June 2005 in rail transport

June events

June 1 – June 4

; June 1:* flagicon|United States - Genesee and Wyoming takes ownership and begins operations of 14 railroads from Rail Management Corporation. [http://www.gwrr.com/features/gwi_aquisition05262005.html] :* flagicon|United States - Joseph H. Boardman, former Commissioner of New York State Department of Transportation, begins his duties as Administrator for the United States Federal Railroad Administration (a division of the USDOT). [http://www.fra.dot.gov/us/press-releases/64] ; June 2:* flagicon|France - Railroad workers across France go on strike to demand better wages and jobs. The strike, which began at 18:00 GMT on Wednesday, is expected to last through 6:00 GMT Friday. Nearly 40% of all TGV schedules are dropped for the duration of the strike. [http://newsfromrussia.com/world/2005/06/02/60103.html] :* flagicon|United Kingdom - Chris Green, CEO of Virgin Trains since 1992, announces that he will join the Board of Directors for Network Rail; his resignation from Virgin is scheduled for September 2005. Green began his railroad career with British Rail in 1965. [http://railwaypeople.com/rail-news-articles/chris-green-515.html] ; June 4:* flagicon|India - Lalu Prasad, India's Railway Minister, presents his Rs.532 billion ($12 billion) budget for Indian Railways for 2005-06. The network of more than 9,000 passenger trains will not increase passenger fares, will add 46 new trains, increase frequencies on 10 others and plans to inaugurate new high speed train service between New Delhi and Kolkata and another between New Delhi and Chennai. [http://archives.moneyplans.net/frontend206-verify-6737.html]

June 5 – June 11

; June 6:* flagicon|United Kingdom - Siemens AG is awarded a contract to replace aging equipment in the signalling system and install new telecommunications and electrical supply systems on Great Britain's Network Rail system as part of the railroad's Portsmouth Area Infrastructure Project. The contract is valued at £50 million. [http://railwaypeople.com/rail-news-articles/siemens-awarded-50-million-contract-516.html] :* flagicon|United States - Amtrak's new Oakland Coliseum station in Oakland, California, opens. [http://www.trains.com/Content/Dynamic/Articles/000/000/005/945qkvtk.asp] ; June 8:* flagicon|United States - Union Pacific Railroad (UP) begins a three-day celebration in Cheyenne, Wyoming, to commemorate the return to excursion service of Union Pacific 844 after a major overhaul. The locomotive was purchased by UP in 1944 and has never been retired from service. [http://www.uprr.com/newsinfo/railroad/2005/0601_mural.shtml] ; June 9:* flagicon|United States - Service is restored on the Alaska Railroad after the Moody Tunnel was closed for three days due to damage when a large forklift loaded on a southbound train struck one of the tunnel's timber supports, causing a partial collapse of the tunnel. The forklift's size made it an oversize load, which meant that the railroad was required to measure it before departure. Although the forklift was successfully hauled north by the railroad earlier in the year; the measurements made for its return south were incorrect. [http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/6590829p-6474531c.html] :* flagicon|United States - Amtrak's senior vice president of operations, William Crosbie, tells a Transportation subcommittee in the United States House of Representatives that some Acela Express service may be restored as early as July 2005. Spokepeople for Amtrak and Bombardier, the Acela's lead manufacturer, said that up to 20 trains could return to limited operation in July, but full service restoration isn't expected until Autumn. [http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2005/06/10/acelas_return_expected_in_july/] :* flagicon|United States - FreightCar America's (formerly Johnstown America Corporation) first new railroad car built at the company's Roanoke, Virginia, plant is delivered to Norfolk Southern. The car delivered was a coal hopper car, which is typical of the majority of cars that will be built there; the Norfolk plant was once owned by Norfolk Southern. [http://www.johnstownamerica.com/investor/news/060905.htm] ; June 10:* flagicon|Armenia - During a meeting with United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Armenian foreign minister Vardan Oskanyan expressed concern over the amount of money being spent on a rail connection between Kars (Turkey), Tbilisi (Georgia) and Baku (Azerbaijan). He noted that while a large amount of money is spent on the new connection, the existing Kars-Gumri (Armenia) connection is "rusting". [http://www.azertag.com/en/index.shtml?language=english&catid=&news_year=&news_month=&news_day=&newsid=117782&themes_viewing=&themes_page=&themeid=&news_page=] ; June 11:* flagicon|United States - Officials with the Pennsylvania Bureau of State Parks file a proposal with the Army Corps of Engineers to leave the fallen pieces of the Erie Railroad's Kinzua Bridge, across Pennsylvania's Kinzua Creek, in the creekbed rather than removing them. Parks officials believe that the remnants should be preserved as pieces of history since the bridge, which was removed from the National Register of Historic Places in 2004 after its collapse on July 21, 2003, due to a tornado, was once the tallest and longest railroad bridge in the world. [http://www.centredaily.com/mld/centredaily/news/politics/11873120.htm]

