wage Earner reports that he is among those attending a talk given by Sam Herr about early Durango pioneers. He seems to have been a thoughtful man, respected and accepted by the community.

The attempted bank heist

But Fitchue is more than that -- he is a hero too. In November 1883, he is approached by Cellas Hawkins, described in the Southwest newspaper as "a Negro who worked at Philpott's Saloon." Hawkins tries to induce Fitchue to participate, along with his four white cohorts, in a plan to rob the First National Bank of Durango. Knowing Fitchue works (and lives) at the bank, Hawkins and his gang want him to stay away from the bank on the night they plan to rob it.

Fitchue refuses, showing incredible courage by standing up to a gang of men who are terrorizing the townspeople of Durango at the time. Instead he contacts A.P. Camp, a cashier (and future president) of the bank, to warn him about the robbery and that the gang plans to set fire to a nearby building as a diversion. Mr. Camp, along with Sheriff Barney Watson and the town marshal, ask Fitchue to help set a trap by going back to Hawkins and telling him that he will leave the back door of the bank open for the gang on the night of the robbery.

On Dec. 16, 1883, at 22:00 hours, an unsuspecting Hawkins enters the bank and begins chiseling into the brick vault which holds $30,000 in gold and currency. Hidden in the bank are the sheriff, the marshal and several others, all armed and ready to capture the robbers. Hawkins chisels away but his gang never shows up (because they have seen the bank's preparations and stay away, not bothering to warn Hawkins).

A gun fight ensues -- six-shooters blaze and bullets fly. In the dark and the confusion a popular merchant, Bruce Hunt, is shot in the heart by Hawkins. Hunt staggers into the arms of the sheriff, who carries him across the street to Parson's Drug Store where he bleeds to death.

Meanwhile, Hawkins flees on his horse to the Ute Indian reservation where, surrounded by a posse closing in on him, he falls over a precipice and beaks his neck. Hawkins miraculously survives several days, long enough to confess and to implicate the other gang members, Charlie Dow, Sam Landley, Charley Edwards and V. Keeton, who are part of what the Southwest newspaper calls the "saloon element".

The trial and questions

On Dec. 29, 1883, the Southwest gives a full report of the trial, during which the four men are not convicted, despite compelling evidence given by Fitchue and others.

There is no mention in the newspaper or elsewhere that the bank recognized Fitchue for his honesty or for his courage at the time. It is interesting that a year later, on July 8, 1884, Fitchue is arrested for carrying concealed weapons. This at a time when nearly everyone carried weapons, concealed or otherwise.

After 1883, evidence of Fitchue's life becomes very sketchy. In 1887 his brother William is arrested and fined for an unlisted offense. In 1898 the Durango Wage Earner reports that, "A slight misunderstanding between Frank and James Fitchue is causing James -- Frank's cousin -- to keep his arm in a sling for a few days."

And, except for the news reports cited previously, and the listing in the 1911 Durango phone directory, there is no more evidence of his life. There are no clues to where or when he died. Despite searches among the forgotten, falling-down grave markers in the neglected older portions of the local cemeteries, his grave has not been found.

Questions remain. Whatever became of that handsome man standing so proudly with his cane and fitted frock coat in front of a painted backdrop in the early days of Durango? - Esther Greenfield, The Durango Herald (ED. NOTE: The First National Bank of Durango is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year and is embracing its history, said Matt Kelly, the bank’s product marketing manager. Author Esther Greenfield’s inquiries for this story led the bank to recognize Frank Fitchue’s courage and loyalty in foiling a bank robbery attempt in 1883. First National is commissioning a plaque with a photo of Fitchue on it, along with a statement of what is known about his life. "We are glad to do this and to recapture a part of the bank’s history," Kelly said. And while Fitchue will never know that he is remembered, his family, just discovered living in Akron, Ohio, will. "At long last your family has found you," his cousin’s granddaughter Anita Hewett, told Greenfield. Anita and her brother, Howard Hewett, plan to come to Durango to see the plaque.)

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CARSON CITY TAKES HISTORY SERIOUSLY

Photos here:

[www.ocregister.com]

CARSON CITY, NV -- The thick blue line on the sidewalk led us under ancient oaks and maples to a 19th-century manse -- this one owned by Mark Twain's older brother before there was a Mark Twain -- just a few blocks from the Kit Carson Trail, a Pony Express stop and a former U.S. Mint.

Yes, it's true: There was a Nevada before the Rat Pack arrived.

