Rail Industry News
RRB names new Director of Retirement and Survivor Benefits
The U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) has selected Letitia C. Carthans as the agency’s next Director of Retirement and Survivor Benefits, effective January 3, 2022.
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...
“Alabama-USA Corridor:” Rail work to improve supply chain infrastructure
A nearly $232 million project funded mostly by Norfolk Southern Corp. will upgrade rail transportation between the Port of Mobile and central Alabama, the governor’s office said Tuesday.
Hedlund sworn in as STB’s newest member
Democrat Karen J. Hedlund on Jan. 3 was sworn in as the newest member of the Surface Transportation Board (STB), succeeding Republican Ann D. Begeman.
About 700 NJ Transit workers test positive for COVID
NJ Transit is maintaining 97% of full weekday scheduled rail service and 94% of full weekday scheduled bus service despite the spike in positive cases.
Winter storm leaves Amtrak passengers stuck on train for 30 hours
An Amtrak train en route to New York from New Orleans was stuck on the track in Virginia for more than 30 hours because of a winter storm.
Hoffa: Increased resolve needed in New Year to tackle worker concerns
As we turn the page on 2021, the Teamsters have much to celebrate. Years of hard work in Washington culminated with a multiemployer pension fix that will protect the hard-earned retirement nest eggs of more than 1 million Americans.
Results of CN executive search could impact service
A takeover by TCI Management, who owns 8.36 per cent of CP Rail and 5.2 per cent of CN, is concerning because it potentially means a change to service levels, which would affect Canadian farmers.
Railway Association of Canada issues 10-year rail performance snapshot
The Railway Association of Canada (RAC) has published the 29th edition of its Rail Trends report, providing a ten-year performance overview (2011-20) of its member passenger and freight railroads.
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...
Metra asks STB to order CP to provide more merger-related data
Metra has asked federal regulators to force Canadian Pacific to hand over more documents that would help it evaluate how the proposed CP-Kansas City Southern merger may affect commuter service in the Chicago area.
CSX coal terminal explosion under investigation
An explosion occurred on Dec. 30 at CSX’s Curtis Bay coal facility in Baltimore. The cause of the incident remains under investigation. All employees are accounted for and there were no injuries.
Vermont drops opposition to CSX-Pan Am merger
CSX Transportation has ironed out a wrinkle in its proposed acquisition of New England regional Pan Am Railways by reaching an agreement with Vermont Rail System and the Vermont Agency of Transportation.
PATH’s November ridership only half of 2019 level
The Porth Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) announced last week that November 2021 ridership on Port Authority-Trans Hudson (PATH) trains remained at about 50% of November 2019’s level.
CSX and NS: Amtrak didn’t track Gulf Coast service impact
The Surface Transportation Board should not be swayed by the political winds that appear to support Amtrak’s ambitions when it comes to restoring passenger rail service between Mobile, Alabama, and New Orleans, attorneys representing CSX and Norfolk Southern said recently.
Colorado legislator “deeply concerned” about oil trains from Utah project
The prospect of up to 350,000 barrels of oil a day rolling through Colorado on trains has caught the attention of Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet following the Dec. 15 U.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB) approval of the Uinta Basin Railway in northeastern Utah.
Reciprocal switching returns to STB agenda
While this is not a topic RT&S would normally cover, the debate over reciprocal or “competitive” switching has been brewing for years, and all members of the rail and rail supply & maintenance industries should be aware of it.
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...
BLET News
Rail hazmat training for Arizona, Western New Mexico and SE California workers
The Rail Workers Hazardous Materials Training Program is hosting a training session from April 9-13, 2018. Attendance is only open to railroad employees in Arizona, Western New Mexico, and Southeastern California. Training will be held in Winslow, Ariz.
BLET reaches tentative contract with Amtrak
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) has reached a Tentative Agreement with Amtrak governing rates of pay, benefits and work rules for approximately 1,400 locomotive engineers.
Registration open for BLET’s Monterey regional meeting
Registration is now open for the BLET regional meeting at the Hyatt Monterey Hotel & Spa in Monterey, Calif., June 18-22, 2018.
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.
BLET to conduct Legislative Representatives training class in July
The BLET Education & Training Department, in conjunction with the National Legislative Office, will conduct a training class for BLET Division Legislative Representatives in Washington, D.C., from July 10-12, 2018.
Vice President Tolman testifies before House on PTC
BLET Vice President and National Legislative Representative John P. Tolman urged Congress, the railroads, and governmental regulators to ensure that Positive Train Control (PTC) is fully implemented by the current deadline of December 31, 2018. During his testimony, Vice President Tolman also discussed the problem of electronic device distraction (Trip Optimizer and LEADER); the government and industry’s failure to address rail worker fatigue; the danger of excessive train lengths; and the need for two person train crews.
Lyons elected BLET National Division Trustee; Matt Wilson retires
William P. Lyons was elected unanimously by the BLET Advisory Board to serve as a National Division Trustee effective February 1, 2018. He replaces outgoing Trustee Matt O. Wilson, who has retired.
BLET to testify at Feb. 15 House hearing on Positive Train Control
On February 15, Vice President and National Legislative Representative John P. Tolman will testify on behalf of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) and its 57,000 members before the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials at a hearing titled “Oversight of Positive Train Control Implementation in the United States.”
RRB announces spring 2018 conferences and pre-retirement seminars
The U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) has announced a schedule of dates for the agency’s spring 2018 informational conferences and pre-retirement seminars.
Criminal prosecution for unintentional mistakes is blatantly unfair to locomotive engineers and trainmen
By Dennis R. Pierce, BLET National President In the wake of recent dramatic and highly visible railroad accidents in the United States and Canada, there has been a trend to criminalize railroad workers and prosecute them as the sole cause of these tragedies. The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen stands opposed to such actions.
