Rail Industry News
October is Passenger Rail Month in Virginia
(Source: Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation press release, October 3, 2019) RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) is pleased to announce October as Passenger Rail Month in Virginia. The Commonwealth began...
Deja vu: Blackjewel mines sold again
(Source: Gillette News Record, October 2, 2019) GILLETTE, Wyo. — A U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge has approved the sale of the Eagle Butte and Belle Ayr coal mines in Campbell County to Eagle Specialty Materials. The ruling by Judge Frank W. Volk in Charleston, West...
Opinion: State Senate scrutiny of NJ Transit is most welcome
(Source: Opinion column by Tom Moran at www.nj.com, October 3, 2019) NEWARK, N.J. — Could it be that the death-grip rivalry between Gov. Phil Murphy and Senate President Steve Sweeney may produce at least some positive results? Full story: www.nj.com
AAR reports rail traffic down in September and for week ending September 28, 2019
(Source: Association of American Railroads press release, October 2, 2019) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending September 28, 2019, as well as volumes for September 2019. U.S. railroads...
SMART TD ready to respond as carriers once again attack crew consist
(Source: Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers—Transportation Division (SMART TD) press release, October 3, 2019) NORTH OLMSTED, Ohio — Today, the nation’s Class I rail carriers, along with a few other railroads, filed suit in federal district court in the...
5 reasons the Houston-Dallas bullet train project makes sense
(Source: Houston Press, October 3, 2019) HOUSTON — The Central Texas High-Speed Railway (aka, the Texas bullet train) proposed to run between Houston and Dallas continues gradually clearing hurdles, its officials hoping to begin construction in 2020 with an eye on the...
Often-blocked railroad crossing still a problem for Louisville neighborhood
(Source: Television station WDRB, October 2, 2019) ANCHORAGE, Ky. — The distant rumbling of an approaching freight train is a frustrating sound to many of the people who live off La Grange and Old La Grange Roads in Anchorage. There, a dozen or more freight trains...
Will rail be key to exporting Canada’s tar sands oil to the world?
(Source: De Smog Blog, October 2, 2019) NEW YORK — While Canadians turned out en masse for large climate protests last week, the country's oil and gas industry continued its plans to ramp up and export its massive and polluting reserves of tar sands oil, also known as...
Video: Massive logjam demolishes NS bridge in Brunswick, Mo.
(Source: Televisions station KOMU, October 2, 2019) CHARITON COUNTY, Mo. — In a small town of just 816 people, major events like a bridge collapse bring them together. A logjam on the Grand River Bridge near Brunswick took out the structure Tuesday evening. The video,...
Hoffa: Workers deserve protection from anti-union employers
(Source: Column by Teamsters General President James P. Hoffa published by the Detroit News, October 2, 2019) WASHINGTON, D.C. — A U.S. House committee last week took a much-needed step towards empowering workers by approving legislation that would expand their right...
Details emerge on GM offer to UAW as strike continues
(Source: Detroit News, October 2, 2019) DETROIT — Details of General Motors Co.'s Monday night offer to the striking United Auto Workers began to emerge late Wednesday, with wage increases or lump-sum payments offered in all four years of a proposed contract, the...
Phillips 66 cuts crude-by-rail shipments to Washington due to new state law
(Source: S&P Global Platts, October 2, 2019) WASHINGTON, D.C. — A new Washington state crude-by-rail law has forced Phillips 66 to significantly cut shipments of Bakken crude to its Ferndale Refinery, the refinery's manager told federal regulators. Full story: S&P...
STB issues two proposed rulemakings
(Source: Freight Waves, October 2, 2019) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — The Surface Transportation Board (STB) has been busy lately. The Board issued two proposed rulemakings on September 30, while an August decision regarding fuel surcharges has led a coalition of shippers’...
Third quarter carload declines worst yet in 2019
(Source: Freight Waves, October 2, 2019) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Rail volumes continued their declines in the latest week according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR). Week 39 of 2019 was no better than the ones that preceded it as a number of demand...
