Latest news with #TTX
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
TTX Mourns the Passing of Former CEO Raymond C. Burton, Jr.
CHICAGO, June 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- TTX Company announces with deep sorrow the passing of Raymond C. Burton, Jr., the company's former President and CEO, who died on June 19, 2025, in New York City at the age of 86. A revered leader and respected visionary, Burton – known as Bertie by his friends and family – served as TTX's President and CEO from 1982 until his retirement in 2000. Over the course of his 18-year tenure, he modernized TTX, helping the company strengthen its financial position and meet the growing demand for the transportation of intermodal containers, trailers, and automotive production. His leadership was instrumental in reshaping the North American railcar pool, helping TTX serve its railroad owners and customers with greater efficiency, flexibility, and scale. Prior to joining TTX, Burton held key financial and operational leadership roles at Santa Fe Industries and Burlington Northern Railroad, where he was instrumental in raising capital to finance the infrastructure supporting the Powder River Basin in Wyoming and Montana. Before becoming a railroad man, he graduated from Cornell University in 1960, where he was an All-Ivy track star and leading overall scorer his senior year. He spent a year in the U.S. Army as a lieutenant, and then received his MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1963. In addition to his business achievements, Burton was an equestrian, scholar, and historian, authoring "The Eminent Americans," a two-volume biography collection chronicling notable figures in U.S. history. He was also conferred an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from the University of Missouri in 1999 shortly after serving as president of the John W. Barriger National Railroad Library Board. Burton was twice honored as "Railroader of the Year" by Railway Age, first in 1986 by its predecessor publication, Modern Railroads, and then in 1993. "Ray was a true renaissance man, and one of those rare leaders whose values inspired the entire corporate team," said Thomas F. Wells, President and CEO of TTX, and Andrew Reardon, immediate past President and Chief Executive Officer of TTX. "He was the right person to lead TTX during a pivotal time in our transformation, and befittingly was one of very few people to be recognized twice as Railroader of the Year, a rare distinction in our industry. Burton is survived by his wife of 26 years, Madge Burton of Rancho Mirage, CA and New York City as well as his stepson, Raymond W. Starmann III of Woodlands, Texas and his stepdaughter, Carolyn P. Starmann of New York City. A private funeral service is planned in New York City during the week of June 23, 2025, with burial in Maine. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Alzheimer's Association are welcome. TTX extends its deepest condolences to the Burton family. His enduring legacy of leadership, innovation, and integrity continues to shape the foundation of TTX's mission and purpose today. Media Contact:Scott HowlandVP and Chief Human Resources About TTX CompanyTTX is a railcar pooling company founded as Trailer Train in 1955 by the Pennsylvania Railroad. TTX's right-sized, low cost, reliable fleet of over 175,000 railcars serves North America's railroads and the world's freight needs. TTX helps railroads meet their customers' needs by providing well-maintained railcars in an efficient, pooled environment, investing $6 billion in additional railcars, over the past ten years alone. TTX has a complete engineering and design team to care for its large and varied fleet with maintenance operations in terminals across the network. In addition to this vital role as a railcar pool operator, TTX invests in and operates sophisticated industry technology solutions. These solutions improve the quality and timeliness of financial and operating information for managing our business and that we share with our owners to help them manage theirs. Further, TTX is a recognized innovator in the technical design and engineering of railcar components. To learn more about TTX, visit View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE TTX Company Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Barnama
17-06-2025
- General
- Barnama
'We Can't Forget 2021': Indonesia's West Sulawesi Prepares For The Next Big Quake
A disaster response simulation in the form of a Tabletop Exercise (TTX) and Command Post Exercise (CPX) was conducted in West Sulawesi Province, focusing on earthquake response, in Mamuju, West Sulawesi, on Monday. -- Photo credit: BNPB By Mohd Iswandi Kasan Anuar JAKARTA, June 17 (Bernama) -- The devastation of January 16, 2021, still lingers in West Sulawesi, when a 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck before dawn, killing 105 people, injuring thousands, and causing widespread destruction across the province. Four years later, local officials, emergency responders and community members returned to the epicentre on Monday not to mourn the tragedy of the past, but to prepare for the possibility of it happening again. bootstrap slideshow In a large-scale simulation, the province tested its emergency response to a modelled 7.5-magnitude earthquake striking the coastal districts of Majene and Mamuju, with a scenario projecting over 1,000 fatalities and 200,000 displaced residents. Coordinated by Indonesia's National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), the exercise brought together government officials, military and police units, humanitarian organisations, and local communities in a test of speed, coordination and resilience. BNPB senior trainer Apriyuanda G. Bayu Pradana stated that the activities, which included a tabletop exercise and a command post simulation, were designed to strengthen coordination between agencies within the emergency command system. 'Ultimately, we aim to generate recommendations to improve policy and emergency planning,' he said in a statement. West Sulawesi lies along the seismically active Mamuju thrust fault and remains at high risk of major earthquakes and tsunamis. Acting provincial secretary Herdin Ismail said the drill reflected the joint commitment of BNPB and the provincial government to cultivate a culture of disaster awareness and strengthen local preparedness as the frontline in disaster management.