In a state known for detonating and steam-shoveling its history at the first sign of wrinkles, Carson City is the exception, a living, working museum of Nevada's gold-and silver-rush beginnings, where the past isn't just for reading, but also for walking, listening, seeing and, well, for sleeping in.

At the city's heart is the eight-by-10-block Historic District, a bucolic, stroll-friendly neighborhood thick with Comstock-era buildings that paint a picture of Nevada as a youngster.
They also explain where half of San Francisco's earliest millionaires made their fortunes (honestly or not).

For action seekers, it's a laid-back, less-crowded escape from the throngs at South Lake Tahoe, Truckee and Reno, convenient to Tahoe (14 miles) in the summer and Sierra ski runs in the winter.

To absorb some of that past, as well as a little comfort, I booked two nights at the Bliss Mansion, a sprawling, 15-room Victorian Italianate home that's now a breathtaking bed and breakfast, and planned a walking tour that included, among other things, a dozen 19th century homes that speak for themselves.

The mansion was the Bellagio of its time: At 8,000 square feet and three stories, it was the biggest, most elaborate home in Nevada when it was finished in 1879. The estate was built for lumber magnate Duane Bliss, who supplied Tahoe timber to the lumber-hungry Comstock mines. Bliss also built mansions on Lake Tahoe (now D.L. Bliss State Park) and in San Francisco. The generous, airy Victorian rooms have bathrooms almost as large as the main rooms, equipped with both modern showers and vintage bathtubs, and windows that look out on the property's apple trees, maples and cottonwoods.

Nevada's capital takes history pretty seriously -- if for no other reason than because Reno and Las Vegas have little of it and even less aptitude for storing and exhibiting it. The Blue Line Trail, a self-guided circuit around the Historic District that passes dozens of pre-1900 homes, is an easy morning's walk. My wife, Ann, and I picked up the trail outside the Bliss Mansion and sauntered down shady streets dusted with rustling fall leaves, past more white picket fencing than in "Leave it to Beaver."

Almost every block on the circuit has at least one noteworthy building. Among them: the Krebs-Peterson House (1914), used during the filming of John Wayne's last movie; the Sears-Ferris House (1863), boyhood home to the inventor of the Ferris wheel; and the towering, Gothic revival-style St. Peter's Episcopal Church (1868).

Along the way, we listened to the "talking house" – buildings equipped with a continuous transmission that visitors can hear with a handheld radio. The message typically included building history and brief stories about the famous owners, most told from the perspective of a historic Carson City figure. (We heard the messages about 60 percent of the time, hindered by the low-tech analog radio I bought at Walgreen's for $9.99.)

The only disappointment of the morning: discovering that the 1864 Brewery Center -- formerly the Carson Brewing Co., maker of Tahoe Beer ("Famous as the Lake") -- is now an arts and performance center, not a brew pub.

We broke up the walking tour with lunch and a detour along Carson Street (also Business Highway 395). Within three blocks are the Nevada State Capitol (1871), the mansion-like old U.S. Post Office (1891) and the Nevada State Museum, a limestone fortress of a building that served as a U.S. Mint from 1870 to 1893.

Carson City itself was never the focus of gold and silver seekers, but almost all of the precious metals from the Comstock Lode mines in nearby Virginia City channeled through it. (Thus the mint.) Among those receiving the huge profits from the mines -- and related investing -- were San Francisco luminaries George Hearst, Adolph Sutro, James Flood and James Fair.

The museum's ground floor focuses on the building's role as U.S. Mint (producing more than $49 million in coins), but the real attractions are above and below. Upstairs is a twisty path through Nevada's sometimes brutal beginnings, from pre-Comstock tribes, through mining, millionaires, Mormons, merchants and madams. I confess it had more depth and sophistication than I expected, state capital or not. Among the highlights: a 17,000-year-old skeleton of a mammoth, the largest ever found in North America.

In the basement is the museum's mine shaft, a long, underground, square-set-timber tunnel with vivid displays on the mechanics and realities of working a silver mine in the 1870s. The bulging walls seemed a little too real.

We followed the Blue Line back to the mansion, including stops at Clemens House (1864) and the 1914 Bliss Bungalow (see "If you go"), in time to change for dinner at Garibaldi's, one of only three or four upscale restaurants the Bliss Mansion hosts were willing to recommend.

Carson City definitely doesn't have Las Vegas' booming culinary choices, but I wondered what the odds are of an appreciation for the past in Sin City.

A long shot at best. - Spud Hilton, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Orange County Register

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THE END