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The article reports on New Zealand. It states that New Zealand is known for being an island nation. It focuses on the scenic beauty of the two islands in the lap of New Zealand, North Island and South Island. It also mentions about the railroad train services being provided by the company KiwiRail in this country.

The article presents information on Class I railroad services in the U.S. It discusses in detail the economic benefits derived by the revenues generated by Class I railroad operations in the country. It also mentions Texas as the biggest producer and consumer of aggregates amongst all other U.S. states.

The article focuses on the success of railroad operator Santa Maria Valley Railroad Co. in California. It explores how the company has been able to serve customers with satisfaction in moving crude oil, sugar and frozen vegetables to consumer markets. It mentions that the oil boom in Santa Maria Valley was the factor of building the railroad. It notes that the company plans to establish a site which is closer to its customers where it can merge its locomotive maintenance and office works.

The article focuses on Alaska Railroad, a Class II railroad which is run by the state agency Alaska Railroad Corp. and carries both freight and passengers. Transportation Superintendent David Blazejewski describes it as a miniature Class I railroad. It makes abundant use of technology like GPS on all locomotives, automatic equipment identification, a wheel impact load detector, high-wide detectors, high-adhesion A.C. locomotives, distributed power, head-end power, welded rail, concrete ties.

The article discusses how, why, and where coal moves from mine to user by rail network in North America. It notes the relationship between railroads and coal and the impact of railroads in the coal industry. It mentions several coal-producing regions in the U.S. and Canada, where the coals will be delivered, how the recession affected the coal trade. It cites the importance of railroads in the supply chain concerning the complexity of coal business and industry.

The article discusses the transportation of grain by grain trains. It mentions the history behind rail transportation of grain from boxcars to covered hoppers. Today's typical grain train consists of about 100 or more covered hopper each carrying 110 to 115 tons of corn, wheat, soybeans or other prairie products. The company Southern Railway's hopper Big John revolutionized grain movement and changed agricultural logistics. Big John replaced the boxcars due to problems in carrying bulk grain.

The article looks at some of the specific items that railroads spend money on in their capital investment programs. It discusses the implications of rising prices and declining availability of steel for the customers and end users of steel producers in North America including railroads. The delivered price of a locomotive unit is influenced by cab signals, fuel-saving devices and electronic air brakes, among others. The evolving engineering and design of green locomotives affect their cost.

The article discusses the contribution of the trade with China to the explosive growth in the North American rail industry. At least 50 percent of the international containers moving on North American rails are carrying Chinese-manufactured goods. There is concern about working conditions, wages, and a lack of environmental controls in the Chinese economy. While North American consumers have voted with their dollars, spending an increasing share of their income on Chinese-made products, some of those same consumers have lost high-paying manufacturing jobs to overseas producers. INSET: THE RAIL SUPPLY PIPELINE.

Elaborates the potential of CSX to recover from the problems it face following its acquisition of a part of Conrail. Division of Conrail routes between CSX and Norfolk Southern; Complaints of some CSX veteran executives on the management of Conrail; Resignation of CSX chairman and CEO John Snow.

Discusses the challenges faced by railroad operators in maintaining rail infrastructure in the U.S. Decision of CSX to upgrade its former Baltimore & Ohio main line between Chicago and north central Ohio to prepare for the Conrail acquisition; Benefits of using continuous welded rail; Use of wayside lubricators to mitigate abrasion on railroad curves.

Discusses the changes in freight cars. Description of the freight car market in 1978; Single factor in the financing and ownership of non-intermodal freight cars; Big element of the freight car business; History of car production.

Provides information on the entry of U.S. railroading in Mexico. Similarities and differences of U.S. and Mexican railroads; Problems concerning railroads in Mexico; Privatization of Mexican railroads.

Forecasts the issues that will affect railroads in 2003. Factors that constrained the use of coal in railroads; Role of the U.S. Congress in funding inter city passenger railroad transit; Description of freight-car and locomotive building business.

Deals with the efforts of Paul Tellier, tenth president of the railroad company Canadian National, to make the company profitable. Problems being faced by the company before the appointment of Tellier as its president; Business strategies implemented by Tellier; Financial performance of the company under the leadership of Tellier.

Examines the profitability of carload and intermodal railroad trains in the U.S. Average revenue per car for non-intermodal freight; Categories of intermodal traffic; Increase in dispatching conflicts between intermodal and loose-car trains; Forecast on intermodal volume and profit. INSET: how to price railroad service.

Focuses on TTX, a company jointly owned by major railroads in North America. History of the company; Business model; Equipment ownership data; Details on its autorack business.

