Freelanced Railroad News Bulletins

[ozarkcentrallines]

Date: June 20, 1956
MEMO: To all management personnel, employees, stockholders and interested parties

The following pressnotice has just been released.

The Ozark Central Lines announced that plans for the acquisition and merger of the railroads and their subsiiaries that formerly made up the Ozark Central Railroad and Transportation Company have been finalized and officially approved.
The new system is made up of the following regional and shortline railroads:
Ozark Central Railroad
Arkansas and Missouri Railroad
Missouri and North Arkansas Railway
Oklahoma, Arkansas and Kansas Railroad
Mountainberg and Van Buren Railroad
Ft. Smith and Western Railway
Texas Central Railroad
Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas Railway Co.
Memphis, Little Rock and Shreveport Railroad
Louisiana Northern Railway
Midland Valley Railway Co.
New Orleans Western
Shreveport and Western
Memphis and Gulf
Mississippi and Tennessee Railroad
Fayetteville Terminal Railroad
Union Railway of Memphis
Louisiana and Pacific Railway Co.
Fort (smith) Terminal Railroad Company and the
White River Lumber Company
Subsidiaries include: Merchant Barge Company, Arkansas Freight Company, Boston Mountain Navigation and Steamship Company, Gulf Lines( bus line), Ideal Cement Company, Merchant Steamship Lines, Texas Trucking and Transfer, Ozark Bus Lines, and the Ouchita Mining Company.
It is the intention of the management of the new corporation to consolidated corporate offices of all companies and locate them in Fort Smith, Arkansas and in doing so will be able to provide better services to all customers. Management believes this new consolidated railroad system will be able to provide customers in the areas it services with an alternative that will not only offer competitive rates but comparitive schedules.
Additional improvements in the phyisical plant are also scheduled to be announced by management in the near future.

CEO Phil Danner
June 20, 1956

[Junctionfan]

Great Lakes and Atlantic plans New York/ Philadelphia line
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Great Lakes and Atlantic Railroad has announced that it will be building a double track mainline from Syracuse NY to Binghampton NY and then to New York City and Philadelphia.

This project is in response to the large intermodal traffic from Australia which arrives at Philadelphia and the large amount of intermodal traffic potential between New York and Toronto, Detroit and mainly Chicago.

The project calls for an intermodal terminal/ yard located in both cities. A new domestic partnership between the Great Lakes and Atlantic and the BNSF will commence immediately after using an upgraded DTE (Domestic Transit Express) containers 53 feet dry or reefer. In addition to this, the GA and BNSF railroads have addressed issues with in terminal time and so BNSF will be using the GA Clearing Yard (former Belt Line of Chicago) for staging of the new intermodal services.

[JPowell]

------------------------------- BREAKING NEWS -----------------------------------------------------------------

Due to unforseen circumstances (CFO is looking at buying a 3 bdrm condo w/ NO basement and alot smaller than the house we rent (IE - No room for the layout)), Powell Transport and the East Syracuse (NY) Co-Op Industrial Park have temporairly ceased all operations.
Customers who are waiting on shipments and/or pick-up will have arrangements made w/ Class 1 Carrier CSX for these requests.
Please contact this office if there are any problems.
Thanks!
John Powell,
President and COO,
Powell Transport

[JPowell]

--------------------------------- BREAKING NEWS -----------------------------

This just in - Talks between the MESS and Powell Transport, Inc / East Syracuse Co-Op have failed. No word on weather these 2 companies will make another attempt at a trade agreement. We will keep you posted as we get new information.....

[JPowell]

Well all - A Happy New Year to all from the Employees of Powell Transport.

We're going to start this year off on the RIGHT foot. Some of our customers are looking for other locations to send and receive product from. So, with that, we here at Powell Transport are going to start advertising our services to locations outside of New York State.
We will deal with any/all interested parties, but our main interest will be with those in the Horribly Oversized area.
We closed out the year 2004 by singing a 'trade contract' with the M T to open up the northeastern border with the Canucks in hopes of allowing our customers the right to ship and receive goods from the 'North'.
We're also in the inital stages of working out a 'trade contract' with the folks at the MESS, in hopes of generating more business for our customers.

