Rail Industry News
One NJ Transit train named “worst commuter train in America” by New York Times
(Source: Philly Voice, September 28, 2019) PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — When someone mentions NJ Transit, the state-owned transit system serving New Jersey from top to bottom, the first concepts that spring to mind aren't exactly "reliability" or "ease of use". But a New York...
Ogden-area residents frustrated over trains blocking neighborhood
(Source: Television station KUTV, September 27, 2019) OGDEN, Utah — Some Weber County residents and business owners said they are frustrated they are getting trapped in their neighborhood by Union Pacific trains. They said the problem is the trains heading into the...
NS responds to stopped trains in Muncie blocking streets
(Source: The Indy Channel, September 27, 2019) MUNCIE, Ind. — Drivers in Muncie are frustrated as stopped trains continue to cause significant disruptions. Groups of people are fed up with the trains blocking streets for up to four hours at a time. First responders...
Nashville residents frequently blocked from homes due to stopped trains
(Source: Television station WTVF, September 27, 2019) NASHVILLE, Tenn. — For years, residents in one South Nashville neighborhood have been fighting against a safety concern. Full story: News Channel 5
Late CSX chief Pete Carpenter sought better relations with workers
(Source: Wall Street Journal, September 27, 2019) NEW YORK — Pete Carpenter’s work experience during college included stocking shelves at Kroger grocery stores and serving as a railroad brakeman. Kroger, he wrote later, taught him how to spot items with the best...
Who’s losing the most from UAW strike at GM?
(Source: Detroit Free Press, September 30, 2019) DETROIT — On the UAW picket line Friday morning at General Motors' Hamtramck Assembly Plant, Karlton Byas, 63, of Detroit, a veteran safety trainer at the factory, admitted the lack of paychecks is starting to hurt him...
Denver’s OmniTRAX has quickly become a major player in the railroad industry
(Source: Denver Post, September 29, 2019) DENVER, Colo. — Tucked away in a Cherry Creek office building, in a neighborhood of financial firms and high-end retailers, is the headquarters of one of the country’s largest and fastest-growing privately held railroads....
Canada’s crude-by-rail shipments jump 12.9% in July
(Source: Kallanish Energy, September 27, 2019) HOUSTON — Crude oil-by-rail shipments in western Canada increased 12.9% in July, according to new data from the Canada Energy Regulator. July’s volume was more than 9.71 million barrels (Mmbbl), an increase from 8.60...
Q&A: RRB financial reports
(Source: Railroad Retirement Board press release, August 25, 2019) CHICAGO — The Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) is required by law to submit annual reports to Congress on the financial condition of the railroad retirement and railroad unemployment insurance systems....
Union Pacific CFO Rob Knight to retire Dec. 31
(Source: Union Pacific press release, September 26, 2019) OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific today announced Rob Knight, chief financial officer since 2004, plans to retire Dec. 31. Union Pacific appointed Jennifer Hamann to succeed Knight, effective Jan. 1. Knight, 62,...
Texas high-speed rail project picks up speed
(Source: Transportation Today, September 26, 2019) WASHINGTON, D.C. — A proposed Dallas to Houston high-speed rail project, with an overall estimated price tag of $20 billion, gained momentum this month when developer Texas Central announced it had signed a...
Canadian railroads see opportunity amid slowing demand
(Source: Freight Waves, September 25, 2019) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Canadian class I railroads were on hand to discuss the outlook for the industry in separate presentations at the CIBC 18th Annual Eastern Institutional Investor Conference held in Montreal. CIBC is a...
Ten states join opposition to Washington state’s new oil vapor standards law
(Source: Land Line, September 25, 2019) GRAIN VALLEY, Mo. — Attorneys general in 10 states are asking the Trump administration to overturn a new Washington state law regulating the transportation of oil, claiming new oil classifications go against federal law and...
Canadian crude by rail jumps in July
(Source: JWN Energy, September 27, 2019) CALGARY, Alberta — Crude by rail traffic out of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin jumped by more than 25,000 bbls/d in July, reigniting an upward trend that had slowed the previous month. New data from the Canadian Energy...
GM, UAW battle over worker pay from temps to CEO
(Source: Detroit News, September 25, 2019) DETROIT — When handshakes opened labor talks in July, United Auto Workers President Gary Jones promised to halt what he called a “race to the bottom” and to fight against "wage loss." Full story: Detroit News
GM tells striking union members it will continue health coverage
(Source: Detroit Press, September 26, 2019) DETROIT — In a significant reversal, General Motors has told the UAW that it will continue to pay for health coverage of striking workers. Full story: Detroit Press
Former Blackjewel miners end railroad blockade in Kentucky
(Source: West Virginia Public Radio, September 26, 2019) CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The nearly two-month blockade of a Kentucky railroad track is coming to an end as unpaid coal miners end their protest in order to take new jobs, start classes, or move away from their...
Bill enhancing unionization efforts cleared by House panel
(Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters press release, September 26, 2019) WASHINGTON, D.C. — A House committee yesterday approved legislation that would enhance workers’ ability to organize on the job so they can advocate for better wages and working...
AAR reports rail traffic down for week ending September 21, 2019
(Source: Association of American Railroads press release, September 25, 2019) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending September 21, 2019. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was...
High-speed rail from Southern California to Las Vegas could be reality in a few years
(Source: CBS Los Angeles, September 24, 2019) LOS ANGELES — A high-speed train traveling from Southern California to Las Vegas might be just a few years away. Virgin Trains USA — backed by Fortress Investment Group private equity funds — is proposing to build the rail...
BLET News
BLET Safety Task Force investigating Texas fatality
Representatives of the BLET’s Safety Task Force are on the scene investigating a deadly head-on collision between two Burlington Northern Santa Fe freight trains just north of Gunter, Texas.
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.”
