POTOMAC RAIL NEWSPOTOMAC CHAPTER, NATIONAL RAILWAY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

P.O. BOX 235, KENSINGTON, MARYLAND 20895-0235

FEBRUARY 2020

DASHING THROUGH THE SNOW! Amtrak's east bound Capitol Limited kicks-upswirls of snow as it rounds the 180 degree curve at Mance, PA, onCSX's Keystone Sub west of Cumberland, MD, on January 12, 1997. Photoby: Alex Mayes

PROGRAM: Memories of the New York Central – A compilation of publicityfilms produced by the New York Central Railroad during the transitionfrom steam to diesel power will be shown. The DVD includes B&W andcolor footage taken by noted cinematographer Fred Beach beginning in1941 during the start of World War II and ending in 1954. Details onpage 2.

MEETING: February 18, 2020. 8PM. Lobby Level Auditorium of theMontgomery County Executive Office Building, 101 Monroe Street,Rockville, MD.

NEXT MEETING DATE: March 17, 2020

DEADLINE FOR MARCH ISSUE: February 29, 2020. Send news items to ClayMoritz, Editor, Potomac Rail News, at c.moritz@comcast.net

INFO ON CHAPTER ACTIVITIES: http://potomacnrhs.org/

ADDRESS MEMBERSHIP INQUIRIES TO: Rick Davidson, Membership Agent, 2908Breezy Terrace, Alexandria, VA 22303-2401 rdavidsonjr2908@verizon.net

POTOMAC RAIL NEWS FEBRUARY 2020 PAGE 2 OF 12

THE CHAPTER FAMILY

If you know of a Chapter Member who is sick, has lost a loved one, or has a

new birth in the family, please contact the editor at: c.moritz@comcast.net

IN MEMORIAM. With sadness we note the passing of Former NRHS Senior VP Barry O.Smith, EdD, 77, formerly of Chambersburg, PA, on December 21, 2019, in GreenRidge Village, Newville, PA. Barry was NRHS Senior Vice-President and member ofthe Cumberland Valley Chapter, NRHS. Dedicating his life‘s work to the field ofeducation, he earned his BSEd from Bloomsburg State College in 1964, a MSEd fromBucknell University in 1969 and an EdD from Temple University in 1979. Duringhis career in education, Barry served in the Midd-West School District asAssistant Superintendent and Superintendent. He finished his career as anAssociate Professor at Shippensburg University from 1989 to 2000 and worked as ahearing officer for special education from 1991-2008. Surviving are hischildren, Jeffrey Smith of Sunbury, PA, and Cindy Smith-Parr (Andy) ofBlacksburg, VA; grandson, Jacob; brother, Terry Smith of Harrisburg, PA, andcompanion, Sandy Cones of Newville. Barry’s son, Jeff is the current Editor ofthe NRHS Bulletin. A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Saturday, April4, 2020, at 11:00 AM in Green Ridge Village, 210 Big Spring Rd., Newville, PA17241 with a visitation one hour prior to the service. Memorial contributionsmay be made to Covenant House, Attn: Sandra Latchman, 5 Penn Plaza, New York, NewYork 10001-1810.

The Potomac Chapter extends its Deepest Sympathy to Barry’s family. Pleaseremember them in your Thoughts and Prayers. The full obituary notice is atwww.hollingerfuneralhome.com/notices/Barry-Smith

THIS MONTH’S PROGRAM. Included in the program are many scenes of the New YorkCentral’s 4-6-4 Hudsons and 4-8-2 Mohawk Class locomotives pulling the 20 th

Century Limited and other famous passenger trains as well as freights powered by4-8-4 Niagaras and L-3 and L-4 engines, plus first generation diesels, mostly incolor.

ERRATUM - JANUARY PHOTO CAPTION. The January 2020 PRN Cover Photo Caption shouldhave read: Amtrak's Palmetto, Train 89, heads southbound on Seaboard System's ex-Atlantic Coast Line Railroad main at Centralia, VA, on February 19, 1987. Thislocation is 16 miles south of Richmond, VA. EMD F40PH No. 332, one of 210 F40PHsbought by Amtrak, leads the five-car train. Photo by: Alex Mayes. Last month’sincorrect cover photo caption identified this month’s cover photo. DON’T FORGET TO MAKE YOUR RESERVATION FOR THE POTOMAC CHAPTER’S 50 ANNIVERSARYTH

