Rail Industry News
First phase of NJ entrance to new Gateway project rail tunnel should be done by fall
The new two-track tunnel between North Jersey and Manhattan is meant to provide more reliable service along the Northeast Corridor for NJ Transit and Amtrak riders entering and leaving Manhattan’s Penn Station.
DOT cuts planning grant for Texas high-speed rail between Dallas and Houston
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said if the private sector wants the rail line, it should cover planning costs.
SEPTA prepares for major service cuts
Facing $213 million deficit, agency releases budget calling for 45% reduction in service, 21.5% fare increase
TCRC statement on arbitration decision at CN
The new three-year contract closely resembles the status quo and includes annual 3% wage increases. The company failed to secure any concessions related to scheduling, rest, or fatigue protections.
April 2025 Q&A: Railroad Retirement Survivor Benefits
The following questions and answers describe railroad retirement survivor benefit eligibility requirements and provide benefit-related information.
Amtrak considering staff cuts, other cost-saving moves
Company says it is being ‘proactive’ in addressing outside pressures
Amtrak sidelines Horizon car fleet, leading to widespread cancellations
Corrosion issues lead to cars’ removal; Cascades, Borealis, Hiawatha operations hardest hit
Analysis: CEO’s dismissal the beginning of the end for Amtrak?
No names have yet been floated about a potential replacement for Gardner.
Amtrak CEO abruptly resigns
Gardner’s departure also arrives just weeks after billionaire Elon Musk floated the idea of privatizing Amtrak, as well as the U.S. Postal Service, at a Morgan Stanley tech conference earlier this month.
STB issues draft environmental statement on proposed Texas border crossing railroad
Green Eagle Railroad’s 1.3-mile line would be part of a 19-mile secure corridor linking Eagle Pass, Texas, and Piedras Negras, Mexico.
Senate confirms Lori Chavez-DeRemer, the daughter of a Teamster, as Secretary of Labor
Teamsters President Sean O’Brien recommended her for the job.
Trump taps former Pa. GOP chair to serve on Amtrak board of directors
Rob Gleason, a longtime resident of western Pennsylvania, has been an advocate for expanding rail service.
NS says route through Asheville, N.C., will reopen by March 31
Still to be addressed is the badly damaged section of track east of Swannanoa to Old Forts, the rugged Old Fort Loops segment of the line to Salisbury, N.C.
FRA personnel cuts could further delay languishing rail initiatives: Analysis
Concerned about such a prospect, the Rail Passengers Association and 22 other public transportation advocacy organizations on Friday, Feb. 28, sent a letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, urging him to “preserve mission-critical personnel to avoid further delays in the administration of these passenger and freight projects.”
Thieves targeting freight trains in California and Arizona deserts make off with $2 million worth of Nikes
It is said the trains are so long that train crews rarely encounter the thieves.
BNSF reports Q4, full year 2024 results
For the year, BNSF’s pre-tax earnings increased 0.5%, to $6.64 billion, while revenue declined 0.5%, to $23.35 billion.
CPKC dedicates new rail bridge between U.S., Mexico
The bridge is 1,170 feet long and cost $100 million.
Washington state calls for more, faster Amtrak Cascades service
Proposed bills would establish goals for cutting travel time, increasing daily roundtrips, and boosting on-time performance from Seattle to Portland and Vancouver, British Columbia.
Two years after East Palestine derailment, rail leaders still urge safety reforms
Rail leaders highlighted the worsening safety trends across the industry and the harmful impacts of the precision scheduled railroading (PSR) business model that prioritizes profits over safety.
Two bills addressing hazmat rail movements reintroduced in U.S. House
Previous versions of these bills did not advance out of House committees in 2023.
BLET News
Arizona: BLET Division 28 hosts annual Spring BBQ and Old Timers Picnic
Old friends reconnected and new memories were made on Saturday, April 12, as members of BLET Division 28 hosted their Spring BBQ and Old Timers Picnic in Tucson, Ariz. The annual event brought together over 200 family members, friends, and guests who celebrated the...
Arizona: Darice Gilliam elected chair of Arizona State Legislative Board
From left: Vince Verna, BLET VP&NLR; Tommy Perez, Div. 647; Manny Perez, Div. 647; Robert Lopez, Div. 134; Consuelo Hernandez, Arizona State Representative; Eddie Strom, Div. 28; Kevin Onnembo, outgoing Arizona SLBC; Darice Gilliam, new Arizona SLBC; Brendan...
Nevada: Members urged to make their voices heard as new rail safety bill advances
BLET Nevada State Legislative Board Chairman Matt Parker testifying in favor of Nevada Assembly Bill 466 ____________________ As a major railroad safety bill makes its way through the state legislature in Nevada, the BLET’s Nevada State Legislative Board is asking...
RRB field offices will stay open after Teamsters Rail Conference and BLET campaign
The Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) was recently informed that the decision to close upwards of 40 field offices has been reversed and that the nine RRB field offices that had their leases scheduled to be terminated will stay open. This news follows a meeting that...
April 2025 RRB Q&A: Railroad Retirement survivor benefits
Each month, the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) publishes a list of questions and answers (Q&A) to highlight and explain the various benefits available to railroad workers and their families. This month’s Q&A examines railroad retirement survivor benefit...
Locomotive engineers at NJ Transit overwhelmingly reject tentative contract setting in motion a possible strike next month at the nation’s third largest commuter railroad
Unless NJ Transit offers its engineers wage improvements that close the gap with engineers at other commuter railroads, “self-help” where union members can strike or NJ Transit can call a lockout could begin on May 16. NEWARK — Locomotive engineers at NJ Transit,...
BLET Education and Training Dept.: 25 GCAs represented at well-attended Local Chairman class
The BLET Education and Training Department conducted a three-day Local Chairman training class April 8-10, with over 70 Local Chairmen and Vice Local Chairmen from 25 General Committees of Adjustment (GCAs) participating both in-person and via Zoom. This comprehensive...
As the U.S. threatens to privatize Amtrak, the UK begins to renationalize passenger rail after 30 years of a failed experiment with privatization
While the Trump Administration and billionaire advisor Elon Musk are talking about privatizing passenger rail here in the USA, in the UK, they’re going in the opposite direction. Next month, on May 25, the British will begin nationalizing passenger rail after decades...
Goodbye railroad, hello retirement: Metra and Union Pacific honor BLET’s Doug Davidson
Then and now: Davidson in the cab of a C&NW locomotive in the late 1980s (left) and Metra's C&NW heritage locomotive on March 31, 2025 (right). ____________________ Both Metra and Union Pacific gave the BLET’s Director of Arbitration Doug Davidson a nice send...
BLET UP-Southern Region GCA conducts training for new Local Chairmen
The BLET Union Pacific-Southern Region General Committee of Adjustment (GCA) held a training session on March 25-26 in Burleson, Texas, for recently elected or newly appointed Local Chairmen. The session was specifically designed for those taking office for the first...
