www.railroad.net. Latest. 15th November 2011

Swiss Locomotive Named After Tennis Star
Posted: 14 Nov 2011 12:47 AM PST

According to tennis news site, 10sball.com, tennis star Roger Federer now has an unlikely connection to a Swiss locomotive.  The Swiss National Railway recently named their locomotive after the champion, being dubbed “Roger” at a ribbon-cutting ceremony in the Basel freight yards.  “Roger” will soon be integrated into passenger service on a regular basis.  The naming of the locomotive was more than simply a way of paying homage to Federer or a public relations stunt; the train will also have a strong connection to charity.  The insurance firm National Suisse will be making a contribution to Federer’s charity foundation for every kilometer the locomotive travels during passenger service.  Federer’s charity foundation focuses on helping educate children in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe and South Africa.  Federer enjoyed the event and shared, “I’ve never named a locomotive before, let alone one bearing my own name.”
Its very interesting that the Swiss National Railway has found a way to integrate celebrity power and charity into their passenger rail service.  By naming their new locomotive after a international tennis star, the railway was able to bring positive press to their passenger lines, while also helping children in need.  It would be great if Amtrak or other passenger rail services in the United States were able to integrate these components in a similar way.  If a baseball, basketball or football star partnered up with passenger rail and a prominent charity, the benefits could be worthwhile.


Union Pacific Train Derails in Sacremento
Posted: 13 Nov 2011 10:56 PM PST

According to a Sacramento ABC news source, a Union Pacific train derailed early on the morning of Sunday, November 14. The Sacramento Police Department revealed that the derailment was caused by metal pipes that became loose and fell off the train.  The fallen pipes blocked the tracks and caused the train to derail.  After the derailment, fire and police quickly responded to the accident.  Part of the trains cargo included hydrochloric acid and liquid propane, so clean up crews had to be weary of possible danger from hazardous material. It was later discovered that none of the hazardous materials spilled during the derailment.  Luckily, the wreckage was able to be cleaned up by later in the morning and crews were able to remove the blockage from the metal pipes and fallen rail cars.
It should be considered good news, any time injuries or serious damages are avoided in a train derailment. Given that there were hazardous materials, including propane, on the train, the derailment could have easily resulted in an explosion or other disastrous outcome.  The reports are not clear if the falling pipes were the result of human error or chance, but further investigation should answered any additional questions about the derailments cause.  The Sacramento area can be thankful that emergency crews responded quickly and the derailment was cleared before local residents were too inconvenienced.


The New England “Football Train”
Posted: 13 Nov 2011 10:17 PM PST

For most people, there is no connection passenger rail and football, but the Boston Globe has pointed out that for some New England Patriots fans, trains play a key role in their favorite Sunday pass time.   Since 1971, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) has run special trains to and from Gillette Stadium to transport fans.  Trains leave 2 hours before each game’s kickoff and return 30 minutes after the game has concluded.  The “football trains,” as they are sometimes referred to by their riders, offer a less stressful option than driving and parking at the stadium, which can cost up to $50 and lead to hours in traffic.  By comparison, reserved round-trip tickets for the “football train” only cost $15.
The staggering traffic on the single highway exiting Gillette Stadium has forced more football fans to embrace the rail option this year.  In fact, this season marks some of the highest ridership numbers that the football train has seen with about 1,900 passengers for each game.  The increase in ridership is so great that the MBTA has now incorporated double-decker passenger cars on the service.  Passengers on the MBTA football train service are very happy with their decision.  Many passengers drive passed the stadium to reach the passenger rail service, admitting that, “It’s certainly a lot easier than getting into a traffic jam.”
There are countless examples of passenger trains that make people’s lives easier for commuters during the week, but the “football train” is a great example of how trains can help people in other ways.  For nearly 2,000 people each New England Patriots home game, MBTA has created an appealing alternative to the hectic practice of finding stadium parking.  MBTA is doing a great service by providing this rail option for football fans and it wont be surprising if even more game goers start using the “football train.”


Oregon: Additional Trains with No Additional Service
Posted: 13 Nov 2011 06:28 PM PST

A Seattle news source, the Crosscut, has reported that the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) will be receiving two train sets from the Spanish Talgo Company.  The trains are currently being built at Talgo’s Wisconsin plant at the cost of $37 million.  Five high-speed Talgo trains are currently operating in the rail corridor between Eugene, Ore., and Vancouver, B.C. and are greatly responsible for reviving Amtrak’ Cascades service.  The success of Talgo trains come from their unique design that tilts inward while navigating curved track, which allows for faster trains and a 25 minute reduction in travel time between Seattle and Portland.
Unfortunately for passengers on Amtrak Cascades service, it appears that the two addition Talgo trains will not equate to additional rail service.  According to a Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) spokeswoman, the two trains-sets will only be used as part of the existing train pool as spares.  The integration of the two trains will allow for the other 5 Talgo trains more down time and longevity.
There is a great deal of debate as to whether or not the additional Talgo trains could be used for a better purpose.  By 2017 WSDOT plans on expanding the Portland to Seattle Cascades service from 4 to 6 daily trips, but many feel that this could be done immediately with the new Talgo trains. Others feel that the trains could be used outside of the Eugene to Vancouver corridor.  There have been talks about creating a rail service between Portland and Boise, Idaho.  The president of the Association of Oregon rail and Transit Advocates (AORTA) shared that, “It wouldn’t hurt my personal feelings if one of those trains were used to develop a pilot service between Boise and Portland.”  He continues to say, “We’ve got to think beyond the Willamette Valley.” Another supporter of a Boise-Portland service is Sen. Mike Crapo of Idaho, who is in great support of a pilot program possibly using one of the Talgo trains.  In order to begin this program, studies would have to be done to confirm the viability of the route, but funding is an issue.
Overall, the addition of two high-speed trains built in America to Amtrak’s Cascades route is good news, but the controversy over alternative uses for the trains will continue.  It seems that all sides of the  debate have their valid points.  It would be great for passengers if daily services from Portland to Seattle increased, but restoring passenger service between Portland and Boise would also be worthwhile.  At the same time, it is very possible for the Talgo trains to be useful in their roles as spares in the event of unforeseen problems with the original trains.  This story is an unfortunate example of several parties wanting access to the same resources, which is a common theme for passenger rail in this country.

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