Rail Industry News
CN stock dips, factory output slows as TCRC strike enters second day
(Source: Reuters, November 20, 2019) MONTREAL — Shares of Canadian National Railway Co fell as much as 2.2% on Wednesday, as a strike by about 3,000 unionized workers, including conductors and yardmen, at the country’s biggest railroad entered the second day. Full...
Striking CN worker hit by truck on Saskatoon picket line
(Source: The Star Phoenix, November 20, 2019) SASKATOON, Sask. — A Canadian National Railway employee suffered minor injuries after being hit by a pickup truck on a Saskatoon picket line hours after the railway union began a nationwide strike. “It’s unacceptable that...
Clinchfield Car 100 to serve again as heart of Santa Train
(Source: Kingsport Times News, November 18, 2019) KINGSPORT, Tenn. — As the Santa Train makes its 77th trek on Saturday, from Eastern Kentucky through Southwest Virginia and into Northeast Tennessee, Santa Claus will spend the 110-mile, approximately nine-hour trip on...
Union Pacific train derailed outside of Spokane Yard; at least 4th time since July
(Source: Television station KREM, November 18, 2019) SPOKANE, Wash. — Union Pacific said a train derailed outside of the Spokane Yard on Friday evening. It's at least the fourth time a train has derailed in that location since July. Full story: www.krem.com
Federal funding for Quad Cities to Chicago Amtrak project gets big extension
(Source: Television station WQAD, November 19, 2019) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Federal funding for the Quad Cities to Chicago proposed Amtrak project is getting a five year extension. Full story: www.wqad.com
KCS EVP Hancock sells $674,681 in company stock
(Source: Guru Focus, November 19, 2019) NEW YORK — EVP & Chief Innovation Officer of Kansas City Southern Brian D. Hancock sold 4,368 shares of KSU on November 18, 2019, at an average price of $154.46 a share. The total sale was $674,681. Full story: Guru Focus
NJ Transit wins $400 million legal battle to have insurance cover Hurricane Sandy damages
(Source: www.nj.com, November 19, 2019) NEWARK, N.J. — NJ Transit won a major victory when an appellate court ruled that seven insurance companies have to pay to repair to trains that were damaged by flooding from Hurricane Sandy in October 2012. Full story:...
Union Pacific Railroad Employes Health Systems changes name to Iron Road Healthcare
(Source: Iron Road Healthcare press release, November 18, 2019) SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — Union Pacific Railroad Employes Health Systems (UPREHS), which has been operating for more than 140 years, today announced updates to its brand and a change in name to Iron Road...
Industries warn of domino-effect layoffs as more than 3,000 CN workers go on strike
(Source: Canadian Press, November 19, 2019) MONTREAL — A strike by roughly 3,200 Canadian National Railway Co. employees over working conditions is prompting warnings from the railroad’s clients that the work stoppage could trigger layoffs and closures in their...
First CN strike in a decade piles more woes on battered Western farmers
(Source: Financial Post, November 18, 2019) MONTREAL — Canadian National workers have gone on strike during a critical shipping period for Western farmers, adding a new threat to wheat and oilseed sales already battered by trade tensions and difficult harvest...
Eliminating fatigue among reasons for TCRC strike at CN
(Source: Meadow Lake Now, November 19, 2019) MEADOW LAKE, Sask. — Several CN rail workers in the Battlefords joined a national strike this morning. About eight picketers were seen walking along 101st Street in front of the railway station. The workers, who have been...
Thousands of CN employees on strike amid contract talks
(Source: Canadian Press, November 19, 2019) MONTREAL — The federal government has urged Canadian National Railway Co. and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference to continue negotiating as the roughly 3,200 conductors, trainpersons and yard workers went on strike. The...
Slight dip for train ridership in Fresno, Valley
(Source: Fresno Bee, November 16, 2019) FRESNO, Calif. — Amtrak trains running through central California between Bakersfield, Oakland and Sacramento carried nearly 1.1 million passengers in 2018-19, maintaining the Amtrak San Joaquin line’s status as the nation’s...
