Today's Headlines

Amtrak train delayed by hazmat threat

HAVRE, Mont. (AP) -- More than 300 Amtrak passengers had an extended -- and unintended -- stay here this weekend after a telephone threat led authorities to search two trains for radioactive materials.

Both the eastbound and westbound Empire Builder trains left Havre Sunday morning, at least 16 1/2 hours behind schedule after officials found nothing harmful.

The passengers, removed from the trains in 24-degree weather, were taken to the National Guard Armory and a school gymnasium in Havre after the trains were stopped on Saturday.

An Amtrak spokesman in Wilmington, Del., said the threat had been phoned in by a man claiming to be a government employee, or possibly a former employee, with access to chemical or radioactive agents.

The threat was made against a train going through Havre. Both legs of the Empire Builder run through this city, connecting Chicago and Seattle.

Hill County Sheriff Tim Solomon said the trains were checked for radioactive materials. ``We came up with nothing in the search,'' said FBI agent George Dougherty.

In the investigation, authorities waved a wand over each passenger, concentrating on hands and feet, said Robert Johnson, a passenger from Glendale, Ore.

"I wasn't real scared, but once I saw the ambulance and the fire trucks pull up, I got a little more serious," Johnson said.

Havre is about 120 miles northeast of Great Falls.

Chicago withdraws conditions from CN-IC merger

CHICAGO -- The City of Chicago dropped its request for conditions to the proposed merger of Canadian National Railway and Illinois Central Corp. after the city's concerns about a rail route through the city were neutralized.

The city originally pressed the applicants to move freight off the Illinois Central route called the St. Charles Airline. That 12-mile line, which generally follows a North-South course, connects rail facilities on the North Side of Chicago's downtown area with IC's main line on the South Side of the city.

The decision to drop the request for conditions was submitted late last week, just before CN/IC and other participants in the merger case filed briefs at the Surface Transportation Board.

STB has scheduled a voting conference for March 25 and a final decision on the proposal for May 25.

American Airlines, pilots may seek arbitration

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) -- American Airlines, mired in a stalemate with pilots over the purchase of low-cost carrier Reno Air by its parent company AMR Corp., has renewed its offer to have an independent arbitrator help resolve the dispute.

The airline said in a release Sunday that its arbitration offer was made to the Allied Pilots Association during talks on Thursday. The release called Monday's scheduled meeting of the APA's board of directors a "critical next step."

"At the present, we are essentially negotiating with ourselves," American said. "If we cannot resolve this matter on our own, we are prepared to bring in a mediator or a neutral arbitrator, if APA will agree."

APA officials could not be immediately reached by The Associated Press on Sunday. A telephone recording at the union headquarters, last updated on Friday, mentioned nothing about the possibility of arbitration.

American was forced to cancel more than 6,600 flights over a 10-day period because of a sickout that ended last week after a federal judge held the APA in contempt.

Passenger service returns to Sacramento-Stockton route

After a nearly three-decade absence, direct passenger rail service between Sacramento and Stockton began February 21 as part of the Amtrak California San Joaquin route. Other changes also effective include new morning and evening express trains and new reserved seating service.

A daily southbound train will depart Sacramento at 6:20 a.m. and arrive in Bakersfield at 11:45 a.m. A daily northbound train will leave Bakersfield at 5:45 p.m. and arrive in Sacramento at 11:15 p.m.

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Privatized British railroads to get government oversight

LONDON -- The Journal of Commerce reports that British railroads are bracing themselves for a government showdown next Thursday, when ministers are expected to appoint a powerful new watchdog to knock the privatized industry into shape.

Industry figures said the rail summit should signal a fresh start for the rail network which has seen dismal service levels since privatization under the last Conservative government.

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott will head the summit knowing that unless he turns around performances before the next election, the Labor government could face a commuter backlash.

Critics say Mr. Prescott's approach so far has been one of tough talk and little action, with the chorus of passenger complaints rising 25 percent in the period from April 1 to October 17.

The appointment of a chairman for the new Strategic Rail Authority (SRA), which will award and monitor rail franchises, is set to top Thursday's agenda.

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