This website has been archived from TrainWeb.org/eastpenn to TrainWeb.US/eastpenn.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN...

Conrail's Office Car train will embark on yet another journey beginning this morning.  OCS-401 will operate to Philadelphia and Boston, MA for a Risk Management Special.  The trip is operating with E8A's 4020 and 4021 with eight cars.  The train returns from Boston on Friday May 8. See the latest schedule. -Kevin Burkholder

SD70MAC UPDATE

SD70MAC 4140 is scheduled to be road tested and should be ready for service by the end of the weekend.  4141 should also be road tested before the end of the weekend, and placed in service with 4140.  The remainder of the SD70MAC's line-up as follows:
 

4130	Crestline, OH	5/7/98	02:20 ET	SEIN-5
4131	Cleveland, OH	5/7/98	01:00 ET	ELBU-6
4132	Crestline, OH	5/7/98	02:20 ET	SEIN-5
4133	Cleveland, OH	5/7/98	01:00 ET	ELBU-6
4134	Columbus-Buckeye, OH	5/6/98	23:36 ET	ML-488
4135	Columbus-Buckeye, OH	5/6/98	23:36 ET	ML-488
4136	Buffalo, NY	5/6/98	22:01 CT	ELSE-6
4137	Buffalo, NY	5/6/98	22:01CT	ELSE-6
4138	Columbus-Buckeye, OH	5/7/98	01:20 ET	COIN-7
4139	Columbus-Buckeye, OH	5/7/98	01:20 ET	COIN-7

-Railnuts

PASSING THROUGH

Norfolk Southern will interchange an Amtrak Ballast Cleaner (BC-5) to Conrail at Hagerstown, MD today.  The BC-5 is being routed via Conrail to Springfield, MA where it will be relayed to Amtrak. -Andy Kirk

  HOMEWARD BOUND?

The most travelled SD70M 4050 has made it clear of the Union Pacific and has been turned back over to Norfolk Southern at Chicago.  The unit was released yesterday and was supposed to be shipped east to Buffalo, NY.  The unit is still running off horsepower hours owed to Norfolk Southern by NYS&W. - Kevin Burkholder

MAERSK AND SEA-LAND REQUEST PROPOSALS FOR EAST COAST TERMINAL

Maersk Line and Sea-Land Service, Inc. have jointly extended a request for proposal (RFP) to various East Coast port administrations as the two companies consider sites for a major intermodal container terminal. Receiving the RFPs are the ports of Baltimore, Boston, Halifax, New York/New Jersey, Norfolk, Philadelphia and Quonset Point, R.I.

"We are very carefully and comprehensively looking at all options for efficient, productive service in the mid-Atlantic to northeastern sector of the U.S.," said Anthony A. Scioscia, senior vice president-North America Operating Group for Sea-Land.

Sea-Land and Maersk anticipate that the facility requirements will include:

• the capacity for handling 550,000 lifts annually
• 6,000 contiguous feet of berth
• up to 16 post-Panamax cranes
• on-dock or near dock rail

Philip V. Connors, executive vice president of Maersk Inc. stated, "We have had many discussions over the last several months about the most cost-effective way to bring cargo through the U.S. East Coast. We think that from this process, the true costs, values and alternatives facing our operating alliance will emerge."

The proposal process should be complete by mid-summer with a decision expected soon thereafter.

Sea-Land and Maersk share vessels, containers, terminals and other assets through operating alliance agreements that began in 1995.

Sea-Land Service Inc. is a unit of CSX Corporation of Richmond, Va. Maersk Line is a part of the A.P. Moller group in Copenhagen, Denmark.-CSX Corporation

NEW VP OF INTERNATIONAL SALES & MARKETING

CSX Intermodal (CSXI) has appointed Steven E. Rand vice president, international sales & marketing, announced J. Ganson Evans, senior vice president, sales and marketing.

Rand, formerly assistant vice president, international, will be responsible for all international sales, marketing, pricing and management services activities. He is located in CSXI's headquarters in Jacksonville, Fla.

"Steve's experience and expertise has been an immense asset to CSX Intermodal," said Les Passa, CSXI president and CEO. "We're building our team in anticipation for extending our business and reach into the Northeast and Steve will play an important role in making that effort successful."

"As CSXI offers new and expanded international service, Steve will be responsible for ensuring that international customers receive the level of inland transportation services they require to be successful in the competitive global marketplace," said Evans. "In 1997, our international business accounted for 43 per cent of CSXI's total volume and we expect it to increase by 8 percent in 1998. Steve's international team is clearly critical to CSXI's success," said Evans.

Before joining CSXI in 1995, Rand was vice president/general manager of Mitsui O.S.K. Lines where he was responsible for the strategic planning and leadership of all sales, marketing, operations, finance and administrative functions for the Southeast and Gulf regions. Prior to that, Rand was head of Pacific sales for United States Lines in New Jersey. A graduate of the University of New Haven, Rand is a member of the Council of Logistics Management and the National Freight Transportation Association.-CSX Corporation

AMTRAK ANNOUNCES BEST BUYS

With summer just around the corner, Amtrak's "Best Buys" packages offer the perfect getaways to major tourist attractions in the Northeast.

