by Jim Pearson,
Chapter Webmaster

I just returned from a weeks vacation to sunny southern California where I was able to spend about four days shooting rail action in the Cajon Pass. I mostly shot video for my program at the November 2008 Chapter meeting which I will combine with my last trip a couple years ago where I shot stills before they added the new fourth mainline through the pass and daylighted the tunnels that were there.

These stills show you some of the areas that have these changes. Hope you enjoy the photos and make it to the chapter meeting on November 24th, 2008 at the Center (The old L&N Depot) at 38 West Arch Street, Madisonville, Ky.

The Western Kentucky Chapter, NRHS was well represented on the TCRM rail excursion from Nashville to Monterey, TN and return on Saturday October 11, 2008.  Sixteen Chapter members and eighteen family members and friends took the all day adventure in excellent accommodations in a 1953 ex Santa Fe coach. The train, with 11 passenger cars, a private car and a private caboose plus 4 auxiliary cars left Nashville at 8:00 AM behind a TC E8, two L&N F7Bs and an AmtrakF40.  The roadbed from Nashville to Lebanon is exceptional and is the route used by the Music City Star commuter line.  The line from Lebanon on to Cookeville is also in excellent shape and the line from Cookeville to Monterey is the ‘rare mileage’ portion of the trip and has just been recently re-opened to freight business.  Our trip is the first public passenger run over the line since it’s re-opening and likely the first passenger run over this portion of the old Tennessee Central trackage since the early to mid 50s.

We arrived in Monterey about 12:45 PM and the city was ready for us as they were having a “Standing Stone Day’ celebration with a car show, a civil war re-enactment and lots of trade booths in the downtown area.  We had plenty of time to visit the attractions and get some lunch.  Our train took a couple of cars of locals to the end of the line at the quarry where they also switched the power for the return to Nashville.  There was a problem with the switching and we were about an hour behind schedule leaving Monterey.  We arrived back at the Tennessee Central Railway Museum a bit before 9:00 PM – a long but very enjoyable trip.  The equipment was perfect and the staff most helpful.  Chuck Hinrichs

all photos by Chuck Hinrichs except as noted

From: CSX Express

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., (Oct. 9, 2008) – The four major Class I freight railroads confirmed their agreement today to establish interoperability standards for Positive Train Control (PTC).

CSX is pleased to officially join with the other major U.S. railroads in establishing a national framework for consistent PTC technology and communication infrastructure across their respective networks.

“We are very pleased to achieve this milestone in our joint work on this innovative and important safety enhancement,” said Tony L. Ingram, CSXT’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. “This helps assure the U.S. freight rail industry’s continued global leadership in safe and secure transportation.”

CSX Corporation, based in Jacksonville, Fla., is a leading transportation company providing rail, intermodal and rail-to-truck transload services. The company’s transportation network spans approximately 21,000 miles with service to 23 eastern states and the District of Columbia, and connects to more than 70 ocean, river and lake ports.

Below is a video I put together on the L&N E8 796 Movement on CSX’s Q645, October 8, 2008 as it passed through our area on the Henderson Sub. The video clips were shot between Morton Gap and Hopkinsville, Ky as the train passed through. – Jim Pearson, Webmaster

The Bowling Green Museum’s L&N E8 – 796 – was back in Kentucky today.  Chuck Hinrichs caught the unit as it passed through Hopkinsville on CSX’s manifest freight Q645 at about 9:20 am.  The E8 was tucked in behind the road power on Q645.  An early afternoon trip to Guthrie did not turn up the E8 so it is assumed to be on it’s way to Bowling Green via R J Corman.  Chuck Hinrichs

Some 30 Chapter members, spouses and guests gathered at Veterans Memorial Park in Cofton on Saturday, October 4.  The occasion was the third annual Chapter Picnic.  The weather was perfect and CSX provided 5 trains for the enjoyment of the train watchers and the photographers.  Wally Watts brought several steam engines and Steve Gentry brought a beautiful 1/32 scale Nickle Plate Berkshire 2-8-4 live steamer.  The Hopkinsville crew provided the liquid refreshments and most of the attendees visited the Country Cupboard for some of their great sandwiches.  All in all a really delightful day. Chuck Hinrichs

From California Railfan/Railroad Group Posting

WASHINGTON — The Senate has passed, by a 74-24 vote, the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008, and its companion, the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008.

Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) voted “yes.” Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) voted “no.” The vote took place the evening of Oct. 1.

As the House previously voted in favor of the legislation, the two bills, packaged together, now move to the White House. Rep. John Mica of Florida, the senior Republican on the House Transportation & infrastructure Committee, said Oct. 2 that he was informed by the White House that President Bush will sign the measure into law.

This is the most comprehensive rail safety bill in more than 30 years. It provides for certification of conductors, along with a minimum training requirement.

Additionally, it prohibits carriers from interfering with medical treatment of injured employees, mandates installation of positive train control, and offers railroads incentives to install electronically controlled pneumatic (ECP) brakes and switch position indicators.

Significantly, the safety bill caps limbo time and requires at least two days off following each six-day work week. But a provision permits general chairpersons to negotiate with carriers a better balance between time off and earnings, while preserving guaranteed time off.

Also of signficance, the legislative history of the bill supports two sets of eyes and ears in the locomotive cab, notwithstanding the installation of PTC.

The Amtrak portion of the bill contains a blueprint to protect Amtrak and expand intercity rail passenger service. It supports a five-year cumulative $13.1 billion federal subsidy to Amtrak, provides seed money for the development of additional high-speed rail corridors, and permits the Surface Transportation Board to fine host freight railroads that delay Amtrak trains.

Following are major provisions of the rail safety bill
Conductor certification: Within 18 months of the bill´s becoming law, the FRA must establish a program to certify conductors, including minimum training standards.

Positive Train Control: Requires installation of positive train control by Dec. 31, 2015, on all main-line track where intercity passenger and commuter railroads operate, and where toxic-by-inhalation hazmat is transported. Also, grants are provided to assist railroads in implementing ECP brakes and switch-position indicators.

Hours-of-Service: Requires at least 10 consecutive uninterrupted hours off duty following 12 hours on duty. (There is a three-year exception for passenger train employees, during which time their hours of service limitations will be studied by the FRA.)

No freight railroad employee covered by the hours-of-service law may be called to work unless they have had at least 10 uninterrupted hours off during the prior 24-hour period. And following each six days of work, a covered employee must be given 48 hours of uninterrupted time-off at their home terminal. If the carrier requires that employee to work a 7th day — even if it is to return them to their home terminal — then the uninterrupted time-off at the home terminal must be at least 72 hours.

As to limbo time, no employee covered by the hours-of-service law may be placed in limbo time after they have been on duty, waited for deadhead transportation or been in any other mandatory service for more than a total of 276 hours in any month.

And total limbo time per month is restricted to no more than 40 hours — reduced to 30 hours on the first anniversary of the bill´s becoming law. The bill permits general chairpersons to sit down with carrier labor relations officers and negotiate a better balance between time off and earnings, while preserving guaranteed time off.

Locomotive Cab Safety: Requires the FRA study the safety impact of the use of train crews using personal electronic devices. (The UTU has learned that the FRA already is considering issuing an emergency order prohibiting train crews from using personal cell phones, Blackberries, iPods and other electronic devices, except for company business — and then only when two-crewpersons are in the cab.)

Medical Attention: Prohibits railroads from denying, delaying, or interfering with the medical or first aid treatment of injured workers, and from disciplining those workers that request treatment. Also requires railroads to arrange for immediate transport of injured workers to the nearest appropriate hospital.

Inspector Staffing: Increases the number of federal rail safety inspectors and supporting staff by 200.

Following is a summary of the Amtrak provisions
State Corridors: Federal grants are provided to states to develop innovative new services, increase capacity on heavily used rail lines, and attract new riders.

High-Speed Rail Corridors: Grants are provided to construct 11 to-be-determined high-speed rail corridors.

