January 03, 2010
Welcome to Trackside, The Newsletter, a monthly piece covering the railroad industry. I had thought long and hard about creating a newsletter to go along with the website since American Rails first began but I could never decide what exactly to include in it. After much consideration, though, I finally decided that perhaps the best approach was to fill the newsletter with, well, news! More specifically, however, current news and events which will be broken down into categories keeping you up-to-date on the latest on-goings around the country.
Now in every issue Trackside features a "Photo of the Month" and just as a general note these photos used are the property of individual photographers and as such should not be redistributed or used without their permission. In any event, I hope you like the new layout!
This month's photo comes courtesy of Drew Jacksich in what appears to be a scene of the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge or Cumbres & Toltec Scenic railroads. However, taken in June of 1967 it depicts the final years of the Denver & Rio Grande's narrow gauge steam operations in southern Colorado and northern New Mexico. Shown at Monero, New Mexico D&RGW 2-8-2 #487 is assisted by sister #483 shoving up grade having just loaded coal at the tipple in the background.
Land board OKs vast coal development
Plymouth works to lure company, WSOR looks to rebuild 15 miles of line (Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin)
Dakota Southern owners consider rehabilitation for regional railroad line
Port of Seattle Buys BNSF Line
Corps Approves BNSF Intermodal Hub Plan
State land board to ponder lease of 572M tons of Otter Creek coal
Local Railroad company plans Saybrook expansion in Ashtabula, Ohio pending environmental study
Texas town to create industrial rail park
Train delay: A property dispute threatens the Allegheny railroad
NJ County secures more short-line railroad funding
Pennsylvania DOT provides $24.5 million for 39 freight-rail projects
Rockefeller advances draft version of STB reauthorization bill in Senate
Santa, Marines hit the rails, travel through Morris to collect toys
Railroads call longer trains an efficiency measure
Grant Money Awarded to Wellsboro & Corning Railroad
Railroad reactivation inches nearer in Roxbury, NJ
Birmingham has a rail-side seat as railroad transport regains steam
Maryland Transit Administration to upgrade freight-rail line
Massachusetts Coastal to acquire CSXT's operating rights on South Coast Lines
Mississippi giving $520,000 grant to build railroad spur
James T. Brett: Car-obsessed Americans will use railroads
Florida enacts bill to spur passenger rail; FTA advances light-rail project in Texas
Work ends to expand railroad tracks between Greensboro, High Point, NC
Environmental group hails higher high speed rail numbers
Transportation secretary praises Connecticut on high-speed rail efforts
Amtrak's Downeaster hopes to tap stimulus money
Local view: Commuter rail service benefits Minnesota communities
Metra engine flap leads railroad to seek locomotive bids
$583M contract awarded for Hudson tunnel project
Nation needs to provide $15 billion for public transportation, APTA says
Streetcar projects eligible for new USDOT grants
Alliance pushes high-speed train corridor
How railroads changed Christmas
Food for Thought: Dining on the railroad
New book captures colorful history of Northern Pacific in shaping Yellowstone
When meals on a train were a premier experience, the B&O
Old caboose highlights area’s rail history
Committee aims to help give South Cle Elum Substation a future
Land purchase extends Rails-To-Trails
Sacramento city meets stimulus deadline for Railyards
Historic railroad car leaves Tehachapi for new life in Nevada on the V&T
This group in Wells, MN did what many towns dream of, but don’t
Seven Worth Saving: 'Mysterious' train depot conjures visions of railway's past
Platts introduces law to include Gettysburg Railroad Station in park boundary
Former Railroad Station Back to its Former Glory
URS Corp. donates $300K to Friends of Aiken Railroad Depot
Potential buyer says he's still interested in Depot
Bethlehem architects move into former railroad building
Railroad buffs hope Oklahoma City trains bring fans
Placerville, Sacramento Valley Railroad, a 'Catalyst'
As Trackside moves forward I will look to include more topics and information within it. In any event, if you have any opinions, ideas, and/or general comments/suggestions for the newsletter please feel free to pass them my way. As with American-Rails.com I am always looking for ways to improve the newsletter to better benefit you, the reader. Best wishes to you in 2010, may it be quite prosperous and filled with many good things.
Best regards,
Adam Burns
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