Rail Industry News
BNSF tries to stop worker strike as employees continue to fight for rights
The Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Corporation is asking a federal judge to stop a potential worker stoppage.
NTSB highlights need for better rail worker safety
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) used the fifth anniversary of a deadly railroad worker accident to advocate for recommendations that would address worker safety.
Before recent wave of train cargo thefts, Union Pacific laid off an unspecified number of railroad police officers
However, one major development that may be directly correlated with the rise in theft has continuously been left out of the reporting: In September of 2020, due to pandemic-related budget cuts, Union Pacific laid off an unspecified number of employees across the railroad system. Including members of its railroad-only police force. Despite record profits in the billions in the last quarter of 2021.
RRB Q&A: Annuitants may need to increase tax withholding at age 62
(Source: Railroad Retirement Board press release, December 21, 2021) CHICAGO — Certain portions of a railroad retirement annuity are treated differently for Federal income tax purposes. The following questions and answers explain these differences and address the...
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...
New BNSF policy will impact families, home lives, and supply chain
A new attendance policy from the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Corporation has employees upset and calling for a strike. The decision is not just impacting the employees, but also their families and home life.
BNSF takeover of MRL comes after decades of rapid growth
It may have been a surprise to most of the state to hear Montana Rail Link start 2022 with an announcement it wanted out of its lease with BNSF Railway, but not for Lochiel Edwards, a Montana wheat farmer who always has one ear on the track.
MTA announces best LIRR on-time performance in modern history
The annual total, 96.3% of trains operating on-time over the course of the year, breaks the previous record of 95.9% set in 2020 and represents a 5.5 percentage point improvement over 2018’s annual on-time rate of 90.4%.
California HSR board clears environmental steps to advance service to L.A.
The California High-Speed Rail Authority’s (CHSRA) board yesterday approved the Final Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) for the 14-mile Burbank-to-Los Angeles project section.
Illinois NS derailment also involves Amtrak train
A Norfolk Southern freight train partially derailed Friday morning on the south side of Springfield, losing six cars and delaying the arrival of an Amtrak train on the way to the city. The Amtrak train, traveling north on the Union Pacific railroad line, hit a wheel from one of the derailed freight cars. No injuries were reported.
Operation Lifesaver releases new rail safety resources for farmers, farm machine operators
Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI) is releasing new rail safety resources to help farmers and farm machine operators stay safe and avoid incidents around railroad tracks and trains.
FTA increases Hudson tunnel project rating to “medium-high”
The Federal Transportation Administration (FTA) on Jan. 20 announced new ratings for six projects seeking funding from the Capital Investment Grants (CIG) program—one was for the Hudson Tunnel Project and the others for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) projects.
RRB Q&A: Annuitants may need to increase tax withholding at age 62
(Source: Railroad Retirement Board press release, December 21, 2021) CHICAGO — Certain portions of a railroad retirement annuity are treated differently for Federal income tax purposes. The following questions and answers explain these differences and address the...
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...
CSX reports higher revenue, earnings in Q4 2021
CSX was the second Class I railroad to report fourth-quarter 2021 financial results on Jan. 20; it posted net earnings of $934 million (or $0.42 per share), a 22% boost from the prior-year period’s $760 million (or $0.33 per share).
CSX announces Q4 2021 results
CSX Corp. today announced fourth quarter 2021 net earnings of $934 million, or $0.42 per share, compared to $760 million, or $0.33 per share in the same period last year. Fourth quarter 2021 operating ratio was 60.1% compared to 57.0% in the prior year period.
AAR reports rail traffic for week ending Jan. 15, 2022
For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 493,617 carloads and intermodal units, down 6.6 percent compared with the same week last year.
What’s behind LA’s shocking rail heists? Supply chain crunch, limited security, idle trains
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-01-20/los-angeles-rail-theft-supply-chain-crunch-limited-security
UP calls for strong deterrence vs. train robbers
Piles of looted packages littering Los Angeles’ tracks have become a testament to brazen train robberies, but according to Union Pacific Corp., the problem is under control.
California governor unveils effort to help fight plundering of LA rail cargo
Governor Gavin Newsom today joined Union Pacific representatives, elected officials, law enforcement and Caltrans crews at the Union Pacific railroad in Los Angeles, the site of a recent spike in theft, to announce a multi-agency effort to clean up the railway and highlight the state’s efforts to combat theft and hold perpetrators accountable.
BLET News
BLET reaches tentative agreement with TASI for Caltrain engineers
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) has reached a tentative contract agreement with Transit America Services, Inc. (TASI). Ballots were mailed on August 20 to active members of the BLET employed by TASI who are eligible to vote in the ratification of this agreement.
BLET kicks off Washington D.C. regional meeting
More than 300 members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) and their families convened here this morning for opening ceremonies of the BLET’s Washington D.C. regional meeting. They heard presentations from 10 different speakers, including Teamsters General Secretary-Treasurer Ken Hall.
Ballots mailed in tentative BLET, Grand Trunk Western agreement
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) has reached a tentative contract agreement with the Grand Trunk Western Railroad (GTW). Ballots were mailed on August 6 to active members of the BLET employed by the GTW who are eligible to vote in the ratification of this agreement.
BLET members ratify Cedar River contract
By a unanimous vote, members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen ratified a new collective bargaining agreement with the Cedar River Railroad, a Canadian National subsidiary, on July 30, 2018.
Members of Congress shocked at lax safety in Tex-Mex job giveaway
In a follow-up to previous reporting, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) is continuing its fight to preserve members’ jobs and to protect public safety at the Texas Mexican Railway (Tex Mex) border crossing in Laredo, Texas.
BLET members lobby Congress over safety, Tex Mex jobs issue
BLET Legislative Representatives visited 150 Congressional offices in Washington, D.C. on July 13 as part of a major railroad safety lobbying effort and to make members of Congress aware of the union’s struggle to preserve the jobs of BLET members who work for the Texas Mexican Railway (Tex Mex). On July 9, Tex Mex unilaterally replaced U.S. citizen crewmembers with Mexican train crews — who work under relaxed federal safety standards — between Laredo Yard and the International Bridge, more than 9 miles away.
National Division launches 2018 convention website
The BLET National Division has launched a new website — https://bletconvention.org — to provide key information to delegates, vendors and guests attending the union’s Fourth National Convention, which will be held October 1-4, 2018.
On the Right Track: 2018 Triennial Election manual now online
The 2018 edition of “On the Right Track,” the Local Division nomination and election procedure manual, is now available for download from the BLET website and for those Officers who have access, the document is also accessible in Document Library in UnionTrack.
Open Enrollment for the BLET Short Term Disability On-The-Job (Part B) Coverage
Open Enrollment for the BLET’s Short Term Disability On-The-Job (Part B) insurance has started and will end on July 31, 2018. Those who enroll will have their coverage take effect on August 1, 2018.
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen asks President Trump to intervene in Laredo
As part of its continuing fight to save American jobs on the Texas border, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) has asked President Donald J. Trump to help the union in its struggle to preserve the jobs of BLET members who work for the Texas Mexican Railway (Tex Mex). On July 9, Tex Mex unilaterally replaced U.S. citizen crewmembers with Mexican train crews between Laredo Yard and the International Bridge, more than 9 miles away.
