SeaWaves Railroad News November 9, 2005

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Norfolk Southern Employees Talk Up Strength of Rail

Norfolk November 8, 2005 - As Norfolk Southern Corporation approaches its 175th birthday, employees are talking up the benefits of rail transportation.

The message of a newly formed Thoroughbred Speakers Network is this: Today, the nation depends more than ever on a safe, secure and efficient rail freight network. Rail transportation has withstood the test of time.

Wick Moorman, chief executive officer, said the employee speaker’s bureau will help emphasize the importance of rail transportation. "Back when we had a station agent in every town, communities easily identified with the railroad," he said. "We want to rekindle that connection by underscoring that Norfolk Southern is vital to the people and communities we serve."

Norfolk Southern traces its beginning to Christmas Day 1830. In 2005, 175 years later, "It is an especially exciting time to be a railroader," Moorman said. "More and more people are realizing the benefits of shipping by rail, not only from a cost effectiveness and efficiency standpoint, but also because of our ability to mitigate highway congestion and provide a greener transportation alternative. More than ever, the railroads are a key element in our nation's economic prosperity."

Swedish Railway Administration, Banverket, Selects IFS Applications(TM)

Linkoping, Sweden November 8, 2005 - Banverket Industrial Division, which supplies railway systems and related services in Sweden and other parts of Europe, will implement IFS Applications. The business software will enable Banverket Industrial Division to streamline management of a range of internal and external processes. The initial investment is valued at nearly $1 million and includes functionality for production purchasing, workforce management, financials, and project management.

"Since 2001, the market we operate in has been fully open to competition, so efficiency is crucial to the development and survival of our operations," said Ingemar Freidlitz, project manager at Banverket Industrial Division. "The implementation of IFS Applications is part of a major change program. The solution will give us the tools we need to streamline our processes. For example, it will be easier to plan and control our complex entrepreneurial projects."

IFS was chosen after a thorough evaluation of several suppliers, with functionality and good references being the decisive factors.

"Our core business consists of complex entrepreneurial projects, but we also weld rails and manufacture signaling equipment and technical cabin in a traditional industrial environment," Freidlitz said. "One of the main reasons for selecting IFS Applications was the ease with which we could handle both types of production with the same software. The IFS/Contract Management(TM) component is an important part of the solution because it will help manage all our contracts more efficiently."

In addition to manufacturing and the management of construction projects, Banverket Industrial Division will also use the solution to handle administrative tasks, such as time reporting. This means that all 370 employees will use the solution.

"The agreement with Banverket demonstrates that our investment in solutions for engineering-intensive companies and organizations is what the market demands," Bengt Brander, sales manager for service and facilities management solutions at IFS in Sweden. "Banverket, which runs projects itself as an entrepreneur and subcontracts to other entrepreneurs, is a good example of a player that can achieve substantial efficiency gains thanks to the advanced IT support provided by IFS Applications."

The solution will be implemented step by step, with the initial functionality becoming operational early next year.

The construction and service management industry is one of IFS' targeted vertical market segments. The company offers a complete and integrated business solution that manages the complete construction lifecycle, including scope, tender, approve, award, deliver, and handover.

With IFS Applications, customers can support and improve business processes within their project and asset lifecycles, and can collaborate more closely with suppliers, subcontractors, operators, and customers. IFS Applications supports planning and forecasting, improves efficiency and control in day-to-day operations, and integrates project, asset and facilities management with sales contract management, workforce management, and business intelligence.

Existing IFS Customers in the construction and service management industry include Hertel, Babcock International, Alan Dick, First Engineering, Mitsui Babcock, and Rotary Engineering.

NRG Resources, Inc. Acquires Real Estate in Victorville California to Build Bio-Diesel and Synthetic Fuel Plant

Santa Ana CA November 8, 2005 - NRG Resources, Inc. , an independent oil and oil products company, today reported that it has completed a strategic acquisition of approximately 3.8 acres of real property in Victorville, California, with the objective of building a bio-diesel and synthetic fuel blending facility.

The vacant land, which is the planned building site for a state of the art blending facility for the proprietary, patent-pending bio-diesel and synthetic fuels marketed by the Company, is located within the largest master planned commercial development in the Inland Empire, the Southern California Logistics Airport (SCLA).

"The SCLA, rail complex, and a growing industrial, commercial, and residential infrastructure in the city of Victorville made the location a natural choice for our project and investment," indicates Don Borba, Director of Marketing for the Company. "Having a location within the SCLA Industrial Zone will enable us to draw on incentives provided by the State and the city of Victorville," points out Tony Vanetik, NRG CEO.

Located in the Inland Empire North, the property is 45 minutes from Los Angeles, and less than 100 miles from Los Angeles and Long Beach ports, with I-15 and highway 395 providing access to all western states, Canada, and Mexico, 12 major trucking routes, and access to both Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Union Pacific railroads. The special Zone provides On-Site US Customs Port of Entry, Secured Cargo facilities, Container freight stations, and bonded warehouses.

The airport is a world-class facility for domestic and international air cargo needs. GE, Boeing, Pratt & Whitney, are some of the large companies that have moved into Victorville in the recent years to take advantage of the business incentives, strategic location, and growing population.

The Company has been advised by real estate professionals and believes that real property in the area is currently selling at approximately $150,000 per acre, which is a major increase over a period of several years, not unlike that experienced by most other growing cities in Southern California. "We are excited about becoming members of Victorville's business community," indicates Borba.

The SCLA zone offers numerous long-term economic advantages and incentives in connection with planned development.