BANQUET, which will be held on Saturday afternoon, March 21, 2020 from 12:30 to4:00PM at the Doubletree Washington North (formerly Hilton Washington North) inGaithersburg, MD, - same location as 2018 & 2019. Our 50 Anniversary Guestth

Speaker, Kevin Keefe, Columnist for Classic Trains Magazine and a Director forThe Center for Railroad Photography & Art, will present “Capitol Unlimited: AMidwesterner's Perspectives on Classic Railroading — Steam, Diesel, and Electric— from a Life in Railroad Journalism, with photos of Mid-Atlantic subjects fromthe Classic Trains library and the Center for Railroad Photography & Art,including images of the PRR, B&O, N&W, C&O, and RF&P from the 1950s through the1970s.

Our Guest Speaker, Kevin P. Keefe was born in Chicago and graduated fromMichigan State University’s School of Journalism in 1973. At MSU, he was a keyfigure in the effort to restore Pere Marquette steam locomotive 1225, and his2016 book for MSU Press, Twelve Twenty Five: The Life and Times of a Steam

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Locomotive, won the Library of Michigan’s prestigious Notable Books Award. Inrecent years he has collaborated on books about photographers Jim Shaughnessy,Wallace W. Abbey, and J. Parker Lamb. He has worked for daily newspapers inMichigan and Wisconsin, and as an Associate Editor and Editor-in-Chief(1992–2000) of Trains Magazine. Over the years, Kevin has authored many articlesfor Trains Magazine and other railroad publications. He retired in 2016 asKalmbach Media’s Vice President-Editorial after twenty-nine years with thecompany. Kevin is currently a Contributing Columnist for Classic Trains Magazineand serves as a Director for The Center for Railroad Photography & Art.

Representatives of the National NRHS will be joining us to recognize thePotomac Chapter’s contributions to the preservation of Railroad History.

A banquet reservation form is on page 11. The deadline for receipt ofreservations is March 17, 2020.

RAIL NEWS

RESTORATION OF C&O 1309. This update is from Wikipedia: In September 2019, theproject was again halted due to a lack of funds shortly after the front driverswere attached to the engine. The railroad said it would no longer make estimatesof when the restoration will be complete. The total spent on the project was at$2.8 million.

As of February 2020, a new Crowdfunding campaign has been announced to tryand raise the remaining $390,000 needed to finish the restoration. Once themoney is raised, the organizers claim the restoration can be completed in sixmonths. Donations can be made on the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad’s websiteat www.wmsr.com/1309

STATE LEGISLATORS SEEK MEETING WITH RR EXECS TO TRY TO SALVAGE IDLED INTERMODALCOMPLEX. A West Virginia legislative interim committee is calling for a meetingwith Norfolk Southern officials to discuss ways to save the State’s $18 millioninvestment in the $32 million Heartland Gateway Intermodal facility in WayneCounty. On January 7 , Senator Robert Plymale, D-Wayne, called for NS officialsth

to appear before the Oversight Commission on Transportation Accountability beforethe State moves forward with plans to auction off the idled 100-acre road-to-railcargo transfer complex.

“They owe it to the State of West Virginia, and they owe it to WayneCounty,” Plymale said of NS officials. “I still think an intermodal facility canwork there.” Delegate Vernon Criss, R-Wood, agreed that legislators need to hearfrom railroad officials who ended rail service to the facility in October becauseof the low volumes of container shipments. “A lot of times we have facelesscorporations in this State that we sometimes have a difficult time dealing with,”Criss said.

In December, legislators objected to State plans to auction off thefacility, which opened in December 2015 to fanfare as a potential economic game-changer for southwestern and central West Virginia. The $32 million facility, towhich the State contributed $18 million, is expected to sell at auction for $1million to $2 million.

Transportation Secretary Byrd White told legislators on January 7 that theth

facility never came close to the minimum 15,000 container “lifts” that NSdemanded, with a total of just 579 lifts for the entire 2018-19 budget year. Hesaid the State paid Parsec, a Cincinnati-based intermodal terminal managementcompany, more than $500,000 a year to operate the facility. From December 2015to September 2019, total State revenue from the complex was $30,797, he said.

