\( /FJ EELC L I C K SALAMEDA CORRIDOR TRAFFIC INCREASING

The Alameda Conidor continued to be a key SouthernCalifomia intermodal route last year. A total of 19,924 frains -

an average of 55 per day - used the 20-mile corridor, a I S-per-cent increase compared with 2005 data, according to theAlameda Conidor Transportation Authority (ACTA).

ln addition, tains moving through the corridor in 2006 hauledabout 5 million, 20-foot container equivalent units (TEUs), up32 percent compared with 2005's 3.75 n{llion TEUs, Onaverage, tains move 14,000 TEUs through the AlamedaCorridor daily.

A recently released tade impact study by ACTA and the portsof Los Angeles and Long Beach, which are served by thecorridor, shows the ports handle more than 40 percent of thenation's total containerized import traffic and 24 percent ofexports.

Since the Alameda Corridor opened in April 2002 as afreight-rail expressway between the ports and downtown L.A.rail yards, the route's cargo volume has increased 106 percent,ACTA said. The corridor is operated by a unique partrershipbetween the Port of Los Angeles, the Port of lnng Beacb BNSFand Union Pacific Railroad.

[nfo. from BNSF Today via Charles Vames]

CALIFORNIA HIGH-SPEED RAIL by DtcxFrnlovPublic scoping meetings were held along the conidor to

provide members of the public with an opportunity to learnabout the projecq ask questions and provide feedback. BetweeirApril 4 and 17, 2007, five meeting days were held in LosAngeles County involving the L.A. to Pahndale Segmenl or theI,.A, to Orange County Segment or both segments. For morequestions, call the California High-Speed Rail Authority at(877)724-5422.

The Preliminary Schedule 2007-2009 (rounding off quarters)Scoping - Second Quarter (Q2),2007Engineering & Environmental Studies - Q2-Q4, 2007Draft Environmental Impact Report/ Statement - Q4, 2007, Ql'Q4,2008, and Ql,2009Public Circulation/Comment - Q2, 2009Final EIR/EIS - Q3-Q4,2009Notice of Determination/Record of Decision - Q4, 2009.

News about High-Speed Trains around the world -. Argentina is to begin construction to link Buenos Aires,Rosario, and Cordoba in2007. The $800 million project, witha first phase of 3l I miles, will allow speeds between 155 and186 miles per hour.o Mexico is seeking bids on a $12 billion high-speed train linefrom Mexico City to Guadalajara.o Spain has plans for a high-speed network, with the govem-ment fundine new rail infrastructure to serve Madrid and

RAILOUIz by JornvPrrnosIdentiff the action taking place in the accompanying photo-

gaph.A Gandy dancers on a binge.B "Railfest" on the Fillmore & Western.C New rolling stock for the Northeast Conidor.

See answer on Page 3 .

Barcelona. A five-mile tunnel is planned through the Pyreneesmountains, with costs recouped over a 50-year private franchiseoperation. Construction for a high-speed line from Madrid toToledo is also included.. France celebrated the 25th anniversary of TGV recently withcompletion of its eastem line that crosses the vineyards ofChampagrre. About 400,00 people use the TGV for dailycommuting to jobs throughout the country and Europe.

For a month last fall in France, two TGV fains were putthrough extensive operational lesting at speeds between 198 and224 mph on the Mediterranean line to measure the effects ofsustained higher speed on braking, enerry use, track mainten-ance and passenger comfort. TGVs have been operating atspeeds up to 198 mph on this line since 2004,o The United Kingdom will introduce a new express commuterservice between London, St. Pancras, Ashford and the Kentcoast on the high-speed Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) in2009. The fains, adapted from the Japanese high-speedShinkansen trains, will pick up passengers on the existing locallines and then tie into the CTRL line to speed into London.

The CTRL is the frst major new link to be built in the UK inover a century, and when complete will cut an hour offtraveltimes for both regional commuters and international fravelersbetween London and Brussels and Paris.o The Netherlands will open shortly a new high-speed link,

[continued at HIGH-SPEED on Page 3]

Page 2

WHEEL CLICKSMAY 2OO7 VOLUME 71, NO. 2

EDITOR . . . . D ICK FINLEY

TECHNICALEDITOR . CHARLESVARNESM A I L E R . . . . . . F R E D K N O X

EXCURSIONDIRECTOR . . . . . . BARBARASIBERT

Published monthly by Pacific Railroad society, lnc., P. O. Box 80726, San

Marino, Califomia 91118-8726. The Society is a Califomia chartered, nonprofit

organization of those who share an interest in railroad operations, travel and

history. Telephone (562) 692-4858. INTERNET Home Page: http://www'pacificrailroadsociety.org For excursion informaton, phone (626) 570-865 I .

Opinions expressed in unsigned articles are those ofthe editorial board, and do

not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Society' its officers or directors

Opinions in signed articles are those of the author only. All rights reserved.

ISSN: 00434744. A2007 BY PACIFIC RAILROAD SOCIETY, INCMembershiP Dues: $35'00 Per Year

PACIFIC R{ILROAD MUSEUM is operated by Pacific Railroad Society at

210 W. Bonita Ave., San Dimas, CA glTT3 Telephone (909) 394'0616

Museum e-mail: PRSTrainman@aol.com Open Saturdays. l0 a.m -4 p m.;

Wednesdays l-5 p m.MUSEUM COMMITTEE CHAIR LINDSAY SMITH

BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF PACIFIC RAILROAD SOCIETY' INC.

VIC CARLUCCI ., . . . ' PRESIDf,NT

VINCE CANfARRANO .. VICE-PRESIDENTBILL SMITH . SECRETARY

KEITHOGLE TREASURER

MARTr ANN DRAPER (2007-2010) . . . . . DIRECTOR

DTCKFTNLEY(2005-2008) . ' . . . . D IRECTOR

CHRISPARKER(2006-2009) . . . . DIRECTOR

LTNDSAY SMITH (2005-200s) .. ' DIRECTOR

W I L L W A L T f , R S ( 2 0 0 7 - 2 0 1 0 ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ' . D I R E C T O R

PRS NEWS - ARRIVALS AND DEPARTURESMay 4 Board meeting,T:30 p.m., Valencia Room at

Fri. Joslyn Center, 210 N. Chapel Ave., Alhambra.May 5, 6 Visit our table at Fullerton Railroad Days at Fuller-

Sat., Sun. ton Depot, Pomona & Santa Fe Aves.' FullertonMay 5, 12, Pacific Railroad Museum work party, l0 a.m. to 4

19,26 p.m., Bonita & Monte Vista Aves., San Dimas.

Sats. Committee meeting:26.

Sats Day:2, 16: Extra day:9,23,30. CommitteeMeeting: 16.

June 8 Membership Meeting, T:30 p.m., Alhambra Room

Fri. at Joslyn Center.2l0 N. Chapel Ave., Alhambra.

June 9 "A Trip to Tehachapi Pass" leaves San Dimas, 8:00

Sat. a.m. and returns 7:30 p.m. via LAUS & Glendale.

