Rail Industry News
KCS to STB: Deny CP’s declaratory order petition
(Source: Railway Age, June 18, 2021) NEW YORK — Kansas City Southern has asked the Surface Transportation Board to reject Canadian Pacific’s petition for expedited declaratory relief, which KCS claims would assist CP in preparing a “hostile” control application. Full...
SMART-TD opposes CN voting trust in letter to STB
(Source: Canadian Pacific Railway press release, June 15, 2021) CALGARY — Canadian Pacific Railway Limited ("CP") announced today that SMART-Transportation Division ("SMART-TD"), North America's largest railroad operating union, has submitted a letter urging the...
CP says 330 stakeholders ask STB to reject CN merger with KCS
(Source: Canadian Pacific Railway press release, June 21, 2021) CALGARY — Canadian Pacific Railway Limited (“CP”) today announced that more than 80 additional stakeholders have filed statements with the Surface Transportation Board (“STB”) expressing concerns about...
Teamsters 30th Convention, which opens June 22, 2021, will be online
(Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters press release, June 18, 2021) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The International Brotherhood of Teamsters 30th Convention opens on Tuesday, June 22, 2021 and this year’s event will be like no other Convention in the union’s...
$4 billion Amtrak tunnel replacement project in Baltimore has begun
(Source: Associated Press, June 21, 2021) BALTIMORE, Md. — Replacing Amtrak’s Baltimore & Potomac Tunnel will take a least a decade or more to complete. But the $4 billion rail project has officially begun. And officials say it will eliminate the biggest passenger...
New video shows extent of damage from BNSF derailment in New Mexico
(Source: KRQE, June 16, 2021) LAGUNA PUEBLO, N.M. — New video is showing just how bad a train derailment was on the Laguna Pueblo. The incident happened on Monday afternoon. The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office released aerial video of the derailment. A spokesperson...
What it would take for Amtrak to roll back to Boise
(Source: Boise State Public Radio, June 17, 2021) BOISE, Idaho — Nearly a quarter century since Amtrak routinely rolled into the Boise Depot, there’s a renewed effort to restore the service to the Treasure Valley. Full story: Boise State Public Radio
Amtrak kicks off $28 million project to upgrade long-distance ride
(Source: Progressive Railroading, June 17, 2021) Amtrak has launched a $28 million, three-year project to improve the rider experience aboard its long-distance trains serving overnight routes across the country. Full story: Progressive Railroading
CN reports 1,500 letters have been filed with STB in support of KCS merger
(Source: Canadian National/Kansas City Southern press release, June 17, 2021) MONTREAL — CN and Kansas City Southern (“KCS”) today announced that support for their pro-competitive proposed combination continues to grow. One hundred additional letters have been sent to...
Juneteenth holiday enshrines importance of freedom for all
(Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters press release, June 17, 2021) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The following is a statement from Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa and Marcus King, Director of the Teamsters’ Human Rights and Diversity Commission, on the signing...
Ransomware gang behind utility, CSX attacks feels heat in Ukraine
(Source: Freight Waves, June 16, 2021) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Ukrainian police have dealt a serious blow to the ransomware gang behind the cyberattacks in the U.S. transportation and logistics sector — including the trailer maker Utility and rail operator CSX —...
CSX tells federal regulators it is hiring and working out service problems
(Source: Trains Magazine, June 17, 2021) WASHINGTON, D.C. — CSX Transportation is hiring more conductors and says its service is improving thanks to operational adjustments that have reduced congestion, particularly along the Gulf Coast. Full story: www.trains.com
BMWED, SMART-MD coalition requests federal mediation in national bargaining
(Source: BMWED/ SMART-MD joint press release, June 17, 2021) NOVI, Mich. — The BMWED and SMART-MD bargaining coalition has filed for mediation at the National Mediation Board (NMB) following the latest National Negotiation meeting with the National Carriers Conference...
AAR reports rail traffic for week ending June 12, 2021
(Source: Association of American Railroads press release, June 16, 2021) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending June 12, 2021. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 529,635...
Wisconsin, Kansas issue grants to help fund Watco-connected rail projects
(Source: Progressive Railroading, June 16, 2021) Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) yesterday announced that a chocolate factory being built in the city of Milton will receive its sugar and oil by rail thanks to a project...