India Gazette
01-06-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
Spanish and Italian Navy ships engage in tactical exercises with Indian Navy in Mumbai
New Delhi [India], June 1 (ANI): ESPS Reina Sofia, commanded by Cdr Salvador Moreno Regil, Spanish Navy and ITS Antonio Marceglia, commanded by Cdr Alberto Bartolomeo, Italian Navy, are in Mumbai from 26 May to 1 June 2025 for an operational turnaround. Both ships currently operate under the European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR). It is the first such visit to India conducted under the aegis of the European Union. It is a follow-up to the discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Union, highlighting their shared commitment towards international peace and security. The EUNAVFOR side, led by Rear Admiral Davide Da Pozzo, Force Commander, Op Atalanta, interacted with Rear Admiral Vidyadhar Harke VSM, Chief Staff Officer (Operations), Western Naval Command of the Indian Navy at the Headquarters, Western Naval Command and discussed matters related to furthering maritime cooperation between the two sides. Both sides agreed on the need for extended cooperation in the military domain, and the meeting was a stepping stone for expanding avenues of cooperation between the Indian Navy and EUNAVFOR. During the ships' stay in harbour, activities such as Subject Matter Expert Exchanges (SMEEs) and a Table Top Exercise (TTX) were conducted between the two sides, aimed at refining key issues necessary for tactical-level cooperation at sea. Both sides benefitted immensely from the exchanges on experiences gained during Anti-Piracy and Anti-Smuggling operations. The harbour engagements laid the foundation for the Joint Exercise between the Indian Navy and EUNAVFOR which is planned post-departure of the ships from Mumbai on 1 June. The exercise at sea will see participation by ESPS Reina Sofia and ITS Antonio Marceglia from EUNAVFOR and ships and aircraft from the Indian Navy. The complex tactical exercises are aimed at enhancing the interoperability between the two sides and will enable seamless operations when deployed for combating non-traditional threats in the Indian Ocean Region. Both India and the EU share a strong commitment towards a rules-based maritime order, allowing for free and open use of international waters while respecting the territorial integrity of littoral states. The current visit embodies the shared interest of safeguarding legitimate trade and countering non-traditional threats such as piracy, smuggling, and Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, which also reflects the discussions undertaken during the 4th India-EU Maritime Security Dialogue, held in New Delhi in March 2025. These maritime engagements would further strengthen the increasing multi-domain cooperation between India and EU, with a common aim of progressing shared interests. (ANI)
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
The first US solar storm emergency drill did not go well
The federal government released the results of a multiday emergency drill intended to assess our ability to handle the next massive solar storm. Unfortunately, it sounds like there's a lot of room for improvement. According to a report published earlier this month by the Space Weather Operations, Research, and Mitigation (SWORM) task force, institutions across the board need to better coordinate their interoffice responses, at the very least. Meanwhile, educating both themselves and the public on the complexities of cosmic forces that threaten societal infrastructures is a major must that remains unfulfilled. Governmental emergency response agencies don't only train for somewhat predictable events like hurricanes, wildfires, and other natural disasters—they need to be prepared for rarer or even far-fetched scenarios. Experts routinely review protocols and options for the next inevitable cataclysmic asteroid strike, for example. But while that kind of cosmic predicament only occurs roughly once every 25,000 years, massive solar storms happen more frequently. These flare-ups generate gigantic clouds of energized gas and dust that can bombard Earth at speeds of roughly 2 million miles per hour. Such particles subsequently distort the planet's magnetosphere and produce atmospheric displays like the aurora borealis. But in an interconnected and digitized world, these forces can also wreak havoc on power grids, communications systems, and satellite arrays. In order to respond to these threats, government agencies need to coordinate. That is where SWORM comes in. Formed in 2014 to develop and advance national space weather preparedness, SWORM includes agencies like the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The task force hosted its first-ever Space Weather (SWx) Tabletop Exercise (TTX) on May 8 and 9, 2024 across the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory and Colorado's FEMA office. The scenario focused on four modules relating to the fallout from a series of solar events, including loss of GPS functionality, power outages, radio blackouts, orbital satellite communication disruptions, and even extreme radiation exposure for astronauts. The hypothetical emergency occurred over eight days in early 2028. In this situation, an active solar region begins to flare as it rotates towards a position aimed at Earth. Intensifying this simulated crisis is the variable that a two-astronaut Orion spacecraft crew is en route to the Moon, while another pair of Artemis astronauts are already situated on the lunar surface. The organizers then asked each participating agency group what protocols they had in place to handle such a priority problem. The results, while productive, laid bare just how difficult it still is for state and national agencies to coordinate on something as fundamentally complex as geomagnetic storms. This related both to the emergency responders themselves and the general public. 'Space weather is a complex subject and its potential impacts are not well understood outside of NOAA and NASA,' reads the report, adding that participants, 'without space weather expertise struggled to translate the scientific information and determine what the specific impacts would be on Earth.' 'There is a strong need to educate not only government and agency staff but the general public, as well,' SWORM concluded. Another issue is that many relevant government institutions lack Continuity of Operations (COOP) plans for solar storms. 'Even those organizations that include space weather in their documents fail to provide clarity regarding how and at what point a COOP would be activated for this type of event,' states the report. However, even if agencies implement better response protocols and clearly articulate risks to the public, the fact remains that a solar storm's lead time is incredibly short. Currently, experts are only able to accurately assess the incoming impacts of a coronal mass ejection around 30 minutes before it reaches Earth. SWORM noted 'significant discussion was dedicated' to just how little a half an hour's heads up affords agencies, and suggested developing an advanced warning system—even if it's imprecise. Another conclusion was the need to more heavily invest in more advanced space weather satellite systems, along with deploying a new generation of sensors capable of monitoring the complex factors underlying cosmic conditions. This could be accomplished through collaborations with both international partners and private companies. While the drill's results aren't the most comforting, nearly all participants reported leaving the event with a better understanding of solar storms and their consequences, as well as the need for better interagency communications about space weather. Ironically, SWORM couldn't have asked for a better event grand finale: exactly one day after the meeting, an extreme geomagnetic storm hit Earth that temporarily affected power grids and satellite orbital patterns.
