Rail Industry News
NS trains delaying first responders in Albers, Illinois
Albers Mayor Steve Schomaker and Police Chief Brian Vielweber said that trains now take 15, 20, even 25 minutes to pass through town. First responders have to wait for them like everyone else, with potentially tragic consequences. Such a situation arose last Thursday afternoon.
Shop craft unions urge FRA, STB to improve Class I railroad safety and service
A coalition of labor unions representing railroad shop workers has asked the Federal Railroad Administration and Surface Transportation Board to take five steps to improve safety and service on the Class I railroads.
U.S. rail traffic boost continues in first week of 2024
Total rail traffic for the week ending Jan. 6, 2024, comprised 208,176 carloads, up 0.9% from 2023, and 209,081 containers and trailers, up 3.7% from the same week last year, according to AAR.
Rail bosses stress cooperation at shipper conference
The theme may not be new, but the emphasis seems to be increasing. The idea that railroads need to work together — and that doing so can be beneficial to all parties, not just the railroads involved, but their customers as well — was a recurring topic during the first day of the Midwest Association of Rail Shippers Winter Meeting.
Mexican antitrust authority investigates freight rail
Mexico’s rail sector, which moves a quarter of the total merchandise transported by land, is dominated by Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) and Grupo Mexico’s transport unit.
UP: BNSF has no right to interchange with proposed Utah short line
Union Pacific has asked federal regulators to squash BNSF Railway’s request to gain access a proposed short line railroad in Utah.
UP expects shipment delays as harsh weather impacts network
Union Pacific Corp. said on Tuesday it anticipates a 24- to 48-hour delay in shipments as its rail network in some states has been impacted by heavy snow, blizzard conditions, ice and power outages.
Graniteville honors lives lost on 19th anniversary of NS crash
In 2005, nine lives were lost and hundreds were injured after two Norfolk Southern trains collided near the Avondale Mills Plant in Graniteville. Over 250 people were treated for toxic chlorine exposure.
Train enthusiasts look back on Montana Rail Link legacy
A blue locomotive on a mountainous background has been the image for the Montana Rail Link for almost 30 years but as of 2024, the railroad company has undergone a big change.
UP beefs up border patrol
Union Pacific, which with Ferromex and BNSF suffered a severe service disruption in December when U.S. Customs and Border Protection unnecessarily closed the U.S./Mexico rail bridges at Eagle Pass and El Paso, Tex., has added a Special Agent patrol at the border.
Five of the six Class I railroads saw volume declines in 2023
Canadian Pacific Kansas City was the only Class I railroad that was able to eke out higher volume last year. CPKC’s traffic was up a scant 0.1% in 2023, which was a down year for North American freight volume.
AAR reports final rail traffic volumes for 2023
December 2023 was the fourth consecutive month that total year-over-year carload and intermodal volumes rose for U.S. Class I railroads.
Improving rail service key to growing intermodal volumes
Intermodal rail in 2024 is likely to still face pressure from the trucking market; however, market conditions for the overall freight transportation market also appear to be returning to pre-pandemic patterns, and so providing good rail service will be key in enabling intermodal rail to compete.
FRA’s train crew size rule moves forward
The Federal Railroad Administration has submitted its final rule on train crew staffing to the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review, with the final rule potentially being released in March, according to OMB’s website.
7 hot issues for rail stakeholders in 2024
Railroads, shippers and unions are tracking hot topics ranging from service improvement to government oversight to safety regulations in 2024. Two of the items are federal action on rail safety and labor contract negotiations.
STB soliciting nominations for Passenger Rail Advisory Committee
The Surface Transportation Board is seeking candidates to fill 18 vacancies on its newly formed Passenger Railroad Advisory Committee (PRAC). Nominations are due by Feb. 5, 2024; candidates may nominate themselves.
Analysis: The invisible railroad problem
Why is it that no one notices railroads until there’s a derailment, blocked grade crossing, or a massive supply chain problem like we saw in 2022?
Will Congress pass any rail safety bills in 2024?
