NTSB issues preliminary report on UP track worker fatality
The National Transportation Safety Board indicates it will examine Union Pacific operating rules and the condition of a piece of equipment as part of its ongoing investigation of a fatal accident involving a UP maintenance-of-way worker near Vail, Ariz., in January. In its preliminary report, the NTSB outlines the basic facts of the incident: an employee with 41 years of experience was struck by a track maintenance tamper, which was tamping wood ties, as the employee walked between the rails of the track and the machine moved forward from one tie to the next. The operator of the machine sustained minor injuries. Systems laborer James Morgan died in the Jan. 31 incident [see “Digest: Canadian short line train derails …,” Trains News Wire, Feb. 2, 2021].
Long Island Rail Road to make changes after new schedule spurs crowding complaints
Long Island Rail Road President Phil Eng said Monday evening that the commuter railroad would adjust its schedules introduced Monday after complaints of overcrowding on some trains during the morning rush hour. In a statement, Eng said the LIRR is “prepared to add service during the p.m. rush hour as well as tomorrow morning to immediately address the issue. … We will continue to monitor ridership and make adjustments as necessary whether that is lengthening trains or adding additional service.” The LIRR had announced changes in December that Eng said would “provide 75% of service for the current 24% of customers that are riding.” WCBS-TV was among a number of New York-area media outlets reporting on the crowded morning trains.
LOSSAN seeks new servicing facility for ‘Pacific Surfliner’
The agency responsible for operation of Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliners is proposing a new servicing facility at the north end of the route, which would allow for future expansion of service. The San Luis Obispo Tribune reports the Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo Rail Corridor Agency (LOSSAN) wants to build a new yard on 8.3 acres of mostly vacant Union Pacific property in San Luis Obispo, Calif. The new facility would provide maintenance and storage for Surfliner equipment, and increase capacity to allow additional trains to lay over at night, creating the capability for a second southbound morning departure. The San Luis Obispo County Planning Commission will discuss the project at its Wednesday online meeting and allow public comment, but has no regulatory authority over the project, since it would be undertaken by a state agency.
Your trains newswire format is absolutely totally user unfriendly. It was nice to have a list of daily news items and be able to flip back to the previous day or earlier. I find this totally user unfriendly. Making change for the sake of change at someone elses cost. Mine!!!
Amen.
Funny how things repeat themselves, SP used to have a roundhouse to service steam locomotives in San Luis Obispo, you can even see where it was in arial photos.