June I I Exc. 528 "Rocky Mountain Traveler" leaves San

Mon. Bernardino on motor coach.

June22 Exc. 528 returns S. Calif. on Southwest Chie/.

Fri.

MEETING PROGRAMS by Rt'ss DAvtEsMay I I - More of Harvey Laner's unique, original video!

He'll feature recent steam action of the "Winter Photo

Freights" on the Nevada Northern, including the 1909

Alco Consolidation and l910 Baldwin Ten-wheeler.

We'll also see the Heber Valley ex-UP 1907 Consolidation

performing in Provo Canyon. Much snow! Be there and

bring slide briefs!June 8 - The Santa Fe owned and operated only two RDCs,

DC 191 and 192. The DC l9l is a survivor, and each of

you are part owners! PRS owns 191, and it's at Saunders

Yard. Member Ed Saalig has been doing research, and

gathering images for a book about these two RDCs which

he plans to publish. The June presentation will be a preview

of Ed's book We'll see images, and hear Ed's narrative of

the history of these two interesting cars' including the tragic

wreck in Los Angeles in the 1950s. Be there, and bring

slide briefs!

MEMBERSHIP by Vlnctt. l la GRITPP

At the Board Meeting on April 6, Steve J. Biffar was voted

into PRS.

BOARD COMMITTEE MINUTES -MARCH 2,2007

by BtI-l SuIrs [Ed.- Selected for general information]

MUSEUM - Director Lindsay Smith reported he went to

Hesperia to see Chard Walker, who will donate his collection to

Pacific Railroad Museum "When I'm through with it." Slides

are being transferred to DVD. The Bill Farmer slide collection

is being gone through. There has been good check reccvery

from the recent thefts. The contract with the current building

maintenance firm has been canceled, with no more thefts as a

result. PRM will have a booth at the Pomona Valley Model

Railroad Club. If the San Dimas Historical Society moves to the

Walker House, PRM will have access to its former space'

ROLLING STOCK - Chair Will Walters reported a flurry of

visitors at Saunders Yard. Most repairs have been done on the

National Forum. Its windows are being addressed with the

arrival of new window rubber' The issue of windows fogging up

is a trial-and-enor affair. The ex-ATSF Hi-Level transition car

is still at the LAUS garden tracks, and will be eventually moved

to Saunders Yard. Restoration of the UP cupola caboose rvill be

historically accurate. overhaul of tn-rcks of the ex-SP articulated

chair car will start again. Water has accumulated in the piston

well of one of the locomotive's two engines, which can be

repaired. An exploratory test will be undertaken' It was the

consensus of the commifiee that the Hi-Level car can be brought

May 5, 12, Rolling Stock repair day, 6:30 a.m. to ?, Saunders19.26 Yard, Noakes & Herbert Sts.' Commerce. Regular

Sats.

M a y l lFri.May l8Fri.

June IFri.June2,9,16,23 ,30Sats.June2,9,1 6 , 2 3 , 3 0

Day: 5, l9; Extra Day:12,26. Committee Meeting:19. More info., phone WillWalters: 714-6374676.Membership meeting, 7:30 p.m., Alhambra Roomat Joslyn Center,2l0 N. Chapel Ave., Alhambra.Slide Night - Saunders Yard, 7:00 p.m., Noakes &Herbert Sts., Commerce. Everyone welcome. Bringslides and refreshmentsBoard Meeting,T:30 p.m., SAUNDERS YARD'Noakes & Herbert Sts., Commerce'Pacific Railroad Museum work party, l0 a.m. to 4p.m., Bonita & Monte Vista Aves., San Dimas.Committee meeting: 23.Rolling Stock repair day, 6;30 a.m. to ?' SaundersYard, Noakes & Herbert Sts., Commerce. Regular

WHEEL CLICKS

to Saunders Yard in regular freight service at an estimated costof $ I 500.PUBLICITY - Chair John Ulloth has asked Fullerton RR Daysfor a different booth location than the one last year.NEW BUSINESS - Director Will Walters passed out a rollingstock committee notice of an offer by Utah Transit Authority todonate one ex-C&NW - Chicago RTA gallery car to PRS(Pullman-Standard, 1960-61). The committee was to meet todiscuss this. If we acquire the car, excursion use would beunlikely (truck rebuild would be required by Amtrak). It couldbe used as an interpretive display.

NINA MELCHINGNina Melching passed away on April l, 2007. She was the

widow of Ralph Melching, PRS Member No. 5. In earlier yearsshe was active with Ralph in PRS, and both were active morerecently in the Pasadena Historical Society. She was also activerecently in the local PEO chapter.

IHIGH-SPEED from Page llcutting time between Amsterdam and Paris to just three hours.o Germany is expanding its ICE services with new construc-tion of a link from Frankfurt to Mannheim. This is in additionto expansion plans for its westem high-speed train corridor.o Switzerland is expected to open the new 20-mile low-levelLotschberg funnel between Brig and Bern, which will cut anhour off travel times between Italy and Germany.o Turkey is constructing a high-speed train system connectingthe capital city of Ankara to Istanbul, the country's largestpopulation center. Trains will travel at 155 mph with passengercapacify of 700,000 riders per year. The system is planned to beoperational by 2008.o South Africa is set to begin construction on the high-speedrail line connecting Johannesburg and the capital, Pretoria.o China plans for the 2008 Olympics to open 72 miles of a new186 mph line being built betr,veen the capital, Beijing, andTianjin. The trains are based on Siemens' ICE Velaro nowoperating in Spain.o South Korea announced in July 2006, a high-speed linebitween Taegu and Busan. Transportation officials noted thatSouth Korea sees high-speed rail as a future growth industry.o Taiwan began commercial runs at 186 mph between sevenmajor stations in November 2006, using high-speed trains basedon the Japanese Shinkansen 700 series. Within several years,100,000 daily passengers are expected, with operating revenuescovering about a quarter ofconstruction costs.

A new high-speed rail system debuted in Taiwan in January.The state-of-the-alt, environmentally-friendly transportationoption took 20 years to build at a cost of $ l5 billion with con-struction beginning in 2000.

[Info. from High-Speed Train Newsf

LOS ANGELES COUNTY RIDERSDuring the month of February 2007,the average number of

weekday riders haveling on trains going to, from, or within LosAngeles County, other than on Amtrak, was289,754. This wasa 4 percent increase over last month.

MAY 2OO7

Answer to RAILOUIZ from Pase l.

Page 3

B. Speeder ride at "Railfest" on March 25,2007, in Fillmore,Califomia.

URBAN RAIL TRANSIT by Drcx FTNLEYLOS ANGELES METRO RAIL

RIDERSHIPFebruary 2007 Red Line Blue Line Green Line Gold LineWeekday Ave. 124,105 74,484 35,900 17,564Saturday Ave. 82,634 54,148 20,756 12,705Sunday Ave. 71,265 41,850 16,153 10,005Monthly Total 3,097,693 1,373,672 865,645 442,129

PERSONNELMetro Rail General Manager Gerald Francis resigned from theLos Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority(MTA)(Metro), effective March 30, to take a position as deputygeneral manager of the Washington Metropolitan Area TransitAuthority (WMATA). Francis willjoin his former boss, JohnCatoe, who resigned as Metro's deputy CEO in January tobecome general manager of WMATA.

