September 6, 2022 | COVID, Headlines, Technology
(Source: Freight Waves, September 6, 2022) While the rail industry is accustomed to seasonal disruptions such as winter blizzards, the possibility of even more extreme weather events as a result of climate change takes disruption threats to a new level. Furthermore,...
September 6, 2022 | COVID, Headlines, KCS
(Source: Kansas City Southern press release, September 6, 2022) KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Southern (KCS) announced today the first return to the rails of the KCS Holiday Express train since the start of the pandemic in 2020. This year, the festive, six-car...
August 11, 2022 | COVID, Headlines, PSR, UP
(Source: North Platte Telegraph, August 8, 2022) Bailey Yard workers are more prone to give up on railroading after three years of layoffs followed by COVID-19, a North Platte rail union leader told an AFL-CIO virtual “town hall” last week. Mike Gage, president of...
August 9, 2022 | COVID, Headlines, National Negotiations 2019, PSR, TTD
(Source: People’s World, August 8, 2022) As the nation’s railroad worker unions presented their details for a new contract with the freight railroads to a Presidential Emergency Board, rank-and-file workers, upset with no contract since before the coronavirus...
August 8, 2022 | Amtrak, COVID, Headlines
(Source: Politico, August 8, 2022) Two years ago, Amtrak was facing a “near-death” experience, Stephen Gardner, CEO of the national passenger rail service, said at a briefing last week with the Association for a Better New York. Both business and travel leisure...
August 5, 2022 | COVID, Headlines, Teamsters
(Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters press release, August 5, 2022) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Costco Teamsters are one step closer to a nationwide work stoppage following another day of contentious negotiations for a new national contract. The Teamsters are...
July 12, 2022 | COVID, Headlines, National Negotiations 2019
(Source: Television station KOLN, July 10, 2022) LINCOLN, Neb. — Railway workers rallied outside of the BNSF Railway offices on Sunday. Participants marched and chanted around the Lincoln Station, advocating for more benefits, a pay raise and a new contract. It’s been...
July 12, 2022 | COVID, Headlines, Railroad Retirement
(Source: Railroad Retirement Board press release, June 30, 2022) CHICAGO — The Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) administers the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA), which provides two kinds of benefits for qualified railroaders: unemployment benefits for those...
June 30, 2022 | Amtrak, COVID, Headlines
(Source: Main Public Radio, June 29, 2022) So far this month, Downeaster passenger trains are carrying 94% as many riders as in June 2019, before the pandemic. Full story: Main Public Radio
June 17, 2022 | Commuter Rail, COVID, Headlines
(Source: Progressive Railroading, June 16, 2022) The Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced this week that Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad set new pandemic-era ridership records on June 14. Full story: Progressive Railroading...
