Rail Industry News
First train pulled by Amtrak’s new, more efficient locomotive headed to Spokane
The first train pulled by Amtrak’s cleaner and more fuel-efficient locomotives pulled out of Chicago’s Union Station on Tuesday en route to Spokane, where it was scheduled to arrive early Thursday before splitting into separate trains bound for Seattle and Portland.
Unions ask government to investigate Class I attendance policies
Two of the nation’s largest railroad unions are asking the federal government to investigate the attendance policies of Class I railroads, guidelines labor leaders say threaten safety because it could force railroaders to work while tired.
CN, CP dispute continues over STB review of KCS merger application
The back-and-forth between CN and Canadian Pacific over the latter’s application for approval of its acquisition of Kansas City Southern is continuing, according to documents filed in recent days with the Surface Transportation Board (STB).
New White House report proves Biden stands with unions
For decades, the labor movement has sought a political partner who would stand with the nation’s workers in their fight for respect and dignity on the job. A new report released today confirms unions have found one, and his name is Joe Biden.
Transport Canada proposes ETC plan to improve rail safety
Transport Canada has published a notice of intent in the Canada Gazette that proposes implementation of enhanced train control (ETC) technology to improve freight and passenger rail safety.
Analysis: CP-Amtrak agreement details cooperative blueprint for more trains
An Amtrak regulatory filing supporting Canadian Pacific’s bid to merge with Kansas City Southern provides a roadmap of what the two parties say is needed for passenger service to begin on new routes, or for frequencies to be increased where Amtrak trains already run.
Nucor steel mill, to be served by CSX, coming to West Virginia
Nucor Corporation will start construction this year on a $2.7 billion-plus sheet steel mill in Mason County, W.Va., to be served by CSX.
Part 4 of 5: Is this the end of the line for Texas high-speed rail?
The record in this case is voluminous, and reviewing it was an arduous task. Boiled down to its most basic expression, the issue is whether or not an entity claiming to be a “railroad company” has the authority to condemn land (or, at least, an easement across that land) to build the railroad that it intends to operate. In the matter at issue, there were many arguments presented on both sides, about policy concerning infrastructure generally, about railroads, about statutory construction, and even about the grammatical consequences of using a particular word in a specific statutory provision.
BNSF train crew helps rescue woman floating on air mattress on Oklahoma lake
A woman floating on an air mattress on an Oklahoma lake was rescued after a BNSF train crew spotted her last week. The train the crew members were on was heading south when an engineer noticed the woman floating on Lake Texoma.
How America’s supply chains got railroaded
Though supply chain bottlenecks had a number of other causes, shippers, workers, and industry watchers agree that railroads’ embrace of cost-cutting and PSR played a major role.
AAR: U.S. freight rail volume fell in most categories last month
U.S. freight railroads’ traffic was down 9.5% in January, with decreases reported in both carload and intermodal categories compared with the same month last year, according to Association of American Railroads (AAR) data.
Feuding over Amtrak’s Gulf Coast plan heats up ahead of Feb. 15 hearing
The head of CSX Transportation has asked customers to weigh in against a proposal to restore passenger rail service between Mobile and New Orleans in a move that Amtrak has decried as a “desperate” scare tactic, according to a rail industry news outlet.
TSB says 2021 derailment near Edmundston, NB, highlights the importance of cross key design and inspection
Today, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) released its investigation report (R21M0002) into a derailment near Edmundston, New Brunswick, drawing attention to the importance of reassessing the design and inspection frequency of critical rail components, such as cross keys, based on changes in railway operating conditions.
Q&A: RRB reports performance under customer service plan
The Railroad Retirement Board’s Customer Service Plan promotes the following principles of quality public service: openness, accessibility, accountability, feedback, and timeliness standards.
AAR reports rail traffic for January and the week ending Jan. 29, 2022
Combined U.S. carload and intermodal originations in January 2022 were 1,903,708, down 9.5 percent, or 199,657 carloads and intermodal units from January 2021.
SEPTA faces delays as supply chain issues disrupt repair projects
Philadelphia area transit repairs are facing delays as SEPTA confronts the supply chain issues that have also affected many local businesses and households.
Siemens Venture coaches debut for Amtrak
“Give yourself a big round of applause,” conductor Erik Newsom enthusiastically announced over the public address system of Amtrak train No. 303 as it left Chicago for St. Louis on Tuesday morning. “You’re the very first to ride Amtrak’s new Midwest cars!”
Opinion: CP-KCS merger threatens vitality of Mississippi River communities
In doing so, the two companies propose to transport more crude oil along the Mississippi River than ever before, hampering public safety, discouraging economic development, and fundamentally changing communities along this most vital corridor.
Battery-powered trains are picking up speed
Battery-electric power is commonplace in cars and trucks and is being tested in planes, helicopters, and container ships.
Part 3 of 5: The court pivots and accepts Texas high-speed rail case
For a short time, it looked like the end of the line for James Frederick Miles and his supporters. Miles is the landowner from a rural county between Dallas and Houston who had fought fiercely against the proposed Texas Central high-speed rail (HSR) line between Dallas and a point near Houston.
BLET News
Rail hazmat training for Arizona, Western New Mexico and SE California workers
The Rail Workers Hazardous Materials Training Program is hosting Rail Hazmat Chemical/Emergency Response and OSHA Awareness Training Programs from April 10-14, 2019, in Winslow, Ariz. Attendance is only open to railroad employees in Arizona, Western New Mexico, Southeastern California, and the Navajo Nation.
Relief fund to assist families of fallen CP Rail Brothers
A relief fund has been established to assist the families of three members of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) who died as a result of a major Canadian Pacific Railway (CP Rail) derailment on February 4, 2019.
Ballots mailed in tentative BLET, Alabama State Docks agreement
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) has reached a tentative agreement with the Terminal Railway – Alabama State Docks (TRASD). Ballots were mailed today to active members of the BLET employed by TRASD who are eligible to vote in the ratification of this agreement.
BLET Initiates Online Division Secretary-Treasurer & Local Chairman Training in February 2019
The BLET’s Education and Training Department is proud to announce the availability of online video courses to provide convenient, repeatable, and cost-effective training for Division Secretary-Treasurers and Local Chairmen.
BLET Education & Training Department to conduct General Chairman class
The BLET Education & Training Department, in conjunction with the BLET Arbitration Department, is offering a General Chairman’s Class from
April 30-May 2 at the BLET National Division headquarters in Independence, Ohio.
BLET to conduct Legislative Representatives class in June
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 June 3-6, 2019.
BLET members ratify new contracts with W&LE
Members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) overwhelmingly ratified two new collective bargaining agreements with the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway (W&LE) — one for the craft of locomotive engineer and one for the craft of trainman. Each seven-year agreement governs work rules, rates of pay, and health & welfare issues for approximately 75 locomotive engineers and over 130 trainmen. Ballots were counted on January 18.
2019 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 2019 BLET Scholarship Directory.
BLET to host Local Chairman class in March 2019
The BLET Education and Training Department will host a Local Chairman training class from March 31 through April 5, 2019, at the BLET National Division headquarters and Training Center in Independence, Ohio. The class is designed to help Local Chairmen develop and hone the skills necessary to provide the best representation possible to our members.
BLET to host Secretary-Treasurer class in March 2019
The BLET Education and Training Department will conduct a training class for Secretary-Treasurers from March 10-14, 2019, at the BLET National Division headquarters in Independence, Ohio.