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Bid opening for a contract to retain a real estate auction house to sell theproperty was held December 30 , and the bids are currently being reviewed by theth

State Purchasing Division before a contract is awarded. White indicated that the only known likely bidder wants to use the complex

as a railcar maintenance facility. Two Wayne County commissioners, however, toldthe committee they believe the Pritchard (WV) complex is viable as an intermodalfacility, if operated and marketed properly. “This Administration and theprevious Administration failed miserably to do due diligence to market thisfacility,” Commission President Robert Pasley said. “Not only do they not havecustomers, they never even contacted customers in the Pritchard Industrial Parkand other local customers that would have used this facility.” He said theCommission has had no input regarding the complex, other than being invited toinitial events that he said involved “back-slapping and happy handing andeverything about how great it was.”

Asked about the Commission’s vision for the facility, Pasley said, “We wantto see a working intermodal facility there. We want those jobs it will bring,and we want to see the spin-offs that will be created by such a facility.” “Wedon’t want to see this revert to a weed field,” added Commissioner KennethAdkins. “Time is of the essence.”

In December, White told legislators that, under the agreement with NS, whichdonated most of the acreage for the complex, if there are no rail operations on-site for 24 months, the railroad can reclaim ownership of the property. He saidthe State is spending about $10,000 to $15,000 a month to provide security,utilities, and basic maintenance for the idled facility. The facility is part ofthe $290 million Heartland Corridor project, which enables double-stackedintermodal trains to operate on NS rail lines from Norfolk, VA, to Columbus,Ohio, and to Chicago. That project required heightening clearances in 29tunnels, most of which are in West Virginia. (Charleston [WV} Gazette Mail)

DC STREETCAR TO GEORGETOWN IS DEAD. Plans to extend the DC Streetcar toGeorgetown have been effectively scrapped. The District Department ofTransportation is halting all work on the project “for the foreseeable future,”according to documents submitted to the D.C. Council.

“DDOT does not see a feasible path towards implementation of this project inthe short term, due to funding priorities and storage and maintenance needsdiscovered during the [environmental analysis],” DDOT wrote. Building a newstorage and maintenance facility required for more streetcars and a longer linedrew concerns about land availability, in part, because DDOT had proposed puttingit near the existing maintenance facility at the eastern end of the line.

DDOT is still planning to extend the streetcar line east over the AnacostiaRiver along Benning Road Northeast to the Benning Road Metro Station. The $241million project includes roadway and bridge improvements, the streetcar extensionand $20 million in new streetcar vehicles.

DDOT’s budget projects an additional $20 million for fleet repairs andoverhaul of the existing streetcar fleet between 2022 and 2024. Nearly fouryears after the 2-mile line finally opened to riders, problems obtaining spareparts continue to create maintenance delays. There are additional issues withbuilding maintenance and repair.

Without the streetcar to Georgetown project, DDOT is focused on:• Adding 1 mile of bus-only lanes each way on K Street Northwest from 10 toth

21 streets Northwest;st

• Eventually rebuilding the Hopscotch Bridge that carries H Street Northeastbehind Union Station over the rail yard; and

• Redesigning New Jersey Avenue.“DDOT is currently focusing on designing the K Street Transitway, to improve

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speed and reliability for east/west buses through downtown. The K StreetTransitway shares some goals with the USGT [Union Station-Georgetown) Streetcarproject and offers a more feasible path for implementation,” DDOT wrote. DDOTcould rely on some of the studies done under the Georgetown streetcar project tosupport the Transitway’s development. The final spending tied to the UnionStation-Georgetown line is $101,595 for a traffic analysis begun in November thatDDOT now says could be used to support the Transitway project.

The City has yet to decide if or when it might charge people to ride thestreetcar. DDOT does not plan to reconsider free fares until at least theopening of the extension to the Benning Road Metro Station around 2026.Though there were past plans for a larger 22-mile or 37-mile network of streetcarlines in the District, none of those other proposed lines are moving forwardeither. (WTOP)

PENNSYLVANIA PROVIDES FUNDS FOR 26 FREIGHT RAIL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS. Accordingto a press release from Governor Tom Wolf, 26 rail freight projects will receivemoney. "Investing in our extensive rail freight system increases mobilityoptions and improves the efficiency of freight travel," he said. "Theseinvestments underscore our continued commitment to building a world-classinfrastructure system that supports the business community and the creation ofnew jobs.”Among the projects receiving money are:C The Strasburg Rail Road Company was awarded $1.7 million. The money will be

used to construct less than one-mile of track by extending interchange trackand constructing new bulk, ladder, and lead tracks. The constructionproject will more than double Strasburg’s current yard capacity. Thefunding facilitates its freight service that moves grain, lumber, andagricultural products. The railroad handles approximately 500 rail carsand, with the help of the 1.7 million grant money, the $2.47 million projectwill develop a roughly seven-acre property along Meadow Lane just north ofRoute 30 to provide more room for delivery trucks to load and unload ontorail cars and separate most freight operations from its tourist trains. Stephen Weaver, Vice-President of Roadway for Strasburg Rail Road said heexpects a spring groundbreaking for the project.