Opinion: It may not seem like it, but NJ Transit is moving in the right direction
(Source: Opinion column at www.nj.com by Assembylman John F. McKeon, November 17, 2019. Assembylman McKeon represents New Jersey’s 27th Legislative District.) NEWARK, N.J. — My eldest daughter is one of the nearly 800,000 daily commuters that rely on NJ Transit. As...
California Air Resources Board wants locomotives and rail yards to be better on the environment
(Source: Railway Track & Structures, November 15, 2019) NEW YORK — Railroad companies in California might be feeling more pressure when it comes to the environment. On Nov. 20, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) is going to start holding public meetings and...
Richmond, Calif., might ban coal shipments
(Source: Salt Lake Tribune, November 18, 2019) SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — Now city officials in Richmond, Calif., are considering a proposed ordinance banning the handling and storage of coal. The proposal has divided Richmond — a working-class city of 110,00 with...
Rail industry sees a window of opportunity amidst challenges for over-the-road shipping
(Source: Forbes.com, November 18, 2019) NEW YORK — Demand for rail freight will continue to rise due to increased road congestion, making rail a key enabler for driving a competitive advantage within the supply chain. Yet several major barriers and imbalances exist in...
Rail Passengers Association president testifies that Amtrak fuels economy
(Source: Transportation Today, November 18, 2019) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Jim Mathews, president of the U.S. Rail Passengers Association, recently testified before the House Rail & Infrastructure Subcommittee on Rail that Amtrak plays an important role in economic growth....
CN to cut jobs as trade wars, shaky North American economy take toll
(Source: Financial Post, November 16, 2019) OTTAWA — Canadian National Railway Co. is potentially cutting hundreds of jobs due to a slowdown in freight shipments that it blames on the wobbling North American economy and global trade wars. Canada’s largest railway on...
Fighting for rail safety, Teamsters Canada Rail Conference serves strike notice to CN
(Source: Teamsters Canada Rail Conference press release, November 16, 2019) MONTREAL, Quebec — Given a lack of progress at the bargaining table, the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) last night served notice of intent to strike to Canadian National Railway (CN)....
BLET News
2005 BLET Scholarship Directory
The BLET National Division is pleased to release its 2005 Scholarship Directory to assist the families of BLET members in obtaining their goals of higher education.
BLET Job Bank: Pacific Harbor Line
The Pacific Harbor Line, Inc., a BLET-represented property headquartered in Wilmington, Calif., has immediate openings for experienced engineers and/or conductors/switch foremen.
BLET gets first contract at IC&E
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainman, a division of the Teamsters’ Rail Conference, announced today that it has obtained a first contract for its 300 members working at the Iowa, Chicago & Eastern Railroad (IC&E).
Teamster Women’s Conference
We invite all Teamster women to this year’s Teamster Women’s Conference. It will be held in Niagara Falls, Canada, March 31 through April 3.
BLET Job Bank: Amtrak (Spokane, Sacramento and Oakland)
Amtrak, the National Railroad Passenger Corp., has openings for re-entry locomotive engineers in Spokane, Sacramento and Oakland.
Space remains for February 6 Secretary-Treasurer Workshop in Kansas City
Space is still available for members interested in attending the Education & Training Department’s Secretary-Treasurer Workshop in Kansas City from February 6-9.
Paper: “Social Factors Reflections on Railroaders’ Quality of Life”
Frederick C. Gamst of the University of Massachusetts presented the following paper on railroader fatigue at the annual meeting of the Transportation Research Board in Washington, D.C., on January 9
Statement by BLET National President Don M. Hahs on King Holiday
The following is a statement from BLET National President Don M. Hahs.
James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund
BLET members are now eligible to participate in the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund.
Unions tell NMB: Reject railroads’ plan to silence workers
A railroad industry proposal, which enjoys the support of key Bush appointees, was condemned today by transportation labor unions who said it would suppress rail workers from speaking out on issues of working conditions, safety, and pay.
