Rail Industry News
Grain shippers brace for tight rail market
(Source: Freight Waves, September 15, 2020) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — As U.S. grain producers prepare for the 2020-21 crop year, one concern is that the Class I railroads won’t have enough network capacity to handle the double whammy of a bountiful harvest and higher...
Hurricane Sally expected to douse crucial east-west roads and railroads
(Source: Supply Chain Dive, September 15, 2020) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Road and rail along the east-west artery of Interstate 10 is at high risk for disruption, and aftereffects from eastern Louisiana to Pensacola, Florida, may last several days depending on the extent of...
Indiana Rail Road cancels 2020 Santa Train
(Source: Progressive Railroading, September 14, 2020) The Indiana Rail Road Co. (INRD) announced last week that it has canceled the 2020 run of its Santa Train due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Full story: Progressive Railroading
CP opens new multi-commodity transload facility in Montreal
(Source: Canadian Pacific Railway press release, September 14, 20202) CALGARY — Canadian Pacific will officially open its new multi-commodity transload facility in Montréal tomorrow. The new facility will offer transloading services and supplementary intermodal...
BNSF completes Drano Lake bridge replacement installation
(Source: The Columbian, September 14, 2020) DRANO LAKE, Wash. — Eighteen days after being transferred to a barge and departing Vancouver, the newest bridge on the BNSF Railway’s Columbia River Gorge line is now installed in its new home, carrying trains across the...
Amtrak drops off-shore IT provision in RFP
(Source: Progressive Railroading, September 14, 2020) Amtrak President and Chief Executive Officer William Flynn told a congressional panel last week that he eliminated a provision in an Amtrak request for proposals (RFP) that would have allowed certain information...
California High-Speed Rail Authority approves alignment for Central Wye Valley section
(Source: International Railway Journal, September 14, 2020) LOS ANGELES — The California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) has confirmed its choice of alignment for the 80.5km Central Valley Wye section of the Merced – Fresno high-speed line, following the unanimous...
AAR passed intel on environmental journalist to police
(Source: The Intercept, September 13, 2020) Environmental reporter Justin Mikulka was unnerved as he scanned through the pages. “A friend had contacted me and said that he had found some documents with my name in them,” Mikulka recalled to The Intercept. “He told me I...
NS issues Service Alert as Tropical Storm Sally expected to become a hurricane
(Source: Norfolk Southern Service Alert, September 14, 2020) NORFOLK, Va. — Tropical Storm Sally is strengthening in the Gulf of Mexico and is expected to make landfall Tuesday, Sept. 15, as a Category 1 hurricane over the southeastern coast of Louisiana. The Flood...
U.S. Class I railroads prepare for Hurricane Sally
(Source: Freight Waves, September 14, 2020) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Several U.S. Class I railroad operations are preparing to safeguard their networks ahead of Hurricane Sally’s anticipated landfall on Tuesday. The National Hurricane Center on Monday morning issued a...
BNSF names first female CEO of a major U.S. railroad
(Source: Reuters, September 14, 2020) NEW YORK — BNSF, the railroad unit of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc., on Monday named Kathryn Farmer as its new chief executive officer, making her the first female CEO of a major U.S. railroad. Full story: Reuters
Long Bridge rail project barrels forward full speed ahead
(Source: Virginia Mercury, September 14, 2020) RICHMOND, Va. — With the state budget in tatters and commuter levels at record lows, now might hardly seem the right moment for Virginia to embark upon a $1.9 billion rail project. However, the recent conclusion of the...
Private sector investment in NEC operations?
(Source: Railway Age, September 10, 2020) NEW YORK — For almost half a century, passenger rail service in the United States has resided in the public sector. Despite its unusual statutory charter, Amtrak’s voting shares belong to the U.S. Department of Transportation....