C Gettysburg & Northern Railroad — $487,900 to replace 2,600 ties over 24miles of railroad and install 0.60 miles of new rail on five key curves.

C Pittsburgh & Ohio Central Railroad — $399,105 to replace deteriorated opendeck bridge timbers on the McKees Rocks Bridge. (Lancaster OnLine)

AMTRAK BEGINS BALTIMORE & POTOMAC TUNNEL REHAB PROJECT. Amtrak continues toadvance efforts to improve infrastructure along the Northeast Corridor (NEC) bylaunching a pilot project focused on rehabilitating the 147-year-old Baltimore &Potomac (B&P) Tunnel. The project will undertake preventive maintenance workthat is critical to keep the tunnel in good working condition. Plans are inprogress to build a new tunnel to replace the existing one under the City ofBaltimore. Work will begin in early February. Crews will replace 1,000 feet oftrack slab and block ties and renew track inside the tunnel that havedeteriorated due to age and water infiltration. This work will take place overeight weekends, with minimal service impacts.

This pilot project will allow Amtrak’s Engineering Department to evaluateviable options to improve the reliability of the B&P Tunnel. “This preventivemaintenance work is necessary, but it is not a silver bullet,” Amtrak VP, ChiefEngineer Gery Williams said. “Due to its age along with growing demand, fullreplacement of the tunnel, with a new four track tunnel system improvingreliability, capacity and connectivity, is the only long-term solution.”

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The two-track tunnel, which opened in 1873, is located between the WestBaltimore MARC and Baltimore Penn stations and is used by Amtrak, MARC Commutertrains and Norfolk Southern freight trains. Due to its age, the tunnel isapproaching the end of its useful life. Its obsolete design creates a low-speedbottleneck on this high-traffic section of the Northeast Corridor.

In 2017, after the completion of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS),the Federal Railroad Administration issued a Record of Decision for a new four-track tunnel system to replace the existing B&P Tunnel. Amtrak is currentlyundertaking a series of design modifications that will reduce the overall capitalcost of the project for the new tunnels as well as mitigating certainconstituency and neighborhood concerns identified through the EIS. This is amajor back-log project estimated at $5 billion.

Amtrak will continue to work with its partners, including Federal, state andlocal stakeholders, to finalize a financing plan. In the interim, Amtrak willcontinue to advance the design phase past 30%. The new tunnels are a 12-to-15-year project. The NEC sees about 2,200 Amtrak, commuter, and freight trainsoperating over some portion of the electrified Washington-Boston route each day.

More information on B&P Tunnel is available at Amtrak’s Ready to Build website.

MOUNTAIN RAIL ADVENTURES ADDS NEW EXPERIENCES. After adding the operation of

Cass Scenic Railroad State Park locomotives to the Mountain Rail Adventures,

Mountain Rail West Virginia President John Smith has kept the railroads busy with

upgrades, restorations, and additions to the multiple excursions on the Cass

trains, Durbin Rocket, and Cheat Mountain Salamander.

The most recent project was laying track to connect the Cass line to Durbin,

which is nearing completion. “We’re basically one bridge over a side stream away

from finishing,” Smith said. “We’ve got all the track work done. There’s a

little touch-up we can do here and there, but basically speaking, the track is

connected, all the ties are in and most of the stone is in.” The bridge is for

Trout Run stream and will be built by the West Virginia Department of

Transportation. Smith said the bid should be let sometime in February, so Smith

feels the route will be finished soon.

The project started in 2016 and the first run should be sometime after Labor

Day in 2020. “It will be a regular run,” Smith said. “It will be an add-on out

of Cass. In other words, Cass is the centerpiece of steam locomotives, and it is

strictly a summertime venue. Once you get partway up the mountain, it’s too cold

come November and you can’t stand it, so we’re trying to expand the operating

season at Cass into the winter, give more options for the summertime travelers,

and hopefully increase the traffic at Cass and in Durbin, as well.”