The passage of any rail safety legislation in Congress next year is likely to be influenced by two things, industry observers told FreightWaves: the 2024 presidential election and the release of a report by the National Transportation Safety Board on the February 2023 derailment of a Norfolk Southern train in East Palestine, Ohio.
Outgoing STB Chairman Oberman condemns Wall Street influence over railroads
Martin J. Oberman isn’t ready to retire just yet. That much was clear from his impassioned talk at a recent Northwestern University Transportation Center gathering.
BNSF officially takes over MRL operations
BNSF Railway Co. yesterday resumed operations of Montana Rail Link (MRL), which now is part of the Class I’s Montana subdivision.
BLET News
Are big changes coming to Amtrak? CEO Stephen Gardner steps down
Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner resigned unexpectedly last week. “I am stepping down as CEO to ensure that Amtrak continues to enjoy the full faith and confidence of this administration,” he said in a March 19 statement. Gardner’s sudden resignation comes less than two...
CSXT: BLET exposes safety flaws with “zero-to-zero” technology that controls braking and urges the FRA to conduct further study
The BLET filed extensive comments with the FRA on March 17 raising questions about CSXT’s use and implementation of Trip Optimizer/Air Brake Control (TO/ABC, or “zero-to-zero”) technology. If fully approved, CSXT’s Product Safety Plan (PSP) would, for the first time,...
Illinois: BLET a part of labor coalition lobbying to help save state’s public transportation system from fiscal cliff
Pictured from left: Jeff Crane, BLET; Alex Beckman, Rail Conference; Tim Drea, President of Illinois AFL-CIO; Cory Martin, BLET Illinois State Legislative Board Chairman; Brandon Stewart, BLET; Todd Knight, BLET; and Chad Clayton, BLETThe BLET’s Illinois State...
Women’s History Month: Watco workforce selects Tandi Colibert to serve as grievance chair
In mid-March the BLET held its initial meeting with workers at Watco following the union’s certification by the National Mediation Board. It was fitting that the meeting was held on Saturday, March 8 — which is International Women’s Day — and that Sister Tandi...
Amtrak names locomotive in honor of late BLET General Chairman Mark B. Kenny
From left: Matt Kronyak, BLET Special Rep; Brad Cleary, Amtrak GCA S-T; Gerhard Williams (back row), Amtrak VP; Gabriel Perez, Amtrak GCA VGC; J.J. O’Neill, Amtrak GCA ERC; Kate Kenny; Stephen Gardner (back row), Amtrak CEO; David Estes, BLET NST; Jim Louis, BLET VP;...
Teamster-backed Lori Chavez-DeRemer confirmed as U.S. Secretary of Labor
Former Oregon Congresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer was confirmed on March 10 to serve as U.S. Secretary of Labor. She is the daughter of a Teamster and has the strong backing of Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien. “Lori Chavez-DeRemer will do an excellent job...
Education & Training Dept.: Division Secretary-Treasurers complete training
The BLET Education & Training Department conducted a hybrid training class for Division Secretary-Treasurers last week, with 55 members participating both in person at the BLET National Division Training Center and virtually via Zoom. Many participants in the...
The Trump Administration is slashing federal employment and government services — RRB field offices are now in the crosshairs
The BLET National Division has been approached by many concerned members regarding the Trump administration’s ongoing cuts to federal agencies with questions about what effect those reductions in staffing and programs might have on railroad workers. Among the cuts, it...
RRB Q&A: More information on the Social Security Fairness Act and its impact on Railroad Retirement annuities
The Social Security Fairness Act (SSFA), which was signed into law on January 5, 2025, eliminates the reduction previously applied to the Railroad Retirement annuities or Social Security benefits of individuals who also receive pensions from work not covered by Social...
Teamsters Rail Conference thanks Rep. Titus
Front row, from left: Cole Scandaglia, Teamsters; Vince Verna, BLET; Rep. Dina Titus; Brendan Sullivan, BLET; and Alex Beckman, Rail Conference. Back row, from left: Mark Wallace, BLET; Eddie Hall, BLET, Jeff Joines, BMWED; and Roy Morrison, BMWED. ...
