Rail Industry News
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...
Farmers brace for more Midwest flooding, debris wipes out NS bridge in Missouri
(Source: Ag Web, October 2, 2019) MEXICO, Mo. — Farmers along the Missouri River and its tributaries are bracing for more flooding the week. Heavy rainfall, combined with excess water continuing to make its way down the river from South Dakota, is a bad combination...
UAW-GM strike, day 17: Issues yet to be settled as back-and-forth continues
(Source: Detroit News, October 2, 2019) DETROIT — Negotiators with General Motors Co. and the United Auto Workers resumed talks Wednesday morning, continuing their back-and-forth as the national strike against the Detroit automaker extended into a 17th day. Full...
SEPTA worker killed on subway tracks was caught between two trains, according to NTSB preliminary report
(Source: Philadelphia Inquirer, October 1, 2019) PHILADELPHIA — A man killed on SEPTA tracks during the summer was caught in a space between two Broad Street Line trains heading in opposite directions, a new report from federal investigators shows. A preliminary...
NTSB releases final report on deadly 2018 accident in Cayce, S.C.
(Source: Television station WIS 10, October 1, 2019) COLUMBIA, S.C. — Today the National Transportation Safety Board released a final 90-page report on the deadly train accident on February 4th of last year in Cayce that killed 2 people and injured 90 others. The...
Hyundai, Kia sue four U.S. railroads over fuel surcharges
(Source: Reuters, October 1, 2019) NEW YORK — Hyundai Motor Co. and its Kia affiliate have sued the four largest U.S. railroads, accusing them of violating U.S. antitrust law by conspiring to drive up shipping costs though coordinated fuel surcharges. The South Korean...
Georgia Central Railway achieves capacity for 286,000-lb. freight cars
(Source: Genesee & Wyoming press release, October 1, 2019) LYONS, Ga. — Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (G&W) today announced that its subsidiary Georgia Central Railway, L.P., a 211-mile short line freight railroad operating between Macon and Savannah, has upgraded its entire...
BNSF and YRC strengthen intermodal partnership
(Source: Railway Track & Structures, September 30, 2019) NEW YORK — YRC Freight announced today that, together with BNSF, the company will have more than 600 branded containers in service by the end of this year. YRC freight wants to have 1,000 branded containers by...
APTA calls on feds to increase commuter rail funding for PTC, other safety efforts
(Source: Progressive Railroading, September 27, 2019) American Public Transportation Association (APTA) officials earlier this week urged Congress to increase support for commuter railroads by authorizing $1 billion in funding for positive train control (PTC) over six...
Opinion: California high-speed rail is making progress, gaining momentum
(Source: Column by California High-Speed Rail Authority CEO Brian Kelley in the Los Angeles Daily News, September 30, 2019) LOS ANGELES — The Southern California News Group’s September 23rd editorial regarding the California High-Speed Rail Authority’s land...
FreightCar America to open in Mexico after closing plant in Roanoke
(Source: Roanoke Times, September 30, 2019) ROANOKE, Va. — FreightCar America plans to build railcars in Mexico after it ceases operations in Roanoke, a news release said. FreightCar will close the company’s Roanoke plant by Nov. 11, ending the jobs of about 200...
UAW-GM strike, day 15: Temps a sticking point as talks continue
(Source: Detroit News, September 30, 2019) DETROIT — The United Auto Workers and General Motors Co. were back in negotiations Monday on day 15 of a national strike against the Detroit automaker — and a major sticking point for the negotiations seems to be the...
Railroads sue to overturn Illinois two-person crew law
(Source: Courthouse News Service, September 30, 2019) NEW YORK — Freight train organizations want a federal judge to prevent Illinois from enforcing a law that sets a minimum of two people per crew because they say it violates federal law and there is no evidence the...
Catch a ride out of St. Louis on a historic Pullman car
(Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 29, 2019) BRIGHTON — As Amtrak’s Lincoln Service train speeds along the Illinois prairie at 67 mph, it shows off a special car coupled to the rear — the Hollywood Beach, a restored private rail car, which is taking a group...
Amtrak Downeaster back on schedule after suspicious item causes major delays
(Source: News Center Maine, September 30, 2019) PORTLAND, Maine — Passengers traveling on the Amtrak Downeaster were relieved to find trains were back on schedule Monday morning after others faced major delays Sunday night. Some people were stuck for as many as four...
BLET News
58th community opposes remote control operations
On June 7, Beaver County, Utah, became the 58th community to voice opposition to the unregulated use of remote control locomotives in their community.
EUMA deadline is July 1
Members planning to attend the Eastern Union Meeting Association in August are advised that the hotel registration deadline is July 1.
57th community passes remote control safety resolution
Champaign County, Ill., has joined a growing list of communities in opposing remote control operations. In addition to Champaign County, 56 other communities have passed remote control safety resolutions.
Detroit AFL-CIO calls for an end to remote control
The Metropolitan Detroit Central Labor Council (CLC), AFL-CIO, passed a remote control safety resolution on June 16, which called on the Federal Railroad Administration to reopen its remote control docket and study this issue further.
New FRA rule targets hearing loss
A new rule proposed by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) seeks to prevent hearing loss by railroad employees who spend most of their working hours inside the cab of a locomotive.
Teamsters, Congressional leaders fight for improved rail security
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen/Teamster members joined Members of Congress yesterday to speak out about the state of rail security in the nation at rallies across the country. Among those holding press conferences or rallies were Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) at Grand Central terminal in New York City and Congressman Sherrod Brown (D-OH) at the Amtrak station in Akron, Ohio.
Upcoming wage increase triggers dues escalator clause
BLET members working under the National Agreement will receive a 2.5 percent wage increase on July 1, 2004. The wage increase also triggers a new provision of Brotherhood law that calls for an automatic dues increase.
IC&E workers to rally tomorrow
Starting tomorrow in Davenport, Iowa, employees of the Iowa, Chicago and Eastern (IC&E) Railroad represented by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET)/Teamsters Rail Conference will hold rallies to kick off a campaign to win a first contract with the short-line railroad.
Early registration deadline for IWC is June 6
BLET members can save $20 by registering before Sunday (June 6) for the upcoming BLET-GIA International Western Convention (IWC).
Statement by BLET President Don Hahs on Memorial Day
The following is a statement from BLET National President Don M. Hahs on Memorial Day.