Due to the grade of the regular Cass runs to Whittaker and Bald Knob, it is

only possible to use the open-air cars, leading to colder riders. But with the

new run to Durbin, which will be mainly a flat ride, it will have closed cars

with heat and restrooms. The train will depart Cass and travel to the end of the

track in Durbin. There will also be options for trains departing from Durbin and

traveling to Cass. Smith estimates the run will take about an hour.

With the project so near completion, Smith said there is no time to take a

break. Instead, Mountain Rail is continuing to find ways to improve and continue

to offer a unique venture into the history of railroads, logging, and West

Virginia. “The whole place exudes history,” Smith said. “The history of West

Virginia railroads is how the place is built. There you have kind of a rolling

POTOMAC RAIL NEWS FEBRUARY 2020 PAGE 7 OF 12

history book, so we’re, one at a time, fixing them up as we go – all the steam

locomotives at Cass.

There’s still more up there. We’ve never had a chance to appraise or assess

any of the other ones, but there are other Cass engines up there that we haven’t

touched in half a decade.” Along with restoring the locomotives to their

original glory, Smith said the maintenance crew is putting finishing touches on a

camp car similar to those that were on display at Whittaker Station for years.

The camp car is designed to look like a typical camp used by the wood hicks who

logged the area. Instead of just being for display, the new camp car will be

available for a Castaway Camp experience, much like the Castaway Caboose on the

Durbin Rocket.

“Years ago, there were two castaway cars on exhibit at Whittaker,” Smith

said. “The oldest of them had basically deteriorated. They brought it down to

Cass and it was in deplorable condition. So, we’ve rebuilt it. It’s going to be

used like a camping experience. That ought to be pretty cool. You’ll stay along

the river on the Greenbrier.”

As opening day for the season draws near, Smith said he is ready to see the

locomotives back on the tracks and is anticipating the maiden voyage of the Cass

to Durbin train. “Right now, you can taste it,” he said. “Most everything is

done and ready to go.” (The Pocahontas Times www.pocahontastimes.com)

NEW NORTHERN CENTRAL RAILWAY DIESEL LOCOMOTIVE. Northern Central Railway -

Rebranded from Steam Into History. Northern Central Railway of York recently

purchased an EMD GP9 diesel locomotive from a private owner after many years in

service at the Deferiet Paper Company of Deferiet, NY. The newest addition to

the Northern Central Railway fleet arrived on December 13, 2019. The locomotive

departed from the Hanover Junction, PA, station at 10AM and arrived at the

Northern Central Railway station in New Freedom, PA, around 10:45AM.

The EMD GP9 is a four-axle road switcher diesel-electric locomotive built by

General Motors' Electro-Motive Division for the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1959 and

it is powered by a sixteen-cylinder engine that generates 1,750 horsepower.

Originally numbered #7249 and later re-numbered to #6076, ownership of the engine

transferred to Penn Central after the New York Central & Pennsylvania Railroad

merger and finally to Conrail. After being retired by Conrail in 1999, the EMD

GP9 was purchased by the Deferiet Paper Company of Deferiet, NY, then sold to a

private owner. Northern Central Railway of York purchased the GP9 to replace the

GP9-10 vintage diesel locomotive that they leased in 2015 to pull the coaches for

their variety of family excursions.

The first Spring Excursions on with GP #6076 begin on March 22, 2020 with

the GLEN ROCK EXPRESS (1 hour) at 11:30AM and the HANOVER JUNCTION FLYER (2 ½

hours) March 22 at 1PM. The coaches are push-pulled.

Northern Central Railway of York is an excursion railroad that makes time

travel possible! It’s an authentic experience where you can meet presidents and

generals, experience the Wild West, enjoy the spirit of the season anytime of the

year, and literally ride along the very rails that helped build and save our

nation.

In the first 5 years of operation, Northern Central drew more than 105,000

visitors from 48 U.S. states and 15 foreign countries, generating $20+ million in

POTOMAC RAIL NEWS FEBRUARY 2020 PAGE 8 OF 12

economic benefits, and helping to solidify York County as a unique tourist

destination.

