CLEVELAND, January 27 — The Kentucky State AFL-CIO passed a resolution asking the U.S. Congress to urge the Federal Railroad Administration to conduct a rulemaking process for remote control locomotives.
The resolution, passed on December 4, 2003, notes that the FRA has declined to act on remote control locomotives and cites the fact that the the agency has only issued non-binding guidelines for the operation of remote control locomotives.
BLET Kentucky State Legislative Board Chairman T.G. Mayne thanked Kentucky AFL-CIO President Bill Londrigan for his help with the resolution.
The resolution is copied below:
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION urging the United States Congress to mandate the Federal Railroad Administration to conduct a rule-making process on the use of unmanned remote control locomotives.
WHEREAS, the Federal Railroad Administration has declined to act on open docket #FRA 2000-8422, which deals with the use of unmanned remote control locomotives in the general railroad system; and
WHEREAS, the Federal Railroad Administration, with the support of railroads, has circumvented the system by issuing only non-binding guidelines for the operation of unmanned remote control locomotives; and
WHEREAS, these guidelines were originally intended only for use in pilot projects; and
WHEREAS, railroad companies have seized this opportunity to use these non-binding guidelines not for pilot projects, but for full implementation of unmanned remote control locomotives in their operations; and
WHEREAS, railroad companies have an obligation to implement new technology in a safe manner; and
WHEREAS, the Federal Railroad Administration, as the safety enforcement agency for the railroad industry, has the paramount responsibility to ensure the safety of the general public, as well as railroad workers;
NOW, THEREFORE, Be it resolved that the Kentucky State AFL-CIO hereby urges the United States Congress to mandate that the Federal Railroad Administration conduct a rule-making process on open docket #FRA 2000-8422.
Respectfully Submitted,
Bill Londrigan, President