June 12 – June 18

; June 12:* flagicon|Russia - At 7:10 AM local time, a bomb explodes between Uzunovo and Bogatishchevo, Russia (about 95 miles / 153 km from Moscow), derailing the locomotive and first four passenger cars of the Grozny-Moscow train. Investigators found wires leading from the explosion site to a control panel and hideout about 164 ft (50 m) from the site. [http://en.rian.ru/russia/20050613/40514461.html] ; June 13:* flagicon|China - Citing the inadequacy of current rail connections in Xinjiang, China, deputy chairman Zhang Zhou explains that a second railway is needed to connect to Kazakhstan. The new connection is proposed between Jinhe station in China, Khorgos on the border between China and Kazakhstan, and a point on the Kazakhstan railway system between Almaty and Urumqi. [http://www.inform.kz/showarticle.php?lang=eng&id=127094] :* flagicon|United States - The United States Surface Transportation Board (STB) issues a Certificate of Interim Trail Use regarding the former New York Central railroad's "High Line" elevated right of way through New York City. City officials want to turn the unused elevated line into a 22 block long public park, CSX Transportation, the High Line's current owner, filed for abandonment of the line. Monday's decision by the STB effectively authorizes the transfer of the line from CSX to the city for use as a park. [http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/15/nyregion/15highline.html] [http://www.thehighline.org/newsletters/061305_pr.html] :* flagicon|United Kingdom - The Docklands Light Railway in East London begins construction of a new extension to Woolwich Arsenal. [http://developments.dlr.co.uk/extensions/woolwich/details.asp?id=22] ; June 16:* flagicon|Japan - Former Seibu Railway chairman Yoshiaki Tsutsumi pleads guilty at the opening of his trial in Japan on charges of insider trading and falsifying financial records. The prosecution contends that in 2003 he and other officials conspired to show his private company, Kokudo Corporation held a smaller stake in the railroad than it actually did so that he could sell his own shares in the railroad before it was delisted from the Tokyo Stock Exchange. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/16/AR2005061600185.html] :* flagicon|Russia - 26 of 60 tank cars carrying fuel oil derail near Rzhev, Russia (about 200 km / 125 miles northwest of Moscow), sending about 700 tons of oil into the ground contaminating the Volga River after flowing down the Vazuza River from the accident site. It was originally feared that Moscow's water supply would be contaminated as well, but cleanup crews averted that threat. The derailment damaged about 400 m (1,312 ft) of track, about half of the damaged track will require complete replacement. It is not yet known if this incident is related to the bomb that was exploded on June 12 that derailed a passenger train. [http://newsfromrussia.com/accidents/2005/06/16/60346.html] [http://en.rian.ru/russia/20050616/40534658.html] [http://en.rian.ru/russia/20050616/40535705.html] [http://en.rian.ru/russia/20050620/40552189.html] :* flagicon|United States - Members of the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen begin a strike at 5:45 AM EDT at about 30 locations on the Norfolk Southern (NS) system; a temporary restraining order issued by a US Federal court in Roanoke, Virginia, ended the strike within an hour. The dispute was over a provision that allowed NS to use nonunion workers on some maintenance contracts. [http://www.mcall.com/business/local/all-railroadjun17,0,1156879.story?coll=all-businesslocal-hed] [http://www.pennlive.com/business/patriotnews/index.ssf?/base/business/1119000216118470.xml&coll=1] ; June 18:* flagicon|United States - Members of the Carolwood Pacific Historical Society commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Disneyland Railroad's first public operation. The inauguration was attended by Art Linkletter and Santa Fe Railroad president Fred Gurley. Michael Broggie, who rode in the cab of the first train with Walt Disney at the controls, presents live chat sessions about the event and the railroad for the anniversary in the bookstore in Downtown Disney. [http://laughingplace.com/News-ID10023760.asp]

