Month: November 2008

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Louisville’s light-rail movement faded about four years ago, but traditional train service may be getting a fresh look, the Courier-Journal reports. Elected officials from Jefferson, Hardin and Meade counties are among 100 passengers who plan to take a leisurely three-hour, round-trip train ride between Louisville and Cecilia, Ky., just west of Elizabethtown, tomorrow.

Mass transit supporters view the trip on the Paducah & Louisville Railway, which runs roughly along Dixie Highway and through Fort Knox, as the first step toward establishing a passenger rail system between Louisville and the growing Army post.

“My hope is that we can build some critical mass in terms of support and possibly do some sort of analysis of what it would cost to put commuter (rail) cars on that line,” said Jim King, president of
Louisville’s Metro Council.

The Transit Authority of River City and council members have been discussing commuter rail for months. Tomorrow’s excursion is intended to draw attention to the possibility of passenger service and start gauging whether local leaders want to go forward.

If they do, the next step would be a study outlining the costs — and feasibility — of the project.

While the demonstration trip is scheduled to take 90 minutes one way at 35 mph, actual commuter trains could reach speeds up to 60 mph, said A.V. “Tony” Reck, the railway’s president and CEO. The trip takes 45 minutes to an hour by car.

“We certainly have an interest in expanding rail,” said Barry Barker, TARC’s executive director. He estimates it would cost $50 million to $75 million to create a commuter rail line, with operating costs of at least $4 million annually. Under Barker’s scenario, a commuter rail line would cost substantially less than the city’s light-rail project, which was suspended in 2004 with a price tag of $661 million.

Before that, the city’s experience with passenger rail in recent years was with an Amtrak train connecting Louisville and Chicago. The Louisville-Indianapolis leg of the route took five hours because poor track conditions meant the train couldn’t exceed 30 mph.

The route was discontinued in 2003 after four years amid low ridership.

Tomorrow’s demonstration run is the brainchild of two groups — the nonprofit Coalition for the Advancement of Regional Transportation and the Kentucky-Indiana Rail Advocates — and has the financial backing of local governments.

(This is a portion of an item which appeared Nov. 7, 2008, in the Courier-Journal.)

– Submitted by Chuck Hinrichs

The much-anticipated arrival of E8 796 is celebrated as R.J. Corman crews move the car body from CSX’s main line to it’s home on an adjacent track where it will house a museum display in Bowling Green, KY. (Photo submitted by Bill Grady, Louisville, KY)

A federal class-action lawsuit filed after a train derailment in Bullitt County in January 2007 has been settled for $3 million, according to court records. The Courier-Journal in Louisville reports that of the 17,000 people eligible for claims, none can receive more than $10,000.

The CSX train was carrying chemicals considered hazardous and some residents near the crash went to the hospital complaining of breathing problems. The fiery derailment sent a plume of smoke up over the site and CSX had to excavate contaminated soil from the site.

U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Russell tentatively approved the settlement on Aug. 28. The newspaper reports that a Web site has been authorized by the court to detail the settlement.
Attorneys for the plaintiffs declined to comment on the settlement. – Submitted by Chuck Hinrichs

Jacksonville, Fla. – October 3, 2008 – CSX Corporation (NYSE: CSX) today announced that it achieved the best score among Class One freight railroads in the Carbon Disclosure Project’s (CDP) 2008 Report and third best in the overall Transports and Logistics category.

CDP is a not-for-profit organization representing the interests of 385 mostly-institutional investors with more than $57 trillion in assets under management. CDP’s role is to, “act as an intermediary between shareholders and corporations on all climate change related issues, providing primary climate change data from the world’s largest corporations, to the global market place.”

CSX’s Climate Leadership Index score was compiled by aggregating its weighted answers in a CDP questionnaire split into four sections covering: risks and opportunities; emissions accounting; performance against targets; and governance.