"Gerald has been an integral part of Metro's team for thepast five years and I have truly enjoyed working with him for thepast 13 years (in Dallas and Los Angeles)," said CEO RogerSnoble. Francis joined Metro in January 2002, after serving asvice-president of Rail Operations for Dallas Area Rapid Transit.

During his tenure as Metro Rail chiei Francis, 53, oversawthe startup of the Metro Gold Line, a track reconstruction projecton the Metro Green Line, and multi-million dollar upgrades ofradio communications, surveillance and security equipment onthe rail system and at the Rail Operations Center. Also, theAnsaldobreda 2550 rail car prototype and the first 2550production cars were received and tested then.

EMERGENCY SUBWAY OPERATORSPreparing for grim possibilities, Metro trained four hrefight-

ing and law enforcement personnel in Feb. to operate subwaytrains in case of a major emergency. The four attended eighthours of classrooin training and eight hours training on the RedLine. Metro is the first transit agency in the United States tohain fire and law enforcement personnel to operate heavy rail,according to LAFD Battalion Chief John Quintanar. He shessedthat fire and law enforcement personnel would only operate railcars to free rail operators from working in a dangerous situation.

RAIL RODEO2OOTA well-seasoned team of competitors emerged as victors for

the 2007 Metro Rail Rodeo and will represent the agency, June2, atthe American Public Transportation Association Interna-tional Rail Rodeo in Toronto. Leading the rail operator teamwilt be Tu Phan (Red Line), Robert Rodriguez (Red Line), andRamon Reilly (Blue Line). The rail maintenance specialists willbe Eric Czintos (Blue Line), Ronnie Burt (Blue Line), and ToshiManaka (Red Line).

FARE HIKES TO CLOSE BUDGET DEFICITSOn March 23 county fansit officials announced plans for the

first fare hike for bus and rail lines in 13 years. The proposaiwould hit commuters particularly hard - a $52 monthly passwould cost as much as $120 by 2009. The proposal comes fivemonths after a restrictive consent decree expired, allowing MTAofficials to raise fares.

Page 4 WHEEL CLICKS

The plan would raise the standard fare for one-way tripsfrom $1.25 to $2 by 2009. Day passes, currently $3, wouldincrease to $5 in July and $8 by 2009. Monthly passes wouldcost $75 in July and $120 in 2009. Under the plan somestudents, the elderly and the disabled, currently paying $12 amonth, would be charged $60 by 2009. Any fare hike wouldhave to pass the l3-member board. No date has been announcedfor that vote, though it is expected later this spring.

"We can't sustain the deficit," said Marc Littman, an MTAspokesman. He said that the current fares are some of the lowestin a major U.S. city, with customers paying only 24 percent ofwhat it costs to operate because of discounts and high-volumeuse. Thar compares to the 44 percent that MTA official policyhas long dictated and the 38 percent national average.

The two-phase hike is needed to dig the MTA out of a $ L Ibillion budget deficit, officials say. Littman said the MTA haseliminated 545 staff positions in the last five years, chased newadvertising revenue and cut entire bus lines as part of annualservice adjustments. It isn't enough, he said, to make up thedifference. Littman said the operating gap for the MTA threa-tens to impair fuhre service, especially as costly projects like theGold Line extension and the new Expo Line come to fruition,requiring higher operating expenditures.[nfo. from Los Angeles Downtown Newsl

GOLD LINE FOOTHILL EXTENSIONThe city of Ontario in San Bernardino County has moved to

join the Gold Line authority's board. This was approved by theCity Council in December. In order to qualif, for federalfunding, the Gold Line Foothill extension needs to be listed asa high-priority item on Metro's long-range plan.

Carol Inge, Metro's executive officer for planning, has saidthe long-range plan will be updated next spring. "All the right-of-way is purchased. We have resolutions of support from all ofthese cities," said Susan Hodor of the Gold Line FoothillExtension Authority. "We're really poised to begin constructionas soon as these (funding) issues are resolved."

[nfo. from Inland Valley Daily Bulletin via Ed Von Nordeck]PORTLAND, OREGON

Portland's new aerial tram to Oregon Health & ScienceUniversity (OHSU) had more than double the Feb. projection ofridership. Making the trip from the South Waterfront toOHSU's Marquam Hill campus were 125,158 people, which farsurpassed the 66,000 originally projected.

OHSU employees, students, patients, patient families, andother OHSU-subsidized riders accounted for 92 percent of theriders. Eight percent of the riders paid the $4 fare. Totalrevenue was $32,736 for the month.

PORTLAND-MILWAUKIE LIGHT RAIL PROJECTSoutheast Portland residents have long sought light rail

transit, but Clackamas County scuttled the idea twice. Opposi-tion has melted because planners came up with a better projectthat didn't cut through historic neighborhoods. Communitieshave changed by becoming younger, using mass transit, andhaving higher income levels.

Some route issues remain, and the siting of a new MAX-onlyrail bridge over the Willamette River between Oregon Museumof Science and Industry (OMSI) and the South Waterfront arestill up in the air. The project could be built at a cost ofabout

MAY 2OO7

$850 mi l l ion.The first phase, which extends MAX along Interstate 205 on

the so-called Green Line to Clackamas Town Center, is underconstruction. Milwaukie is next, which calls for a line thatwould begin at Portland State University where the new transitmall line will end. Then cross the river south of OMSI and headalong Southeast lTth Ave. and Mcloughlin Blvd. to Milwaukie.The 6.5-mile l ine would go east from North Main St. to theTillamook branch railroad tracks, ending at Lake Road. Theplan features a large park-and-ride lot and I I stations.

Opposition from N. Main St. industrial leaders promptedstudy of an altemate route with a terminus at Kellogg Lake. Butofficials dropped the lake site because it was donated to the cityl5 years ago for exclusive use as a park.

Transit advocate Jim Howell says the new bridge is a badidea. He would prefer to keep light rail on the east side ofPortland, because it would be cheaper and provide faster servicethan building a new bridge and sending trains into downtown.But officials argue that forcing commuters to transfer to a bus orMAX at the Rose Quarter to get downtown would discourageridership.

Other altematives would end the line at Park Ave., while stillothers would carry the line farther to Gladstone and OregonCity, west across the Willamette River to Lake Oswego or eastto Clackamas Town Center.

Metro hopes to secure funding and the necessary approvalsfrom local, regional, state, and federal agencies to begin con-struction on the Portland-Milwaukie segment as early as 201 I .with completion by 2014.

