Rail Industry News
MMA fighter sues Norfolk Southern over near-fatal accident
(Source: MMA Fighting, September 19, 2019) NEW YORK — UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes suffered severe injuries in a near-fatal train accident in 2017. Now he’s going after the company he alleges caused the crash. Full story: MMA Fighting
KCS to release Q3 2019 results on October 18
(Source: Kansas City Southern press release, September 20, 2019) KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Southern (KCS) will release its third quarter 2019 financial results on Friday, October 18, 2019, before the opening of trading on the New York Stock Exchange. KCS will...
UP to release Q3 2019 results on October 17
(Source: Union Pacific press release, September 19, 2019) OMAHA, Neb. — You are invited to listen to Union Pacific Corporation’s (NYSE: UNP) third quarter 2019 earnings release presentation that will be broadcast live over the Internet and via teleconference on...
Wabtec closing Idaho plant, moving work to Erie
(Source: Idaho Statesman, September 19, 2019) BOISE, Idaho — Locomotive manufacturer MotivePower Inc. will close its Boise plant, its parent company says, marking the end of a unique industrial role for Boise. The parent, Wabtec Corp., formerly Westinghouse Air Brake...
Teamsters: The income inequality struggle is real and needs to be fixed
(Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters press release, September 18, 2019) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Too many working Americans continue to struggle through no fault of their own. While elites seem to like to pointing fingers at those scraping to get by, however, new...
As rail industry changes, furloughed workers search for a way forward
(Source: Television station WDBJ, September 19, 2019) ROANOKE, Va. — Fifteen days: That's how long it's been since machinist Jason Dunn was furloughed from his job at Norfolk Southern. Since then, he says it's been a daily search to figure out what comes next when the...
PSR changes largely done, railroads make intermodal pitch
(Source: Freight Waves, September 19, 2019) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Executives at North America’s major railroads are making the case that intermodal service will be more reliable and consistent after a year of major service changes. This comes as weakness in the...
House lawmakers seek to slow White House plan for LNG rail shipments
(Source: Freight Waves, September 19, 2019) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — The Democratic head of the House committee with transportation oversight wants to put the brakes on a Trump administration proposal to let freight railroads haul liquefied natural gas in tank cars....
Class I employment fell in all categories during August 2019
(Source: Progressive Railroading, September 19, 2019) In mid-August, U.S. Class Is employed 139,284 workers, down 1.01 percent from mid-July and down 5.98 percent from mid-August 2018, according to Surface Transportation Board employment data. On a month-over-month...
AAR: Rail traffic down for week ending September 14, 2019
(Source: Association of American Railroads press release, September 18, 2019) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending September 14, 2019. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was...
UAW-GM strike, Day 3: Ripples spread to trucking, Canada
(Source: Detroit News, September 18, 2019) DETROIT — The United Auto Workers strike against General Motors Co. has started to slow the automaker's production outside of the U.S. — and at least one local trucking company is also starting to feel the pinch. Full story:...
Why railroad crossings are a grave danger for self-driving cars
(Source: Forbes, September 19, 2019) NEW YORK — Since human drivers seem to be lacking in vigilance when crossing over railroad tracks, maybe we can solve the problem via the advent of self-driving cars. This brings up an interesting question: Will AI-driven...
Alberta sees progress on crude by rail talks to ease oil curtailments
(Source: Reuters, September 18, 2019) CALGARY, Alberta — The premier of Canada’s main oil-producing province Alberta said on Wednesday he is hopeful of more progress this month on talks between his government and producers about easing oil curtailments, as long as...
Railroad police patrol tracks in Louisville amid rise in trespassing
(Source: Television station WLKY, September 18, 2019) LOUISVILLE, Ky. — An uptick in railway trespassing has police patrolling the tracks and talking to residents about safety. According to Norfolk Southern Police, one person was injured on its tracks last year in...
Report examines seven ways MBTA’s commuter rail service could be better
(Source: www.masslive.com, September 18, 2019) BOSTON — The commute from Worcester to Boston is about to get even longer when several upcoming reconstruction projects on the Massachusetts Turnpike get underway. The report, released last week by transit advocacy group...
BNSF’s long trains, blocked crossing become an issue in Sidney, Montana
(Source: Sidney Herald, September 18, 2019) SIDNEY, Mont. — The collective complaint was the length of time trains sit at the crossings and how frequently it occurs, many saying it was happening several times per week. Attendees said often times all three access...
NJ Transit graduating 7 locomotive engineer classes in 2 years, the same number graduated in last 5 years combined
(Source: Tap Into Newark, September 16, 2019) NEWARK, N.J. — With the recent June 2019 graduating class and six more classes of locomotive engineering trainees graduating through December 2020, NJ TRANSIT will have graduated seven classes in two years (2019-2020)....
CSX to announce Q3 2019 financial results on October 16
(Source: CSX press release, September 18, 2019) JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX Corporation will release third-quarter financial and operating results after the market close on Wednesday, October 16, 2019. This will be followed by a conference call and live webcast hosted by...
Body of BNSF locomotive engineer found on girlfriend’s property
(Source: Television station KIRO 7, September 18, 2019. BLET Editor’s Note: Cameron Shelden was a member of BLET Division 402 in Pasco, Wash.) OTIS, Ore. — After a 17-day search, the body of BNSF engineer Cameron Shelden has been found. Shelden had been missing since...
Teamsters at Giant Food warehouse win raises, benefit increases, job security
(Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters press release, September 17, 2019) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Workers at Giant Foods’ Fresh Food facility in Jessup, Md. will receive wage increases, improved benefits and more job security, among other improvements, under a...
BLET News
Teamsters Rail Conference calls for added security
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters Rail Conference today responded to the announcement by Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge to step up security in the passenger rail industry.
W.Va. AFL-CIO is 16th to endorse remote control safety
The West Virginia AFL-CIO joined 15 other state labor federations in passing a resolution condemning the implementation of remote control train operations in the rail industry.
BLET statement on remote control train wreck in Arlington, Texas
Don Hahs, National President of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, issued the following statement today in response to a remote control accident in Arlington, Texas, on March 11.
Madrid’s terrorist attack on trains a wake-up call to U.S.
Last week’s tragic terrorist attack in Madrid on commuter rail lines must serve as a wake-up call to the United States regarding railroad security.
Portland & Western workers vote BLET
Operating employees at the Portland & Western Railroad selected the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen as their designated collective bargaining representative.
BLET Job Bank: Springfield Terminal
The Springfield Terminal Railway Company is looking to hire six certified locomotive engineers for positions system wide (includes Maine, Connecticut and Massachusetts).
The Iowa AFL-CIO enacts remote control safety resolution
The Iowa State AFL-CIO became the 15th state labor federation to enact a remote control resolution.
United Healthcare to hold open enrollment in May
During the month of May 2004, United Healthcare will hold an open enrollment under GA-23111.
BLET statement on New Mexico accident
BLET National President Don Hahs issued the following statement regarding the National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary findings in the fatal February 21 train accident in Carrizozo, N.M.
Toledo, Ohio, becomes 50th community to address remote safety
The city of Toledo, Ohio, joined 49 other communities when it passed a resolution questioning the safety of remote control train operations on March 9.
