Rail Industry News
Nearly 50,000 UAW workers go on strike against GM, America’s biggest auto maker
(Source: CNN Business, September 16, 2019) NEW YORK — The United Auto Workers union went out on strike against General Motors Sunday night, the first work stoppage in the US auto industry in 12 years. The union's nearly 50,000 hourly fulltime and temporary workers...
UP’s Big Boy locomotive concludes 150th anniversary celebration with “Great Race Across the Southwest”
(Source: Union Pacific press release, September 5, 2019) OMAHA, Neb. — The world's largest steam locomotive, Union Pacific's Big Boy No. 4014, will embark on a third and final tour celebrating the 150th anniversary of the transcontinental railroad's completion, giving...
Port of Savannah to expand rail service to Chicago
(Source: Savannah Morning News, September 12, 2019) SAVANNAH, Ga. — The Hostess City will soon have a larger presence in the Windy City as the Georgia Ports Authority introduces dual rail service from the Port of Savannah to Chicago, with cargo reaching the midwestern...
FRA releases accident report on CSX derailment in Princeton, Ind.
(Source: Railway Track & Structures, September 12, 2019) NEW YORK — The Federal Railroad Administration just released its Accident Investigation Report on the derailment of a CSX freight train in Princeton, Ind. on June 17, 2018. The train derailed 22 loads and one...
UP cleans site of derailment in Dupo, Ill.; environmental consultants say area is safe for residents
(Source: Railway Track & Structures, September 12, 2019) NEW YORK — Damages from the Union Pacific train derailment in Dupo, Ill., appear to be limited to just the rail cars and track. About 13 rail cars spilled on Sept. 10, with one of the carriers catching on fire....
CSX chief outlines company’s changing mindset as e-commerce grows
(Source: Freight Waves, September 12, 2019) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — The head of CSX said his company needs to change the way it does business so that CSX can compete with trucks and be a reliable option in the future where e-commerce is booming and coal is declining....
Railroads see headwinds cutting volumes for rest of 2019
(Source: Freight Waves, September 6, 2019) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Loose truck capacity, trade uncertainty and lower coal demand are among the headwinds that some Class I railroads are seeing for the remainder of 2019. Full story: Freight Waves
PSR: Promise or peril?
(Source: Railway Age, September 13, 2019) NEW YORK — For rail customers, Precision Scheduled Railroading is a mixed blessing. At a North East Association of Rail Shippers (NEARS) conference earlier this year, PSR’s promises and perils took center stage. Full story:...
AAR: Rail traffic down again for the week ending September 7, 2019
(Source: Association of American Railroads press release, September 11, 2019) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending September 7, 2019. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was...
No fare hikes as Metra relishes capital infusion
(Source: Daily Herald, September 12, 2019) CHICAGO — After years of gloomy budget forecasts, Metra riders Wednesday received a reprieve from fare hikes in 2020. The railroad has an estimated $1.45 billion in new money coming from the state over five years, courtesy of...
FRA approves Virginia higher-speed rail project’s environmental plan
(Source: Progressive Railroading, September 11, 2019) The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has signed off on the environmental impact statement (EIS) for the proposed higher-speed intercity passenger-rail project between the District of Columbia and Richmond,...
Update on investigation into UP train derailment in Dupo, Ill.
(Source: Television station Fox 2 Now, September 11, 2019) DUPO, Ill. — Union Pacific crews spent Wednesday cleaning up a massive train derailment in Dupo. Thirteen cars derailed at a train yard in the 300 block of Main Street Tuesday afternoon, causing a huge fire....
Missouri girl awarded record $17 million in damages against BNSF
(Source: Television station KFVS, September 11, 2019) CAPE GIRARDEAU COUNTY, Mo. — A Missouri girl was awarded $17 million in a personal injury case against BNSF Railway. An attorney for the girl, who was identified in the lawsuit as E.H.S., suffered massive brain...
FRA should update its grade crossing prediction model, Inspector General says
(Source: Progressive Railroading, September 11, 2019) The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has effective procedures to determine whether grade-crossing incident data are complete and accurate, however the agency needs to update its accident prediction model and...
Teamster victory in San Bernardino as 11,000 county workers ratify new contract
(Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters press release, September 11, 2019) WASHINGTON, D.C. — An overwhelming majority of Teamsters voted this week to ratify a new four-year contract with the County of San Bernardino in California. After nearly a year of...
CN Rail CFO warns of softening economy, with consequences for railways
(Source: Canadian Press, September 11, 2019) MONTREAL — A Canadian National Railway Co. executive says a sputtering economy is contributing to weaker freight volumes after posting record revenues last quarter. Full story: Bloomberg
FRA again delays rule on passenger rail safety programs
(Source: Safety and Health Magazine, September 11, 2019) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Federal Railroad Administration has extended until March 4 its stay on publishing a final rule requiring commuter and intercity passenger railroads to develop and implement system safety...
Opinion: LNG unit trains are safety risk to U.S. cities
(Source: Opinion column by Fred Millar, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 11, 2019. Millar is an independent consultant on chemical facility and transportation safety and security based in the Washington, D.C. area.) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Citizens in St Louis, Kansas...
U.S. rail volumes still sluggish
(Source: Freight Waves, September 11, 2019) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Year-to-date U.S. rail volumes fell yet again for the week ending Sept. 7, according to the latest data from the Association of American Railroads. Compared with the same period in 2018, year-to-date...
MTA rolls out new fleet of LIRR cars
(Source: Television station WABC, September 11, 2019) HUNTINGTON STATION, Suffolk County — The MTA is rolling out their first new train cars in 17 years on the Long Island Rail Road Wednesday morning. As a result, the LIRR says some of the busiest routes will have...
BLET News
BLE Divisions ratify BNSF on-property agreement
Voting as a block for the first time since the 1995 merger, BLE Divisions across the entire BNSF property overwhelmingly approved an historic on-property agreement with 93% of the Divisions returning a ballot.
Space remains for Jan. 18 Local Chairman workshop
Space is still available for members interested in attending the Education & Training Department’s Local Chairman workshop at the George Meany Center from January 18-23.
47th community enacts remote control safety resolution
Central City, Ill., is the 47th community to enact a remote control safety resolution.
BLE to conduct four S-T Workshops in 2004
The BLE’s Education and Training Department will conduct four Secretary-Treasurer Compliance Workshops next year prior to the March 31 deadline for filing Department of Labor reports.
FRA publishes rule on locomotive horns
On December 18, the Federal Railroad Administration published an Interim Final Rule on the use of locomotive horns at highway-rail grade crossings.
46th community enacts remote control safety resolution
Harris County, Texas, unanimously passed a remote control safety resolution on December 16, becoming the 13th county in the United States to enact such a measure.
Roanoke County, Va., passes remote safety resolution
The Roanoke County Board of Supervisors voted to pass a remote control safety resolution at their December 16 meeting. The resolution asks the Federal Railroad Administration to adopt mandatory regulations for remote control locomotive operations.
Illinois State AFL-CIO enacts remote control safety measure
The AFL-CIO State Federation in Illinois has unanimously enacted a remote control safety resolution that seeks to prohibit the operation of remote control trains in the state until enforceable federal safety regulations are enacted.
BLE members ratify national contract
By a 62% majority, BLE members have approved a new collective bargaining agreement with the nation’s railroads.
Opinion: Death by friendly fire
The latest attack by the UTU leadership against the BLE’s efforts to bring safe remote control operations to our industry is filled with the usual baloney about what a great job the UTU is doing in looking out for the safety of its members.
