CLEVELAND, March 16 — BLET National President Dennis R. Pierce has extended condolences to the families of the three VIA Rail locomotive engineers who were killed in the line of duty on February 26, 2012.
Brothers Ken Simmonds, Peter Snarr and Patrick Robinson were members of Teamsters Canada Rail Conference Division 747. They sustained fatal injuries when VIA Rail train 92 derailed near Aldershot, Ontario. Forty-six passengers were injured in the derailment. The cause of the accident is still under investigation.
“On behalf of the BLET National Division, I extend deepest and most heartfelt sympathies to the families of Brother Simmonds, Snarr and Robinson,” President Pierce said. “This is a tragic loss for our railroad family.”
Brother Simmonds and Brother Snarr belonged to BLE Division 70 prior to the BLE’s merger with the Teamsters in 2004, which saw the union’s Canadian membership transfer to Teamsters Canada, while membership in the United States became an affiliate of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
Any BLET Divisions, General Committees of Adjustment, State Legislative Boards or individual members who wish to express their sympathies may do so at the following website, which was established by the active and retired employees of VIA Rail:
There is also a benefit fund for the families of the three fallen Brothers. Those wishing to make a donation may do so by making checks payable to “TCRC-Division 747” and mail them to:
TCRC Division 747
c/o J. David Filman, President
529 Sherin Drive
Oakville,ON
L6L 4K1
More information is available online at: http://division747.ca/?p=2280
Brother Filman advises that anyone wishing to mail sympathy cards to the individual families should send them to his attention at the office above, and he will handle distribution.