On-Time Performance: DOT and the Surface Transportation Board (STB) must investigate Amtrak delays and determine if they are the fault of the host railroad. If so, host rail carrier may be ordered to pay Amtrak monetary damages.

Click Here to read the 315-page bill, including the rail safety and Amtrak provisions.

A CSX train loaded with windmills passed though on October 3, 2008 on the Henderson Sub headed north. It was headed up by CSX 5378 with the whole train loaded down with motors, blades and turbines. Not sure where they were headed and even though I followed the train from South of Nortonville, Ky to the other side of Hanson, Ky, I wasn’t able to understand what the engineer called his train over the scanner. (Photo by Jim Pearson)

The second pair of Gensets from NRE’s Paducah shops wwas delivered to CSX at Atkinson Yard in Madisonville on Saturday, September 27, 2008.  1300 and 1301 were delivered to CSX in March of this year and 1302 and 1303 were photographed by Jim Pearson and myself last Saturday.  Final destination of the pair is uncertain though I have heard Chicago mentioned.  Chuck Hinrichs

I was reading with much interest the pulling up of the tracks to Fugate Lumber and then you asked for some feedback with those with some experience with it.  Believe it or not I do have a vivid memory of it in the following paragraph.

In the mid to early 70’s, my Aunt Betty lived on a street that dead ended at the beginning of the “yard”.  She lived in a duplex just up the hill on the left.  My sister and I would spend a week or 2 in the summer with her there.  She would allow me to walk down to the end and watch the switcher work the yard with the freight house.

The crew was friendly, but I was to young to be up in the cab.  It seems that they would start switching about 4:00 in the afternoon, break for dinner, and begin again into the night.  Every time the engine came past, the engineer would wave every time.

Once, when my parents went for a visit,  I remember the engineer telling me that “they were going to dinner and that I should go get something to eat too.  But, when you hear us going again, come on back to the end of the street to watch!”

I also remember the front of the Freight House from U.S. 41 when we were in town. My Aunt Betty Wilson still lives in Madisonville and resides with my cousin, Juliana Pearson. -Bill Grady, Louisville, KY

(I.C.) Crews referred to the spur as the “Freight House Lead” or “Madisonville Freight House Lead”. Dad recalled a Pennsylvania 80+ foot auto boxcar being set out at the freight house for delivery of an American LaFrance Fire Truck, the second fire truck inside went on to some place in Mississippi.

One bitter cold February, while switching the freight house, four boxcars became derailed due to the build up of ice and snow. When things came to a stop, the lead car was its own width away from the rails. After looking the situation over, the crew decided that just maybe the ground might be frozen enough for the engine to slowly pull them back on the newly cut flangeways in the hope that they might re-rail themselves—Yes, it worked!

Illinois Central Business Car #1 (President Wayne A. Johnston’s Private Car) has been at the freight house many times during the Coal Field Festivals. On one occasion the car was picked up by a switching crew at West Yard at 1:00 a.m.. On that particular day, Wayne A. rode into town, not in his private car, but in the cab of the engine that was delivering his car to the freight house. On a side note, president Johnston was know to be approachable to the rank and file, but could be hell on his own subordinates. He knew that if there was a problem, a working man more than likely couldn’t hesitate to tell him about it.

In the late 1970s, my parents were remodeling their home in Bremen, KY. New Floors, walls, ceilings and trim were planned. My dad had known the Fugate’s for many years, I think even prior to the lumber company being in business. During this time, dad was on the job that was switching Fugate Lumber regularly. Dad took the opportunity to purchase needed materials for his house at Fugates while on switching assignment there. Pappy ordered several sheets of plywood, a few pounds of nails, and six pre-hung door casements. After the order was tallied up, the clerk asked my dad to bring his truck around back to load it up. The clerk was then stunned to learn that no truck was involved, but, “If you would please load it up on the I.C.G. 199696 parked out on the edge of the property?” Delivery by caboose is not as rare as you might think. As I can recall instances of feed, seed, car parts, farm implements, and yes, 40 piglets to McCracken Co., and lastly, just about every Christmas tree in several homes in December. – Tony Clark, Greenville, KY