[nfo. from The Oregonian via Caroline Hobson]

CALTRAIN NEWS by Mrxr GoxnnoNOn April 2, Caltrain implemented a fare increase of 25 cents

per zone along with minor schedule changes, to seven south-

bound moming trains. In addition to having to dig a little deeper

for their tickets on April 2, Caltrain passengers also had to

endure late trains due to a number of mechanical breakdowns.With short tumaround times for crews and equipment, it

didn't take long for the domino effect to take hold. Trains were

run out of order, expresses became locals, and some crews and

equipment wound up out of position.To compound matters fufther, there was a minor derailment

in San Francisco Yard and an attempted suicide involving Train

No. 154 at Palo Alto. Fortunately, the Giants home opener at

AT&T Park was the following day, or a total meltdown could

have resulted.The problems of April 2 probably won't go far in increasing

Caltrain ridenhip, but the 23 percent increase it realized between

June 2004 and June 2005, eamed Caltrain the Success in

Enhancing Ridership award. lt was presented on March l2 by

Federal Railroad Administrator James S. Simpson, and was

awarded not only for ridership growth, but also for having done

so in a way that can be emulated by other transit systems around

the country.Construction crews have been reconstructing the station

tracks at San Francisco's 4th and King Streets Station, replacing

rails and ties, and resurfacing. Crews are doing two tracks at a

time, requiring some trains to arrive and depart from other than

WHEEL CL ICKS

their normal tracks.The waiting shelter at the Atherton Station received some

minor damage fiom a ltre around April l. The cause of the fire

was not yet known at this writing.

RAIL TRANSIT TEMPO by Tona NELSONCALCARY. ALBERTA

Two extensions of the Calgary "C Train" are expected to

open in the Fall of this year. The light rail transit (LRT) systemwill add 1.6 miles between Whitehom and McKnight/West-

winds. as well as 2.4 miles from Dalhousie to Crowfoot.SALT LAKE CITY

For Utah Transit Authority (UTA), Bombardier is refurbish-

ing 29 light rail vehicles (LRVs) purchased from the Santa Clara

Valley Transportation Authority. The LRVs were built by

Bombardier in 1985-86. Work wil l be performed at a UTA

facil i ly.Next year TRAX LRT, FrontRunner commuter rail, Amhak,

Grey'hound. and UTA buses wil l converge at 300 South 600

West. being refened to as the Depot District in Salt Lake City.

Meanwhile a difference of opinion has arisen with a split

bet*een UTA officials who want to name the terminal "Salt

Lake Central Station" and those who prefer "The Hub."DENVER

The T-REX project's l9-mile, Southeast Corridor, LRT line

of the Denver Rapid Transit District (RTD), which began

running on Nov. l7 last year, was slowed somewhat by snowfall

in Dec. but recovered later in Jan. During Feb. '07 the average

u'eekdar ridership \!as up to just over 33,000. That same month,

the RTD light rail system averaged 62,500, exceeding the

projection of 54,000 upon the completion of T-REX.

The FasTracks program's six corridors have fallen into a

muddle over electric vs. diesel rail. RTD was studying a

comparison of both propulsion systems, depending on whether

a particular route would be LRT or commuter rai[. Then an RTD

director said that $200 mill ion or more could be saved by using

diesel commuter rail in four of the conidors. West Conidor cuts

of $ 1 l3 million are needed to retum the project to under budget.

PHOENIX'

Although Valley Metro Rail 's (VMR) ftrst-phase,20.3-mile,

LRT line is not scheduled to open unti l Dec. 2008, an extension

to the northwest is being planned. Originally the expansion was

to be 4.6 miles long, but it has been decided to shorten the length

to 3.2 miles and use $273 mill ion in local funds. VMR realized

the construction of 4.6 miles by the desired completion in2012

would not be possible due to the complicated procedures in

obtaining federal funds. This would delay any service along the

lengthened route unti l 2014.NEW ORLEANS

The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority plans to reopen

another segment of its St. Charles streetcar line. This time it will

be between Lee Circle and Napoleon Ave. by mid-2007.LITTLE ROCK

The extension eastward of the River Rail streetcar l ine, on

the Little Rock side of the Arkansas River, was expected to open

in late Feb. this year. The line is to serve the Clinton Presiden-

tial Library, which is adjacent to the former Choctaw Route

railway station.

MAY 2OO7 Page 5

KANSAS CITY, MO.A discussion proposal has been put forth conceming routing

oflight rail approved by the voters Nov. 7,2006. The first stageof a l ine would be l4 miles between Troost Ave. and Rockhil lRoad in the south of the city. Also, included is North OakTrafficway to Vivion Road in the north. This may change.

LRVs IN PRODUCTION FOR CITIESWEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI as of January 1.2001

Phoenix, Valley Metro: 49, Kinkisharyo.Los Angeles County MTA: 47, AnsaldoBreda.Portland, TriMet: 21, Siemens.Seattle, Sound Transit, Central Link: 33, Kinkisharyo.

South Lake Union: 3 streetcars. Inekon.Edmonton:26. SiemensCalgary Transit: 37, Siemens.Minneapolis, Hiawatha line: 3, Bombardier.Denver RTD. 34, Siemens.Dallas, DART: I l5 C-car inserts for existing LRVs, Kinki-

sharyo.

[nfo. from Ed Von Nordeck, lntemet via Ken Ruben, NARPNews, R-y Age, Trainsl

S. CALIF. COMMUTER RAIL bv Dtcx FTNLEYRIVERSIDE

Metrolink wil l continue offering fares 50 percent off theregufar weekday price, through June 30,2007. Unlike theprevious weekend service known as the Beach Train,linited to

the summer months, Inland Empire Orange County (fEOC)

weekend trains operate throughout the year on a regular service.Three round trip trains travel between Riverside stations and

Oceanside on Saturday. Two trains operate on Sunday making

all IEOC Line stops and one additional stop at the San Clemente

Pier. Tickets can be purchased fiom Metrolink ticket machines.

In December. the Riverside Downtown Station became the

newest fiee wireless internet location of the SmartRiversideproject. This service provides station users access to e-mail,

office networks or the Intemet on the laptop or PDA. Average

speeds are l0 times faster than dial up connection.SCRRA MONITORING OR PROVIDING INPUT

A quarterly update on project collaborations/comments was

presented at the Metrolink Board of Directors meeting on March

23, 2007. Southern California Regional Rail Authority

(SCRRA) staff has been monitoring or providing input on the

following Metrolink operations, capital projects, and plans for

growth.l. Southern California Associated Governments' (SCAG)

Regional Transportation Plan and Transportation Improvement

Proqram. Staff participates on several SCAG Committees

including the Plans and Programs Technical Advisory Commit-

tee, the Transporlation Finance Task Force, the Goods Move-

ment'fask Force and the MAGLEV Task Force.

2. MTA Cost Benefit Analvsis of Metrolink. The work started

in February 2007.3. OCTA's plans for 30-minute service between Laeuna/Mis-

sion Vieio and Fullerton. The service wil l be init iated by 2010.