Montana Rail Link laying groundwork for PTC
(Source: Missoulian, September 11, 2020) MISSOULA, Mont. — Railroad safety’s wave of the future is lapping up onto Montana Rail Link tracks. The Missoula-based short line began advertising last week for a project manager to direct and coordinate construction and...
FreightCar America closing Alabama facility, consolidating operations to Mexico
(Source: Freight Waves, September 11, 2020) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — FreightCar America intends to close its Shoals manufacturing facility in Alabama and move all its operations to Mexico, the railcar manufacturer said Thursday. Full story: Freight Waves
PATH unions’ push for contract gets N.J. governor’s support
(Source: The Chief Leader, September 11, 2020) NEW YORK — A campaign to jump start stalled contract talks by the PATH Labor Council, which represents workers that run the Port Authority Trans-Hudson mass-transit line, has gained traction with New Jersey Gov. Phil...
Rail Passengers Association says Amtrak cuts are $2 billion “bomb on flyover country”
(Source: Transportation Today, September 11, 2020) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Testifying before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Railroads and Pipeline, Rail Passengers Association (RPA) president and CEO Jim Mathews said Amtrak’s plan to reduce...
APTA calls on Congress to give $32 billion in emergency funding to public transportation
(Source: Transportation Today, September 11, 2020) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) is calling on Congress to save public transportation with an emergency infusion of $32 billion in cash. In a letter to Congress, the association...
NTSB releases preliminary report on July UP derailment in Tempe, Ariz.
(Source: www.azfamily.com, September 10, 2020) PHOENIX, Ariz. — The National Transportation Safety Board on Thursday released its preliminary report on the train derailment that took out a portion of the Salt River Bridge in Tempe on July 29. According to the report,...
Report: Shippers using U.S. West Coast ports can’t book rail on BNSF, UP
(Source: American Journal of Transportation, September 11, 2020) WASHINGTON, D.C. — A Northern California logistics consultant was unable to book containers on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) or Union Pacific (UP) railroads for the first week of September...
BLET News
BLET national bargaining underway
Another round of bargaining began in 2009 to improve agreements governing BLET members throughout the nation. Negotiations for a new National Agreement have begun, and contract talks will begin later this year on Amtrak and U.S. railroads owned by Canadian National Railway.
Rail workers must be part of National Rail Plan
In comments to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) regarding its preliminary National Rail Plan, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen declared its support for the plan envisioned by the FRA, but demanded that jobs created under the Plan must go to America’s railroad workers.
Registration continues for 2010 IWC in Bismarck-Mandan, N.D.
Registration is now open for the 70th annual International Western Convention, slated for July 13-17, 2010, in beautiful Bismarck-Mandan, N.D. The 2010 IWC is hosted by Co-Chairmen Mike Muscha and Ron Huff and the members of BLET Division 671 and Division 746.
Brian Kelley re-elected Missouri State Legislative Board Chairman
Missouri State Legislative Board Chairman Brian P. Kelley was re-elected by acclamation at Board meetings in Jefferson City on May 4-5, 2010.
NMB levels the playing field
BLET National President Paul Sorrow today praised the National Mediation Board (NMB) for changing how it conducts representation elections, saying the new procedure will provide greater fairness to unorganized workers.
BLET to mark 147th anniversary on May 8
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) marks its 147th anniversary tomorrow. The union was founded as the Brotherhood of the Footboard on May 8, 1863 in Marshall, Mich.
Attention retirees: Sign up to receive Teamster magazine
If you are a retired BLET member and want to continue receiving the Teamster magazine after the May/June 2010 issue, please contact the BLET National Division and let us know.
2010 BLET Directories coming soon
The BLET National Division is asking for officer input in preparing the 2010 Directory.
Reenergizing mobilization
The BLET is re-energizing its mobilization network to increase membership involvement on key issues of importance to the Brotherhood.
COBRA subsidy has been extended through May 31
An amendment to The American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA) extends the eligibility period for the 65% Cobra subsidy program from March 31, 2010, to May 31, 2010.