Yahoo
23-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Male Octopuses Stun Females With Venom to Survive Mating, Study Finds
The blue-lined octopus (Hapalochlaena fasciata) is only a few centimeters long, yet it may be one of the most dangerous marine animals on Earth. That's because, as part of the blue-ringed octopus genus, it's heavily armed – not just with eight arms, but also with tetrodotoxin (TTX), a potent neurotoxin. The mantles of female blue-lined octopuses can grow about as big as a golf ball, roughly twice the size of males. This size discrepancy can be life-threatening for a male, whose instinct to mate puts him in danger of being eaten by a much larger female. According to a new study, however, male blue-lined octopuses have an effective survival tactic. Before attempting to mate, they deliver a precise bite near the female's aorta, injecting TTX and temporarily paralyzing her. Many octopus species are sexually dimorphic, with big females who sometimes cannibalize their tiny mates, the study's authors note. This may favor the survival of males with bodies or behaviors that prevent them from being eaten. Males of some species have evolved an extra-long hectocotylus, a specialized arm for transferring spermatophores, to keep themselves at a distance from females during mating. Others just detach their hectocotylus, sacrificing it so they can flee. But male blue-lined octopuses don't have an elongated mating arm, nor can they shed theirs. They have been seen trying to wrap females in their small arms while mounting them from behind, the authors write, but given the females' relative strength, it's unlikely that alone would save them. Both sexes have TTX in their saliva, which they use to thwart predators and immobilize prey. While males may only grow to half the size of females, however, their posterior salivary glands – where symbiotic bacteria produce TTX – are three times heavier than those of similar-sized females, the researchers report. This disproportionate enlargement of males' salivary glands "likely co-evolves between demand for protection/predation and mating," they write. To learn the males' survival trick, the researchers placed six pairs of male and female blue-lined octopuses in tanks and observed their mating behavior. All female octopuses "quickly succumbed to the males while clasped on the mantle," the researchers write. Pairs remained stationary for about an hour. Breathing rates while mating varied dramatically by sex. Males started at 20 to 25 mantle contractions per minute when resting, then increased to between 35 and 45 contractions per minute during copulation, the researchers report. Females, on the other hand, experienced a sharp drop in breathing rate when mating began, the study found. They then stopped breathing altogether after about eight minutes, although none died. While in this condition, females turned pale and their pupils constricted, losing all reflexes to bright flashes of light. It looked like loss of nerve control, the researchers explain, which happens in tetrodotoxin envenomation. "Once the females were immobilized, the males successfully copulated, and mating ended when the females regained control of their arms and pushed the males off," the researchers write. Afterward, the researchers found one or two small, swollen lumps at the backs of the female octopuses' heads, near the aorta. An open wound was visible at the site of swelling, they write, "providing physical evidence of biting." One of the males apparently bit too far to the left and missed his mate's aorta, the researchers note. This female was still immobilized, they report, but she awoke after 35 minutes, earlier than all the others. "Therefore, despite not having any direct measurements of TTX in the body of females after male biting behavior, these findings strongly suggest the co-option of the venom for mating in this species," they write. "It also suggests a co-evolutionary arms race between the sexes, whereby a cannibalizing large female is counteracted in males through the use of venom." Since none of the females died during mating, it seems they may have some level of resistance to tetrodotoxin. A variety of animals accumulate this bacterial toxin in their bodies, including mollusks, fish, and amphibians. More in-depth studies are needed to investigate the different ways animals are using it, the researchers write. The study was published in Current Biology. Amazing 15-Million-Year-Old Fish Fossil Found in The Australian Desert New Type of Fossilization Revealed by Griffon Vulture Found in Volcanic Ash Reservoirs of Clean Energy Could Be Hiding Inside Our Planet's Mountain Ranges
