Rail Industry News
Wyoming House passes train safety bill
(Source: Casper Star Tribune, February 27, 2020) CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The Wyoming House of Representatives voted 37-22 on Thursday to advance legislation that, if passed by the Senate, would mandate crews of two persons or more on all class one freight trains in Wyoming,...
CN locomotive collides with wooden pallets at Tyendinaga
(Source: Belleville Intelligencer, February 26, 2020) BELLEVILLE, Ontario — The takedown of a Tyendinaga Mohawk blockade on CN Railway tracks at a level crossing east Belleville on Monday hasn’t ended disruptions in the area for rail officials trying to reopen the...
California High-Speed Rail Authority releasing draft plan on connection to LA. County
(Source: StreetsBlog Cal, February 26, 2020) SAN FRANCISCO — The California High-Speed Rail Authority (CAHSRA) is continuing to plan for modernizing rail service throughout California. A new report due out this week shows how under-construction Central Valley...
Passenger who nearly died in 2017 Amtrak derailment files lawsuit
(Source: KOMO News, February 26, 2020) RENTON, Wash. — It’s been more than two years since Tim Brodigan nearly died after an Amtrak train derailed. Now he’s suing Amtrak, Sound Transit, and the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) for an amount to be...
Tampa officials say CSX failed to take proper measures on track closures as traffic snarls around the area
(Source: ABC Action News, February 26, 2020) TAMPA, Fla. — It was a chaotic commute for thousands of drivers Wednesday after CSX abruptly closed more than a dozen crossings in South Tampa. The city's transportation department says CSX notified them just last week of...
Commuters start petition calling for NJ Transit’s CEO to step down
(Source: www.nj.com, February 27, 2020) NEWARK, N.J. — One of the state’s oldest commuter groups and a petition started by riders are calling for NJ Transit’s CEO to step down, blaming the agency’s leadership for a lack of substantial improvement over the last two...
Canadian crude by rail shipments grew in December
(Source: Kallanish Energy, February 26, 2020) NEW YORK — Canadian crude oil rail shipments grew in December 2019, according to the Canadian Energy Regulator. The federal agency said more than 10.76 million barrels (Mmbbl) of oil were shipped by rail in 2019's last...
Fires set along train tracks as Canadian protests continue
(Source: Global News, February 27, 2020) OTTAWA — Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs said Wednesday that a potential meeting with the Indigenous services minister this Thursday is not going to happen, despite an earlier signal that they would be open to the meeting. The...
Oil train derails in East Chicago; businesses evacuated
(Source: www.nwitimes.com, February 26, 2020) EAST CHICAGO — Businesses were evacuated Wednesday night near a derailment of a train pulling crude oil tankers, eliciting response from police, firefighters and hazmat crews. A total of 18 cars derailed, and 41 cars...
Rail traffic down across North America
(Source: Railway Age, February 26, 2020) NEW YORK — The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ended Feb. 22, 2020, and, for this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 482,690 carloads and intermodal units, down 7.6%...
Canadian rail interests fear issues surrounding blockades are not over
(Source: Freight Waves, February 26, 2020) TORONTO — Although police have cleared a two-week protest blocking a segment of Canadian National’s rail line near Belleville, Ontario, it’s still unknown when operations along Canada’s rail supply chain will return to...
NJ Transit finances treading water under Murphy budget
(Source: NJ Biz, February 25, 2020) TRENTON, N.J. — Gov. Phil Murphy’s budget calls for a net increase of $132 million in the state toward New Jersey Transit – for a total state subsidy of $589.5 million – for the 2021 budget year, which would be his highest since...
Texas Central makes $5.9 billion deal with Spanish firm to develop, operate high-speed rail line
(Source: Dallas Innovates, February 25, 2020) DALLAS — Dallas-based high-speed rail developer Texas Central has awarded a contract worth $5.9 billion to the Spanish firm Renfe to develop and operate its proposed high-speed rail service between Dallas and Houston,...
