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Trackside, Issue #019 -- February, 2010
February 01, 2010
Hi,

Welcome to Trackside, The Newsletter, a monthly piece covering the railroad industry. I had thought long and hard about creating a newsletter to go along with the website since American Rails first began but I could never decide what exactly to include in it. After much consideration, though, I finally decided that perhaps the best approach was to fill the newsletter with, well, news! More specifically, however, current news and events which will be broken down into categories keeping you up-to-date on the latest on-goings around the country.

Now in every issue Trackside features a "Photo of the Month" and just as a general note these photos used are the property of individual photographers and as such should not be redistributed or used without their permission. In any event, I hope you like the new layout!

Tucked away in Maine this month's photo, courtesy of Doug Kroll, shows a Maine Central freight on the railroad's Mountain Division at Miles Pond, Vermont August 6, 1981. Today, this line is mostly abandoned although the section through Miles Pond is now operated by the Conway Scenic Railroad.

Notable News

Reading & Northern Railroad buys Towanda Monroeton Shippers Lifeline

California group looks to buy Siskiyou rail line

General Rail News

Alaska Railroad revamps its engines for more efficient transportation

U.S. rail traffic up slightly from last year

National Gateway's Ohio terminal will be high-tech, 'green' facility, CSX says

Riverport Railroad Seeks Rcycler

Class I rail jobs decline 14,464 in year

Americans Discover The Rail Way At National Train Day

NTSB blames engineer for 2008 Metrolink crash, urges railroads to install cameras to monitor train crews

EMD to build new traction motor rebuild facility

Danville, KY railroad jobs may move

KCSR to retrofit five locomotives

Ohio rail commission to help fund rail spur, bridge projects

Obama Administration Sets Rules For Train-Safety Technology

Intermodal Hits Lowest Level Since 2003

NCDOT selects interim operator for the P&N Railroad

Railroad industry to chug back at full speed through High Desert

STB blesses Alaska Railroad's plan to build North Pole line

BNSF eyes reuse for former shops

Local railroad improvements part of bigger picture

New railroad company to take over Union Pacific's county line

Freight trains make big comeback in nation's transportation network

Holmes: The rebirth of the G&U Railroad

Railroad lifts Sierra tunnels for taller trains

Tough Times Test the Bonds Between a Town and Its Railroad

Passenger Rail/LRT News

Amtrak to upgrade Michigan rails

President, Vice President announce $8 billion for high-speed rail projects

Once upon a time, we traveled the region by rail

Amtrak service will continue in North Dakota

Comprehensive rail plan for Minnesota unveiled during public hearing

Second Vancouver-Seattle Amtrak train draws riders

Amtrak Virginia adds Burke Centre stop on Northeast Regional route

High-speed rail project on fast track

Connecticut trains to receive big bucks

Amtrak Plans to Buy Hundreds of Locomotives, Passenger Railcars

Long Island Rail Road takes wraps off Brooklyn terminal

Rhode Island purchases property for 'South County' commuter-rail station

Connecticut commission to consider funds for double-tracking Amtrak line

In seven cities, light rail bucks the trend

Officials wait for maglev funding

R.I. buys land for Wickford railroad station

Railroad History

The link directly below offers perhaps the very best quality in historic photographs you will ever see. Enjoy!

Shorpy.com, High Quality Historic Photographs

New Santa Fe Depot nearly sidetracked

Rector's railroad history recognized

The railroad and Cypress: How the railroad defined a community

Waynoka calendar honors 100 years for Santa Fe Depot, Harvey House

Historic trolley salvaged from storage

River road reveals mysterious railroad tunnel

Care to Dance?

Storm of 1857 isolated Staunton, VA from the world

Tunnel vision

How the railroad came to Sonoma, CA

Lebanon blazes 5-mile trail

Railroad passenger takes a dip in the bay

Rave reviews for meals served in dining cars

Preservation

Oregon steam locomotive passes inspection

PHOTOS: Former railroad station now on track for late February, but with benefits

Station/Depot News

South Side Depot could become visitor contact station for NPS

SCAD Museum of Art Breaks Ground for Historic Museum Expansion

Greenville, MS train depot donated historic preservation group

Reno's railroad depot's fiery beginning

Novato train depot, subject of preservation effort, gets a new roof

Depot moves to west, village receives grant

Century-old Indiana train depot to get new look

Canaan Depot Restoration Now in Design Phase

Missouri City Depot staying put in Henrietta

On the Road: A Gem of the Railroad Era

Train Excursions/Museums

Dunsmuir railroad museum nears completion

Rail board seeks to outsource excursion trains

Sumpter Valley Railroad gets donation to upgrade steam engine

Strasburg Rail Road gift preserves farmland

Railroad engine donated to county museum

Railroad opens reservation center

The distant echo of train whistles

As Trackside moves forward I will look to include more topics and information within it. In any event, if you have any opinions, ideas, and/or general comments/suggestions for the newsletter please feel free to pass them my way. As with American-Rails.com I am always looking for ways to improve the newsletter to better benefit you, the reader. Best wishes to you in 2010, may it be quite prosperous and filled with many good things.

Best regards,

Adam Burns

P.S. If you would like to read about more railroad news not covered in Trackside please visit our fan page on Facebook and/or follow the site on Twitter.

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