On a sad note, during a recent benchwork modification last Friday, 31 Dec 04, part of the future development area of the East Syracuse (NY) Co-Op, fell victim to a 'sinkhole'. ( For those that remember my inital layout deminsions ( 2- 4'x5' and 2- 2'x4' tables to form the letter 'C'), I tried to make of of the 4x5's into a 4x8. The problem occurred due in part to fault benchwork during the original construction of this particular 4x5. This 4x5 started out as a 4x4, and I then added a 1'x4' section to make it a 4'x5'. After adding the 3'x4' addition, the table started to 'buckle' at the joints where the 4'x4' and the 3'x4' joined this 1'x4'. (Poor planning on my part resulted in a 'sinhole' emergency on the CO-Op's part and resulting of the entire 4'x8' being cut up and a run to Home Depot Saturday for more lumber so I could do a solid 4'x8' table). Started at 5pm and finished by 8:30pm Sat.
New layout is in the shape of a 'G'. I'll try to get the company (Powell Transport, Inc) homepage listed on RailImages and post a pic or 2 in the next few weeks so all can see the new desigin, but due to things still not being good between CFO and I ( she still wants me to leave and get a place of my own (compatability issues here now) sometime soon after we get our tax returns.), I may not be able to do the railimages site till after I get a apartment and a new cpu (if she wants the cpu, she can have it since she paid off the Gateway bill a few years back before we got married using her tax refund that year.).
Well, I'm hungary...lunchtime....
JP

[GDRMCo]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Supermicha

QUOTE: Would you be interested in our SDE40AC/DC's to replace those two EHP-80Bs?

Thanks for your offer, but for this route our economists are quite aware that the electric service is the most efficient way. EMC´s Coal Mine has its own Powerplant which will be also used to power the catenary.

But we need a few new engines for our other freight services, so maybe we can start some negotiations...

Supermicha, our SDE40AC/DC's are electric SD40's that can run on AC or DC overhead or third rail.

[Anonymous]

excerpt from The Courier-Journal:

RAILS IN THE VALLEY?

A local transportation consortium has announced plans for developing a new rail line in the southern Indiana/Louisville area. Government officials from both sides of the river have expressed a great deal of interest in the project and have provided all of the land needed for a growing venture. While this as yet un-named group has yet to reveal any plans, speculation is rising about the details of the new line. While hope for local jobs abounds, a portion of the population has little faith in the project. Said one local businessman (name withheld) "All he has is some big, flat boards- and what're they going to do to keep those giant cats off of them, that's what I want to know."

[JPowell]

Good day all -
Brief update on Powell Transport, Inc.... We will be closing at noon EST, 29 Dec and will reopen at 0800 (8am) EST, Monday, 03 Jan 05. Have a safe and Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays,
The Employees of Powell Transport, Inc.

[Supermicha]

QUOTE: Would you be interested in our SDE40AC/DC's to replace those two EHP-80Bs?

Thanks for your offer, but for this route our economists are quite aware that the electric service is the most efficient way. EMC´s Coal Mine has its own Powerplant which will be also used to power the catenary.

But we need a few new engines for our other freight services, so maybe we can start some negotiations...

[GDRMCo]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Supermicha

Columbia Southern´s new electrics to be delayed...

Because of technical problems, the two EHP-80B electric locomotives, C&S ordered from Siemens, Germany, for its new EMC coal route, will be delivered with a delay of at least 6 months or more. Michael Kreiser, the railroads CEO said, to guarantee an on time start of the new service in July 2005, we are taking negotiations with several leasing companies from USA and Europe at the moment about delivery of one or two other electric locomotives to use until the Taurus engines are ready for service. On the top of the railroads short list is the EE 6/6, an heavy electric switcher from switzerland...

The 29 mile route from the Eastern Mining Coal Mine in North Virginia to the CSX Vice City Yard will be opened in July 2005.

More news at www.columbia-southern.com

Would you be interested in our SDE40AC/DC's to replace those two EHP-80Bs?

[Supermicha]

Columbia Southern´s new electrics to be delayed...

Because of technical problems, the two EHP-80B electric locomotives, C&S ordered from Siemens, Germany, for its new EMC coal route, will be delivered with a delay of at least 6 months or more. Michael Kreiser, the railroads CEO said, to guarantee an on time start of the new service in July 2005, we are taking negotiations with several leasing companies from USA and Europe at the moment about delivery of one or two other electric locomotives to use until the Taurus engines are ready for service. On the top of the railroads short list is the EE 6/6, an heavy electric switcher from switzerland...