Shippers hammer railroads with lawsuits over fuel surcharges
(Source: Freight Waves, October 3, 2019) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — U.S. Class I railroads BNSF, Union Pacific, CSX and Norfolk Southern got slammed with lawsuits this week from shippers of various industries. The lawsuits allege that between 2003 and 2008, the railroads...
Rail cars sent rolling after trespasser’s alleged tampering at rail yard in Northampton County, Pa.
(Source: Lehigh Valley Live, October 1, 2019) EASTON, Pa. — A man drinking a beer while walking through a Northampton County rail yard couldn’t keep his hands to himself, authorities said. Full story: Lehigh Valley Live
Norfolk Southern to announce Q3 2019 earnings on October 23
(Source: Norfolk Southern press release, October 2, 2019) NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk Southern Corporation will announce its third-quarter financial results during a conference call and live internet webcast at 8:45 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019. Quarterly earnings...
CN to report Q3 2019 results on October 22
(Source: CN press release, October 2, 2019) MONTREAL — CN will issue its third-quarter 2019 financial and operating results on Oct. 22, 2019, at 4.01 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). CN's senior officers will review the results and the railway's outlook in a...
CN unveils plan for winter operations
(Source: Freight Waves, October 1, 2019) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — While extremely cold temperatures are usually a factor that Canadian National considers when drafting its operational plan for winters, in the 2019-2020 winter season the railway also had to grapple with...
New legislative committee set to investigate ongoing problems at NJ Transit
(Source: www.nj.com, October 1, 2019) NEWARK, N.J. — The NJ Transit system that Gov. Phil Murphy called a “national disgrace” and vowed to fix is now under scrutiny by other powerful Democrats who said continuing problems that frustrate commuters have spurred them to...
BLET News
In the Line of Duty: Jeff C. York
Jeff C. York, a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, was killed in a yard switching accident on May 18.
Fort Madison, Iowa, passes remote control safety resolution
The City of Fort Madison, Iowa, unanimously passed a remote control safety resolution on May 18, thanks in part to the lobbying efforts of the BLET’s Iowa State Legislative Board.
Utah AFL-CIO passes remote control safety resolution
The Utah AFL-CIO joined 16 other state federations in condemning the use of remote control train operations.
BLET statement on preliminary FRA remote control audit
On March 7 — nearly two months before the Federal Railroad Administration issued its preliminary report on remote control trains — the AFL-CIO’s Transportation Trades Department adopted a resolution calling for an end to the practice of operating trains by remote control.
55th community passes remote control safety resolution
South Salt Lake City, Utah, joins 54 other communities in questioning the unregulated use of remote control locomotives.
BLET scores L&I shortline organizing victory
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen achieved another shortline organizing victory today as 89.5 percent of eligible voters at the Louisville & Indiana Railroad (L&I) selected the BLET as their collective bargaining representative.
54th community passes remote control safety resolution
The city of Janesville, Wisc., has joined 38 other cities in passing a resolution opposing remote control operations. The resolution calls on the Federal Railroad Administration to conduct a comprehensive review of the safety of remote control locomotives. To date, Janesville is the 54th community to enact such a safety measure.
SMA reminder: Hotel registration deadline is Monday
The hotel registration deadline is Monday, May 10, for BLET members planning to attend the 77th annual BLET-GIA Southeastern Meeting Association in Greenville, S.C., from June 13-18.
Government, industry lax on rail security, AFL-CIO tells Congress
Saying that in the wake of both the 9/11 and the Madrid terrorist attacks, “our government and rail employers are still not doing enough to make rail transportation as secure as possible,” AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department President Edward Wytkind urged Congress to support a comprehensive rail security agenda that “benefits from the insight of front-line workers and gives them the tools they need to help make our rail system as secure as possible.”
Mother of BLET Vice President Geiger passes away
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen extends its deepest sympathy to the family of BLET Vice President Merle Geiger Jr. upon the death of his mother, Doris Merle Geiger. Mrs. Geiger passed away at her home in Carson City, Nev., on April 27, after a recent illness. She was 77 years old.
