Track Warrants
"The Electronic Internet Newsletter of Western Railroading"P.O. Box 720301
San Jose, CA 95172
USA
Issue No. 10
Nov 3, 1995
It's coming...the finished production of Ken Rattenne's Towers article. On the web, here!
Photo by Ken Rattenne ©
Regarding the California Cars on the San Diegans:
I was able to ride a set on #585 on 10/20/95. The consist was pressed into service about a week before the "official" test run because a switch engine split a switch at Union Station, blocking a couple of Amtrak consists, including #578. Consist was:
#578 was operating 1:45 late by Solana Beach, and #585 was 1:20 late because they had to turn the consist on the wye at San Diego because the cab car wasn't working. The Cal Cars are rock solid, even at 90MPH. Acceleration from the 2004 with 5 big cars was about the same as a F40PH with 7 Amfleet. There were at least two Amtrak maintanence reps on the train, helping the crew become familiar with the consist. There were also some minor bugs with the automatic doors and the PA system, but those can be overlooked. The only problem with the train for San Diegan service are the lack of reclining seats in the Cal Cars and the inadequate overhead space for luggage (note for the future - the car shells are tanks, just strip out the insides and put in some "real" seats). From what I understand, the consist for 771/780 will be what I had, with a Superliner Lounge providing food service. On 776/779, the Lounge is supposed to be replaced with a diner, because of the 8 hour run from San Diego to San Luis Obispo.
For information on Southern California commuter schedules, check out the URL: http://pisces.ucsd.edu/www/railroads/railroads.html
This includes Coaster, Metrolink, and Amtrak San Diegan schedules.
Ron Lehmer rlehmer@ucsd.edu
A T-6 Alco works the BCI grain elevator at the Port of Muskogee, OK. It appears to be an ex-Arkansas & Missouri unit with their paint scheme. Also, one of the ex-Trona Baldwins is already in Bridgeport, NJ. Leonard " Smokey" Smolsky has also purchased the other two and is ready to restore the units and paint the three in a Reading paint scheme. The units will be moved shortly from Oklahoma to New Jersey shortly. I believe it is the #55 is without a prime mover, but will be repowered upon arrival in New Jersey. Surprisingly, Smolsky has found either parts, blueprints, or suppliers for many of the Baldwin parts he needs.
Cary F. Poole
Beets to Spreckles start on Sat. the 4th. Run through power with two SP units and 90 cars, 45 for Spreckles, 45 for Holly. These will run 'till end of December.
Thomas Paul
Mon, 2 Oct 1995---Spotted Eastbound on CP's North Toronto Subdivision around 18:10 Sept. 30/95: CP #8209 leading GE's #9560, #9556, #9554, #9557, #9555, #9549, #9511 & #9510 trailed by Soo #6604. Units appeared to be in-transit to Agincourt Yd. They've made it out here as well, and are hard at work already.
Spotted this afternoon at 14:00 at the Roberts Bank Superport was a CP coal train with 9001 (SD40-2 F), 9518 & 9521 (AC4400CW), and 6073 (SD40-2). The standard power consist for CP coal trains used to be 3 SD40-2's at the front and 2 more cut into the middle. I couldn't see the middle of this particular train due to the mountain of coal, but I'm guessing there were no units cut into the middle. Could easily be wrong, however. The AC4400's sure have a distinctive shape. These particular ones were obviously brand spankin' new. The black undercoating was still glossy, and the action red was shinier than a used car salesman's hair. Must have been one of the first trips to the coast for these units (maybe THE first, for all I know).
Harry K. Wong, Ian Gardner
On 10/26 the Erie (PA) newpaper stated that GE's union workers were going to stage a 3-day work action (mini-strike). There has been a lot of controversy over recent job cuts at GE's locomotive plant. In the article GE stated that they were concerned that potential customers might get the wrong message, adding that addtional orders were required to avoid more layoffs.
Lee Gregory
BOCA RATON, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 3, 1995--RailAmerica Inc. (NASDAQ:RAIL) announced Friday it had completed the purchase of substantially all of the assets and business of the Seagraves, Whiteface and Lubbock Railroad Co. and the Floydata and Plainview Railroad Co. from Chicago-based American Railway Corp.
The purchase price for both rail lines totaled $4,250,000 and acquisition financing was provided by the National Bank of Canada.
The two railroads operate 111 miles of rail line serving the high plains area of West Texas and the city of Lubbock, and interchange with the Burlington Northern/Santa Fe Railroads in Lubbock. The new RailAmerica companies, West Texas and Lubbock Railroad and Plainview Terminal Co. commenced operations Nov. 1. The company said that the transaction was initiated by Swerdlin Associates, a Boca Raton-based merger and acquisition firm. With the acquisition of these two Texas lines, RailAmerica now operates seven short line railroads.
In commenting on the new acquisition, RailAmerica President John Marino stated: "We are looking forward to bringing to our customers in West Texas access to two strong western carriers, the Burlington Northern/Santa Fe and the anticipated merger of Union Pacific and Southern Pacific. This will result in expanded markets for products originating on our railroad, as well as improved long-haul services with competitive rates."
Boca Raton-based RailAmerica Inc. is a diversified, publicly held transportation holding company with two business groupings - transportation and distribution, and manufacturing and financial services. The company owns and develops short-line and regional freight railroads and, with the Texas acquisitions, operates seven railroads with approximately 560 miles of rail lines in Michigan, Minnesota, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Texas.
