May 23, 2024 | 2-man Crews, News, Railroad Safety
From left: Kyle Bagby, Trustee; Vince Verna, VP & NLR; Pat Driscoll, Trustee; Billy Lyons, VP; Randy Fannon, VP; Gary Best, VP; Eddie Hall, National President; Mark Wallace, First VP; Dave Estes, National S-T; Rick Gibbons, VP; and Dick Crow, Trustee....
May 21, 2024 | East Palestine-NS, FRA, Headlines, Railroad Safety
(Source: Associated Press, May 20, 2024) New federal certification rules finalized Monday for train dispatchers and signal repairmen will set minimum standards to counteract the investor pressure on railroads to continually cut costs while making sure those employees...
May 17, 2024 | Derailment, East Palestine-NS, Headlines, Railroad Safety, Train Length
(Source: Claims Journal, May 16, 2024) The longer the freight train, the greater the risk of derailment, new research from the Society for Risk Analysis shows. The study, published in the journal Risk Analysis, was led by Peter Madsen of Brigham Young University’s...
May 15, 2024 | Legislation, News, Railroad Safety
Colorado’s BLET-backed railroad safety bill, HB24-1030, was approved by the State Senate on May 8 and is on its way to the desk of Governor Jared Polis to be signed into law. He signed the bill on May 10. Paul Pearson, BLET Colorado State Legislative Board Chairman,...
May 13, 2024 | BNSF, CSX, News, Railroad Safety, UP
As publicly traded railroad corporations held their annual meetings this week, the BLET criticized railroad management for opposing safety reforms that would improve railroad operations for both workers and the communities that the railroads serve. “This week, CSX,...
May 9, 2024 | Headlines, NS, Railroad Safety
(Source: CNN, May 8, 2024) Just more than a year after a massive derailment of a Norfolk Southern freight train led to the release of tank cars full of toxic chemicals and increased attention to the issue of railroad safety, the control of the railroad is up for grabs...
May 7, 2024 | 2-man Crews, Legislation, News, Railroad Safety
Pennsylvania’s 10th Congressional District has been rated as one of the most competitive in the nation during this election year, but the incumbent seeking reelection, U.S. Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.), must not care about the votes of union railroaders. Perry, along with...
May 3, 2024 | BNSF, FRA, Headlines, Railroad Safety, Unions
(Source: Federal Railroad Administration press release, April 25, 2024) In a win for rail safety and rail workers, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) today announced that the American Train Dispatchers Association (ATDA) and BNSF Railway (BNSF) will partner...
May 3, 2024 | Legislation, News, Railroad Safety
BLET members in Colorado and Minnesota are urged to get involved and help advance rail safety legislation in their respective states. In Colorado, members should immediately contact their State Senators to request their support of railroad safety bill HB24-1030. The...
May 2, 2024 | FRA, Headlines, Railroad Safety, UP
(Source: Associated Press, May 1, 2024) Union Pacific managers undermined the U.S. government’s efforts to assess safety at the railroad in the wake of several high-profile derailments across the industry by coaching employees on how to respond and suggesting they...
