BLET News
BLET Auxiliary raffle raises money for scholarships, other programs
The National BLET Auxiliary is offering a chance to win a Blackstone Portable Pizza Oven. Raffle tickets cost $5.00 each and the proceeds go to help support the annual BLET Auxiliary scholarship fund, the Care and Assistance Program, and many other programs that...
Celebrating Women’s History Month: Mary Elizabeth Walton’s inventions reduced air and noise pollution in early railroads
Mary Elizabeth Walton was a 19th century American inventor who was awarded with two patents that benefited the early railroad industry in the United States. In 1881, she created a method for reducing the environmental hazards of the smoke emitted from locomotives and...
New England: BLET members ratify new contract with Berkshire & Eastern
On March 7, BLET members ratified a new contract with the Berkshire & Eastern Railroad (B&E). The agreement governs rates of pay, benefits and work rules for 32 members. It was ratified by a vote of 26 in favor, one against. Some of the contractual...
NJ Transit: BLET locomotive engineers make their case for fair treatment at public hearing on fare hikes
BLET members at a recent NJ Transit public hearing, from left: Mike Liffner, Division 53; Steve McCusker, Division 373; Pete McGinnis, Division 373 Vice Local Chairman; and Don Melhorn, Division 272 Secretary-Treasurer. __________ NJ Transit held the first of 10...
Act now! Tell your Senator to reinstate full railroad unemployment and sickness benefits
A BLET-backed bill currently making its way through the United States Senate would restore full unemployment and sickness benefits to all railroad workers. For more than 10 years now, individual railroad workers have unfairly had these benefits reduced by about $200...
Education & Training: Hybrid class hosted LM-2 filers in the classroom and via Zoom
The BLET Education & Training Department continues to leverage the technological advances incorporated into the National Division Training Center by expanding avenues to provide critical information to BLET officers. The Department hosted a hybrid training class...
STB’s Robert Primus: Deja vu, all over again
As yet another hedge fund seeks a hostile takeover of a Class I railroad, Surface Transportation Board Member Robert Primus condemned the “scorched-earth” cuts associated with Precision Scheduled Railroading in a guest column published by Progressive Railroading. He...
Organizing News: BLET Auxiliary welcomes new members in Wisconsin, Virginia
Above: Badger State Auxiliary No. 209 was officially organized in Green Bay, Wisconsin on October 14, 2023. Below: BLET Auxiliary 804 was organized in Richmond, Virginia on February 10, 2024. Several BLET officers were on hand at both ceremonies to lend support. The...
Celebrating Women’s History Month: During World War II, women helped to keep America’s trains moving
During World War II, women were called upon to enter to the workforce to keep the American economy moving as millions of men were called to serve in the armed forces. By the end of 1945, some 250,000 women were working on railroads throughout the United States. While...
BLET General Chairmen say proposed changes for Norfolk Southern by hedge fund Ancora are “bad for investors,” “reckless,” and “likely to lead to more train wrecks”
The BLET General Chairmen who represent members at Norfolk Southern (NS) have taken the side of current railroad leadership as hedge fund Ancora Holdings attempts to take over the company and double-down on Precision Scheduled Railroading. Earlier this month,...
Celebrating Black History Month: Labor leader and Civil Rights activist A. Philip Randolph founded the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters
Asa Philip Randolph (1889-1979) was the founder of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, the first African American-led union to receive a charter from the American Federation of Labor (AFL). In addition to serving as a union leader, Randolph was a civil rights...
In the States: Two-person crew bill advances to Governor’s desk in Virginia; Ohio legislature takes up measure to honor fallen Brother Lou Shuster
Many BLET members were on hand along with Ohio Rep. Sean Brennan to throw their support behind HB 381 that would rename a northeast Ohio highway interchange to honor fallen Brother Lou Shuster. Ohio Ohio State Legislative Board Chairman John Esterly reports that the...
General Chairman Bunten talks C3RS on podcast
Want to know more about the BLET’s recently signed Confidential Close Call Reporting System (C3RS) pilot program with Norfolk Southern? Listen to a podcast featuring BLET General Chairman Scott Bunten (Norfolk Southern-Eastern Lines GCA). In the 10-minute discussion...
Woman killed by remote controlled locomotive in Buffalo, renews questions about trains operated without engineers in control
Last week, on February 16, a woman was struck and killed by a remote controlled locomotive (RCL) in CSX Transportation’s Frontier Yard in Buffalo, New York. This is at least the second time in the past year that a CSX RCL has been involved with hitting a local...
