New chief NTSB rail accident investigator
Cleveland, OH
July 29, 2010
UTU News
WASHINGTON – The National Transportation Board has appointed New Jersey Transit and Conrail veteran Stephen J. Klejst as director of the Office of Railroad, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Investigation; and James H. Ritter as deputy director for the Office of Research and Engineering.
Klejst joined the NTSB in 2008 as a railroad accident investigator, and previously was in charge of accident investigation at NJT. He also held labor relations posts with the NJT. He began his railroad career in 1978 as a Conrail conductor, and also is licensed as a locomotive engineer. He was involved as one of three management members of in an earlier FRA-sponsored Close Calls program.
Ritter’s background is in airline accident investigations, but he also served as deputy director for NTSB’s Office of Railroad, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials.
NS becomes third Class I to nudge second-quarter operating ratio under 70
Washington, D.C.
July 28, 2010
Progressive Railroading
Count Norfolk Southern Corp. as the third Class I to post a second-quarter operating ratio below 70. Yesterday, NS reported that its ratio improved 5 points year over year to a record 69.8. CN and Union Pacific Railroad previously reported 2Q operating ratios under 70.
NS also reported that second-quarter diluted earnings per share soared 58 percent to $1.04, net income jumped 59 percent to $392 million, income from railway operations rose 57 percent to $733 million, volume increased 22 percent to 1.7 million units and railway operating revenue went up 31 percent to $2.4 billion compared with second-quarter 2009 figures. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters had expected earnings of 99 cents per share and revenue of $2.4 billion.
“Second-quarter volumes improved not only 22 percent year over year, but also 9 percent sequentially from the first quarter and represented the fourth consecutive quarter of sequential volume improvement. We also posted 52-week highs in several commodity groups,” said NS Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Wick Moorman during the Class I’s earnings webcast and teleconference yesterday. “Operationally, we continue to make significant strides in productivity. Against a 22 percent volume increase, crew starts were up only 10 percent, locomotive fuel consumption, only 18 percent, and equipment rents, only 8 percent.”
General merchandise volume rose 27 percent to 592, 070 units and revenue jumped 31 percent to $1.3 billion; coal volume increased 19 percent to 394, 415 units and revenue ballooned 36 percent to $696 million; and intermodal volume rose 20 percent to 733,324 units and revenue soared 24 percent to $451 million.
However, second-quarter railway operating expenses increased 22 percent to $1.7 billion primarily because compensation/benefit costs increased by $119 million and fuel costs went up by $105 million.
“Looking ahead, while we share the common concerns about the ongoing strength of the recovery, our traffic levels remain strong on a comparative and sequential basis,” said Moorman. “We see continuing positives in almost all of the major components of our traffic base based on both a continuing economic recovery and project-related growth.”
UP's PRB coal train loadings jump in June
Washington, D.C.
July 27, 2010
Progressive Railroading
Last month, Union Pacific Railroad loaded 921 trains in the Southern Powder River Basin (SPRB) compared with 881 trains in June 2009. The Class I averaged 30.7 trains per day in June vs. 28.9 trains in May and met 98.1 percent of National Coal Transportation Association (NCTA) demand, according to UP’s weekly coal loading performance report.
In June, the railroad registered 105 missed SPRB loading opportunities, 63 of which were attributable to utility plants, 26 to UP and 16 to mines. Overall, 13 were associated with flooding or severe weather. However, missed loading opportunities were partially offset with 96 extra loadings, according to the report.
In the Colorado/Utah region last month, UP loaded 211 coal trains vs. 213 in June 2009 and 191 in May. The Class I met 99.1 percent of NCTA demand in the region, the report states.
Amtrak awards $298.1 million contract to CAF USA for 130 rail cars
Washington, D.C.
July 26, 2010
Progressive Railroading
On Friday, Amtrak announced it’s implementing the first step in a 30-year rail-car fleet renewal plan by purchasing 130 new single-level cars for long-distance services.
The national intercity passenger railroad awarded a five-year, $298.1 million contract to CAF USA, which will manufacture and complete final assembly work for the cars at its Elmira, N.Y., plant. The first car is scheduled to roll off the assembly line in October 2012, according to CAF USA, a subsidiary of Spanish rail-car manufacturer Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles.
The order includes 55 baggage, 25 baggage/dormitory, 25 sleeping and 25 diner cars. The new cars will enable the railroad to replace and supplement its existing fleet, improve on-time performance, and retire some cars that date back to the 1940s and 1950s, Amtrak officials said in a prepared statement. The cars will feature more modern interiors with better layouts, upgraded lighting and more efficient air conditioning and heating systems, and improved accessibility for disabled passengers.
Revenue — which is surpassing budget estimates in part because of record ridership — will cover the contract’s first-year total of $29.8 million; funding for subsequent years will be sought from other sources, such as loans or direct Congressional appropriations, Amtrak officials said.
The railroad currently is reviewing bids to replace many electric locomotives operated along the Northeast Corridor and might award a contract sometime this summer.
Rail T&E employment climbing
Cleveland, OH
July 21, 2010
UTU News
Railroads are calling train crews back to work at a steady pace, reports railwayage.com.
Train and engine employment on Class I railroads reached 59,641 in June, up 7.59 percent from June 2009, and almost 1 percent higher than in May 2010.
Total Class I railroad employment climbed to 151,527 in June, 1.28 percent higher than in June 2009, and 0.41 percent above the May 2010 figure.
Maintenance of way and structures employment was 34,954 in June, down 1.21 percent from June 2009, and up 0.59 percent from May 2010.
The number of executives, officials, and staff assistants employed in June was 10.66 percent below the June 2009 figure, and 0.03 percent below May 2010.
Professional and administrative employment rose slightly, up 0.80 percent from June 2009, and up 0.62 percent from June 2010.