Rail Industry News
From Amtrak to Tennessee whiskey, coronavirus bailout requests top $1 trillion
(Source: Reuters, March 19, 2020) WASHINGTON, D.C. — As the coronavirus outbreak threatens to bring U.S. economic activity to a grinding halt, American businesses are jockeying for a financial lifeline from the administration of President Donald Trump. Many have asked...
Forecasters predict economic fallout of coronavirus will bring rail traffic slump
(Source: Trains, March 18, 2020) Railroad traffic is expected to take a hit from the economic fallout surrounding the coronavirus pandemic. International intermodal volumes have declined since China extended its Lunar New Year holiday to slow the spread of the...
Union Pacific closes HQ building in Omaha as office employees work remotely
(Source: Omaha World-Herald, March 19, 2020) OMAHA, Neb. — Under call to distance people socially, Union Pacific is taking action, too, at one of Omaha’s largest office buildings. Union Pacific Center will have some 2,000 employees working remotely, leaving fewer than...
NJ Transit office employee isolated after possible coronavirus contact
(Source: www.nj.com, March 18, 2020) NEWARK, N.J. — An NJ Transit employee at the agency’s Newark headquarters has been asked to work remotely after the person came in contact with an individual who tested positive for coronavirus, officials confirmed Wednesday. Full...
Two cases of COVID-19 confirmed at CP Rail headquarters in Calgary
(Source: CBC News, March 18, 2020) CALGARY — Two employees at CP Rail's Calgary headquarters have tested positive for COVID-19, according to a spokesperson. Full story: www.cbc.ca
Union Pacific confirms North Platte employee tested positive for COVID-19
(Source: NBC Nebraska, March 18, 2020) NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — Union Pacific spokesperson Raquel Espinoza confirms that a 50-year old man who tested positive for COVID-19 on March 17 in Lincoln County is an employee of the railroad. She said that the employee, who works...
Parents charged after viral video captures Pa. family’s near miss with NS train
(Source: Herald-Mail, March 17, 2020) GREENCASTLE, Pa. — The parents of five children recorded by surveillance cameras running on railroad tracks as a train approached in Greencastle last month have been charged with reckless endangering and trespassing. Full story:...
Buffalo-area person who tested positive for COVID-19 took Amtrak train through Utica and Syracuse
(Source: Television station WSYR, March 17, 2020) BUFFALO, N.Y. — As the Erie County Health Department investigates its 11 cases of COVID-19, it’s tracing back where the infected people may have come into contact with others. Full story: www.localsyr.com
Amtrak to suspend Pennsylvania passenger trains
(Source: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, March 17, 2020) PITTSBURGH, Pa. — Amtrak will suspend its passenger rail service between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia beginning Wednesday and all of its passenger service in Pennsylvania will be shut down as of Thursday because of a...
California passenger-rail services continue during stay-at-home order
(Source: Progressive Railroading, March 17, 2020) California passenger-rail agencies are continuing operations for essential travel after several California counties issued stay-at-home orders. Full story: Progressive Railroading
Twice-daily Amtrak service across Missouri gets bipartisan support in House budget committee
(Source: www.missoruinet.com, March 17, 2020) JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — A bipartisan group of lawmakers on the Missouri House Budget Committee teamed up this week to support a GOP amendment, which removes the restriction to once-daily Amtrak passenger service across...
Short lines gain a new perspective on drone inspection
(Source: Progressive Railroading, March 17, 2020) Some short lines that became early adopters of basic drone technology to aid in infrastructure inspections have turned to engineering firms with specialized drone operations to harness the full potential of unmanned...
KCS struggles with macroeconomic uncertainty
(Source: Freight Waves, March 18, 2020) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Kansas City Southern might update its operating ratio targets and its anticipated revenue margin for 2020 next month, but any modifications will largely depend on how the U.S. responds to the coronavirus...
Giant LNG projects face coronavirus death or delay
(Source: OilPrice.com, March 17, 2020) NEW YORK — Plummeting oil prices have been the focus of attention ever since Saudi Arabia and Russia fired the first shots in what analysts see as a potentially devastating oil price war. Oil producers, however, are not the only...
Rep. Lipinski, House rail subcommittee chair, loses primary race
(Source: Progressive Railroading, March 18, 2020) U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.), who chairs the House Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials, lost a primary race last night to his progressive challenger, Marie Newman. Full story: Progressive...
APTA: Transit agencies, railroads need $12.9 billion in federal help to offset coronavirus costs
(Source: Progressive Railroading, March 18, 2020) As Congress works on coronavirus response legislation, the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) is requesting $12.9 billion for public transit agencies and passenger railroads to offset their direct costs...
MBTA announces reduced scheduling due to coronavirus
(Source: NBC Boston, March 16, 2020) BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority announced it will reduce service beginning on Tuesday to help slow the spread of coronavirus and due to recent reductions in ridership. Full story: NBC Boston
NJ Transit stepping up cleaning efforts as ridership falls
(Source: www.tapinto.net, March 17, 2020) NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. — NJ Transit has enhanced its cleaning efforts to include disinfected vehicles and major stations every 24 hours in response to the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. Although the public transit agency provides...
SEPTA adjusts Regional Rail schedules amid coronavirus, offers some refunds for riders
(Source: Philadelphia Inquirer, March 16, 2020) PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — SEPTA is adjusting weekday Regional Rail schedules and offering refund options for some riders, the transportation authority announced Monday. Donald Hill, general chairman of the local Brotherhood of...
Draft budget would keep Amtrak Missouri River Runner round trips
(Source: News Tribune, March 16, 2020) JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — A budget plan advanced by a House committee would keep Amtrak's Missouri River Runner service running two round trips between St. Louis and Kansas City every day, but lawmakers still need a way to pay for...
BLET News
””Whopping”” 91 percent majority approves new GTW contract
By a landslide 91 percent majority, BLET members represented by the Grand Trunk Western General Committee of Adjustment approved a new five year contract with CN on January 15.
Locomotive theft ignites rail security push in Ohio
Ohio’s House of Representatives will consider a railroad security bill in light of a locomotive theft in southeastern Ohio on January 16.
2007 BLET Scholarship Directory
Many scholarship and financial aid opportunities are available to the children of BLET members. What follows is a list of resources for the upcoming and 2009 academic years.
President Bush signs H.R. 5483
President George W. Bush signed H.R. 5483, the Railroad Retirement Disability Earnings Act, into law on Friday, January 12.
Members establish new Regional and Shortline General Committee
Leaders of several short line railroads created their own BLET General Committee of Adjustment in historic meetings held in Cleveland on January 10 and 11.
Chicago S-T Workshop is full; Room still available in Kansas City, Denver
The BLET Education & Training Department has stopped accepting reservations for its Secretary-Treasurer workshop in Chicago because it is full, BLET National Secretary-Treasurer Bill Walpert reported today.
BLET launches web-based Tax Compliance program
The BLET National Division today launched its new online Tax Compliance reporting system, another Internet-based innovation aimed at making the jobs of Secretary-Treasurers a little bit easier.
Certification of 2006 IBT officer election
By request of the Office of the Election Supervisor, certification of the results of the 2006 IBT International officer election is posted here on the BLET website.
Rail security legislation introduced in the Senate
On January 4, U.S. Senators Daniel Inouye (D-HI), Ted Stevens (R-AK) and Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), along with 11 other cosponsors introduced S.184, the Surface Transportation and Rail Security Act of 2007 (STARS Act).
2007 Time Books mailed
The last of the 2007 BLET Time Books were mailed individually to all active members in December.
