November 15, 2001 | Memorials
Brother T.O. “Tom” Landris, a 27-year member of BLE Division 650 (Durand, Mich.), was killed in a head-on collision just outside of Detroit, Mich., on November 15, 2001. Also killed was UTU Member Gary Chase. Their train, #243, was traveling from Flat Rock, Mich., to...
March 21, 2001 | Memorials
BLE member Ray J. Ste. Marie, 48 years old at the time of his death, was killed while deadheading from Houston to the Union Pacific terminal in Alexandria, La. As the van he was traveling in slowed down for a highway construction zone on Interstate 10, just east of...
January 11, 2001 | Memorials
Brother D.E. Nichols Jr. of BLE Division 255 (Steubenville, Ohio) was killed the morning of January 11, 2001, near South Fork, Pa. It is believed that the Brother Nichols had stopped to inspect for flat spots and was hit by a train on an adjacent track while traveling...
June 26, 2000 | Memorials
Brother Wayne Connor, 56, died of injuries stemming for a highway-rail grade crossing collision near East Feliciana Parish, La., on June 26, 2000. A loaded log truck collided with Brother Connor’s CN-Illinois Central locomotive, causing the trains’ forward locomotive...
December 30, 1999 | Memorials
A fiery crash of two Canadian National freight trains on December 30, 1999, in Mont-St.- Hilaire, Quebec, led to the tragic death of two railroad workers, including BLE member Yvan Theriault. Also killed was Conductor Paul Davis. Theriault, 47, was a member of BLE...
November 6, 1999 | Memorials
R. A. Oertwig, 48 years old at the time of his death, was a member of BLE Division 778 in Des Moines, Iowa. Had been a BLE member for 19 years. Brother Oertwig was killed when his Union Pacific locomotive struck a tractor-trailer that had ignored a grade crossing...
August 11, 1999 | Memorials
Employees of the I&M Rail Link, BLET members Carl Finzel and Arnold Roth were killed when their train hit cars that had been left on the track in Clinton, Iowa. Engineer Finzel, 60 years old at the time of death, was a member of BLE Division 119 in Dubuque, Iowa....
April 23, 1999 | Memorials
Via Rail locomotive engineers Don Blain and Kevin Lihou, both members of the BLE, were killed in a wreck near Thamesville, Ontario, Quebec, on April 23, 1999. Investigators with the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) concluded in their post-accident analysis...
January 17, 1999 | Memorials
BLE member Roger H. Bell, 56 years old at the time of death, was a member of BLE Division 457 in Toledo, Ohio. Had been a BLE member for 26 years. Brother Bell was killed when three Conrail trains collided in heavy fog near Toledo, Ohio, on January 17, 1999.
October 26, 1998 | Memorials
Locomotive engineer Debbie Dickerson, 42 years old at the time of her death, was a member of BLE Division 114 in Waterloo, Iowa. She joined the BLE on April 1, 1989, and was employed by the Illinois Central Railroad. She was killed after being struck by a train while...
