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Ford dinged by OSHA for asbestos at Buffalo plant

Ford has come under fire from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for violations regarding asbestos exposure in a company metal stamping plant in Buffalo, NY. OSHA has cited Ford for eight violations in total, according to an Automotive News report, and faces fines of up to $41,800. 537 workers are employed at the stamping facility.
The violations include a pipefitter at the facility being exposed to asbestos-containing material while working on a steam line, other workers exposed to the material without respiratory protection and work areas that were not designed to limited the number of workers in contact with asbestos. Further, areas in which asbestos was present were not properly restricted, and levels of asbestos in the air were not monitored.
According to an unnamed Ford spokesperson in the AN report, the company feels that the OSHA citation is erroneous saying, "We have fully cooperated with the local OSHA officials and we don't believe the citations are warranted." Ford also maintains that it will work with the authorities to resolve the issue.

180,000 new vehicles are sitting, derailed by lack of transport trains

If you're planning on buying a new car in the next month or so, you might want to pick from what's on the lot, because there could be a long wait for new vehicles from the factory. Locomotives continue to be in short supply in North America, and that's causing major delays for automakers trying to move assembled cars.
According to The Detroit News, there are about 180,000 new vehicles waiting to be transported by rail in North America at the moment. In a normal year, it would be about 69,000. The complications have been industry-wide. Toyota, General Motors, Honda and Ford all reported experiencing some delays, and Chrysler recently had hundreds of minivans sitting on the Detroit waterfront waiting to be shipped out.
The problem is twofold for automakers. First, the fracking boom in the Bakken oil field in the Plains and Canada is monopolizing many locomotives. Second, the long, harsh winter is still causing major delays in freight train travel. The bad weather forced trains to slow down and carry less weight, which caused a backup of goods to transport. The auto companies resorted to moving some vehicles by truck, which was a less efficient but necessary option.

Michigan museum offers Model T driving classes

Halfway between Detroit and Chicago, there is a car museum that gives visitors a unique level of interaction with antique cars. The Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners, MI has a driver's training class to teach people of any age to learn how to drive a Ford Model T.
From the crank starter to the column-mounted throttle control, this driving school teaches people all there is to know about driving and operating a Model T. Each class lasts about two and a half hours and is only open to 18 students. There are ten sessions planned for 2014 - twice a day on May 3, June 22, July 22, August 23 and September 14. The class costs $95 (or $85 for members), and it also includes a tour of the museum's automobile collection.
In addition to this driving school, the museum has plenty of exhibits on the property, and it's open all but three days per year (Easter, Christmas and New Year's Day) with free admission for school field trips and active military. Be sure to check out the Gilmore Car Museum's website or visit them on Facebook for more info.