Focuses on distributed power (DP) in which railroad companies invest in to reduce the use of manned helper to cut their operating expenses. Effects and advantages; Factors that companies consider when deciding to whether implement DP; Ways to use DP technology.

The article reports on construction project of Gotthard Base railroad tunnel, which is the world's longest tunnel. Topics discussed include construction time of 17 years with involvement of a work force of 2,400 people, use of excavation process by tunnel boring machines, views of the Swiss Federal Railways officials regarding capacity of the tunnel, and reduced transit times by 2020.

The author reflects upon the impact of recession on the railraod industry. He agrees with the views of corporate executive Jim McClellan, who in a presentation, stressed on the financial stability of the railroad industry and suggested cost control and investment in core businesses. He opines that the diversified nature of the rail industry will help it in surviving the recession without significant damage to its core operations and earning power.

The article reports on the problems faced by the railroad industry due to market volatility in the U.S. It states that the ups and downs in Dow rail index showed that day-to-day volatility had little to do with the annual change in the value of rail stocks. It also notes that the high level of volatility in rail stocks during 2008 indicate that there are various kinds of risks associated with these stocks.

The article focuses on the views of Michael Ward, chairman of the Association of American Railroads, regarding the capacity of freight services. Ward estimates that the rail freight services volume will grow 92 percent over the next 27 years, with this, an investment of $148 billion is needed. He also emphasizes the increase in unit train productivity which will improve railroad financial results.

The article offers information on the congressional hearing of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials. It discusses the confrontation between CSX Corp. and its shareholder company Children's Investment Fund, and mentions the views expressed by representative Corrine Brown during the hearing. Also presented are the views of several transportation industry's analysts on the hearing.

The author looks at issues surrounding the plan of Canadian National (CN) to acquire the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway (EJ&E). CN wants to buy EJ&;E to give it a line around Chicago, Illinois to connect its Wisconsin Central route from the north with its other two lines into Chicago: Illinois Central from the south and Grand Trunk Western from the east. It also wants to develop an intermodal hub at Kirk Yard in Gary, Indiana.

The author focuses on the irony behind the proposed acquisition of Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad (DM&E) by Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). He notes that once the acquisition proves successful, CPR might become the third railroad in the Powder River Basin in Wyoming. He adds that having a line to Kansas City stands with a greater strategic value for CPR. He believes that the merger will not be a catalyst for significant changes in the railroad industry in North America.

The article reports on the acquisition of shares in the railroad industry by activist investors in the U.S. in 2007. Berkshire Hathaway had accumulated shares in Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. Berkshire also acquired shares in both Norfolk Southern Railway Co. and Union Pacific Railroad Co. It is noted that activist investors have a bias in favor of using cash flows to reward shareholders, rather than to fund capital investment.

The article focuses on a legislative bill introduced by Minnesota Representative James Oberstart and Florida Representative Corrine Brown that mandates locomotive engineers and trainmen to have 10 hours of rest time between tours and duty and approximately 24 consecutive hours off each week. Information on employee fatigue as a problem in the railroad industry is presented. Other provisions of the bill are mentioned, including the implementation of Positive Train Control operation by 2014.

The author discusses the misconception about how bad single-car service is for both railroads and their customers. He notes that for railroads, it is cost-intensive in comparison with trainload and unit-train service. It requires local crews for switching and it takes big classification yards where trains can be assembled.

The article discusses the reasons behind the success and failure of the railroad industry during 2006. Service quality was not everything that shippers wanted it to be, but velocity in the rail network as of late 2006 was better than it had been a year earlier. Better service quality, along with a shortage of transportation alternatives, enabled the rails to continue getting increases in their freight rates. The complete absence of merger talk during 2006 was another positive for the industry.

The article reflects on the decision of Union Pacific (UP) to double-track the Sunset Route in California. Beaumont features two main tracks signaled for bidirectional operation as far as Garnet, 53 miles east of West Colton. UP plans to turn the Sunset Route into a pipeline operation where trains would move continuously from one end to another. The double-tracking of the Sunset Route is expected to be 50% completed by the end of 2007 according to UP.

The article discusses the author's views on the luxury passenger train services in North America. He said that he and his wife celebrated their 30th anniversary with a cruise from Vancouver, British Columbia to Whittier, Alaska, followed by a four-day trip to Denali National Park and Preserve. At Whittier, they boarded a train consisting of five double-deck "Ultra-Dome" cars owned by Princess Tours, the land transportation unit of Princess Cruises.

