Rail Industry News
Analysis: Railroads yet to benefit from East Coast intermodal boom
East Coast ports are handling a record number of containers due to ongoing supply chain issues in California and the West, but railroads aren’t seeing this equate to more intermodal volume for a number of reasons.
Fears of rail strike make bad grain year worse
The volume of western Canadian grain exports, already 40 percent behind last year’s pace, could soon hit another roadblock, pending a potential strike involving members of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) at CP.
FRA allocates billions in ARP funds for transit service
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) yesterday announced it will award $2.2 billion in American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding to 35 recipients in 18 states.
Elgin joins fight against CP-KCS merger
The Elgin city council voted unanimously to finalize an agreement to work with seven other municipalities and DuPage County in a coalition that will work to block the merger between the CP and KCS railroads.
CP negotiating with Iowa communities about proposed KCS merger
Canadian Pacific railroad officials have started talking with Mississippi River cities in Iowa to discuss its proposed merger with Kansas City Southern.
FRA awards grant to improve Twin Cities-Milwaukee-Chicago rail route
The Wisconsin and Minnesota departments of transportation yesterday announced a $31.8 million federal grant to fund station and rail segment improvements aimed at doubling passenger-rail service and increasing freight efficiency along the corridor that connects the Twin Cities, La Crosse, Milwaukee and Chicago.
Railroad unions keep fighting BNSF’s new attendance rules
The unions that represent roughly half of BNSF’s workers continue to fight against the railroad’s new attendance rules that they say penalizes them for missing work for any reason even though a judge has barred them from striking.
AAR: U.S. rail traffic returns to near 2021 levels
For the week ending March 5, 2022, U.S. rail traffic came in at 505,177 carloads and intermodal units, dipping 1.9% from the same week last year, based on 238,870 carloads—up 2.8% from 2021—and intermodal volume of 266,307 containers and trailers—down 5.8%, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported on March 9.
CP debuts interline service from Lazaro Cardenas to Chicago
Canadian Pacific Railway Limited today announced that, working with Kansas City Southern (“KCS”) on an interline basis, it has successfully launched the first dedicated international intermodal train between Lázaro Cárdenas and the U.S. Midwest.
TCRC members vote for strike action at CP as merger with KCS looms
According to the Teamsters Canadian Rail Conference (TCRC), which represents some 3,000 conductors, engineers and train and yard personnel at CP, 96.7% of them voted in favor of industrial action.
NS derailment cripples Amtrak weekend service on Northeast Corridor
A Norfolk Southern train derailment over the weekend had Amtrak cancelling trips along the Northeast Corridor.
Stopped trains continue to plague Goshen; Mayor says NS not responsive to concerns
Drivers are stopping in their tracks or literally stopping by the tracks in Goshen, Indiana. The town’s mayor says the Norfolk Southern railroad is not being responsive to concerns of the citizens.
Utah lawmakers put bill to force clean switchers on hold
After a dust-up last week — when a House legislative leader accused Union Pacific of being an unwilling and uncooperative partner in air quality efforts and fast-tracked a bill to force the company to move to cleaner switchers by 2028 — the same legislator is pushing pause on the bill.
At hearing, Congress gets an earful about poor railroad service
A combination of Precision Scheduled Railroading and pressure from Wall Street has prompted railroads to slash costs and raise rates while providing less reliable service, rail shippers and labor told Congress on Tuesday.
BNSF paid around $2 billion to buy out MRL lease
BNSF’s financial report suggests the railroad paid MRL around $2 billion to tear up the lease well before it was scheduled to expire in 2047.
BMWED/SMART-MD encouraged by CBC’s support
The recent letter of support from the Coordinated Bargaining Coalition, comprising of 11 Rail Unions including our Teamster Rail partner the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, is encouraging and of significant importance to us as we continue to strive for an equitable and prosperous conclusion to this bargaining round with the Class I freight railroads.
Analysis: No deal-breakers emerge from barrage of comments about CP-KCS merger
Railroad merger reviews are the one time when rival railroads can try to alter the competitive landscape or settle old scores.
Ackman’s Pershing Square takes new stake in CP
Billionaire investor William Ackman has built a new stake in railroad operator Canadian Pacific, returning to one of his most profitable investments.
Chicago suburbs seek $9.5 billion to mitigate potential impact of CP-KCS merger
A coalition of Chicago suburbs says it would cost between $5.5 billion and $9.5 billion to mitigate the impact of the CP-KCS merger on their communities.
NS gets green light to raise 3 Pittsburgh bridges to run double-stacked trains
A Norfolk Southern project to increase clearances to allow double-stack intermodal operations through a Pittsburgh neighborhood awaits city council ratification after being approved by a mediator.
BLET News
Rail safety expert to address BLET members
A safety expert in the field of workplace distraction will address members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) during the closed portion of its St. Louis regional meeting on the afternoon of Tuesday, June 25.
At U.S. House hearing, BLET President Pierce testifies for two-person crews, asks Congress to block Mexican crews from operating in U.S.
Dennis Pierce, National President of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) and President of the Teamsters Rail Conference, urged members of Congress to support a national two-person crew law and asked them to block Mexican train crews from operating in the United States during a hearing before the U.S. House of Representatives today.
Former BLE First Vice President Jim McCoy, 1937-2019
Former BLE First Vice President and Alternate International President James L. McCoy passed away at the age on 81 at his home in Franklin, Tennessee, on June 17, 2019. He served the Brotherhood for many years as General Chairman of the Illinois Central General Committee of Adjustment (GCA), and was an International Vice President of the BLE from 1996 to 1999, serving as First Vice President — the union’s second highest office — from 1999 until his retirement in 2001.
President Pierce to testify before Congress on “State of the Rail Workforce”
BLET National President Dennis R. Pierce will testify before the House Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials at a hearing titled “The State of the Rail Workforce” at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, June 20.
Registration continues for BLET’s Clearwater regional meeting, July 22-26, 2019
Registration is continuing for the BLET regional meeting at the Hilton Clearwater Beach hotel in Clearwater, Fla., July 22-26, 2019. The deadline to make hotel reservations and register for the regional meeting is June 23.
When Doing More with Less Poses a Threat
By Dennis R. Pierce, BLET National President In my most recent President’s Message I wrote about the Precision Scheduled Railroading (PSR) phenomenon in the railroad industry, and how PSR focuses on “asset maximization” in an effort to sharply drive down operating ratio, which is the percentage of railroad revenue spent on operating costs.
Driscoll reelected Conrail SSA/CSXT-ND General Chairman
Brother Patrick T. Driscoll was reelected by acclamation to his second term as General Chairman of the Conrail SSA/CSXT-Northern District General Committee of Adjustment at the GCA’s quadrennial meeting in Buffalo, N.Y., May 20-21-2019.
BLET member killed in off-duty car collision
BLET Member David V. Sayson of Division 565 (Youngstown, Ohio) was killed in a off-duty automobile collision in Springfield Township, Ohio, on May 30, 2019. He was 48 years old.
John Edgar Thomson Foundation provides financial assistance to daughters of deceased railroaders
The John Edgar Thomson Foundation, a nationally recognized non-profit organization, provides limited financial assistance to daughters of deceased railroad employees.
Scott Palmer reelected Oregon State Legislative Board Chairman
Scott Palmer was reelected by acclamation to his sixth term as Chairman of the Oregon State Legislative Board at its May 22 triennial meeting in Portland, Oregon.
