Rail Industry News
STB: CN can’t unilaterally designate CP interchange at Clearing Yard
(Source: Progressive Railroading, November 3, 2020) CN's Wisconsin Central Ltd. cannot unilaterally designate the Belt Railway Co. of Chicago's (BRC) Clearing Yard as the location where it will receive traffic in interchange with Canadian Pacific's Soo Line Railroad...
CN, CP set grain movement records in October
(Source: Canadian Press, November 3, 2020) CALGARY — Canada's two largest railways transported a record monthly total of 6.3 million tons of Canadian grain in October. Montreal-based CN Rail ended the month moving 3.27 million tons while Canadian Pacific Railway...
Could autonomous trucks in dedicated lanes someday kill rail?
(Source: Freight Waves, November 3, 2020) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Although decades away, the deployment of autonomous trucks in truck-only lanes could potentially be the death knell for the freight railroads should the railroads do nothing to ensure their relevance, an...
Railroad Unemployment and Sickness Benefits will see slight decrease in new sequestration reduction rate
(Source: Railroad Retirement Board press release, September 30, 2020) CHICAGO — Under the Budget Control Act of 2011, and a subsequent sequestration order to implement mandated cuts, railroad unemployment and sickness insurance benefits are reduced by a set percentage...
Canada’s TSB adds “unplanned railway movements” to its safety watchlist
(Source: Progressive Railroading, November 2, 2020) The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) last week released its Watchlist 2020 list of eight key safety risks that require government or industry attention, including the risk of unplanned or uncontrolled...
Evacuation order lifted as crews continue working on KCS derailment cleanup in Mauriceville
(Source: 12 News Now, November 2, 2020) MAURICEVILLE, Texas — Crews are still working five days later to clean up after a train went off the tracks in Mauriceville early Thursday. Orange County Emergency Management said the evacuation area has been lifted, and...
Proposed oil railroad would chew up 10,000 acres of Uinta Basin habitat
(Source: Salt Lake Tribune, November 3, 2020) SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — A proposed oil-hauling railroad would degrade up to 10,000 acres of wildlife habitat in northeastern Utah, potentially disrupting migration corridors and ruining wetlands, according to a new draft...
STB issues environmental document for proposed Utah rail line
(Source: Progressive Railroading, November 2, 2020) The Surface Transportation Board's (STB) Office of Environmental Analysis last week issued a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) for the proposed Uinta Basin Railway in Carbon, Duchesne, Uintah and Utah...
Construction of LA-Las Vegas high-speed rail line delayed as bond sale postponed
(Source: Bloomberg, October 31, 2020) LOS ANGELES — Fortress Investment Group is postponing its plan to build a train to Las Vegas from Southern California after failing to sell a record amount of unrated municipal debt to finance the speculative project, showing the...
Moody’s Investor Services views U.S. freight railroads as stable in 2021
(Source: Freight Waves, November 2, 2020) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Moody’s Investor Services has upgraded its outlook for the North American rail industry from negative to stable amid expectations that rail volumes will continue to grow in 2021. Full story: Freight...
NJ Transit train conductor died from COVID-19 due to lack of safety measures, his widow says in suit
(Source: www.nj.com, November 3, 2020) NEWARK, N.J. — The widow of a New Jersey Transit train conductor has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the transportation agency claiming her husband died of the coronavirus because his bosses failed to follow established...
CSX worker injured in Kentucky rail yard accident
(Source: Television station WSAZ, November 2, 2020) GREENUP COUNTY, Ky. — A CSX railyard worker was seriously injured Monday in a worksite accident, CSX said in a statement. CSX says the worker was taken to the hospital, where he is being treated for his injuries....
Looking back at BNSF derailment in Scottsbluff 20 years ago
(Source: Star Herald, October 31, 2020) SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. — Nov. 4, 2000, 10:28 p.m., a connecting pin sheared on a Burlington Northern-Santa Fe train, causing a coupler to fall to the tracks, resulting in a derailment in northwest Scottsbluff near the Avenue I...