4. RCTC's Perris Vallev Line. This wil l be an extension of the

9l Line at the Riverside Downtown Station. The terminus of the

line is in the Citv of Penis at Route 74 and Ethanac Road.

Page 6 WHEEL CLICKS

5. RCTC I-15 Commuter Rail Feasibilitv Studv. The three

commuter rail scenarios to be evaluated include high speed rail

and conventional rail technology based services between

Temecula and San Diego along the proposed HSR conidor, and

a conventional commuter service running north from Temecula

to Corona with new tracks and right-of-way connecting to

Meholink's 9l and IEOC lines. The planned service levels

include six peak period trains with two mid-day trains for each

of the alternatives.6. SANBAG Redlands Rail Service. The SCRRA Strategic

Assessment assumes Meholink service is extended to a Down-

town San Bemardino Station at E Street and Rialto. This station

would serve as a transfer point to the proposed service to

Redlands. The service proposes a self-propelled passenger

vehicle, i.e. a Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU). Most of the existing

route would be double-tracked to allow for l5-minute headways

all day.7. VCTC's Santa Paula Branch Line. This is an ongoing study

of potential passenger rail on this l ine, probably using DMUs.

VCTC acquired the Santa Paula Branch Line from the former

Southem Pacific Railroad in 1995. The 32-mile long rail l ine

includes approximately 29 miles of existing track from Montalvo

to Piru and 3 miles of abandoned (removed) track between Piru

and Rancho Camulos. The line once extended all the way east

to the City of Santa Clarita, but that track has been removed, and

portions of the right-of-way no longer exist.

8. Anaheim Regional Transportation lntermodal Center(ARCTIC). The ARCTIC is an intermodal transportation center

located in the City of Anaheim, along the Los Angeles to San

Diego (LOSSAN) rail line. The project is bounded by State

Route 57, the Santa Ana River, and Katella Avenue, and in close

proximity to I-5. ARCTIC will serve as a hub for many transit

modes providing everything from conventional bus service to

planned regional high technology fransportation systems. In

addition, ARCTIC will strategically facilitate the proposed

California High Speed Rail alignment, as well as the Anaheim

to Ontario International Airport segment of the California-

Nevada Interstate Maglev project. This project expands existing

transportation infrastructure for Amhak Intercity rail, Metrolink

cbmmuter rail, Orange County rapid transit systems, and

Anaheim Resort shuttles. OCTA and the City of Anaheim are

cooperating on acquiring necessary property with local funds.

The project is in preliminary design.

9. Park-Spectrum Guidewav Demonstration Proiect' This is an

advanced guideway transit project to serve the Great Park (ex-El

Toro Marine Corps Air Field) and Irvine Spectrum areas of the

City with the lrvine Transportation Center (lTC) serving as a

hub. Amtrak and Metrolink Orange County and IEOC Lines

currently serve the ITC. Early phases include the development

of a funding plan, public outreach, and a project definition study,

and to update the ITC Master Site Plan. Future funding is antici-

pated from the City's $l2l mil l ion allocation of Proposition 116

(Clean Air and Transportation Act) funds, subject to the

approval of the Califomia Transportation Commission and the

ability of the City to fund the required 50 percent match.

10. Los Aneeles River Revitalization Master Plan (LARRMP).

In May 2006 SCRRA provided comments on the Notice of

Preparation and Initial Study for an EIR/EIS. The reach of the

MAY 2OO7

Los Angeles River from just north of the Ventura Freeway (SR

134) near the Verdugo Wash south to Washington Blvd. is in

close proximity to SCRRA's railroad right-of-way, requiringSCRRA's involvement in the review of all developmentproposals. It is SCRRA's statutory responsibility to provide

commuter rail service and to dispatch and maintain the railroadrighrof-way for interstate freight and passenger commerce.SCRRA's comments are designed to accommodate theLARRMP developments while ensuring ongoing safe, reliableoperation of passenger and freight service in the corridor, andensuring the project does not preclude growth of these services.I l. The Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension. This projectwould provide 24 miles of an LRT extension from Pasadena toMontclair through 12 cit ies, with 12 proposed stations. Therewould be transfer possibilities to Metrolink in Claremont,Montclair, and perhaps in Pomona or La Verne. SCRRA hasmade comments on the Draft EIR/EIS. The first phase of theproject between East Pasadena and Azusa is in the preliminary

engineering phase. On February 28,2007, SCRRA received aletter fiom the Gold Line Construction Authority assuring themof active involvement in discussions of common interest relatedto Segment I (to Azusa) and Segment 2 (Azusa to Montclair).12. Santa Barbara Commuter Rail Studv. SCRRA staffprovided technical support as requested for the 2005 study by

the Santa Barbara Association of Govemments of potential

commuter rail from Ventura to Santa Barbara. The study wasdeveloped as suppoft for Santa Barbara's unsuccessful sales taxmeasure on the November 2006 ballot.13. LOSSAN North Strateeic Plan. This is to develop a strategicplan for growth in the intercity rail corridor north of Los Angeles

to San Luis Obispo on rights-of-way owned by Union Pacific

Railroad, VCTC, and LACMTA. The southem portion of this

corridor includes Metrolink's Ventura County Line.

14. BNSFiCaltrans Improvements on the BNSF between Com-merce and Fullerton. SCRRA staff is attending quarterly

meetings and monitoring the progress of these capital improve-

ments and grade separations. The triple track segment between

Basta (MP 163.0) and Buena Park (MP 160.3) was scheduled to

be in service on April 15,200'7.15. Golden State Freewav (l-5) HOV lanes and Empire Avenue

Underpass. The State of California, Department of Transporta-

tion (Caltrans) is in the process of designing and constructing

HOV lanes and widening the Golden State Freeway (l-5) from

State Route 134 to l l8. As part of the project SCRRA will

cooperate with Caltrans in relocating Valley Subdivision tracks

and constructing grade separations at Buena Vista St., San

Fernando Rd. & Empire Ave. in the City of Burbank in order to

accommodate the freeway project. To accomplish this, the track

behveen Burbank Blvd. and Hollywood Way will be elevated on

an embankment with retaining wall structures and bridges at

Empire Ave. and Buena Vista St.16. Grade Separation Proiects. SCRRA staff has provided

technical and construction support for numerous grade separa-

tion projects to be constructed by others on Metrolink rights-of-

way. These projects and their current status as of March 16,

2007. is :. Ramona Blvd. in City of El Monte - Under Construction. Siena Highway in Santa Clarita - Under Construction

WHEEL CLICKS

. I-5 Sylmar Overhead Widening - Under Construction

. Jeffrey Road in Irvine - Under Construction soon

. Haven Ave. in Rancho Cucamonga - Under design (90%)

. I-10 widenins in El Monte - Under design (90%)

. Sand Canyon Avenue in Irvine - Under design (50%)

. Fairmont Avenue in Glendale - Under design (5%)

PASSENGERTRAINUPDATES byCHnnlrsVlnxrsOn Feb.27,the Senate Surface Transportation and Merchant

Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security Committees held a

hearing on S.294, the Passenger Rail Investment and Improve-ment Act of 2007.

