Rail Industry News
CP Rail to acquire railway that owns tracks involved in Lac-Megantic disaster
(Source: Canadian Press, November 21, 2019) MONTREAL — Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. says it will acquire the Central Quebec and Maine Railway, which operates the tracks at the center of the Lac-Mégantic disaster in 2013. Full story: www.cbc.ca
KCS COO Songer sells $973,652 in company stock
(Source: Financial Stocks Daily, November 21, 2019) NEW YORK — COO Jeffrey M. Songer sold 6,304 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, November 18. The stock was sold at an average price of $154.45, for a total transaction of $973,652.80. Following...
Authorities identify Amtrak employee killed in industrial accident in South Loop rail yard
(Source: Chicago Sun-Times, November 20, 2019) CHICAGO — Authorities have identified an Amtrak employee who was killed earlier this month in an industrial accident at a South Loop Amtrak mechanical facility. Christopher Blaess, 61, was killed in an industrial accident...
U.S. rail volumes slump in flat peak season
(Source: Freight Waves, November 21, 2019) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Year-to-date U.S. rail volumes slipped again the week ending Nov. 16 amid industry observations that the peak season this year was muted for rail. U.S. rail traffic for the first 46 weeks of the year fell...
Pressure mounts on Canadian Prime Minister to end rail strike as effects spread
(Source: Bloomberg, November 21, 2019) OTTAWA — Pressure is mounting on Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to take action to end a railway strike that’s curtailing shipments of one the world’s biggest exporters of raw materials. Full story: Yahoo Finance
Canadian heavy crude weakens as CN strike halts oil shipments
(Source: Financial Post, November 20, 2019) MONTREAL — The price of Canadian heavy crude weakened as a worker strike at the nation’s largest railway curbed oil shipments, exacerbating a supply glut that’s crippled Canada’s oil industry. Full story: Financial...
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...
BLET News
Meany Center hazmat training available in June, July
The George Meany Center/National Labor College has room available for its hazardous waste/chemical emergency response training programs in June and July.
Transportation Labor calls for resignation of Amtrak Board of Directors
The Amtrak Board of Directors must resign immediately before they succeed in killing Amtrak from within through destructive privatization initiatives.
FRA issues Safety Advisory on GE reservoir tanks
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen’s National Legislative Office in Washington, D.C., is warning its members of potential “catastrophic failures” in main air reservoir tanks of certain General Electric locomotives.
Montana highway named in honor of late BLET member
The governor of Montana has signed a bill renaming a portion of Montana Highway 3 east of Helena after former State Representative and BLET Member Patrick Galvin.
Chuck Yenni, former Ohio State Legislative Board Chairman, 1924-2005
Charles W. “Chuck” Yenni, 80, former Ohio State Legislative Board Chairman of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, died on April 12 from complications following a series of strokes.
Remote control claims another victim
A Union Pacific switchman was killed in a remote control switching accident in Riverdale, Utah, on April 11, underscoring the dangers of unregulated remote control train operations.
BLET-CN tentative agreement preserves hourly wage structure for engineers on former IC territory
CN announced today it has signed a tentative labor agreement with the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) that applies to 400 locomotive engineers working on CN’s former Illinois Central (IC) properties in the United States.
Western General Chairmen meeting concludes
General Chairman Dennis Pierce was re-elected as Chairman of the Association (BNSF/MRL), General Chairman Gil Gore (UP Southern Region) was re-elected as Vice Chairman and General Chairman Mike Priester (CP/Soo Line) was re-elected as Secretary Treasurer.
Fund established to help son of BLET member
The son of a BLET member, Jonathan Miller was training to help defend his country. But in October of 2001, he stopped to help a fellow recruit pick up his gear. Little did he know that that simple act of kindness would have a profound impact on his health and could possibly lead to paralysis.
Opinion: An Engineer’s reflection on managing railroad worker fatigue
The BLET, the UTU and representatives from all major railroads operating in the US, have joined forces to implement an integrated fatigue management plan for the entire rail industry.
