July 25, 2025 | DOT, News, Railroad Safety, Top News
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has launched a “regulatory sprint,” a term that describes eliminating or changing nearly 200 safety regulations that provide safeguards for the rail industry, its workers, and the communities they serve. Under direction from...
July 17, 2025 | News, Railroad Safety, Top News
Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) asked for feedback on federal safety regulations that could be repealed or modified. Class I railroads through their trade group, the Association of American Railroads (AAR,) jumped at the chance to put...
June 25, 2025 | DOT, FRA, Headlines, Railroad Safety
(Source: Freight Waves, June 24, 2025) Rail unions are raising concerns about the Trump administration’s plan to roll back protections for federal inspectors and investigators put in place in 2021 that they say could increase safety risks in the rail industry. The...
June 20, 2025 | Legislation, News, Railroad Safety, Top News
Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed a bill on June 4 to fund the hiring of rail safety inspectors. The new law, Senate Bill 162, would impose fees on rail companies to hire six new state rail safety inspectors. The total annual fees collected is capped at $2.9...
June 13, 2025 | Legislation, News, Railroad Safety, Top News
At the Texas Capitol after passage of HB 1772, from left: Bryce Dondero, TX SLB 1st Vice Chairman; Kameron Sanders, SMART-TD; Rep. Salman Bhojani (Dist. 92); Ben Wright, TXSLB Chairman; and Scott Piekarski, TXSLB Secretary-Treasurer. ____________________ It was a...
June 6, 2025 | News, Railroad Safety, Top News
Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) solicited public feedback on possible federal safety regulations that could be repealed or modified to achieve “meaningful burden reduction while continuing to meet statutory obligations and ensure the...
May 29, 2025 | 2-man Crews, News, Railroad Safety, Top News
Aerial footage showing the aftermath of the Lac-Megantic rail disaster. (Photo: Ministry of Public Security (Quebec) ____________________ Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) solicited public feedback on possible federal safety regulations...
May 6, 2025 | News, Railroad Safety, Top News
Members of the BLET’s State Legislative Board in California have launched a two-year plan to lobby for passage of a rail safety bill. Introduced this year, Senate Bill 667 would set train length limits of 7,500 feet and require installation of wayside detectors every...
May 5, 2025 | News, Rail Thefts, Railroad Safety, Railroad Security, Top News, Train Length
BLET Division 28 President Eddie Strom was in Washington D.C. to represent BLET at a roundtable discussion about rail cargo thefts. ____________________ The BLET provided a working railroader’s perspective on the growing trend of rail cargo thefts at a Congressional...
May 2, 2025 | CPKC, FRA, Headlines, Railroad Safety
(Source: Trains.com, May 1, 2025) Canadian Pacific Kansas City executives say they are encouraged by discussions with the Federal Railroad Administration about rolling out new track and train inspection technology. Railroads are permitted unlimited use of automated...