Pennsylvania Governor, Edward G. Rendell; Joseph H.Boardman, Federal Railroad Administrator and Secretary ofTransportation's Representive to the Amtrak Board; AlexKummant, National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak)

hesident & CEO ; Frank Busalacchi, Secretary of the Wisconsin

Department of Transportation; and Ms. Kelly Taylor, Adminis-

trator of the Rail Division, Oregon Department of Transporta-

tion, appeared before the Committee.The bill was introduced on Jan. 16 and referred to the

committee the same day. The hearing held on Feb. 27 is thelatest action on the bil l . By mid-April the bil l had 33 cospon-

sors. Califomia Senator Barbara Boxer was one of the original

nine cosponsors.AMTRAK NEWS

Spring Summer TimetableThe Spring Summer 2007 Amtrak System Timetable became

effective April 2. It bears the cover dates April 2, 2007 -

October, 2007, An Acela Express train crossing the Hell Gate

Bridge is pictured on the fiont cover. The back cover carries an

advertisement for the Railway Media, LLC digEplayer.The new timetable is larger, measuring ll by \t/z inches, the

same size as the Amtrak Vacations Travel Planner, and contains

128 pages. The previous System Timetable measured l0 by 8

inches, and contained 136 pages.The Table of Contents is ananged with routes shown in an

east to west order: Northeast Corridor Service, Routes in the

East, Routes in the Midwest, Routes in the West, West Coast

(Pacific Northwest), and West Coast (Califomia Conidor).

Each route title is placed upon a colored background, which is

reflected in a matching color tab along the right side of the Table

of Contents page. This is keyed to a matching color tab on pages

within the timetable, making it easier for the user to find the

section of the timetable they need.Selected schedule adjustments in the new timetable are

included in the appropriate section of this column. There are no

significant changes in schedule changes for western long-

distance, intercity trains and the Pacific Surfliners, San Joa-

quins, Capitol Corridor, or Amtrak Cascqdes.

Wireless Credit Card Processing on Long Distance Trains

During the coming year, Amtrak will roll out wireless credit

card processing using wireless electronic credit card processing

terminals on all trains where food and beverage service is

offered. This follows the successful launch of the terminals on

Acela Express trains last year.The credit card processing terminals will be used for cafd

car, dining car and at-seat cart services. Using the new devices'

MAY 2OO7 Page 7

service attendants are now able to get instant authorizations from

credit card companies.The processing terminals accept all major credit cards, and

there are no minimum purchase requirements. For purchases

under $25, no signature is needed and receipts are issued onlywhen requested by the customer.

INTERCITY TRAINSLakeshore Limited

Tr. No. 48, the eastbound Lake Shore Limited, will departChicago at l0 p.m. nightly, allowing it to accept more passengers

aniving on other trains from the west and south, while providing

a more attractive eastbound departure from Cleveland. At

Chicago, Lake Shore Limited passengers can begin boarding twohours before departure and Sleeping Car customers will beoffered a complimentary Welcome Aboard Reception in the

Dining Car in lieu of dinner.Tr. No. 448, the eastbound extension of the Lake Shore

Limited between Albany/Rensselaer, N.Y., and Boston, via

Springfield, Mass., wil l depart at 4:10 p.m. due to the new

Chicago-Rensselaer-New York schedule of Tr. No. 48.MIDWEST ROUTES

The schedules of the Kqnsas City Mule (Tr. No. 3l l), ,S/.

Louis Mule (TR. No. 316), and the Ann Rutledge (Tr. Nos.

3131314) were adjusted effective April 2 due to a major track

repair project by the Union Pacific. The project will continue

through the fall of 2007. During the construction period, UPwill install new rail, ties, ballast and replace surfaces at road

crossings. While the modified schedules will permit trainservice to continue, Amtrak has reserved the right to occasion-

ally charter buses to represent trains that would otherwise begreatly delayed.

TIte l(olverine Chicago-Detroit service has been improvedwith a change of Tr. No. 350's Chicago departure time to 8:30

a.m. allowing a connection from Milwaukee-Chicago Hicwatha

Tr. No. 330. Tr. No. 352, the mid-day llolverine Service, will

depart Chicago at l2:15 p.m to offer more attractive arrival time

at Michigan stations.NORTHEAST CORRIDOR

Amtrak has expanded at:seat food cart service on its Acelq

Express trains. The addition of cart service on four Acelas brings

the service to a total of ten trains. Regular cafd service will

continue to be offered with similar menu choices.There are minor changes to Acela Express schedules along

the Boston-New York-Washington corridor, and several

improve-ments planned for the Keystone Corridor between

Harrisburg, Pa., and Philadelphia.Two new weekend Keystones will be operated. On Satur-

days, Tr. No. 610 wil ldepart Harrisburg at 7:05 p.m. to offer a

later eastbound departure and connect in Philadelphia with

Regional trains to the north and south. On Sundays, Tr. No. 615

will offer an additional westbound frequency from Philadelphia

at 1:45 p.m. for passengers retuming home or to school at the

end ofthe weekend.A new Regional train between New York and Washington,

Tr. No. 121, will operate on Saturdays, departing New York at

5:45 a.m. to allow a full day visit to Philadelphia, Baltimore or

Washington. Also on Saturdays, new Tr. No. 147 departs

Springfietd, Mass., at 8:05 a.m., providing an additional

Page 8 WHEEL CLICKS

frequency southbound to Washington.DEPOT DOINGS

New OrleansIn February, the New Orleans Regional Planning Commis-

sion received a $994,000 Federal Railroad Administration grantto fund a study of the future role of the New Orleans UnionPassenger Terminal (NOUPT) in meeting the city's transporta-tion needs. The grant will support its efforts to identiff allowners of NOUPT property, including land and air rights;review current transportation uses of the facility; and determinefinancial and development goals for future project feasibilitystudies. This planning phase is expected to take until the end of2008.

The grant announcement stated, "A number of cunentpassenger rail development initiatives might benefit from theplanning provided by this grant. For example, the NOUPT ispresently part of several larger regional plans under consider-ation to develop high-speed rail service linking New Orleans toHouston. Atlanta and Mobile. In addition, state and localleaders have discussed using the terminal as part of a potentialBaton Rouge to New Orleans commuter rail service. The facilityalso serves as a key element in the region's emergency plans toevacuate residents from the city'"

OTHER PASSENGER RAIL NEWSCalifomia High-Speed Passenger Rail Project

On March 16, the Federal Railroad Administration an-nounced it will jointly prepare an Environmental ImpactStatement (EIS) with the California High-Speed Rail Authorityfor two sections of the state's proposed high-speed pass€ngerrail project. The two EIS documents, covering the Palmdale toLos Angeles and Los Angeles to Orange County corridors, will

involve preliminary engineering desigrs and assess the environ-mental impact associated with construction, operation, andmaintenance of the proposed project. These two conidors arepart of the Authority's plan to build a 700-mile high-speed rail

iystem from Sacramento/San Francisco to San Diego capable of

speeds in excess of 200 miles per hour.