NJ Transit settles lawsuits stemming from 2016 Hoboken crash
(Source: TAP into Hoboken, June 16, 2021) HOBOKEN, N.J. — New Jersey Transit (NJT) has agreed to pay out over $8 million to a number of parties impacted by the 2016 crash in the Hoboken Terminal. On September 29, 2016, the Pascack Valley Line NJT Train 1614 out of...
Metra ridership hits a post-COVID high
(Source: Chicago Sun-Times, June 16, 2021) CHICAGO — As of Tuesday, Metra had more than 56,637 passenger trips, a post-COVID high but still well below the weekday average of 287,593 passenger trips in June 2019. Full story: Chicago Sun-Times
Texas Central signs $16 billion contract with Webuild to build Texas high-speed rail
(Source: KBTX, June 15, 2021) DALLAS — The developers of the high-speed train between Houston and Dallas, Texas Central Railroad, has signed a $16 billion contract with Webuild, an industrial group that specializes in construction and civil engineering, to lead the...
AAR: Nearing mid-year, carloads and intermodal up
(Source: Railway Age, June 16, 2021) NEW YORK — For the week ending June 12, 2021, total U.S. carloads were 241,628, up 21.8% from the same week in 2020, and all 10 commodity groups tracked posted an increase, the Association of American Railroads reported on June 16....
Opinion: STB’s CN-CP-KCS decision will impact freight rail’s future
(Source: Railway Age opinion column by former U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan, June 16, 2021. Sen. Dorgan was a Democratic congressman and senator for North Dakota for 30 years before retiring from the Senate in 2011.) NEW YORK — Sometimes in decision making, there isn’t...
BLET News
SEPTA moves to provoke shutdown on Saturday
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) has set in motion a process that is virtually certain to trigger a shutdown of commuter rail service in Philadelphia and its surrounding suburbs, which could begin as early as 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, June 14, when the parties are free to engage in self-help under the Railway Labor Act.
BLET to conduct Local Chairman Workshop in August
The BLET Education and Training Department will conduct a workshop for Local Chairmen from August 17-23, 2014. The workshop is designed to help Local Chairmen develop and hone the skills necessary to provide better representation to their members.
Cleveland to host BLET for 76th annual EUMA
Eastern Union Meeting Association (EUMA) Arrangements Chairman Patrick Redmond, Local Chairman of Division 607, cordially invites everyone to Cleveland for the 76th annual EUMA convention, August 4-8, 2014.
Worthington reelected to third term as Chairman of Utah State Legislative Board
Jeffrie C. Worthington was reelected by acclamation to his third term as Chairman of the Utah State Legislative Board at the group’s quadrennial meeting in Salt Lake City on May 28, 2014.
United Healthcare survey could net prizes for BLET members
BLET members have until June 9 to participate in a health care survey and possibly win one of several prizes.
EPA needs a more balanced energy plan for coal
The following statement was issued by Teamsters Rail Conference President Dennis R. Pierce on June 4, 2014.
Union Plus offering “teach-out” scholarships for National Labor College
Union Plus is offering $25,000 in scholarships to help students currently enrolled at the National Labor College (NLC) with completion of their degrees from the now-closed labor university.
BLET Division 183 to host Town Hall meeting in Omaha on June 9
The officers of BLET Division 183 have asked the BLET National Division to advise the membership that they are hosting a Town Hall Meeting on Monday, June 9, 2014. All BLET 183 and 699 Division members, as well as BLET members working in the Western Iowa, Eastern Nebraska area are invited to attend. The Town Hall meeting will provide an opportunity for members to get informed, ask questions and voice concerns.
Nearly 99 percent of BLET members authorize strike
An overwhelming 98.84 percent majority of BLET members working for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) have voted to authorize a strike when a mandatory 30-day cooling off period under the Railway Labor Act comes to an end in less than two weeks.
BLET families win 19 Hoffa scholarships for 2013-14 school year
Nineteen BLET families were winners of scholarships from the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund for the 2013-14 academic year, including two top level $10,000 recipients.
