(The following appeared on the Lincoln Journal Star website on May 17, 2011. Roy J. Helm is President of BLET Division 98 in Lincoln, Neb. Randy D. Meek is Chairman of the Nebraska State Legislative Board and also a member of Division 98.)
LINCOLN, Neb. — It’s not quite as historic a moment as occurred in 1869, when the pounding of a golden spike marked completion of the first transcontinental railroad.
But Nebraska’s two major rail carriers, Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe, are caught up in record spending by the freight rail industry on new tracks and other infrastructure improvements in 2011.
It’s happening at a time of easing recession and with railroads trying to keep up with expected growth in traffic through 2035. But it’s also happening with public spending for roads in precarious condition at both the state and federal levels.
The importance of railroad success to Nebraska can be measured by the state’s 2008 standing as the second-biggest rail tonnage mover in the country behind Wyoming; by its annual, in-state rail payroll of $917.2 million, also second nationally; and by its total rail employment of 12,246, third in the nation as of 2008.
Railroad management and railroad employees don’t always see locomotive engineer Roy Helm and former track repairman Randy Meek of Lincoln, who have almost 70 years of experience between them with BNSF, say they and their peers made it through tight times in 2009 relatively unscathed.
Business is picking up, said Helm, president of Division 98 and its approximately 150 members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen. That’s because of Nebraska’s proximity to the coal resources of Wyoming.
“There’s more demand from utilities, which puts more demand on coal,” he said. “Our business has improved, so we’re actually in an upswing of hiring right now — because there is a shortage of employees.”
There were furloughs earlier, Helm said, but the coal connection helped stave off the degree of job disruption experienced by railroad workers in other parts of the United States.
Meek, state legislative chairman for the Brotherhood Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, said stability in work schedules is mostly a good thing.
“It’s always good to have work,” he said, “but you can run into some problems with overwork.”
Helm said turning single tracks into double and even triple tracks serves the national interest.
“Especially if you look long-term and reducing use of fuel, it’s much more efficient to ship via rail versus putting trucks on the highway,” he said.
Full story: Lincoln Journal Star