June 19 – June 25

; June 19:* flagicon|China - Heavy rain and flooding collapse a section of road at about 11:00 AM local time and send the debris in an avalanche blocking the Zixi section (between Yingtan, Jiangxi Province, to Xiamen, Fujian Province) of China's railroad network. The tracks were cleared and trains were running again as of 6:45 PM local time. [http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-06/20/content_3109174.htm] [http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-06/19/content_3106924.htm] ; June 21 :* flagicon|Israel - A southbound passenger train collides with a coal delivery truck near Revadim, about 25 miles south of Tel Aviv; the train was bound for Beersheba when the accident occurred. At least seven people die in the accident and more than 200 are injured. [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/06/21/world/main703268.shtml (CBS)] ; June 22:* flagicon|Switzerland - The entire network of the Swiss Federal Railways shuts down due to a power failure in its overhead wire system. The power failure is also affecting international transit through Switzerland as such intercity trains use the same system. Initial reports indicate that the power failure started with a voltage drop in Ticino (in the St. Gotthard region) that then spread to the entire system. It is unknown when service will be restored. [http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/swissinfo.html?siteSect=106&sid=5891657&cKey=1119459101000] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4121072.stm] :* flagicon|Russia - Russian Railways president Vladimir Yakunin meets with Saudi Arabian officials regarding the planned Trans-Saudi Railroad. The Saudi delegation has invited Russian Railways to build the Riyadh-Medina-Jeddah-Mecca section due to the company's experience in railroad building. Russian Railways is conducting a feasibility study, which is expected to be released in November 2005, on the route. [http://www.mosnews.com/money/2005/06/23/railroadsaudi.shtml] ; June 23:* flagicon|Russia - Russian Transport Minister Igor Levitin announces plans between Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) to transport intermodal containers by rail from China on a route through Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine to distribution points in Poland, Germany, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia, eventually leading to destinations across Europe. Policymakers in Russian and the CIS are still negotiating tariffs. [http://en.rian.ru/business/20050623/40752039.html] ; June 24:* flagicon|Japan - East Japan Railway Company (JR East) unveils a new Shinkansen train called Fastech that will eventually be used in passenger service Hachinohe and Shin-Aomori in Aomori Prefecture, Japan, at 360 km/h (225 mph). Revenue service with the new equipment is expected to begin on the newly constructed mainline in 2011. [http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/newse/20050625wo71.htm] [http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?nn20050625a1.htm] :* flagicon|United States - The United States Federal Railroad Administration issues its final rule on the use of train horns at grade crossings. [http://www.fra.dot.gov/us/press-releases/57]

June 26 – June 30

; June 29:* flagicon|United States - The United States House of Representatives passes a $1.17 billion funding bill for Amtrak in fiscal year 2006, an amount that is still short of the $2 billion Amtrak was originally seeking. The funding was approved in an amendment to a more general transportation and treasury appropriations bill. The House also removed the requirement in the bill that would mandate Amtrak to end passenger train service on currently unprofitable routes. The funding has yet to be approved by the Senate. [http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050630/us_nm/transport_amtrak_dc] :* flagicon|United Kingdom - Bombardier officially opens a new railway equipment refurbishment center in Derby, England, following an investment of nearly £2 million to renovate the company's former manufacturing facility. [http://www.railwaypeople.com/rail-news-articles/good-news-for-derby-621.html (RailwayPeople.com)] ; June 30:* flagicon|United States - The United States Federal Railroad Administration issues a ruling requiring locomotive "black boxes" on trains operating in the US be more resistant to the loss of data from exposure to fire, impact, fluid immersion and other damage that could occur in the event of a train accident.