Northern Central Railway’s experiential programming educates, entertains,

and enlightens visitors with a diverse schedule of excursions incorporating local

history, as well as S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts,

Mathematics) initiatives, into fun themes that create memories that last a

lifetime for all ages. For more information: Northern Central Railway, 2 W Main

Street, PO Box 128 New Freedom, PA 17349| 717-942-2370

Visit: www.northerncentralrailway.com Email: info@steamintohistory.com

IG SAYS ON-TIME DELIVERY OF NEW ACELA TRAINSETS AT RISK. Amtrak’s

plan to roll out new high-speed trains on its Acela line in early 2021 may be

delayed, according to an audit by Amtrak’s Inspector General, citing delays in

the trains delivery, testing, and training. Infrastructure improvements,

including modifications to three maintenance facilities needed to get the new

trains in service also are behind schedule, according to the report released on

January 23 . The audit blames weaknesses in Amtrak’s oversight as contributingrd

to the delays in the $2.5-billion project and urges Amtrak to develop contingency

plans and an assessment of the operational and financial impacts.

“Project delays have eliminated any cushion in the schedule, and multiple

indicators point to further delays beyond the planned service launch” in 2021,

Jim Morrison, Assistant Inspector General for Audits, said in the report sent to

Amtrak. Amtrak officials acknowledge an on-time launch next year would require

all aspects of the program to proceed “nearly flawlessly,” the report said. Any

hiccups in the delivery of the trains and the supported infrastructure would

result in delaying implementation of the program, costing Amtrak plans to sell

more seats on its finest services and eventually millions of dollars in potential

revenue.

Amtrak aspires to a 2-hour D.C.-N.Y. trip, but it’s going to take a lot more

than faster trains. Amtrak has unveiled a video of the first new train,

featuring a sleek modern exterior. The train is one of 28 trainsets the

manufacturer, Alstom, is contracted to deliver by 2022. The first nine new

trains were expected to begin replacing the current trains next year, but that

number has already been reduced following delays in production, according to the

report. Alstom was behind schedule in delivering the first train, delaying

inspection and testing. Amtrak in a January release said the train will be moved

to a Federal Railroad Administration testing site in Colorado in February. It is

unclear, given the delays in production, testing, and training, if the new trains

will still debut January 2021, as originally scheduled. The IG report indicates

that is unlikely.

The new trains for Amtrak’s premier service are a major overhaul for the

passenger railroad’s service in the Northeast. The trains are expected to

improve reliability, service, safety, and capacity. In addition, they will

travel at top speeds of 160 miles per hour, up from 150 miles per hour, and will

accommodate up to 386 passengers, an increase of 25%, according to Amtrak.

Amtrak received a $1.6 billion Federal loan to purchase the new trains and

another $850 million for maintenance of the trains and infrastructure projects

that will allow the company to operate at higher speeds when they debut. One of

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the projects included is the modification of maintenance facilities in

Washington, New York, and Boston. As of January, the audit found, Amtrak has not

set a construction start date or awarded a construction contract for the work.

The contractor was expected to be in place last August. After a six-month delay

in finalizing the design, the report said, Amtrak is now expediting the bidding

process. The report states that “Because of these delays, the company now has

limited time to accommodate any unforeseen setbacks once construction begins.”

Amtrak’s chronic delays are costing millions of dollars, report says. The

Inspector General cited failures within the organization to provide oversight of

critical pieces of the program, including filling key positions that remained

vacant for months and that were responsible for overseeing infrastructure

projects. The project’s top leader was overburdened with multiple competing

responsibilities, including handling all Northeast operations.

Amtrak officials said they disagreed with the report’s assumption that

“managerial weaknesses” contributed to delays, instead blaming the manufacturer

for any delays. Earlier in the process, Alstom reported it was behind schedule

because of redesign work to meet safety standards. Before the new trains go in

service, Amtrak is also required to create multiple IT systems, some of which are

new and will need to be tested, raising the possibility of additional challenges,

the Inspector General said. The company also must allow significant time to

train nearly 1,000 workers, including conductors and engineers, who will be

working with the new trains. “To date, the company has not finalized this

training program but is working with Alstom to receive a trainset in time to use

for training,” the audit said.

In January, Amtrak received a permit from the FRA to move the prototype

train to the Agency’s test track in Pueblo, Colorado. The permit followed a

letter from Senator Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), urging the Federal agency to

approve Amtrak’s request to move the train to the FRA facility to commence the

Federal inspection and testing of the train, which is critical for the project to

stay on schedule and to kick-off production of the rest of the fleet. “I’m

calling on FRA to fast-track Amtrak’s application, get testing underway and do

everything possible to put these sorely-needed trains into service,” Schumer said

in the letter. “These new trains will be a true win-win that will improve rail

safety and maintain good-paying jobs in the Southern Tier.” The Acela program is

creating 750 jobs, including 400 at Alstom’s facility in Hornell, NY, where the

trains are being built.