RRB announces Spring 2024 Pre-Retirement Seminars
The U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) has announced its schedule of Pre-Retirement Seminars for Spring 2024. This popular program is a valuable resource for railroad workers, and advance on-line registration is required for those wishing to attend. Click here for...
In the States: Two-person crew bill advances in Virginia; Rail safety bill gets media attention in Colorado
Virginia BLET Virginia State Legislative Board Chairman Tim Craver reports progress on the state’s two-person crew bill. Both bills — SB 143 and HB 385 — have passed their respective chambers after their third reading earlier this month. Both are in the legislature’s...
Contract News: Ballots mailed to BLET members at three railroads to vote on tentative agreements
Ballots were mailed to BLET members this week for voting on tentative agreements at three railroads —Utah Railway, Missouri & Northern Arkansas (M&NA), and Berkshire & Eastern (B&E). Details are as follows: Utah Railway The five-year tentative...
Celebrating Black History Month: African-American inventor made important contributions to rail safety technology
Granville T. Woods (1865-1910) an African American inventor, held more than 50 patents in his lifetime and was referred to by some as the “Black Edison.” Woods concentrated most of his work on trains and streetcars. One of his most important inventions was the...
Death of BLET member Chris Wilson leads to FRA issuing a Safety Bulletin
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has issued a Safety Bulletin warning about the dangers of rolling equipment following a tragic accident that took the life of BLET Division 423 member Chris Wilson at a rail yard in Decatur, Alabama, on February 7. The...
NJ Transit wants fare increases without fair treatment for locomotive engineers — Not if BLET has its way
BLET members are being encouraged to attend a series of public meetings to make their voices heard regarding fair treatment for NJ Transit's locomotive engineers. ____________________ NJ Transit will hold 10 scheduled in-person public meetings in 10 New Jersey...
Daily Headlines
Moffat Tunnel wastewater spill highlights rail safety issues for Colorado
As Colorado lawmakers this month prepare to do something that Congress has been incapable of for more than a year — debate meaningful rail-safety legislation — Union Pacific, state regulators and officials in Grand County are debating tough questions about a massive wastewater spill last summer into the Fraser River near the state-owned Moffat Tunnel.
Activist Ancora may turn to PSR to “enhance value” at Norfolk Southern
Ancora is a $9 billion wealth advisory firm that has been using activism more often and has developed into an activist to be respected and feared. With an approximate $1 billion position in Norfolk Southern, the firm likely has a partner who has shared in the investment and is relying on Ancora to lead the activist effort.
BNSF intermodal train derails in south central Kansas
Seventeen cars of a BNSF intermodal train derailed early this morning (Monday, Feb. 12) east of Hazelton on the railroad’s Southern Transcon, KWNS-TV reports.
Coal spills into Feather River after UP train derails in California
A Union Pacific train carrying 118 tons of coal derailed Sunday due to a track defect and dumped its contents into and around Plumas County’s Feather River.
Derailed UP train spills over 1,000 gallons of fuel in Iowa
No one was injured when a train derailed Friday in the Union Pacific rail yard at South 23rd Street and Liberty Avenue, spilling 1,000 to 1,500 gallons of diesel fuel.
No injuries following 57-car BNSF derailment in Nebraska
Hall County Emergency Management has confirmed there are no injuries after 57 BNSF train cars loaded with coal derailed near Cairo early Friday morning.
NS train derails in eastern North Carolina
Fourteen cars of a Norfolk Southern train derailed early Saturday morning near the town of Aurora, leading to a leak of molten sulfur from one car. No injuries were reported.
STB seeks operating details as part of ongoing Sunset Limited investigation
The Surface Transportation Board has asked Amtrak and the train’s host railroads to answer a series of detailed questions on delays encountered during specific runs by the train and other operational details along the train’s route.
Union Pacific seeks to block BNSF access to Arkansas quarry
For the second time in the past three months, federal regulators are being asked to settle a dispute related to Union Pacific’s 1996 acquisition of Southern Pacific.
Despite defects, misconduct and secret recordings, BNSF insists safety is the “center of everything we do”
As a fifth-generation railroader, John Mozinski has a front-row seat at Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) – but he says that view is not what it used to be. He’s been sounding the alarm about safety for years, blasting the railroad for cutting inspections and staff long before the fiery BNSF derailment in Raymond, Minnesota last spring.