These include:

Designated Foreign Trade Zone
California State Enterprise Zone
LAMBRA Zone Credits and Incentives
California's Largest Redevelopment District
Federal Defense Conversion Grants
City Tax Credits
Tax exempt bonds
Employee State Tax Assistance

The Company views this acquisition as the first step in expanding its current production capacity; and augmenting its product line to accommodate bio-diesel manufacturing. The Company's San Diego production of lubricants is estimated to be 11,000 gallons per day. The planned Victorville plant is expected to produce 250,000 gallons per day, which management believes would yield approximately $750,000 of in wholesale sales.

NRG Resources, Inc., a Nevada corporation, is an oil and gas exploration and oil products marketing company, based in California, with executive offices in Orange County and a blending facility in San Diego County. Through its Kazakhstan subsidiary, Munaisystem INK, the Company is pursuing oil and gas exploration opportunities in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Through its oil products division, NRG Resources, Inc. markets a proprietary line of lubricants for industrial and commercial application.

Union Pacific is Named the Most Military Friendly Employer in America

Omaha November 8, 2005 - GI Jobs magazine has named Union Pacific Railroad the nation's top Military Friendly Employer for 2005. The magazine commended Union Pacific's resource-laden effort and high performance results in recruiting transitioning military personnel. According to GI Jobs, "The company, which ranked sixth on last year's list, improved an already excellent program by committing full-time recruiters to the effort."

Rich McCormack, publisher of GI Jobs, said, "Union Pacific also has four recruiters who spend 50 percent of their time on military recruiting, and they have an excellent reserve and guard policy."

This is the third year GI Jobs has issued its list of the Top 25 Most Military Friendly Companies. The list is drawn from a sample of Fortune 500 companies and based on criteria that includes the strength of company military recruiting efforts, the percentage of new hires with prior military service and company policies toward National Guard and reserve service.

"We are very honored GI Jobs has again recognized our efforts and placed us at the top of its list this year," said Barb Schaefer, senior vice president-Human Resources. "We actively recruit and hire former military people because their skills and lifestyles are a great fit for our railroad -- and because they make excellent employees."

Union Pacific targets military personnel for several reasons. Many of the railroad's technical jobs -- such as diesel locomotive mechanics and electricians, and railcar mechanics -- are well suited for military members who have developed similar skills working with Armed Forces large equipment.

Lifestyles and working conditions also are similar between the military and the railroad. Many positions at Union Pacific involve outdoor work with non-traditional working hours. Military personnel tend to be flexible when it comes to relocation, enabling the railroad to maintain service when business volumes shift geographically.

Union Pacific job recruiters actively seek military personnel by attending military job fairs and transitional assistance programs, and regularly visiting major military installations.

About 450 Union Pacific employees indicated on their employment applications that they have reservist or National Guard affiliations. Currently, 98 are serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom, 220 have served and returned; and 16 are helping with Hurricane Katrina recovery, 26 have served and returned. Some of them might be recalled, along with retired military members now working at the railroad.

Union Pacific is dedicated to its reservists and National Guard members. Immediately following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, UP Chairman Dick Davidson reaffirmed the company's long-standing policy of making up any difference in pay or benefits between what UP employees receive while serving in the military, and what they would have received on the job. Davidson expressed his belief that UP employees called to service should be free to focus on their military tasks without having to worry about their financial or medical situation at home.

Union Pacific's history of hiring military personnel dates back to its very beginnings. At the end of the Civil War, many soldiers were hired by Union Pacific to help build the transcontinental railroad.

Union Pacific continues to actively hire for positions across its system. Interested individuals should visit www.up.com and click on "Jobs at UP."

GI Jobs is a national monthly magazine that assists transitioning military members and veterans in their search for civilian employment. The Top 25 recognition is Union Pacific's third such workplace honor this year. Working Mother magazine named North America's largest railroad as one of the nation's 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers, and LATINA Style magazine named Union Pacific one of its LATINA Style 50 companies that provide sensitivity to professional Hispanic women's needs and goals in the workplace.

White Energy Receives Air Permit Approval to Build Ethanol Plant in Texas Panhandle

Dallas November 8, 2005 - White Energy Ltd., received notice last week that the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has approved the company's air permit for the construction of a 100-million-gallon-per-year ethanol plant in Hereford, Texas.

The plant will be adjacent to an existing grain elevator owned and operated by Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (ADM) where White Energy will store grain prior to processing.

"We're pleased to have this phase behind us and we're eagerly anticipating the next phase -- building the plant," said White Energy CEO, Trey White.

"This project undoubtedly will be a dynamic catalyst with many positive results for the environment as well as this community. Working with local leaders to bring the first Texas ethanol plant to Hereford is the first step in our plans to build several ethanol plants in the US within the next three years," White added.

White said plans are to break ground before the end of the year and begin ethanol production late in 2006.

The plant will create 38 full-time jobs and support an additional 650 jobs for the area. Plant construction is expected to provide an additional $18 million in spendable income to the local economy and inject more than $100 million into the construction economy within the first year.

"We're excited about White Energy's production facility coming to Hereford as well as the environmentally positive alternatives ethanol brings to agriculture producers and consumers," said Mike Mauldin, president of Hereford State Bank.

Fagen Inc., was hired to oversee construction is currently the industry leader in ethanol plant construction in the US.

Industry Consulting and Marketing, Inc. (ICM) was retained to engineer and design the plant. Since 1995, the two companies have engineered, built and/or managed 53 ethanol plants throughout the US.

"As a grain sorghum producer in Hereford, I'm excited about the opportunities ethanol brings to this area," said Joe Perrin, Deaf Smith County farmer. "I've worked with the developers of the White Energy Hereford project since the beginning, and I'm glad to see something so beneficial to this area come together."

White Energy Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary of White Ventures, a $250 million venture capital firm located in Dallas.

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