Class Is employed fewer workers in January
(Source: Progressive Railroading, February 25, 2020) Class Is employed 128,311 workers as of mid-January, down 2.41 percent compared with mid-December's level and down 12.45 percent compared with the year-ago employment level, U.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB)...
Intermodal executive hails Trudeau’s handling of CN-CP negotiations to bypass rail blockades
(Source: Freight Waves, February 25, 2020) TORONTO — Something strange happened over the weekend to Transport DSquare in Montreal. The intermodal carrier got notice that rail containers from Western Canada — tied up indefinitely from weeks of protest blockades...
Amtrak moves toward airline-style pricing on its lowest train fares
(Source: USA Today, February 24, 2020) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Amtrak passengers who pay for the lowest train fares will not be able to receive a refund if they cancel, and others will pay a fee for changes made within 14 days of travel. The new fare structure will take...
Canada hit by new road, rail barricades following arrests of indigenous protesters
(Source: Reuters, February 25, 2020) OTTAWA/TORONTO — Protesters in Canada blocked train lines, Vancouver’s port entrance and at least one highway on Tuesday in response to the arrest of 10 indigenous activists when police dismantled a rail barricade in southern...
Sarah Feinberg to serve as MTA’s interim bus and subways chief
(Source: New York Post, February 25, 2020) NEW YORK — Sarah Feinberg, a former Obama transportation official who has served on the MTA board since last year, will be the new interim chief of New York City’s buses and subways following the resignation of Andy Byford,...
Class I rail executives talk coronavirus, truck markets, crude by rail
(Source: Freight Waves, February 25, 2020) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — The coronavirus outbreak, truck market competition and crude-by-rail in Canada were key topics for Class I rail executives at recent investor conferences. Here’s a roundup. Full story: Freight Waves
NJ Transit, pension to get record boost in NJ governor’s budget
(Source: Bloomberg, February 25, 2020) NEWARK — New Jersey Transit would get a 29% funding boost while the state would make a record $4.6 billion pension payment under Governor Phil Murphy’s proposed budget for fiscal 2021. Murphy will seek a $589.5 million subsidy...
BLET News
Hoffa to appear on “Toxic Trains” special tonight on ABC Primetime
The ABC Primetime special “Toxic trains,” featuring an interview with Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa, will air tonight.
SEPTA Engineers ratify new contract
Locomotive engineers working on the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority’s (SEPTA) regional rail line ratified a new, five-year collective bargaining agreement.
FRA to support deployment of improved train braking technology
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) announced today its intention to propose revised federal rail safety regulations to facilitate the installation of Electronically Controlled Pneumatic (ECP) brake systems capable of preventing derailments and shortening train stopping distances.
Space remains for hazmat workshops
Space remains for BLET members interested in attending the National Labor College’s Rail Workers Hazardous Materials Training Programs at the George Meany Campus in Silver Spring, Md., on the following dates: September 17-22, 2006, and October 1-6, 2006.
BLET supports boycott of ‘anti-union’ hotel in Buffalo
Members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen are asked to support Local 17 of the International Union of Operating Engineers by boycotting the Adams’ Mark Hotel in Buffalo, N.Y.
Important notice to retirees of former IC, ICG, CCP, GMO and/or CN/IC properties
Retirees from these properties who qualify for the paid-up $2,000 life insurance that was formally paid by MetLife (the old Travelers Policy) are advised that it is now being paid by the Canadian National Railway through the Retiree Benefit Center.
Register to Vote!
BLET members are encouraged to register to vote now in order to vote in the ultra-important November 7 elections.
CSX: “Wrong way” on discipline
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen and the United Transportation Union have told CSX CEO Michael Ward to stop the “targeted selective stalking, harassment and intimidation of its train and engine service crews.”
BLET reaches tentative contract with SEPTA
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) has reached a tentative five-year contract agreement for its 195 members who work for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA).
Railroad Retirement bill introduced in Senate
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen is asking its members to contact their Senators in support of S. 3726, the Railroad Retirement Technical Improvement Act of 2006.
