(The following story by Scott Shaffer appeared on the Laredo Morning Times website on March 1. Terry Briggs is Chairman of the BLET’s Texas State Legislative Board.)
LAREDO, Texas — A union of locomotive engineers and trainmen proposed several ideas to reduce the number of trains blocking Laredo streets at a committee meeting Wednesday, but no solutions will work unless Union Pacific agrees to make changes.Union Pacific representatives weren’t at Wednesday’s meeting, and they haven’t presented their own proposal, but train company officials have indicated their willingness to work with the city to solve the problem.
“We are committed to working with the city of Laredo to address the crossing issues and find a solution,” said Ivan Rodriguez, Union Pacific senior business manager. He said he was unable to attend Wednesday’s meeting of the Laredo Rail Policy Committee because he was unexpectedly called away to Cotulla.
Terry Briggs, state chairman of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, proposed several steps “that can be taken that will increase train velocity through the corridor while virtually eliminating blocked crossings in Laredo.”
The union proposals included stopping trains on the RG turnaround for inspection, upgrading the UP downtown Laredo Yard, moving the current train inspections to Milo Siding and extending the Milo siding southward.
“We will present the (BLET) proposals to UP and see what they say,” said District VIII Councilman Juan Ramirez, the committee chairman.
The committee has received information from railroad, union and custom officials representing both the U.S. and Mexico. Resolving the situation will require multiple approaches, officials believe.
“Nothing alone will solve the problem,” Assistant City Manager Rafael Garcia said.
For example, Garcia said, speeding up bridge crossings with faster crew changes, moving inspections into the Port of Laredo , expanding Union Pacific Rail Road facilities or having trains pass gamma ray scanners at greater speeds would each help.
“And let’s face it, there’s only one rail bridge right now. The ultimate solution (to reducing trains blocking streets) will have to include a second bridge,” Garcia added. “But until it’s built we have to work together to do what we can to reduce this problem.”