BLET News
Education and Training Dept. to host officer training at 2025 BLET Regional Meetings
Please make your plans now to attend one or both of the BLET’s Regional Meetings this year. An important part of these events are training workshops for Local Division officers conducted by the BLET Education and Training Department. Training will be offered for...
BLET, NJ Transit meet again this week
BLET representatives met this week for a second time with new NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri in an effort to reach a voluntary resolution to the lengthy contract dispute. This follows an initial meeting on January 30. BLET and NJ Transit are in the midst of a 60-day...
Verna touts the benefits of C3RS at TTD rail safety news conference
In March 2023, leaders of America’s largest railroads promised to voluntarily adopt the Confidential Close Call Reporting System in the weeks after the tragedy in East Palestine. C3RS is a safety program that allows railroad workers to confidentially report near-miss...
Vance visits East Palestine, pledges Trump administration’s support for the Railway Safety Act
Vice President J.D. Vance said the Trump administration supports the Railway Safety Act during his visit to East Palestine on February 3. Photo: Associated Press ____________________ On Monday, February 3, Vice President J.D. Vance traveled to East Palestine, Ohio, to...
Capitol Hill: Rep. Titus of Nevada renews call for rail safety legislation
U.S. Representative Dina Titus delivers her opening remarks during a January 23 hearing. House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee image ____________________ U.S. Representative Dina Titus (D-NV), who has a history of supporting rail workers, spoke out in...
2025 BLET Scholarship Directory: Financial aid is available to the dependents of BLET members
BLET members and their dependents seeking academic scholarships are encouraged to explore the 2025 BLET Scholarship Directory, a resource for a variety of financial aid programs. If you or a family member are looking for scholarship opportunities, don’t delay....
Rep. Chris Deluzio of Pennsylvania appointed Vice Ranking Member of House Rail Subcommittee
U.S. Representative Chris Deluzio at a 2024 roundtable discussion on rail safety. House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee image ____________________ On January 22, it was announced that Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-PA) will serve as the Vice Ranking Member of the...
Duffy sworn in as new US DOT Secretary; Tells the Senate he will back FRA two-person crew regulation
In a positive development for rail safety, Sean Duffy, the newly-confirmed Secretary of U.S. Department of Transportation, testified that he would support the Federal Railroad Administration’s minimum crew size regulation during a Senate confirmation hearing on...
Teamsters Rail Conference calls on VP Vance to “hold railroad executives’ feet to the fire in pursuit of safer railroads”
Monday, Feb. 3 marks two years since the toxic train wreck and fire caused by the derailment of a Norfolk Southern freight train in East Palestine, Ohio. Shortly after the wreck and a visit by then-candidate Donald Trump to the crash site, then-Senator J.D. Vance...
BLET meets with new New Jersey Transit CEO
Representatives from the BLET met with New Jersey Transit (NJT) executives, including new CEO Kris Kolluri, on January 30 in an effort to reach a voluntary resolution to the lengthy contract dispute. BLET Vice President Jim Louis, who heads the union’s Passenger Rail...
RRB news: Details on implementation of the REEF Act
The Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) has prepared a helpful list of Questions & Answers regarding the Railroad Employee Equity and Fairness (REEF) Act, which was recently signed into law. Under the new law, benefits paid under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance...
Massachusetts: Chairman Cadogan raises BLET’s issues with Governor Healey
Brother Dan Cadogan (pictured, right), Chairman of the New England Legislative Board, met with Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey on January 13. Representing the views of BLET members in the Bay State, Cadogan addressed quality of life issues for commuter rail...
Attention retirees: New law can increase payments to recipients of public pensions
The Social Security Fairness Act, signed into law on January 5, 2025, will end two statutory reductions for railroad retirees, their spouses, and survivors who are receiving public pensions from work not covered by social security. The repeal of these provisions means...
Career opportunity: BLET seeks applicants for the National Division’s Director of Arbitration
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) is presently seeking applicants for the Director of the Arbitration Department to join our National Division office team. The successful candidate will have the flexibility to work remotely, but will be...
BLET Education & Training Dept. announces 2025 officer training schedule
The BLET Education & Training Department is offering a full slate of training opportunities throughout the coming year. All BLET officers are encouraged to attend, especially first-time officers who were elected during the 2024 Triennial Election cycle. The 2025...
BLET Education & Training Department: More than 100 new Division officers complete training
The BLET Education & Training Department provided valuable training to over 100 new Division officers as it hosted five Zoom classes on January 14 and 15. The classes provided introductory training for new officers who were elected during the 2024 Triennial...
New Jersey Transit: Clock ticking towards March 22 deadline after BLET rejects recommendations of PEB 252
The BLET has rejected a non-binding decision announced last week by Presidential Emergency Board (PEB) No. 252, assigned to the long-running dispute between BLET and New Jersey Transit (NJT). Rejection of the PEB’s recommendation triggers a 60-day cooling off period,...
Autonomous trains: BLET sounds the alarm as railroads move to operate trains without train crews on board and the federal government OKs a pilot project
This month, the Federal Railroad Administration granted a series of waivers to permit the trial run of a “novel, self-propelled, zero-emission, battery-electric rail vehicle” where no workers would be onboard. FRA is allowing a tech company, Parallel Systems, to test...
Organizing Department: After seven organizing victories, BLET looks to continue momentum in 2025
The BLET successfully organized seven short line railroads over the past two years, with more organizing campaigns planned for 2025. The recent string of victories can be linked to a strategic decision made in early 2023 when BLET National Division’s leadership...
Craver reelected to fifth term as Chairman of Virginia State Legislative Board
Brother Tim Craver of BLET Division 532 (Richmond, Va.) was reelected to his fifth term as Chairman of the Virginia State Legislative Board at its quadrennial meeting in late 2024. The Virginia State Legislative Board represents 11 BLET Divisions and nearly 1,100...
Daily Headlines
CPKC dedicates new rail bridge between U.S., Mexico
The bridge is 1,170 feet long and cost $100 million.
Washington state calls for more, faster Amtrak Cascades service
Proposed bills would establish goals for cutting travel time, increasing daily roundtrips, and boosting on-time performance from Seattle to Portland and Vancouver, British Columbia.
Two years after East Palestine derailment, rail leaders still urge safety reforms
Rail leaders highlighted the worsening safety trends across the industry and the harmful impacts of the precision scheduled railroading (PSR) business model that prioritizes profits over safety.
Two bills addressing hazmat rail movements reintroduced in U.S. House
Previous versions of these bills did not advance out of House committees in 2023.
Trump administration shakes up funding formulas for rail projects
The order also contains provisions that would seem to threaten FRA funding for Amtrak, CRISI grants, and grade-crossing elimination projects.
Two years after derailment, toxic chemicals still roll through East Palestine
Despite an initial outcry, changes at the federal level have been bogged down.
Norfolk Southern reports Q4, full-year 2024 results
For full-year 2024, revenue was $12.1 billion and income from railway operations was $4.1 billion.
CN reports Q4, full-year 2024 results
Operating income for the full year was down 5% compared to 2023.
CPKC reports Q4, full-year 2024 results
For the full year 2024, the railroad reported that its operating ratio decreased by 60 basis points to 64.4 percent from 65.0 percent in 2023.
Union Pacific reports Q4, full-year 2024 results
The company repurchased 6.3 million shares of stock in 2024 at an aggregate cost of $1.5 billion.