The IG report found that Amtrak has not “developed a full range of

contingency plans, such as selectively reducing service on lower-demand Acela

trains, and has not assessed their potential impacts. As a result, Amtrak cannot

make fully informed decisions about how to mitigate the impacts of delays, or

whether to increase resources now to try to avoid some delays in the first

place,” the report said.

To avoid potential overbooking, the report said, Amtrak has already decided

not to sell additional tickets until it has the confidence that the trains will

be ready. “The company has concluded, however, that before it can sell tickets

for the additional seats, it must have enough train sets to guarantee with 99%

confidence that a new trainset will be available for a particular timeslot in the

Acela schedule,” the report said.

POTOMAC RAIL NEWS FEBRUARY 2020 PAGE 10 OF 12

The investments in the Acela aim to grow one of Amtrak’s strongest lines.

Ridership on the Acela grew by 4.3% in fiscal year 2019, compared with the

previous year, and higher than the 2.9% growth on the Northeast Corridor and 2.4%

growth on the company’s state-funded routes. Acela’s revenue also grew by about

5.4%, according to Amtrak.

In response to customer demand, Amtrak expanded Acela service last year with

the addition of nonstop trips between Washington and New York and an additional

Washington — New York — Boston round-trip on Saturdays. The new nonstop Acela

service between Washington and New York was billed as the start of an era of

faster passenger service in the Northeast. The trip connects the nation’s two

powerful cities in two hours and 35 minutes, saving passengers about 15 minutes’

travel time. That time is expected to go down when the new trains are in place.

Roger Harris, Amtrak Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing and

Revenue Officer, acknowledged that the program faces significant risks and

delays, but challenged the report’s views about management failures. Delivery

and launch schedule are largely unchanged, Harris said in an letter addressed to

the IG in response to the report. He said plans remain to get the first new

train in service next year. Modifications to maintenance facilities are also on

schedule, and the project’s leadership is “organized to achieve highest levels of

transparency and effectiveness,” he said. According to Amtrak, the first train

has been successfully tested at the Alstom facility, and a second train will

undergo testing in the Northeast Corridor this summer or fall. “There remains an

extraordinary amount of work ahead, and Amtrak management is confident that the

proper resources are aligned to deliver this ambitious program on scope,

schedule, and budget,” he said. (Washington Post)

Anaheim Acupuncturist Sentenced to 30 Months in Federal Prison for Cheating

Amtrak Out of $7M. A licensed acupuncturist was sentenced to 2½ years in Federal

prison on February 4 for fraudulently billing Amtrak’s health care plan $7.1th

million in unnecessary or unprovided acupunctures, massages, and facials,

authorities said. Guiqiong Xiao Gudmundsen, aka “Kimi” Gudmundsen, a 53-year-old

Anaheim Hills woman, was ordered to pay $2,683,903 in restitution to Amtrak.

Gudmundsen, who owned Healthy Life Acupuncture Center, pleaded guilty to one

count of health care fraud and one count of money laundering in October.

From January 2008 until December 2015, Gudmundsen recruited Amtrak employees to

visit her center that operated in Los Angeles and Riverside. She billed Amtrak’S

health care plan for acupuncture services that she knew were not being provided;

for medically unnecessary services such as massages and facials; and for work-

related injuries that she knew the plan did not cover, authorities said.

Gudmundsen also provided medical services to people who did not have Amtrak

health care and then billed the plan for it under the name of actual plan

participants, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. (KTLA TV Los Angeles)

EVENTS OLD DOMINION DIVISION RRE MONTHLY MEETING. February 20, 2020 8:00 PM. James MadisonHigh School, 2500 James Madison Drive, Vienna VA in room 110. The closest entrance door to this

room is Entrance No. 1. Pre-meeting dinner at 6:30 at the Amphora Restaurant, 377 West Maple Avenue

Vienna. To reach the school: From Amphora Restaurant go south two blocks on West Maple Avenue to

James Madison Drive and turn right. School is at the end of this street. Program: Rail Operations

"North of the Border." David Bieritz will present commercially produced videos featuring rail

passenger service on VIA Rail, British Columbia Railway, and the Whitehorse and Yukon Railroad.

