Rail Industry News
U.S. rails monitoring Canadian crude
(Source: Railway Age, February 24, 2020) NEW YORK — The derailment of two separate oil trains roughly two months apart near Guernsey, Sask., each spilling more than 300,000 gallons of crude onto the ground and one igniting into a smoldering inferno, plus the resulting...
Teamsters chief James P. Hoffa won’t seek reelection
(Source: Detroit News, February 21, 2020) DETROIT — James P. Hoffa on Friday signaled the end of an era for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, telling The Detroit News he will not seek reelection just as the labor union this week makes a historic exit from...
CN, CP trains shared rail lines to keep goods flowing during blockades
(Source: CBC News, February 25, 2020) MONTREAL — Quiet talks brokered by a government desperate to stop a growing economic threat led to two rail rivals coming together with a workaround to bypass the Tyendinaga blockade site. Since last week, Canada's two largest...
Rail blockades come down in New Brunswick after CN wins injunction to stop demonstrators
(Source: CBC News, February 24, 2020) MONCTON — Wet'suwet'en supporters who set up blockades at CN Rail's tracks in Moncton on Friday and later near Harcourt have left the sites after being served with a court order. The injunction was issued on Friday when a group of...
BNSF 2019 coal revenues, volumes decline on lower natural gas prices
(Source: S&P Global Platts, February 24, 2020) HOUSTON — BNSF Railway saw a decrease in coal volumes and revenue in 2019, primarily as the result of lower natural gas prices and adverse weather conditions, the company reported Monday. The Fort Worth, Texas-based...
BNSF’s profits rise in Q4 and full-year 2019
(Source: Freight Waves, February 24, 2020) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — A reduction in operating expenses helped Western U.S. railroad BNSF achieve a 4% increase in fourth-quarter net profit and a 5% increase in annual net profit despite lower revenues on both a quarterly and...
U.S. rail employment tumbles
(Source: Freight Waves, February 24, 2020) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Employment at the Class I railroads fell to its lowest in years, with January’s totals tumbling over 12% year-over-year. Headcount among the Class I railroads in January totaled 128,311 employees, a 12.4%...
NS provides Hoosac Tunnel service disruption update
(Source: Norfolk Southern service alert, February 23, 2020) NORFOLK, Va. — Following is an update on the Hoosac Tunnel service disruption on Norfolk Southern’s partner line, Pan Am Railways, which affects all trains operating between Mechanicsville, New York, and...
CSX to reactivate Hulsey Yard in Atlanta
(Source: Curbed Atlanta, February 21, 2020) ATLANTA — Just days after the Atlanta City Council proposed legislation that would urge CSX Transportation to be mindful of community wishes when mulling the possible sale of Hulsey Yard, the railroad giant says it will...
Is high-speed rail in the U.S. finally becoming a reality?
(Source: Forbes, February 20, 2020) NEW YORK — Let’s be honest: rail travel in the U.S. is in a pitiful state. To be fair, there are actually rail connections between many American cities, and there are a number of epic and beautiful rail journeys to be made across...
Fire crews, inspectors examining damage after massive fire breaks out on BNSF railroad bridge in Kansas
(Source: Television station KWCH, February 23, 2020) BARBER COUNTY, Kan. — Investigators are still looking into the fire at the railroad bridge near Kiowa. A spokesperson for BNSF says they will continue to have fire crews and inspectors check out the damage on the...
Canadian police move in to clear indigenous blockade of Ontario rail line
(Source: Reuters, February 24, 2020) TYENDINAGA — Police moved in on Monday morning to clear a rail blockade by an indigenous group in eastern Canada that had been stopping freight and passenger traffic for more than two weeks on one of the country’s busiest lines....
Rail blockades causing containers to pile up at Canadian ports
(Source: Canadian Press, February 21, 2020) MONTREAL — A rail blockade in eastern Ontario has led to backlogs at Canada's three biggest ports, prompting some shippers to take their business elsewhere as cargo piles up and dockworkers' paychecks shrink. Full story:...
Two train crew members killed as passenger train derails in Australia
(Source: ABC News, February 19, 2020) SYDNEY, Australia — Investigators have begun sifting through the wreckage of a Sydney-to-Melbourne train that derailed last night, killing two people and injuring 12 others. The impact killed the train's driver, a 54-year-old ACT...