U.S. DOT revamps loan program for short line railroads
(Source: Freight Waves, November 2, 2020) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is expanding a loan program aimed at providing long-term, low-cost loans to short line and regional railroads. Full story: Freight Waves
Editorial: Rail transport of liquefied natural gas needs another look
(Source: Editorial in the Daily Herald, October 8, 2020) CHICAGO — The Daily Herald and leaders of several of our suburbs were among those arguing years ago that crude oil shipments by train should be restricted to newer, stronger tank cars that are more likely to...
Mauriceville schools remain closed as cleanup from KCS wreck continues
(Source: 12 News Now, November 1, 2020) MAURICEVILLE, Texas — Students won't be able to go back to Mauriceville Elementary and Mauriceville Middle School on Monday as crews continue to clean up after a train derailed on Thursday morning. Full story: Beaumont...
NS train derails, spills coal into Roanoke River in Va.
(Source: Roanoke Times, October 31, 2020) ROANOKE, Va. — Rail cars on a Norfolk Southern train carrying coal derailed into the Roanoke River upstream of Salem's main water intake late Friday, Roanoke County officials said. There were no reported injuries to the train...
Weekly U.S. rail traffic rises on higher intermodal volumes
(Source: Freight Waves, October 29, 2020) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — U.S. rail volumes on a weekly basis rose nearly 2% amid a 9% increase in intermodal traffic. U.S. rail traffic was 522,653 carloads and intermodal units for the week ending Oct. 24, which is 1.9% higher...
78th annual Santa Train gift distribution locations announced
(Source: Johnson City Press, October 30, 2020) KINGSPORT, Tenn. — Sponsors of the 78th annual Santa Train have announced locations and safety details for this year’s event. Full story: Johnson City Press
Safer future for rail transportation of hazardous materials being developed
(Source: www.phys.org, October 28, 2020) CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A team of West Virginia University researchers are making railways safer by developing a Band-Aid-like protective jacket for tank cars that haul hazardous materials. The composite material, because of its...
BLET News
Happy Holidays from National President Pierce
Now that the election is over and our members have spoken, the time has come for all BLET members to bond together as we move into the future, so that true democracy prevails. The eyes of all in the rail community are upon us now, and the success of our proud exercise in democracy will be proven when all BLET members unite and get behind the efforts of our Organization.
Announcement of verified results of National Division Officers election
As prescribed by the Rules for the 2010 BLET National Division Officers Election, National Secretary-Treasurer William C. Walpert has released the verified results of National Division Officers election. A total of 22 National Division Officers and Alternates were chosen in the election.
BLET National Division office holiday schedule
In observance of the Christmas and New Year holidays, the BLET National Division headquarters will be closed on December 23-24 and December 30-31, 2010.
BLET to conduct workshop for Legislative Reps
The BLET Education & Training Department, in conjunction with the National Legislative Office and the National Association of State Legislative Board Chairmen (NASLBC), will conduct a workshop for BLET Division Legislative Representatives in Washington, D.C., from February 13-17, 2010.
Ballots mailed in CSX ratification votes
Ratification ballots were mailed on December 9 to over 2,400 active BLET members working for CSX Transportation to decide the fate of two proposed agreements.
Pierce, Walpert reelected
BLET National President Dennis R. Pierce and National Secretary-Treasurer William C. Walpert have been reelected to four-year terms that begin on January 1, 2011.
Deadline extended to Dec. 31 for eligible dependents
Thanks to an agreement between the Cooperating Railway Labor Organizations (CRLO) and the National Carriers Conference Committee (NCCC), BLET members now have until December 31, 2010, to register their eligible dependents (up to age 26) for health care. The original
GA-46000 Lifetime maximum adjusted for 2011
The lifetime maximum benefit for the Railroad Employees National Early Retirement Major Medical Benefit (also known as ERMA or GA-46000) Plan will increase from $118,900 to $126,200 on January 1, 2011.
Requesting replacement ballots for BLET Officer elections
Members requesting a replacement ballot should be prepared to provide their name, mailing address, and BLET Division number. Ballots must be mailed in time to reach P.O. Box 93966, Cleveland, Ohio, 44101-9815, no later than 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, December 15, 2010.
Thanksgiving 2010
By Dennis R. Pierce
BLET National President
As we approach Thanksgiving, I ask our membership to join me in a moment of silence for those who are away from their families at this special time of year.