The 29 mile route from the Eastern Mining Coal Mine in North Virginia to the CSX Vice City Yard will be opened in July 2005.

More news at www.columbia-southern.com

[JPowell]

Afternoon MRR's and Railfans alike!
Allow me to introduce myself. I'm John Powell and I'm the President and CEO of Powell Transport. My wife, Kristin is the VP and CFO and step-son Josh is all else....hahahahahaha. (j/k)
Powell Transport is the major shareholder of the East Syracuse (NY) Industrial Co-Op, a small industrial park. We provide all the transport services for all tenants products. We have a siding for interchanging with CSX outside their DeWitt (NY) yard. We are no more than a 15 minute drive from the intermodal facility there so we provide service to our tenants by both truck (intermodal) and rail. Also, we are right off the 5W, Kirkville Rd, West offramp to I-481, exactly 1 exist south of Exit 34A of the New Yourk State Thruway.
Currently, we have a few select PRIME locations available in our park for manufacturing firms looking for easy access to rail and/or highway. For those interested, we are trying to get "Empire Zone' status to help out with your financing needs as well as funds from other various local, town, county, state, and federal offices. Please contact this office for more information. Our website is 'currently under construction'.
Thanks for allowing me to take this time to introduce my new start-up company and Industrial Co-Op!
JP

[Anonymous]

The VBR (Valley Belt Ry.) has ceased operation. The owner's cited "Not enough traffic" was the reason. Some told the owners to be patient as there were reports of several major industries might be coming to the area. The owners said "They could not justify the wait. The railroad was losing to much money as it was." There are reports of a possible new buyer (me). I'm the CEO of VBR, and am in negotiations with the owners. There are also reports of a commuter line starting up. It will run over the existing rail line. More details as they become available.

Robert Leavings, CEO, Valley Belt Ry.

[leonardbrand]

Seaboard Southern is temporary shutdown, but hope to be up and runing again soon. The SeSo is a short line down here in Ala that runs from a connection with the CSX and NS to nowhere and back, It main drawing card is a rail museum with a hodgepodge of steam and diesels.

[Anonymous]

Eastern RR's top train the Silver Champion is running at full load 95% of the time. New passenger cars are planed to replace older cars.

[Junctionfan]

Great Lakes and Atlantic runs Christmas Train
--------------------------------------------------------------------

The annual Christmas Train Express will depart Chicago to Toronto than head toward Boston and return to Chicago by the New Years. The train will consist of 8 ex NYC coach cars and an old NYC Mohawk class steam engine with an old caboose at the very end. The train took longer than expected to paint but now just in time for the run, all is planned to get ahead of schedule.

In addition, Chairman Andrew Hugh Little and all the employees of the Great Lakes and Atlantic Railroad would like to wish everybody a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

[GDRMCo]

PNQ merges with QR
------------------------------------------------------------------
PNQ has recently merged with QR. the new road will be called Queensland North Rail. The paint scheme will be a new version of QRs slanted stripes but the colours will be Maroon, Yellow and Blue. G&A will gain 70% of Queenslands rail stock and the competitor Pacific National Queensland will become more of a class II rather than a class I.

[GDRMCo]

PNQ orders new locomotives
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Recently PNQ placed an order for 80 new CM30-8 Dual Cabs after road testing 10 2800's from Queensland Rail. These new locomotives will be the same as the QR 2800's except they will have ballast for higher tractive effort and GDRMB MR-550SC-ES-5T engines compliant with the new EPA Tier II emmision standards. The paint scheme will be the PNQ Red, White, Blue and Yellow Australia Flag Scheme. These new locomotives will be used on the NG Divisions of the NCL.

[Anonymous]

Museum's FP7 fleet doubles:

The WRRM has just agreed to purchase another ex-Milwaukee Road FP7. This will allow us to recreate a typical lash-up of the 1950s for passenger services. Our existing FP7 has proved a great success with crews and visitors, so hopefully a pair will be even more popular! Delivery is expected to take place on Monday, we have recieved word from the shop that it has been loaded up and is on the way here.

[GDRMCo]

PNQ joins Coal Partnership
-----------------------------------------------------------
The PNQ announced today that it will be shipping QLD coal to the mills via shipping and interchange. The high grade coal is of high mill quality and will be used without a doubt. This came about after recieving the FOF money PNQ had not recieved from G&A . This partnership will hopfully last another 2 decades or so.

