Rail Industry News
UP CEO signals interest in autonomous intermodal cars
Union Pacific has expressed interest in a new autonomous battery-electric intermodal car concept developed by a group headed by three former Space X engineers.
UP says staff crunch from COVID-19 may hurt Q1 2022 volumes
Union Pacific Corp. said COVID-19 cases among its staff and paid time off for people getting inoculated may hurt its ability to move freight in the current quarter, but that impact should still be less than the 4% slump in volume in the previous quarter.
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...
BNSF tries to block 17,000 workers from striking
BNSF went to court after the BLET and SMART-TD both threatened to strike over the a new attendance policy that would penalize employees for missing work.
Union Pacific’s Q4 2021 profit up 24% despite weak volume
Union Pacific hauled in 24% more profit in the fourth quarter despite supply chain problems and weak auto production, but that is also compared with a period last year that included a one-time $278 million charge.
Union Pacific reports Q4 and full year 2021 results
Union Pacific Corporation today reported 2021 fourth quarter net income of $1.7 billion, or $2.66 per diluted share. This compares to adjusted 2020 fourth quarter net income of $1.6 billion, or $2.36 per diluted share.
U.S. rail traffic continues downward trend in week ending January 15
Total U.S. rail traffic for the week ending Jan. 15, 2022 was 493,617 carloads and intermodal units, down 6.6% from the same point last year, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported on Jan. 19; it is the second consecutive week that traffic has dropped.
UP accused of defective safety measures at rail yard
Union Pacific Railroad is facing a suit alleging poor safety measures and a defective gate at one of its railroad crossings led to injuries.
Schneider to leave BNSF for UP in 2023
Schneider has signed a long-term agreement with Union Pacific (UP) to be its primary intermodal rail provider in the western U.S., effective January 2023, the companies reported on Jan. 19.
KCS de Mexico chief suggests firm’s 2022 Mexico investments could further increase
Kansas City Southern de México is likely to exceed this year’s US$122mn investment commitment for Mexico.
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...
UP seeks Los Angeles D.A.’s help in stopping cargo thefts
Union Pacific Railroad is stepping up efforts to address a spike in cargo thefts from its trains in Los Angeles.
Thieves litter train tracks with family mementos
Clean-up crews found canvas portraits of a family of four, along with many other personal mementos, among the seemingly endless amounts of debris littered onto the railroads in East Los Angeles after thieves deemed them worthless.
Littered rail tracks reopened following weekend derailment in Lincoln Heights
A downtown Los Angeles track where rail cars derailed over the weekend has been repaired and is now reopened, a Union Pacific spokeswoman said Tuesday evening, Jan. 18.
UP, NS, CSX to use new freight scheduling platform
Supply-chain technology firm Blume Global has announced a collaborative information platform to coordinate cross-country shipments. Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern, and CSX will be partners in the end-to-end freight scheduler, intended to allow shippers and intermodal firms to synchronize shipments across railroads.
BNSF to seek concession to operate in Mexico
BNSF Railway, in a Thursday regulatory filing related to the proposed Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern merger, said it may seek trackage rights on Kansas City Southern to reach the Mexican border at Laredo, Texas.
Omicron forces Amtrak service cuts
Amtrak has been impacted by the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, which has sickened, albeit not killed, millions of people, even the fully vaccinated, creating staff shortages.
Virginia finalizes agreement with NS to expand passenger rail
The commonwealth of Virginia has finalized a definitive agreement with Norfolk Southern Corp. to expand passenger-rail service to the New River Valley for the first time since 1979, Virginia officials announced last week.
BLET News
Deadline for hotel reservations is July 7 for BLET’s Washington D.C. regional meeting
With the deadline for room reservations less than a week away, BLET members and guests are encouraged to register as soon as possible for the BLET’s regional meeting in Washington, D.C.. It will be held August 13-17, 2018, at the Capital Hilton (1001 16th Street NW, Washington, D.C., 20036, (800) 774-1500).
BLET fighting for members’ jobs at the US/Mexican border
BLET National President Dennis R. Pierce and BLET Texas Mexican Railway (Tex Mex) General Chairman Chris Heise today rejected a plan by Kansas City Southern Railway (KCS) to replace American crews with Mexican crews in Laredo, Texas, setting the stage for a BLET strike on the Tex Mex at 12:01 a.m. on Monday, July 9.
BLET kicks off Monterey regional meeting
Approximately 200 members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) and their families convened here this morning for opening ceremonies of the BLET’s first regional meeting of 2018.
Ballots mailed in tentative BLET, Union Railroad agreement
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) has reached a tentative contract agreement with the Union Railroad. Ballots were mailed on June 15 to active members of the BLET employed by the Union Railroad who are eligible to vote in the ratification of this agreement.
Plan ahead for BLET’s Washington D.C. regional meeting
With the deadline for room reservations less than a month away, BLET members and guests are encouraged to register now for the BLET’s regional meeting in Washington, D.C.. It will be held August 13-17, 2018, at the Capital Hilton (1001 16th Street NW, Washington, D.C., 20036, (800) 774-1500).
Ballots mailed in tentative BLET, Illinois & Midland agreement
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) has reached a tentative contract agreement with the Illinois & Midland Railroad. Ballots were mailed on June 8 to active members of the BLET employed by Illinois & Midland who are eligible to vote in the ratification of this agreement.
BLET members ratify CN-IC contract
By a better than 2-to-1 margin, members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) ratified a new collective bargaining agreement with the Canadian National’s former Illinois Central property on May 30, 2018.
Memorial Day 2018
Over the past 155 years, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) has seen too many of our union members go off to war and not come home.
Groose elected Chairman of Missouri State Legislative Board
Calvin L. Groose was elected the new Chairman of the Missouri State Legislative Board at its quadrennial meeting in Jefferson, Mo., May 6-8, 2018.
Tim Price reelected Ohio State Legislative Board Chairman
Timothy T. Price was reelected by acclamation to his first full term as Chairman of the Ohio State Legislative Board at the Board’s 16th quadrennial meeting held in Columbus, Ohio, April 22-24, 2018.
