Rail Industry News
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...
UP employs water train to battle western wildfires
(Source: Railway Track & Structures, September 9, 2020) NEW YORK — The western wildfires are wreaking havoc on the West Coast and several inland locations. Western railroads throughout history have built “water trains” to be on standby in this region in case a fire...
Amtrak service cuts will have outsized impact on majority-Black communities in southern states
(Source: USA Today, September 9, 2020) WASHINGTON, D.C. — For nearly 50 years, most of Amtrak's long-distance trains have operated daily. But the coronavirus pandemic is about to change that: Starting on Oct. 1, almost all of Amtrak's long-distance trains will go from...
U.S. weekly intermodal volumes push higher
(Source: Freight Waves, September 9, 2020) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Weekly U.S. intermodal volumes were up by nearly a quarter last week amid increased activity for domestic and international containers and trailers. U.S. freight railroads moved 287,339 intermodal...
Intermodal leads rail volume recovery as retailers restock
(Source: Supply Chain Dive, September 10, 2020) WASHINGTON, D.C. — August was the best month for intermodal volumes on U.S. railroads since October 2018, according to the Association of American Railroads. U.S. railroads originated more than 1.1 million intermodal...
In congressional grilling, Amtrak chief says railroad needs nearly $5 billion in federal aid
(Source: Washington Post, September 9, 2020) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Under intense grilling from lawmakers, Amtrak chief executive William J. Flynn said Wednesday that the railroad needs nearly $5 billion in federal assistance to help make up for losses caused by the...
BLET News
High call volume suspected in strike authorization vote glitch
Technicians at TrueBallot, Inc., appear to have resolved problems with the telephonic system that is recording votes in the BLET’s strike authorization election, which was sporadically inaccessible yesterday afternoon and evening.
BLET opens 76th annual SWCM
The BLET’s 76th annual Southwestern Convention Meeting (SWCM) opened yesterday with nearly 200 BLET members and officers in attendance.
Faulkner elected Chairman of Tennessee State Legislative Board
Barry J. Faulker was elected by acclamation to serve as Chairman of the Tennessee State Legislative Board at the quadrennial meeting in Nashville, Tenn., September 6-9, 2011.
BLET to hold strike authorization vote
In a conference call held with all BLET General Chairmen yesterday morning, National President Dennis R. Pierce announced that preparations are underway to poll members to authorize a strike in the event one becomes necessary to attain the Organization’s bargaining goals.
Teamsters offer disaster relief assistance in four states
The Teamsters Disaster Relief Fund is accepting applications for assistance from members who live in Connecticut, Massachusetts, North Carolina and New York after Hurricane Irene caused severe damage to homes and property.
NMB proffers arbitration in national contract dispute
On Friday September 2, 2011, the National Mediation Board (NMB) urged the unions comprising the Rail Labor Bargaining Coalition (RLBC) and the carriers represented by the National Carriers’ Conference Committee to submit their unresolved national contract dispute to binding arbitration pursuant to Section 5, First and Section 7 of the Railway Labor Act, as amended (RLA).
BLET to conduct Advanced Local Chairman Workshop Oct. 30-Nov. 5
The BLET Education & Training Department is seeking participants for an Advanced Local Chairman Workshop scheduled for October 30-November 5, 2011, at the National Labor College in Silver Spring, Md.
BLET Local Chairman organizes Charlotte Labor Day parade
Once again this year, Brother Ben Lee, Local Chairman of BLET Division 166 (Charlotte, N.C.), is continuing his tradition of organizing his city’s annual Labor Day parade.
Labor Day 2011
By Dennis R. Pierce, BLET National President: Labor Day 2011 finds the BLET and other unions throughout the United States embroiled in a war for our very existence.
SWCM hotel deadline extended
BLET members are advised that the deadline for hotel reservations for the upcoming Southwestern Convention Meeting (SWCM) in El Paso has been extended to September 9.