POTOMAC RAIL NEWS FEBURARY 2020 PAGE 11 OF 12

POTOMAC CHAPTER, NRHS

50 ANNIVERSARY ANNUAL BANQUETTH

SATURDAY, March 21, 2020, 12:30-4:00 PMALL POTOMAC CHAPTER MEMBERS, GUESTS, AND OTHER INTERESTED RAILFANS

ARE INVITED. PLEASE JOIN US FOR AN ENJOYABLE EVENING!

Guest Speaker: Kevin Keefe, Columnist for Classic Trains Magazine and a

Director for The Center for Railroad Photography & Art, will present “Capitol

Unlimited: A Midwesterner's Perspectives on Classic Railroading — Steam,

Diesel, and Electric — from a Life in Railroad Journalism, with photos of Mid-

Atlantic subjects from the Classic Trains library and the Center for Railroad

Photography & Art, including images of the PRR, B&O, N&W, C&O, and RF&P

from the 1950s through the 1970s.

LOCATION: Doubletree Washington North, 620 Perry Parkway,Gaithersburg, MD 20877 DIRECTIONS: FROM THE CAPITAL BELTWAY (I-495):TAKE I-270 North to Exit 11 MD-124 Montgomery Village Ave, Go right (East) onMontgomery Village Avenue, Stay in right lane and Turn Right at MD 355, (N.Frederick Avenue); Stay in right lane and Turn Right on Perry Parkway andproceed to 620 Perry Parkway, which is on the right past the shopping center. Hotel phone: (855) 213-0582

SOCIAL HOUR: 12:30 PM (CASH BAR); DINNER: 1:30 PM. PROGRAM: 2:30PM

BUFFET STYLE; ENTRÉE CHOICE OF: Choice of Entrees: Chicken Chasseur-Breast of Chicken sautéed with Mushrooms, Fresh Herbs, White Wine, and

Tomato Demi-Glaze; Roast Beef Bordelaise-Tender; Roast Sirloin of Beef

Served with a Merlot Demi Glaze & Fresh Chopped Herbs; Pan Seared Lemon

Salmon Seasoned with Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Accompanied by a Herb Lemon Butter Sauce PLUS CLASSIC CAESAR SALAD,

MIXED GREEN SALAD, OVEN ROASTED POTATOES, SAUTÉED MIXED VEGETABLES,

BREAD & ROLLS, TEA AND COFFEE, AND Chef’s Selection of Desserts.

COST: $47.00 PER PERSON

DOOR PRIZE DONATIONS WILL BE GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED

RESERVATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY March 17, 2020 PLEASE USE OUR ON-LINERESERVATIONS AT : http://potomacnrhs.org/ ($1.00 per Guest Service ChargeAdditional) OR COMPLETE THE RESERVATION FORM BELOW AND MAIL IT ALONG WITH YOURCHECK TO: POTOMAC CHAPTER, NRHS – BANQUET, P.O. BOX 235, KENSINGTON, MD 20895-0235 FURTHER INFORMATION: (703) 255-3258 or email potomac70@live.com

================================================================================PLEASE MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO: "POTOMAC CHAPTER, NRHS"

Name & Address:__________________________________________________

Phone number: ________________ E-mail:___________________________

Guest Name Cost

Total

POTOMAC RAIL NEWS FEBRUARY 2020 PAGE 12 OF 12

POTOMAC RAIL NEWS is published monthly by the Potomac Chapter, National Railway Historical

Society, Inc., P.O. Box 235, Kensington, Maryland 20895-0235 Website: www.potomacnrhs.org

* * * * *

Potomac Chapter Officers & Directors:

President...............Gordy Bjoraker (301) 577-5061

Vice-President..........John Sery (301) 431-0088

Secretary...............Bill Holdsworth (301) 762-9376

Treasurer...............Jay Creswell (703) 255-3258

Directors...............Carl Franz, Gordon Piscacek, Robert Dixon-Gumm, Stephen Sery

National Representative.Rick Davidson (703) 768-2831

Membership..............Rick Davidson (703) 768-2831

Historian...............Bob Cohen (301) 424-3228

Editor, PRN.............Clay Moritz (301) 933-3618

Program Committee: Jerry Hott, Alex Mayes, John Sery

Contributors: Alex Mayes, Glenn Orletsky, Ray Saunders

POTOMAC CHAPTER, NRHS

P.O. BOX 235

KENSINGTON, MD. 20895-0235

POTOMAC CHAPTER, NRHS

1970 - 2020

FIRST CLASS