April 26, 2024 | Legislation, News, Railroad Safety
Drawing on his experience in lobbying for a rail safety bill in Nevada, BLET Division 766 (Las Vegas) member Jason Doering is using the media to urge legislators in Colorado to support a rail safety bill. Brother Doering’s opinion column was published in the Colorado...
April 25, 2024 | Headlines, Legislation, Obituary, Railroad Safety
The BLET mourns the passing of Rep. Donald M. Payne Jr. (D-NJ), a staunch advocate for rail safety who served as Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials.He passed away on April 6, 2024. Full story: NBC News
April 22, 2024 | Legislation, News, Railroad Safety, Train Length
Colorado State Legislative Board Chairman Paul Pearson ___________________ Colorado BLET members are working hard to secure passage of a major rail safety bill in the state’s legislature. BLET Vice President & National Legislative Representative Vince Verna, BLET...
April 16, 2024 | FRA, News, Railroad Safety, Technology
The BLET has filed formal comments with the Federal Railroad Administration opposing a safety waiver that would allow the introduction of autonomous train technology in the United States. BLET Vice President & National Legislative Representative Vince Verna said...
April 15, 2024 | 2-man Crews, FRA, News, Railroad Safety
The Federal Railroad Administration’s two-person crew rule announced earlier this month — which requires railroads to “staff every train operation with a minimum of two crewmembers (including a locomotive engineer and an additional crewmember who will typically be a...
April 11, 2024 | 2-man Crews, FRA, Headlines, Railroad Safety
(Source: Virginia Public Media, April 10, 2024) Should freight trains — which can stretch up to 3 miles in length — have more than one crewmember? That was the gist behind a recent General Assembly bill that made it to Gov. Glenn Youngkin in early March. It was also...
April 11, 2024 | News, NS, NTSB, Railroad Safety
The National Transportation Safety Board is conducting a confidential survey of the Norfolk Southern workforce to evaluate the railroad’s safety culture. Surveys were sent to all NS craft employees on April 3, and the survey will conclude on April 19. BLET General...
April 3, 2024 | 2-man Crews, DOT, FRA, News, Railroad Safety
Pictured: BLET VP & NLR Vince Verna during a DOT press conference announcing the two-person crew regulation on April 2. In the background, from left, is David Hoagland, President, Washington D.C. Firefighters Association, IAFF, Local 36, and Pete Buttigieg,...
April 3, 2024 | 2-man Crews, FRA, Headlines, Railroad Safety
(Source: CNBC, April 2, 2024) One year after the East Palestine, Ohio train derailment created an environmental disaster, the Biden administration on Tuesday unveiled new regulations intended to shore up freight rail safety. A new rule finalized by the Federal...
April 3, 2024 | 2-man Crews, FRA, Headlines, Railroad Safety
(Source: New York Times, April 2, 2024) The Biden administration announced on Tuesday that it had finalized a new rule that will require the nation’s largest freight railroads to maintain their current staffing of two crew members per train, settling a contentious...