The company also owns a a distribution services company, an intermodal services company, a transportation equipment finance company, and a regional motor carrier based in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. Also, through its subsidiary, Kalyn/Siebert Inc., the company manufactures a broad line of heavy duty specialty truck trailers, marketed throughout the U.S., Mexico and Canada.
Business Wire via Brian P. Kreimendahl
Here is a little news and a couple of lashups from Dolores in the lastcouple of days. The big change at Dolores continues to be the Carson Street overpass. Westbound traffic now runs over the bridge, while eastbound traffic still uses the grade crossing. This will continue for a couple of more weeks until the contractor finishes the sidewalks and road surface for the connector between Carson Street and Alameda. So far, a "ghetto fence" has appeared only on the north side of the bridge, though from all appearences, there is no sidewalk on the south side. Also, the fence only extends across the actual bridge; the approaches on both sides seem clear.
The grade crossing will be closed when they are done; already the westbound roadway has been torn up and the curb for the cul-de-sac ending at the SP's parking lot is completed except for where the eastbound lane is still in use. SW1500 2627 seems to have joined GP9E 3384 on the whisker track at Dolores. I saw 2627 about a week ago, with two axles jammed, being shoved about by two SW1500's. When they finally got the brakes off, 2627 had about 3" flat spots.
DOLORES:
10/30/95 0800:
SPL8376-9325-CSXT5510-CSXT5899 FBFB, 283-293-175 FBB , SPL8525-SPL9365 FB NSLBT with 10 stacks
10/31/95 0800:
7436-7455-7474-7499 FBFB LBWCM (YES, FOUR FLARES!), 8539-RG5398 FF, 8340-SPL6856 FF, 8390-SPL8665 FF, RG5391-7440-6863 FBB, 8540-8297 FB w/b 6 stacks
283-175-203 FFB LBUTC, 111-166-272 FFB UTLBC +83
Both of these trains were in the Support Yard, which is almost always reserved for overflow from ICTF.
Ron Lehmer
Railroad Stock Report for Friday, 3 November 1995
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Market Data from Thursday, 2 November 1995
Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 4808.59, up 41.91 on Thursday.
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Big Board (NYSE)
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Line Symbol High Low Close Previous P/E ========================================================================= BNSF BNI 83.375 81.750 82.000 82.250 14 CSX CSX 86.000 82.250 85.750 82.125 13 Conrail CRR 69.250 67.500 68.750 67.500 12 Norfolk Southern NSC 77.625 74.875 77.000 74.875 14 Southern Pacific RSP 22.875 22.000 22.625 21.875 11 Union Pacific UNP 66.000 63.625 66.000 63.750 27 Illinois Central IC 38.250 37.375 38.125 37.625 16 Kansas City Southern KSU 47.000 46.750 47.000 46.875 16 Florida East Coast FLA 66.250 66.000 66.000 66.000 24 Sea Container SCRA 18.125 17.875 18.000 18.125 13 XTRA XTR 44.375 43.750 43.875 43.500 13 Greenbrier GBX 11.000 10.875 10.875 10.875 12 Wabash Natl. Corp. WNC 27.500 25.250 27.000 25.250 24 Trinity Ind. TRN 30.125 29.750 30.000 29.750 14 Ameri. President APS 24.500 24.000 24.500 24.125 12
Line Symbol High Low Close Previous P/E ========================================================================= J.B. Hunt JBHT 15.250 14.750 14.750 15.000 17 Wisconsin Central WCLX 60.500 59.250 60.000 59.500 23 RailTex RTEX 20.750 18.125 18.625 20.250 29 RailAmerica RAIL 4.125 3.750 3.875 4.125 NA Providence & Worc PWRR 7.250 6.750 6.843 7.312 NA Delaware Otsego DOCP 9.500 9.500 9.500 9.500 NA
Here is a trip log from our trip (me & Garth) to the west end of the Needles Sub. On the way out there:
Oct. 20 Mojave SP 264-350-319 working in the yard, getting ready to take the SNTAC up the Searles branch.
*** A DAY AT SIBERIA (& VICINITY) (ATSF NEEDLES SUB) -- OCTOBER 21, 1995 ***
Siberia
Cadiz
Amboy
Bagdad
Siberia
Ludlow
30 trains, with all but the last two in daylight! Not bad, eh?
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Seen on Tehach. on the way home, Oct. 22:
Cable 11:08 EB SP 272-269-268 helper 5513-5509-5506-6832 UTLBC.
Cable 11:35 EB ATSF 5810-5803-5828-5174-4009
Woodford 12:32 In the siding: EB ATSF 226-217-805-908 On the main: WB SP 9810-8034-7828-UP4150 The UP had no DB.
And, along 99 through Livingston, EB SP coal empties with 203-283-175. Nice.
Thass all for now.
Eric Blasko
The following addresses have had problems with transmission and are being deleted:
HELLMAN@ECC7.ATENG.AZ.HONEYWELL.COM, gmcdonel@mgl.com, Joshua_Moldover@ccgate.ssp.nmfs.gov, dttc80a@inboundmx.prodigy.com, Paul_F._De_Luca#UP@notes.up.com, cary.poole@Adm.Angelo.Edu, Stephen_A._Lee#UP@notes.up.com, Mark_A._Bess#UP@notes.up.com, mdowning@netcom.com
This document was last updated November 7, 1995.