The article examines the disappointment of railroad customers with the type of service being provided by U.S. railroad companies. Rail shippers claim that railroads are constantly unreliable. Railroads do not like the term captive shipper, but the reality is that most shippers are captive to a single railroad. The other major source of shipper animosity is that railroads' performance standards are low compared with most other service companies.

The article focuses on the performance of railroad stocks in the U.S. from 2004 to 2005. There is a 31% increase in the Dow Jones U.S. Railroads Index in 2005. Among the factors that influence railroads to increase the prices they charge to shippers are growing demand and service improvements at some carriers. Some of the profit generated by railroads is being used for share repurchases or returning to shareholders as dividends.

The article relates the dining experience of the author at various railroad trains. He was served with wholesome and substantial food when he rode Pacific Great Eastern's RDC from Prince George to North Vancouver in British Columbia in January 1970. He usually orders charcoal-broiled scrod at the New Haven Railroad during his weekend trips going home to Massachusetts from his college in New York. His favorite meal on the trains was breakfast.

The article reflects on the improvements in the railroad industry in the U.S. It offers an overview of the bankruptcy of railroad companies in the 1970s. It highlights the contributions made by railroad leaders to revamp the industry in the 1980s. It denounces the working hours posed by railroad management to train- and engine-service employees just to meet the demands.

Focuses on the efforts of freight car manufacturers to create larger railroad cars to increase weight capacity. Features of centerbeam cars built by FreightCar America; Purchase of refrigerated boxcars purchased by Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Union Pacific to carry frozen foods and perishables; Information on auto parts boxcar being tested by Norfolk Southern, designed by a consortium that included NS, General Motors, and car builders.

Reports on the business growth of railhighway intermodal traffic in the U.S. as of November 2002. Revenues generated by intermodal on Burlington Northern Santa Fe in the first six months of 2002; Coal revenues at Norfolk Southern in 2001; Projections for intermodal traffic by 2004.

Discusses the challenge facing railroad companies during the holidays season. Importance of allowing their employees to have vacations and be with their families; Increase of demand for railroad service during holidays; Significance of holiday service curtailment in running a scheduled railroad; Actions taken by railroad companies to address the problems of customer services during holidays.

The article reports on freight service of the company, Kiwirail in the U.S.

The article presents information on the railroad services of the railway company Graniterock in California.

The article reports on the construction aggregates of the railroad industry in the U.S.

The article discusses funds for operating and capital expenses of railroads in U.S. It states that the federal law SAFETEA-LU, which funds agencies was extended nine times. Later, due to it's expiry Congress has come up with Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century(MAP-21). Chris Aadnesan, Chief Executive Officer of the Alaska Railroad(ARR) said that ARR depends on outside funding for its renewal and improvement projects. Much of that funding came from the Federal Transit Administration.

The article reports on the participation of class 1 railroads in coal movement to the 18 out of 25 largest electric generating stations in the U.S.

The article discusses the differences among the three major types of coal that are mined in North America, including bituminous, subbituminous and lignite.

The article reports on the impact of increasing railroad rates on the railroad industry in North America. Despite a drop of 2.4% in carloadings at Class I railroads for the three months ended September 2007, profits continue to show strong growth. The effects of traffic downturn and lower volumes were alleviated by the increases in the prices that railroads charge. The Union Pacific railroad company experienced an increase of 27% in quarterly earnings due to its Unified Operating Plan and higher prices.

The article focuses on the decision of Fortress Investments to acquire Florida East Coast (FEC). Before such decision, Fortress purchased RailAmerica in February 2007 for US$1.1 billion. Asset managers like Fortress usually restructure the companies they purchase. RailAmerica and FEC are both rail companies but have several differences in terms of operations.

The article discusses the factors to consider in investing in railroad stocks. Fund manager Peter Lynch suggests looking for investments in railroad companies with familiar products and services. Knowledge of the company's history is also essential before deciding to invest. Quarterly conference calls and electronic resources about publicly traded companies can be used to gain additional information about the company.

Reports on the financial performance of several rail systems in North America for the fourth quarter of 2001. Percentage of the profit gained by CSX; Value of the net income posted by Norfolk Southern; Factor attributed to the loss of Burlington Northern Santa Fe.

Provides information on the improved operating metrics of several railroad companies since September 11, 2001. Norfolk Southern; Union Pacific; Canadian Pacific.

Reports on the privatization of the Estonian State Railways (EVR) by Baltic Rail Services, a consortium of railroad firms. Firms which are composing the Baltic consortium; Executives who will be managing the consortium; Information on RailEstonia, another consortium which made its bid for the privatization of EVR.