[nfo. from Ken Ruben, Ed Von Nordeck]

2OO7 UNION PACIFIC STEAM OPERATIONSby CHanlrs Vlnxns

Union Pacific has announced the operation of five steampowered special trains in 2007.

May 1- May 31. The Pacific Northwest Portland Rose

pulled by the 844. Displays are planned at Rock Springs, Wyo';-Pocatello and Boise, Idaho; LaGrande, Hinkle, and The Dalles,

Ore.l Tacoma, Wash. and Portland, Ore'June 23 - July 5. The Corn Belt Rocket pulled by the 844'

Display stops are planned at North Platte, Fremont, and Fair-

bury, Neb.; Boone, Iowa; Trenton and Kansas City, Mo'

July 19 - July 22. The Derwer Post Cheyenne Frontier Days

Speciil pulled by the 844. The locomotive will be on display in

Denver.Aug.22- Aug. 26. The Colorado State Foir Mountaineer

pulled by ChallengerNo. 3985. The locomotive is scheduled to

be on display in Denver for several days.Sept. 3 --Sept. 23. Tlte Oklahoma Centennial Sooner Roclret

pulled by the 8i4. Displays are planned at Herington, Wichita,

and toplka, Kan.; and Enid, El Reno, and Duncan, Okla'

MAY 2OO7

CALIFORNIA REGION TIMETABLE 18by Crunlns VARNES

The Califomia Region Timetable 18 went on sale on Marchl0 at Winterail 2007. The timetable is the first to be publishedsince David Curlee acquired the Altamont Press PublishingCompany following the death of its owner, Rob Carlson, inApril2006.

The timetable, like its predecessors, covers California rail-roads from the Oregon to the Mexican border, and fro:n theNevada and Arizona state lines to the Pacific shoreline. It

contains pages showing BNSF, Union Pacific, short line andtourist railroads, Caltrain, Metrolink and San Diego Northem(Coaster) lines. Each page shows mile posts, stations, sidingsand speeds. The number oftracks and how they are dispatchedis included, also. The "special Instructions" section containsCalifomia Amtrak schedules effective October 20,2006, freight

train symbols, radio frequencies and rosters. Railroad sigrral

aspects, a California map and regional maps are included, also.The price of the Califomia Region Timetable l8 is $22'95.

It can be ordered from Altamont Press at www.altamontpress.com. It is also available in stores.

The next timetable to be published will be Northwest Timeta-ble 8. It should be available in summer 2007.

Other Altamont Press timetables available are the CaliforniaRegion Timetable 17 ($10.00), Kansas City Timetable I($16.00), Rocky Mountain Timetable 7 ($19.95)' SouthwestTimetable 5 ($19.95), and Texas Timetable I ($19'95)'

FRENCH TRAIN SETS SPEED RECORDA French train with a 25,000-horsepower engine and special

wheels broke the world speed record at the end of March for

conventional rail trains, reaching 357.2 mph. The black-and-chrome V I 50 with three double-decker cars fell short of beating

the ultimate record set by Japan's magnetically levitated train,

which hit 361 mph in 2003. The demonstration was meant to

showcase technology that France is trying to sell to the

multibillion-dollar overseas markets such as China.The French TGV, or train a grande vitesse, as the country's

bullet train is called, had two engines on either side of the three

double-decker cars for the record run, about 125 miles east of

the capitol on a new track linking Paris with Shasbourg'

Normally, French TGVs travel at a cruising speed of about 186'4

mph.A California lawmaker, Assemblywoman Fiona Ma, was on

board when the French train surpassed the previous mark for

conventional rail of 320.2 mph, which was set in 1990 by

another French hain. Ma was part of a delegation of a half-

dozen lawmakers who were in France in part to examine the

French high-speed rial system as California considers building

a 700-mile system of its own to carry passengers at speeds of

more than 200 mph.A nearly $10 billion bond measure that would help pay for

a high-speed rail line between Los Angeles and San Francisco,

wittr tinfs to San Diego and Sacramento' will be on Califomia's

2008 November ballot. But a vote on the bond measure has

been delayed twice already, and Gov. Arnold Schwarzeneggerwants lawmakers to bump it from the 2008 ballot'

[Info. from the Los Angeles Timesl

WHEEL CL ICKS

HIGH DESERT TRAIN COLLISIONS by Dtcx FInlnvOn April 3 a Hesperia man was lucky to escape a car

accident with his life. "By the time he [Emanuel McCarey, 57]was out and we checked the vehicle to make sure no one elsewas inside, that's when I saw the train coming," said Sgt. DaleCunningham of the San Bernardino County Sheriff s Depart-ment station.

Around l0 p.m., McCarey was traveling eastbound onWalnut St. at Hesperia Rd. at about 55 mph, when he failed tostop at the stop sign. He crossed through Hesperia Rd., hit atrench on the east side, and still had enough momentum tolaunch the car onto the railroad tracks beside the trench.Onlookers and deputies were able to pull McCarey out of hisvehicle about a minute before the 7,717-foot BASF trainslammed into it at 55 mph, scattering vehicle debris everywhere."lt just obliterated the car when the train struck. The vehiclewent up into the air. The engine was dislodged and flew out Lnanother direction," Cunningham said. "lt was unbelievable."

Lena Kent, spokeswoman for BNSF, said there were varioustypes of freight on the train, which was delayed an unknownperiod of time. McCarey was booked into the Victor Valley Jailon suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.

According to Chard Walker, the same thing happened at thesame location in Hesperia, when he was working in the Santa FeDepot in Victon'i l le in the early 1980s. In that event, a ladymonitoring the Citizens' Band for emergencies phoned to advisethe depot that an automobile was stuck on the tracks.

Chard had time to leam that an eastbound freight train wasout of Summit and approaching Hesperia. He was able tocontact the engine crew by radio and advised them to slow downand approach the location prepared to stop, which they did.

[nfo. from Chard Walker and V ictorville Daily Press)

RAILROAD ACCIDENTS DECLINED IN 2006The numoer of train accidents declined for the second year

in a row and there were fewer highway-rail grade crossing colli-sions according to preliminary 2006 rail safety data. Thirty sixstates experienced fewer train accidents in 2006 as compared to

2005.' The preliminary statistics released on March 7 by the Federal

Railroad Adminishation (FRA) revealthat in 2006 railroads had402 fewer train accidents nationwide, or a 12.4 percent reduction

from 2005. Specifically, the number of derailments declined 8.3percent and collisions between trains decreasedby 27.1 percent.

Texas led the nation with 5l fewer hain accidents last year

followed by Ohio (34), Nebraska (32), Indiana (29), New Jersey(24), and Califomia (23).

