Rail Industry News
DOJ appeals after federal judge halts mask mandate for transportation
A Florida judge on April 18 struck down a federal mandate requiring mask use on public transportation and at transportation hubs. While railroads were deciding whether to keep the mandate in place until May 3 or make mask-wearing optional, the Department of Justice (DOJ) on April 20 filed an appeal.
Amtrak dumps its nice guy persona in fight for Gulf Coast trains
Amtrak, which typically speaks in a mild-mannered tone on social media, has reinvented itself as a flamethrower that’s launching snarky missives at the freight railroad companies that it says are blocking passenger train travel on the Gulf Coast.
North American rail volume down through first 15 weeks of 2022
Rail traffic has declined for eight consecutive weeks.
Gulf Coast hearing, round 6: The Port raises a statutory issue
Amtrak is preparing to present its case to the Surface Transportation Board (STB) disputing the amount of new infrastructure that potential host railroads CSX and Norfolk Southern claim must be built before passenger trains can again run between New Orleans and Mobile.
Q1 2022 rail earnings preview: Service metrics, headcount, macro uncertainties
As the Class I railroads gear up for earnings season this week and next, commentary about the first quarter of 2022 will likely include discussion about how the railroads’ recent hiring initiatives will translate into improving service metrics in the second half of the year.
Alarm over box dwell times at West Coast ports: The railroads must help
Concern over lengthening container dwell times at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach has caused US transportation secretary Peter Buttigieg to call on the railways to work harder to tackle the backlogs.
More transit agencies drop mask requirements, but some stay in place
More transit agencies determined or clarified their stance on Tuesday in the wake of a Monday court ruling striking down a federal requirement for mask use on public transportation.
CN raises new train count data issues around CP-KCS merger
Canadian National claims it has found additional train count inconsistencies in the Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern merger application and related environmental filings.
Gulf Coast hearing, week 3: Mobile rail executive outlines train movements; Amtrak witnesses criticize randomized data
Switching details and conflicting traffic modeling assumptions dominated discussions at the Surface Transportation Board’s hearing into Amtrak plans to launch passenger service between New Orleans and Mobile, Ala.
Gulf Coast hearing, round 5: A skirmish over a model
In a nutshell, Mississippi wants the passenger trains while Mobile, and Alabama generally, don’t. CSX, NS, and their allies would be willing to allow the passenger trains to run, but only if CSX gets a lot of infrastructure improvements along its New Orleans & Mobile (NO&M) route and NS gets some on its Back Belt through the Crescent City.
Florida judge voids mask mandate for U.S. mass transit
The judge’s decision freed airlines, airports and mass transit systems to make their own decisions about mask requirements, resulting in a mix of responses.
Freight engineers and conductors are forced to work tired, sick, and stressed
Conditions that result in extreme fatigue are by design in the modern freight rail industry and all too typical of the daily experiences of the people responsible for running trains safely.
Fewer cars, more locomotives: UP, BNSF try to clear congestion
The railroads are also adding locomotives and limiting the number of cars in their networks in a bid to maintain network fluidity. Union Pacific has added 50 locomotives since January and will remove between 2% and 3% of its cars across multiple commodity groups, according to the customer letter. BNSF said in its intermodal update it will add 100 locomotives this month. It will reduce railcar inventory by 2%, according to a letter in response to NGFA.
Analysis: Gulf Coast testimony confirms modeling did not explore operating changes
Two days of testimony that made up the second week of the Surface Transportation Board’s hearing on Amtrak Gulf Coast service delved into the intricacies of traffic modeling and its data inputs, and made clear both that Amtrak had no role in that modeling, and that consideration of changes to freight operations were not part of the process.
High-speed train from California to Vegas could be a reality
To make the train to Vegas happen, it’s angling for financing under the federal infrastructure law passed in November.
Chicago area’s Lake County opposes CP-KCS merger
Lake County has joined other Chicago-area entities against the proposed acquisition of the Kansas City Southern Railway Co. by Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd.
STB approves CSX-Pan Am combination
All five Surface Transportation Board members on April 14 signed off on CSX’s proposal to acquire Pan Am Systems, Inc., and its short line railroad subsidiaries, effective May 14.
Major fertilizer company says UP curtailing fertilizer shipments, impacting spring planting season
A major fertilizer company says the limits Union Pacific is putting on rail traffic to clear up congestion will delay shipments that farmers need during the spring planting season.
Shippers express understanding, outrage at UP’s plans to meter traffic
Union Pacific’s request that shippers reduce the number of private freight cars in their pipelines – or face strict quotas starting on Monday – has been met with a mix of understanding and outrage.
Railroad supply chain issues reach farm level, unfilled orders up 47%
Each railroad reports “unfilled orders” referring to the number of cars a shipper, such as a grain elevator, ordered but did not receive. Between the first quarter of 2021 and the first quarter of 2022, the number of unfilled orders jumped from 93,000 to 137,000 — a 47% increase.
BLET News
The BLET Short-Term Disability Enhanced-Plan Open Enrollment Ending Soon
Open Enrollment for the BLET’s Short Term Disability Enhanced-Plan (underwritten by Sun Life Financial) ends Friday, January 31, 2020. Those who meet the deadline will have their coverage take effect on February 1, 2020.
GIA International President Onita Wayland, 1928-2020; Husband Tony Wayland, 1922-2020
Onita Wayland, former President of the Grand International Auxiliary (GIA) to the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, passed away peacefully on January 20, 2020. She was 91 years old. Her husband Tony Wayland, a retired member of BLET Division 620 (Fort Worth, Texas), passed away the next day on January 21, 2020. He was 97.
Forschen elected Chairman of North Dakota State Legislative Board
Brother Sean M. Forschen was elected by acclamation to his first term as Chairman of the BLET’s North Dakota State Legislative Board during its quadrennial meeting in Bismarck, N.D., January 8-9, 2020.
2020 BLET Scholarship Directory
Each year, the BLET National Division compiles a list of scholarship opportunities available to the children of BLET members. Numerous financial aid opportunities are published here in the 2020 BLET Scholarship Directory.
BLET National Division launches National Negotiations website
The BLET National Division has launched a new webpage — https://www.ble-t.org/negotiations2019 — to provide important information to affected members regarding the current round of National Negotiations.
Important notice regarding Form 1095-B for those covered by the GA-23000 Plan
Due to a change in IRS requirements, most of those covered by The Railroad Employees National Health and Welfare Plan (GA-23000) members will no longer automatically receive a paper copy of the Form 1095-B. Members living in states that still require reporting of health coverage (e.g. New Jersey) will still automatically receive a paper copy of the Form 1095-B for state filing tax purposes.
Deadline is March 2 for 2020 Hoffa scholarship program
As a reminder, applications are due by March 2, 2020, for the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund. The program offers college and vocational scholarships for the sons, daughters and financial dependents of Teamsters. The application process can be time consuming, so BLET members and their eligible dependents are encouraged to get started as soon as possible.
BLET to conduct Legislative Representatives class in March 2020
The BLET Education & Training Department, in conjunction with the National Legislative Office, will conduct a class for BLET Division Legislative Representatives in Washington, D.C., from March 23-26, 2020.
BLET to host Secretary-Treasurer class in February 2020
The BLET Education and Training Department will conduct a training class for Secretary-Treasurers from February 23-28, 2020, at the BLET National Division headquarters in Independence, Ohio.
BLET members ratify new contract with Indiana Rail Road
By a 5-to-1 majority, members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen ratified a new collective bargaining agreement with the Indiana Rail Road (INRD).