References

* Associated Press (June 11, 2005), " [http://www.centredaily.com/mld/centredaily/news/politics/11873120.htm Pa. officials trying to keep fallen railroad bridge in place] ". Retrieved June 13, 2005.
* Associated Press (June 2, 2005), " [http://newsfromrussia.com/world/2005/06/02/60103.html Railroad strike upsets train service around France, causing rush-hour havoc] ". Retrieved June 2, 2005.
* Azertaj (June 11, 2005), " [http://www.azertag.com/en/index.shtml?language=english&catid=&news_year=&news_month=&news_day=&newsid=117782&themes_viewing=&themes_page=&themeid=&news_page= Armenian foreign minister concerned over Kars-Tblisi-Baku railroad construction] ". Retrieved June 13 2005.
* BBC News (June 22 2005), " [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4121072.stm Swiss rail network grinds to halt] ". Retrieved June 22 2005.
* Bonner, Jeanne, The Morning Call (June 17 2005), " [http://www.mcall.com/business/local/all-railroadjun17,0,1156879.story?coll=all-businesslocal-hed Railroad workers picket in Bethlehem] ". Retrieved June 17 2005.
* CBS, (June 21 2005), " [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/06/21/world/main703268.shtml Deadly Train-Truck Crash In Israel] ". Retrieved August 13 2005.
* Dochat, Tom, The Patriot-News (June 17 2005), " [http://www.pennlive.com/business/patriotnews/index.ssf?/base/business/1119000216118470.xml&coll=1 Walkout by railroad signalmen ends quickly] ". Retrieved June 17 2005.
* Federal Railroad Administration, US DOT (June 30 2005), " [http://www.fra.dot.gov/us/press-releases/67 FRA to Require Stronger “Black Boxes” and More Data Collection to Help Train Accident Investigations] ". Retrieved July 19 2005.
* Federal Railroad Administration, US DOT (June 1, 2005), " [http://www.fra.dot.gov/us/press-releases/64 Joseph H. Boardman Begins Role as New Administrator for Federal Railroad Administration With Focus on Rail Safety and Intercity Passenger Rail Reform] ". Retrieved June 6, 2005.
* FreightCar America (June 9 2005), " [http://www.johnstownamerica.com/investor/news/060905.htm FreightCar America's Roanoke, Virginia Manufacturing Facility Delivers Its First Production Railcar] ". Retrieved June 14 2005.
* Friends of the High Line (June 13 2005), " [http://www.thehighline.org/newsletters/061305_pr.html Major federal authorization for High Line project] ". Retrieved June 15 2005.
* Gay, Joel (June 10, 2005), " [http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/6590829p-6474531c.html Crews clear out railroad tunnel; traffic resumes] ". Retrieved June 10, 2005.
* Genesee and Wyoming, Inc. (May 26, 2005), " [http://www.gwrr.com/features/gwi_aquisition05262005.html Genesee & Wyoming Announces Agreement to Acquire Short Line and Port Railroads from Rail Management Corporation] ". Retrieved May 27, 2005.
* The Japan Times Online (June 25 2005), " [http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?nn20050625a1.htm New bullet train could be world's fastest] ". Retrieved June 28 2005.
* (June 17, 2005), " [http://laughingplace.com/News-ID10023760.asp June 18 Marks 50 Years of Disneyland Railroad] ". Retrieved June 18 2005.
* Kageyama, Yuri, Associated Press (June 16 2005), " [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/16/AR2005061600185.html Railroad and Hotel Magnate Pleads Guilty] ". Retrieved June 16 2005.
* Kazakh Information Agency, Kazinform (June 13 2005), " [http://www.inform.kz/showarticle.php?lang=eng&id=127094 China proposes to lay railroad towards Khorgos on Kazakhstan -Chinese border] ". Retrieved June 13, 2005.
