Rail Industry News
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.
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.
Get the latest labor news from the Teamsters
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters updates the news section of its website each day with the latest regarding the Teamsters, domestic and global labor and trade issues, state and living wage battles, social justice, the War on Workers, and many other important...
Rail unions are bargaining over a good job made miserable
Contract negotiations covering 115,000 rail workers in the U.S. are expected to heat up in 2022. In the flurry of reporting on what’s slowing down the supply chain, little has been said about one contributing factor — the years-long squeeze that major railroads have put on their operations and workforces.
BLET News
BLET members proud to work Bush funeral train
Members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen proudly worked as crew members aboard the special Union Pacific funeral train for President George H.W. Bush yesterday.
Ballots mailed in tentative BLET, CF&E agreement
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) has reached a tentative contract agreement with the Chicago, Fort Wayne & Eastern Railway (CF&E). Ballots were mailed yesterday to active members of the BLET employed by CF&E who are eligible to vote in the ratification of this agreement.
Ballots mailed in tentative BLET, CN-Wisconsin Central agreement
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) has reached a tentative contract agreement with Canadian National’s Wisconsin Central (CN-WC) subsidiary.
Final Open Enrollment of 2018 for the BLET Short-Term Disability On-The-Job (Part B) Coverage
The final open enrollment of 2018 for the BLET’s Short-Term Disability On-The-Job (Part B) insurance ends on November 30, 2018. Those who enroll will have their coverage take effect on December 1, 2018.
Important notice: Open enrollment for former railroad employees and/or their dependents under group policy GA-23111
United Healthcare is conducting open enrollment throughout November and December 2018 for former railroad employees and their families under the GA-23111 plan. Additionally, there is also an open enrollment period for those covered under plan GA-46000 and are eligible to apply for coverage under GA-23111 Plan E. The effective date for this open enrollment is January 1, 2019.
George Hucker, former BLE-Canada Vice President, 1943-2018
Thomas George Hucker, former BLE International Vice President and National Legislative Representative-Canada, has passed away. He was 75 years old.
Thanksgiving 2018
By Dennis R. Pierce, BLET National President At Thanksgiving, I ask our membership to join me in a moment of reflection for those who are away from their families at this special time of year. Let us remember our service men and women, who are fighting overseas or are stationed at military bases throughout the world. Let us also remember our own BLET Brothers and Sisters, who are sitting in the cab of a locomotive or in a hotel instead of at the Thanksgiving dinner table with their families.
GA-46000 Lifetime maximum adjusted for 2019
The lifetime maximum benefit for the Railroad Employees National Early Retirement Major Medical Benefit Plan (also known as ERMA or GA-46000) will increase from $162,500 to $166,400 on January 1, 2019.
Call to defend against Right-to-Work law in Ohio
Every BLET member in the State of Ohio and their family members are urged to immediately contact their State Representative regarding House Bill 53. HB 53 is a divisive piece of legislation that would force Ohio’s public sector employees into a right-to-work situation, despite the fact that Ohio residents overwhelmingly opposed similar legislation by referendum vote in 2011.
Veterans Day 2018
By Dennis R. Pierce, BLET National President For more than 155 years, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen has proudly welcomed our fighting men and women home, and back to work. And on this Veterans Day, the BLET wants all of our veterans to know how thankful we are for your service to our Nation.