[Junctionfan]

Great Lakes and Atlantic and Wheeling and Lake Erie enter into Coal Partnership
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Great Lakes and Atlantic chairman Andrew Hugh Little announced that a new deal between the G&A and the Wheeling&Lake Erie. The two railroads plan to move coal between the mines in Ohio and Pennsylvania to steel mills in Whitby Ontario (Co-Steel), and Algoma Steel. The interchange will take place at Lima, OH and Pittsburg,PA.

[Anonymous]

Eastern Railroad said today that they will put on Corridor Limited trains. Starting Monday Nov. 8,2004. The Keystone Express trains will stay the same

[Pruitt]

This link leads to one from the CB&Q in Wyoming:

http://www.thecbandqinwyoming.com/News%20Article%20Nov%202003.htm

[GDRMCo]

A special train is to be run for PNQ's CEO Mitchell Legg. The train is to be run on the 27th-28th November from Brisbane to Townsville.

[GDRMCo]

The reactivated Heavy Haulers (all 3 versions) have been repainted from their original schemes except for the original 8 that are to be kept for heritage service. All the HHs have been painted into the PNQ NS Horsehead scheme that adorns the new SD70M-IIIs and GP40s. The New schemes can be found here:
http://www.railimages.com/gallery/micklegg/adj
http://www.railimages.com/gallery/micklegg/adk
http://www.railimages.com/gallery/micklegg/adl

[railman]

The Denver & Minnesota Western Railway Bulletin, Vol. 1

The Board was pleased to announce purchase of a brand new E8A locomotive, painted in proper colors for the Milwaukee Road, DMW Ry. parent railroad. With the acquisition, commuter service can now be extended past Monticello to Otsego.
E8 35A was found in a cave late in 2004 and was restored, and according to crews rides better and is "way cooler" than the regular FP45, in service since the late 1970's and "has seen better days" according to one engineer, who refused to give his name.

More news to follow, as it is made.

[Pennsy58]

Bessemer and Erie Settles Grievence and New Locomotives have been delivered

Installation of the Tortoise switch controls near completion as union greviences have been settled. Workers are happy with a promise of track expansion in the coming months. Re-assignment to electronic control panel operators have kept employment levels at an agreeable level.

Movements on track three of the engine repair yard were halted for days after under ground drilling got out of control. As drilling commenced, an auger bit into the underlay a bit to harsh and blew the switch several feet out of the ballast. All future control switches will be installed before track layment.

The delivery of two freshly painted SD40T-2 engines to the main line have been completed and revenue movements are up.

[Junctionfan]

Great Lakes and Atlantic Railroad investigate financial catastrophe
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Great Lakes and Atlantic Railroad has reported that the Chief Financial Officer and most of the department have been sacked. This was done after the G & A funding toward the PNQ never arrived after it was sent by Chairman and Owner Andrew Hugh Little. An investigation revealed that the money was embezzled and was used to attempt a hostile take-over by the former Chief Financial Officer.

"Criminal and civil action is being persued" said Little. "This mess has cost us partnership with the PNQ and will effect our bottomline. Investors will not be happy with this either" concluded Little.

As a result, stock of the G&A went down by 0.39 a share. "This has never happened to us before and will make darn sure it doesn't again" was the final thing Little said before he left for the F.B.I headquarters in Washington DC for a meeting.

[GDRMCo]

Part of PNQ (56%) has been sold to Norfolk Southern. This came about because PNQ had not recieved its Foreign Operator Fund and fell momentarilly into close bankruptcy. NS has paid their FOF to PNQ so PNQ have changed their paint scheme from the original to NS's Horsehead Scheme applied to the new SD70Ms. Also NS have paid for certain sections of PNQ's high intensity lines to be regauged to standard gauge. New SD70Ms have been sent over to PNQ in the Horsehead scheme. Old rolling stock and Heavy Ore Haulers have been reactivated to handle new traffic.

[Anonymous]

The museum's new Erie F7A has made its first run on commuter service - passengers commented on how good the loco looks now it has been cleaned up. It will be alternating with our Milwaukee Road FP7 during the coming months, and it is expected that both will be used when demand increases for our train services from late November onwards. We also have plans to obtain another set of ex-Metra bilevel cars if we can raise the funding, these will allow us to field three push-pull formations on busier days, as well as reducing the workload on our existing two trains.