CLEVELAND — The operators of remote-control locomotives on U.S. Class 1s will be barred from occupying locomotive cabs until the dispute over the implementation of remote control is resolved, according to a report from Trains.com.
On Tuesday October 15, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and the U.S. Class 1s agreed to keep operators out of the cabs. The deal was reached two days before a federal judge was to hold a hearing on the matter at the BLE’s request.
The BLE raised the issue after receiving reports of remote-control operators who were controlling locomotives from the cab, often from the engineer’s seat, on Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe, union spokesman John Bentley said.
The BLE has opposed the rollout of remote control on U.S. railroads, saying it’s unsafe for anyone other than a licensed engineer to operate locomotives.
The United Transportation Union, the BLE’s rival, last year gained bargaining authority over remote control, and since early this year its members have been operating locomotives in pilot projects on Class 1s. The engineer position has been eliminated on the remote-control jobs.
Arbitrators are reviewing whether engineers or trainmen will have the right to remote-control work. A decision is expected by the end of the year.