“CSX is committed to providing a high level of transparency and disclosure to investors and other interested parties concerning the company’s long-term environmental strategy and climate related risks,” said Oscar Munoz, CSX Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. “CSX provides the most environmentally friendly way to meet the nation’s demand for freight transportation and is committed to continuing to provide value for both our customers and shareholders while taking meaningful steps to address the important concerns of climate change.”

Mrs. Nelma “Shine” Jean Kittinger, aunt of chapter member Keith Kittinger, passed away Saturday, October 11, 2008. Keith served as a pallbearer at the funeral held at Barnett-Strother, Thursday, October 16.

Ralph H. Jackson, charter member of the Owensboro Chapter NRHS, and cousin to West Kentucky Chapter member Charles Jackson of Hopkinsville, died Monday, October 20, at Owensboro Medical Health System. *Ralph’s father worked for the L&N as a freight agent in Earlington, KY. Charles was an L&N freight agent in Guthrie, KY. * addition to obituary by Dennis Carnal

Note: both entries taken from newspaper obituaries.

by Dennis “Lefty” Carnal

On Saturday, October 4, 2008, between twenty five to thirty chapter members, family, and friends met at noon in the downtown Crofton Veterans Park. They were there for an afternoon of food, drinks, fellowship and to watch a few CSX trains pass by on the Henderson Subdivision.

Chapter members from thee states, Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennessee, were on hand for the event. Steve Gentry from Lafayette, Indiana, won the award for the greatest distance traveled. Rex and Melanie Easterly drove from the Nashville area. Three members from the Evansville area made the trip; Birk Fischer, Matt Gentry, and David Millen.

Steve Gentry displayed a live steam model of a G gauge, 1/29th scale Nickel Plate Berkshire steam locomotive. Wally Watts had a display of his live steamers. Chuck Hinrichs had part two of his annual giveaways. Last year, Chuck had a large assortment of sweatshirts. This year, the give-away was caps. Let’s hope next year, Chuck doesn’t cleanout his underwear drawer!

Thanks from the Chapter to the Hopkinsville area members for providing the drinks and ice for the picnic. CSX operated six trains through Crofton between 12 noon and 4 pm that afternoon. One southbound manifest train, three northbound manifest trains and two northbound piggyback/stack trains: Q647, Q124, Q592, Q648, Q588, and Q120, in that order.

A total of fourteen CSX owned locomotives powered these six trains. Seven different locomotive models from two builders were seen. Four different models totaling eight locomotives: three SD40-2s, two SD50s, one SD60I, two SD70MACs from General Motors passed in review. Three different models from General Electric, three C40-8Ws, one AC44-CW, and two ES44-DCs rolled through Crofton as well.

Between trains, chapter members passed the time covering topics such as baseball, politics, railroading and the weather, plus, about any topic known to man. To say some of the conversations were lively would be an understatement! Man, those Chicago Cubs fans are a testy bunch. This writer would like to give Cubs fans everywhere my heartfelt condolences for enduring another bitter end to another season filled with so much hope for a World Series title. Talk about fan loyalty, Cubs fans must be the most loyal fans on Earth. In 2009, it will be 101 years since the loser Cubs have won a World Series title. Will the Cubs ever win another title? Ha!!!!

Here’s something to think about during the coming cold months: Why not support a winning team next Spring…. The St. Louis Cardinals? That’s a winner! The St Louis Cardinals Flying High in 2009!!!

See you at Spring Training 2009!!! Play ball!

CSX Unit Coal Train, V242, headed south from Atkinson Yard on Tuesday, November 11with a pair of GE ES44AHs in distributed power mode.

Story and photos by Chuck Hinrichs

I got a late morning phone call from one of my contacts in Madisonville advising me that CSX was assembling a distributed power coal train in Atkinson’s south yard and that it would be southbound as soon as the train was assembled.  Power for the 90 car train was to be GE ES44AH 750 on the point and GE ES44AH 910 near mid train.  The train arrived at South Casky (John Rivers Road) at about 3:15 pm and, as advertised 750 was on the point and 910 was about 50 cars back in the consist.  I get a few shots in something less than perfect photo weather.  My Madisonville source indicated that this was the first of several distributed power test trains.