* MoneyPlans.net (June 4, 2005), " [http://archives.moneyplans.net/frontend206-verify-6737.html World-class railroad service promised for India] ". Retrieved June 4, 2005.
* MosNews (June 23 2005), " [http://www.mosnews.com/money/2005/06/23/railroadsaudi.shtml Russian Railways Invited to Build Railroad in Saudi Arabia] ". Retrieved June 26 2005.
* Pravda (June 16, 2005), " [http://newsfromrussia.com/accidents/2005/06/16/60346.html Train carrying petroleum derailed not far from Moscow] ". Retrieved June 16, 2005.
* RailStaff (June 2, 2005), " [http://railwaypeople.com/rail-news-articles/chris-green-515.html Chris Green] ". Retrieved June 9, 2005.
* RailStaff (July 22 2005), " [http://www.railwaypeople.com/rail-news-articles/good-news-for-derby-621.html Good news for Derby] ". Retrieved July 22 2005.
* RailStaff (June 6, 2005), " [http://railwaypeople.com/rail-news-articles/siemens-awarded-50-million-contract-516.html Siemens awarded £50 million contract] ". Retrieved June 9, 2005.
* Reed, Keith, Boston Globe (June 10, 2005), " [http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2005/06/10/acelas_return_expected_in_july/ Acela's return expected in July] ". Retrieved June 11, 2005.
* Reuters (June 29 2005), " [http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050630/us_nm/transport_amtrak_dc House approves $1.17 billion for Amtrak] " (yahoo.com). Retrieved June 30 2005.
* RIA Novosti (June 16, 2005), " [http://en.rian.ru/russia/20050616/40535705.html BACKGROUND - Fuel oil spreads after a train derails in the Tver Region. Consequences still vague] ". Retrieved June 16 2005.
* RIA Novosti (June 13, 2005), " [http://en.rian.ru/russia/20050613/40514461.html Railroad traffic restored] ". Retrieved June 13, 2005. Details bomb on Russian railroad, June 12.
* RIA Novosti (June 16 2005), " [http://en.rian.ru/russia/20050616/40534658.html URGENT: Fuel oil in Volga after railroad accident near Rzhev, deputy prosecutor] ". Retrieved June 16 2005.
* RIA Novosti (June 20, 2005), " [http://en.rian.ru/russia/20050620/40552189.html Railroad accident in the Tver region causes a 700-ton fuel oil spill] ". Retrieved June 20 2005.
* SwissInfo (June 22 2005), " [http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/swissinfo.html?siteSect=106&sid=5891657&cKey=1119459101000 Swiss train network shuts down] ". Retrieved June 22 2005.
* Ukkone, Alexei, RIA Novosti (June 23 2005), " [http://en.rian.ru/business/20050623/40752039.html Russia, CIS members to build a new railroad from China to Europe] ". Retrieved June 23 2005.
* Union Pacific Railroad (June 8, 2005), " [http://www.uprr.com/newsinfo/railroad/2005/0601_mural.shtml Union Pacific to Fund Cheyenne Depot Mural; Celebrate Return of Famed Steam Locomotive No. 844] ". Retrieved June 8, 2005.
* Vitello, Paul (June 14 2005), " [http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/15/nyregion/15highline.html Rusty Railroad Advances on Road to Pristine Park] ". Retrieved June 15 2005.
* Xinhua (June 19 2005), " [http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-06/19/content_3106924.htm Broken-down railroad resumes operation] ". Retrieved June 20 2005.
* Xinhua (June 20 2005), " [http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-06/20/content_3109174.htm Serious flood hits Fujian] ". Retrieved June 20 2005.
* The Yomiuri Shimbun (2005), " [http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/newse/20050625wo71.htm Shinkansen prototype unveiled] ". Retrieved June 28 2005.