From a game of golf in Williamsburg to playing the slots at Foxwoods Casino, Amtrak Vacations offers an affordable opportunity to create almost any trip imaginable. "Best Buys" packages include round-trip rail travel and hotel accommodations for one, two or three nights, plus most trips offer sightseeing or admission to popular local attractions. Many packages start at under $200.

"This summer's "Best Buys" packages offer a greater variety of destinations and attractions, continuing Amtrak's focus on the Northeast's entertainment and cultural institutions," said Stan Bagley, acting president of Amtrak's Northeast Corridor. "Whether it's a special occasion, a weekend getaway or just a change of scenery, Amtrak offers novel ideas and a hassle-free way of getting there."

New attractions and available options for this summer include whale watching in Hyannis, Foxwoods Casino, a visit to the New Jersey State Aquarium, a three-day pass to Colonial Williamsburg and Water Country USA, Harbor City Tours in Baltimore and admission to the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, RI. The "Best Buys" packages, the latest step in Amtrak's "Give a Reason to Travel" marketing campaign, promote destination-oriented marketing throughout the Northeast Corridor.  Amtrak has partnered with departments of tourism, convention and visitors bureaus, as well as tour operators and local attractions to come up with a captivating and entertaining selection of things to see and do.

Whether customers choose Amtrak's NortheastDirect service with more than 40 departures daily to nearly 50 destinations between Tidewater Virginia and Boston, or premium Metroliner service between New York and Washington with 15 hourly departures each way on weekdays and convenient weekend schedules, taking the train takes the headache out of traveling. Amtrak alleviates the aggravation of driving, allowing the vacation to begin as soon as the customer boards the train.

Customers can treat themselves to all-reserved seating with complimentary beverages and a newspaper in Custom Class, available on most NortheastDirect trains. For an exceptional travel experience on the Metroliner and other select trains, Club Class offers reserved seating in a separate car, complimentary newspaper, beverages and meals served by an attendant at the customer's seat.

Travelers on Amtrak's Twilight Shoreliner are in for a unique and unforgettable experience as they relax in style and comfort on board the Northeast Corridor's premier overnight service. The Twilight Shoreliner, operating between Boston and Newport News, VA, features an ultra-modern Viewliner sleeper, a lounge car, two Custom Class coaches, two regular coaches and a schedule designed to accommodate a host of recreational and family travel opportunities.

For more information about Amtrak's "Best Buys" packages, or to make a reservation, call Amtrak Vacations at 1-888-AMTRAK-1. -Amtrak

  CPR BEGINS DEFENSE AGAINST WHEAT BOARD

Canadian Pacific Railway tomorrow will begin a detailed defense of its grain transportation performance during the winter of 1996/97.  The defense follows several weeks of testimony by the Canadian Wheat Board, which has accused the railway of failing to provide reasonable and adequate grain transportation during that winter.

CPR will defend its performance by proving that the winter in question was of unprecedented severity and that its employees performed heroically and did all they reasonably could under exceedingly difficult circumstances to transport grain and other commodities fairly and equitably.

The railway will lead its testimony with compelling visual evidence of the trials it faced during the winter, supported by testimony from Environment Canada, as well as geo-technical and avalanche experts.  The railway will also introduce evidence to show that the weather was a factor in the performance of other railways operating in the Northwest, such as the Burlington Northern Santa Fe, the largest railway in the United States.

In the coming days, the railway will use several expert panels to introduce evidence of the railway's preparations for the winter and the steps taken to deal with the escalating series of weather related blockages and delays that affected the railway for several months.  CPR will also demonstrate the complexity of the grain handling system, the multiplicity of players within it and the contributions to the problem by a number of these players during the winter in question.

In addition, CPR will show that the weather affected other industries dependent on rail service and will show how these industries worked with the railway to try to resolve the problems they faced.  Testifying for the railway will be Canpotex and Sultran, two major shippers severely affected by weather last winter.

The railway expects that it will take approximately 10 days to complete its testimony.-Canadian Pacific Railway

TRANSIT NEWS

DISCOVER TRANSIT WEEK

SEPTA will launch "Discover Transit Week" (May 10-16) on Mother's Day by offering mom a free ride on the Broad Street Line and then will continue the week with special events each day.  A highlight of the week long celebration will be the first-ever "Car-Free Commuter Wednesday," May 13, as SEPTA discounts transit fares to $1.00 and all regional rail fares to $2.00.  In addition, the PHLASH Center City Shuttle will cost only $1.00 on Mother's Day and on May 13.

During "National Discover Transit Week" SEPTA is offering commuters every opportunity to discover just how easy and affordable it is to use SEPTA services, including its regional rail and subway-elevated routes which operate on schedule more than 90% of the time (just think about that next time you are stuck in traffic on the Schuylkill Expressway or I-95).

"At SEPTA we're proud to be part of the National Discover Transit Week campaign and we have an exciting lineup of incentives and events aimed at our current riders and, perhaps more importantly, at getting non-riders to see what's so great about commuting on SEPTA," says SEPTA General Manager John K. Leary Jr.  He encouraged area mothers to take advantage of the free Broad Street Line service on Mother's Day, and urged daily car commuters to "sample SEPTA" on "Car-Free Commuter Wednesday."

Throughout the week, SEPTA will join with the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission and area transit agencies to show commuters just how important transit is to the region and the country.-SEPTA via Stan Feldman