September 2008 in rail transport

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This article lists events related to rail transport that occurred in September 2008.

Events

September 6

• – Mount Washington Cog Railway in New Hampshire holds dedication ceremonies to introduce its new locomotive M-1 Wajo Nanatasis, which runs on biodiesel. New Hampshire governor John Lynch was present at the ceremony to help with the dedication. The new locomotive is the first diesel locomotive for the railway and will reduce the time for a round trip to the top of Mount Washington from three to two hours.^[1]

• Brazil's Transportation Ministry says it hopes to have a high-speed train operating in time for the 2014 World Cup. At a cost of some US$15 billion it link Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Campinas.

September 8

• – The United States Surface Transportation Board (STB) rejects Canadian National Railway's (CN) request for an early decision on CN's proposed purchase of Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railroad (EJ&E). CN had asked for a decision by October 15, but the STB denied the request stating that it must complete the environmental impact statement first. The environmental impact statement is expected some time between December 1, 2008, and January 31, 2009, a timeframe that CN says could cause US Steel, which owns EJ&E to cancel the purchase; US Steel agreed to the sale if STB approval could be reached by December 31, 2008.^[2]

September 10

• – Construction crews in China complete the main center span of a new combined highway/rail bridge over the Yangtze River in Wuhan. The new bridge includes four railway tracks and six highway vehicle lanes, and extends 504 metres (1,654 ft) in its center section. Upon its opening in 2009, the 4,657-metre (15,279 ft) long bridge will become the longest combined highway/rail bridge in the world.^[3]

September 11

• – Channel Tunnel fire lasted for sixteen hours and reached temperatures of up to 1000°C; fourteen people suffered minor injuries, including smoke inhalation.

September 12

The Metrolink locomotive on its side after the collision.

• – A Metrolink train carrying 222 passengers fails to stop at a red signal and derails in Chatsworth, CA after hitting a Union Pacific Railroad freight train head-on. Twenty-six people, including the Metrolink locomotive engineer, died in the event. It was billed as the worst rail disaster in the United States in fifteen years.

September 13

• – Limited services resume through the Channel Tunnel following a fire from earlier in the week. Of the two tunnels, only the South tunnel has been reopened to the trains that run the route, the blaze having seriously damaged the North tunnel. Some Eurostar trains as well as some freight trains have resumed service, while French authorities continue their investigation at the scene of the fire.

September 23

• – As part of an investigation into alleged abuses of pension and disability payments to retirees of Long Island Rail Road, U.S. Federal agents raid the Long Island office of the Railroad Retirement Board. New York Governor David Paterson issued a statement calling for Congress to conduct a full review of the Board's mission and daily activities. Officials at the Board's headquarters in Chicago declined to comment on the case.^[4][5]

September 25

• – The High Court of Australia issues a ruling in the case between BHP Billiton and Fortescue Metals Group, concluding that Fortescue's proposed use of Billiton's railway infrastructure in the Pilbara region does not qualify as a use of Billiton's production process. The case is now going to be heard by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, which will determine if Fortescue should be allowed to use the railway for its own shipments; the tribunal's decision isn't expected before 2009 and may not be issued until 2010.^[6]

September 30

• – The United States Surface Transportation Board (STB) announces its approval of Canadian Pacific Railway's proposal to purchase Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad and associated companies, with no conditions other than those that CP had already agreed to in the original plan. The purchase, which was originally proposed in October 2007, includes Cedar American Rail Holdings and subsidiary Iowa, Chicago and Eastern Railroad. The effective date of the purchase is scheduled for October 30, 2008.^[7][8]

References

1. Associated Press (September 7, 2008). "Cog Railway gets new biodiesel locomotive". Nashua Telegraph. Retrieved September 22, 2008.
2. Wronski, Richard (September 9, 2008). "U.S. regulators reject Canadian National's request for early approval of plan to buy railroad". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved September 22, 2008.
3. Xinhua (September 10, 2008). "New highway-railway bridge sets world records". China Daily. Retrieved September 22, 2008.
4. Kessler, Robert E. (September 24, 2008). "Agents raid Westbury railroad retirement board office". Newsday. Retrieved September 26, 2008.
5. "Paterson wants Congress to eye railroad board". AM New York. September 23, 2008. Retrieved September 26, 2008.
6. Smith, Peter (September 25, 2008). "Fortescue's battle for BHP railway backed by court". Financial Times. Retrieved October 2, 2008.
7. "SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD APPROVES CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY'S ACQUISITION OF CONTROL OF THE DAKOTA, MINNESOTA & EASTERN RAILROAD, SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS" (Press release). United States Surface Transportation Board. September 30, 2008. Retrieved September 30, 2008.
8. "Canadian Pacific welcomes STB approval" (Press release). Canadian Pacific. September 30, 2008. Retrieved September 30, 2008.