The data for 2006 also reveal that train accidents caused by

human error - the leading cause of all train accidents - declined20.2 percent. Train accidents caused by track issues decreased

5.8 percent, and those caused by equipment failure and sigralproblems fell by 8.2 percent and27.0 percent, respectively.

In addition, last year the number of highway-rail grade

crossing collisions felt by 5.0 percent. However, grade crossing

fatafities increased by 1.4 percentto 362; alrd, trespass fatalities,

the number one cause of all rail-related deaths, increased by 14.5

percent to 530.Some of the safety gains are attributable to aggressive

MAY 2007 Page 9

implementation of the Department's National Rail Safety ActionPlan: which focuses on the most frequent, highest-risk causes oftrain accidents; optimizes the use of data to target federalinspection and enforcement resources; and accelerates researchinitiatives that hold promise to mitigate the greatest potentialsafety risks.

During 2007,the FRA is planning additional action to furtherimprove rail safety, including: adding two new automated hackinspection vehicles to its fleet to triple the number of track-milesinspected each year; issuing a final rule to address the mostcommon human factor causes of train accidents such as mis-aligned track switches; and completing several grade crossingsafety and trespass prevention initiatives. In February theDepartment submitted a rail safety reauthorization bill toCongress seeking authority to address key safety issues likeregulating railroad employee hours of service and establishingnew risk reduction programs.

Preliminary 2006 Data for CalifomiaJan.-Dec. 2005 Jan.-Dec. 2006 Change

Total trespasser fatalities 88 9l Up 3Total train accidents* 199 176 Down 23Total highway-rail grade

crossing incidents 148Total highway-rail grade

crossins fatalities 22

t66 Up 16

36 Up 14* Excludes highway rail-grade crossing incidents.

[nfo. from the U.S. Dept. of Transportation via Charles Vames]

UNION PACIFIC ENVIRONMENTAL MODERNIZA-TION PLANNED FOR ICTF

The Union Pacific Railroad (UP) has announced a plan tomodemize its Intermodal Container Transfer Facility (ICTF) in

Los Angeles, which will hansform the 2O-year old facility into

the most environmentally modem and most efficient rail port inNorth America. By using state-of-the-art technology, thenation's largest railroad will be capable of supporting thepredicted growth for port container haffic in Southem Califor-ni4 while at the same time reducing emissions from the facility's

operations.UP plans to invest up to $300 million over several years to

modemize the facility. ICTF is a near-dock facility located five

miles north of the San Pedro Bay Port complex. The plan will

more than double the capacity of ICTF.Environmental and efficiency improvements will be accom-

plished through the conversion from diesel-powered equipment

to ttre latesg high+ech electric-powered equipment. Ten existing

diesel-powered gantry cranes will be replaced with up to 39

specially designed electric-powered, rail-mounted cantilevergantry cranes. The cranes are used to lift containers on and off

railcars. This will support the removal of 7l of the 73 existing

diesel-powered tmck tractors. The two remaining truck tractorswill be replaced by two new units that operate with an altemative

fuel source.Additionally, the plan calls for a unique process of stacking

of containers under the newly designed cantilever cranes in order

to reduce the area required for container storage. This new

method of stacking containers eliminates the need to increase the

size of the facility, which traditionally would have been required

Page 10 WHEEL CLICKS

to handle the predicted growth of freight volume coming into theL.A. and Long Beach Ports, This also provides the addedbenefit of a larger buffer zone between the rail yard and thesurrounding community. This breakttrough container stackingmethod will be made possible by the purchase of speciallydesigned wide'span gantry cranes. To further reduce the impactof this facility on the community, the plan calls for a new hoodedlighting system that will direct light toward operations in the 24x 7 facility and away from adjacent neighborhoods.

tlP's new desigr and technolory will s@ tre entry and exitof trucks by installing UP's state of the art Automatic GateSystem which employs Optical Character Recognition forcapturing irnages and converting images into data at the time ofboth in-gate and out-gate movements. Additionally, UP plans toadd additional gate lanes which, combined with the newtechnolory, will reduce the time a fruck dwells at ttre Facility byapproximately 50 percent.

UP will also replace the current switching locomotives withstate-of-the-art Genset Switchers, which sigrrificantly reduceemissions. The ICTF modernization plan also entails noisereduction measures by replacing or eliminating noise'ge'neratingequipment.

UP's application for the ICTF Modemization Plan wassubmitted to the Port of Los Angeles on March 29. The Port ofLos Angeles will have 30 days to review the application forcompleteness. The increased freight taffic and the revenue itgenerates make these improvements financially feasible for thecompany,[Info. from.upn.com/newsinfo via Charles Vames]

German Federal Railway 2'10-0 "Decapods," Nos. 42 616 and

42 2805, awaiting assignment on a U.S. military train in 1954

at the station in Bingen, I4lest Germany,Photo : Bellingrodt-Archives

by JonNPETRoSAs a young person living near a Southem Pacific branch line,

I was quite fortunate to have a friendly engineer invite me up

into the steam locomotive cab while cars were being picked up

and set out in the local freight yard' This would be my first cab

ride.Through the years there have been a number of occasions

MAY 2OO7

when I've had the opporhurity to ride in the cabs of steam,diesel, and electric locomotives, and I enjoyed them all' How-

ever, perhaps the most memorable ride of all took place in the

early 1950s when I was serving in the U.S. Army with theSecond Armored Division in Occupied Germany.

In the fall of 1954 our tank company was retuming to its

home base by fiain, operated by the German Federal Railway.The consist included 15 flatcars, each with anM47 ArmoredTank and three passenger (military) cars on the rear. The motivepower that day was a doubleheaded set of2-10-0 "Decapods."

These locomotives were built and used by Germany duringWorld War II, and were known as KRIEGSLOKOMOTIVEN,or War Locomotives. They were74 feet in length, weighed 93tons, and had 55 inch diameter driving wheels.

At one station stop on that fiip, I walked up to the lead enginein order to look it over. I was standing on the platform on thefireman's side, but when the engineer stepped across the cab andlooked down, I surprised myself when (in broken German) Iasked if I could come up. His answer was an even biggersurprise when he said, "JA!"

My cab ride in that 2-10-0 lasted for close to 100 miles, andover those miles I had a chance to watch and leam about its

operation. In addition, I was even permitted by the friendlyengine crew to hand fire the locomotive with a coal scoop.

As a finale to my experience, by using the locomotive steamwhistle, I demonstrated some American sigrrals, such as: grade

crossing, back up, etc. European whistle signals were not ascomplex as in the United States, and the engineer requested thatI stop.

In looking back, I know that this is one cab ride that will

never fade from my recollections.

CAB RIDES Pacilic Railroad Society's newest acquisition k ex-ATSFTransition Coach 545, which was modilied and run by Amtrak

as its Dorm Coach 39919. Tlte cs is sbwn at the Amtrak Gar-

den Traclu at Los Angeles Union Station' It is rcw at SaurdersYard. Photo by Chris Parker