July 24, 2024 | 2-man Crews, C3RS, East Palestine-NS, Headlines, Legislation, Railroad Safety, Train Length
(Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, July 23, 2024) New bipartisan legislation to improve railroad safety following the East Palestine derailment was announced Tuesday as a House subcommittee held a three-hour hearing on what steps were needed to prevent a repeat...
July 24, 2024 | East Palestine-NS, FRA, Headlines, Legislation, NTSB, Railroad Safety
(Source: Associated Press, July 23, 2024) Major freight railroads are rushing railcar inspections, reinforcing known safety concerns raised by unions for years, but at a House hearing Tuesday they’ll present new evidence from federal inspectors that railcar checks are...
July 22, 2024 | Legislation, News, Railroad Safety, Top News
The nomination of Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH) as the Republican candidate for Vice President of the United States has put the Railway Safety Act (S. 576) back into the spotlight. Meanwhile, new legislation introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives would make C3RS...
July 18, 2024 | East Palestine-NS, Headlines, Legislation, Railroad Safety
(Source: Transport Topics, July 17, 2024) Transportation and Infrastructure’s Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee will convene July 23 for a hearing specific to train safety. Senior lawmakers intend to press stakeholders on industry best...
July 16, 2024 | East Palestine-NS, Headlines, Legislation, Railroad Safety, Train Length
(Source: Progressive Railroading, July 15, 2024) U.S. Reps. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) and Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) on July 11 introduced a bill calling for enhanced safety requirements for trains transporting hazardous materials. H.R. 8996 would incorporate aspects of...
July 9, 2024 | East Palestine-NS, Legislation, News, Railroad Safety, Top News
U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and J.D. Vance (R-OH) are pressuring Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and skeptical Republicans to pass the Railway Safety Act. The NTSB’s damning investigation of Norfolk Southern’s toxic 2023 train derailment in East...
July 7, 2024 | Legislation, News, Supreme Court, Top News
In late June, the U.S. Supreme Court voted 6-3 to kill a legal precedent known as the “Chevron deference.” Industry publication Railway Age said the landmark ruling would likely “clip the wings” of rail industry regulators such as the Federal Railroad Administration....
June 9, 2024 | Legislation, News, Railroad Safety
It’s been a year since Nevada’s governor vetoed an important rail safety bill, and the BLET is marking this anniversary by calling on Nevada legislators to put rail safety over corporate profits. A joint message from Brother Matt Parker, Chairman of the Nevada State...
June 7, 2024 | Legislation, News, Railroad Safety
Dr. Michele Grim (front row, fourth from right) marched with BLET members at the 2023 Toledo Labor Day parade. ____________________ The Ohio House of Representatives has passed a BLET-backed railroad safety bill. The bill’s primary sponsor — Dr. Michele Grim, Ohio...
May 17, 2024 | 2-man Crews, Legislation, News
On May 7, the Rhode Island State Senate unanimously advanced a rail safety bill by a vote of 37-0. The bill, 2024–S 2736, would require two-person train crews. BLET New England Legislative Board Chairman Dan Cadogan said lobbying efforts will now begin to secure...