Are U.S. railroads ready for post coronavirus volume spikes?
(Source: Supply Chain Dive, February 21, 2020) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Precision-scheduled railroading (PSR) makes it easier to quickly react to swings in volume related to COVID-19, according to Lance Fritz, CEO of Union Pacific Railroad, speaking at the Barclays...
Wyoming committee advances two-person train crew bill
(Source: Casper Star Tribune, February 21, 2020) CHEYENNE, Wyo. — After several hours of testimony Thursday night, the House Committee on Transportation, Highways and Military Affairs sided with railroad workers in an upcoming bargaining dispute with railroad...
CP Rail conductor fired for social media posts awarded money, but won’t get job back
(Source: Canadian Press, February 21, 2020) CALGARY — An arbitrator says a former Canadian Pacific train conductor who was fired over social media posts is entitled to monetary compensation, but not to getting her job back at the railroad. Stephanie Katelnikoff was...
Injunction served to protesters blocking CN rail on Montreal’s South Shore
(Source: CBC News, February 20, 2020) MONTREAL — Authorities served protesters an injunction on Thursday evening, ordering the group to stop blocking a commuter train line on Montreal's South Shore. Earlier in the day, Canadian National Railway (CN) announced it had...
CP Rail caught in crosshairs with new blockade near Kamloops
(Source: Bloomberg News, February 20, 2020) KAMLOOPS — Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. is the latest victim of rail blockades taking place across the country as protests against the construction of a B.C. natural gas pipeline enter a third week. Demonstrators are now...
More delays expected installing LIRR’s PTC system
(Source: www.news12.com, February 20, 2020) NEW YORK — Another potential road block has emerged in the LIRR's effort to meet the federal deadline for installing Positive Train Control. In a letter last week, MTA chairman Patrick Foye told Amtrak's chairman that he...
BLET News
BLET congratulates winners of Hoffa Scholarships
The BLET congratulates six of its members’ children for winning scholarships from the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund. Two of these winners, Christine Haas and Elspeth Sawyer, earned $10,000 scholarships.
Teamsters to hold Women’s Conference in Phoenix
The Teamsters 2006 Women’s Conference will be held September 14-17 in Phoenix, Arizona.
NST Walpert has good news for BLET Secretary-Treasurers
BLET National Secretary-Treasurer Bill Walpert announced that he has good news for Secretary-Treasurers.
President Hahs welcomes Doug Davidson to BLET Arbitration staff
The BLET’s Arbitration Department has added Doug Davidson of Division 96 (Chicago) to its staff, filling the vacancy that was created by Marcus J. Ruef’s election to the office of National Vice-President at the First Quadrennial Convention in June.
Vice President Tolman testifies before Congressional Subcommittee
BLET Vice President and National Legislative Representative John Tolman testified today before the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee’s Subcommittee on Railroads regarding human factors incidents in the railroad industry.
“Thank You” from the Sanchez family
BLET National Division President Don Hahs today received a letter from the widow of Eddie Sanchez, thanking BLET members for their generous donations in memory her late husband.
NTSB issues recommendations on fatigue
In a letter to BLET National President Don M. Hahs and UTU International President Paul C. Thompson, the National Transportation Safety Board has given a safety recommendation to the organizations regarding train crew fatigue. The NTSB has asked the BLET to inform its members about Safety Recommendation R-06-17, which was issued in response to the fatal accident in Macdona, Texas, on June 28, 2004, that resulted in the death of BLET member Heath Pape.
House Committees OK Railroad Retirement bill, security measures
Vice President & National Legislative Representative John Tolman reports that House Committees approved three bills last week that impact the rail industry, including one of particular importance to workers who receive Railroad Retirement disability benefits.
Former M-K-T General Chairman Bill H. Holt passes away
Bill H. Holt, 82, former BLE General Chairman on the M-K-T Railroad, passed away on July 18, 2006.
Anti-labor provision defeated in Amtrak appropriation
Rail labor’s campaign to defeat Senator Kit Bond’s (R-MO) anti-labor provision in the Amtrak appropriation was successful yesterday.
