Rail Industry News
FRA grants rulemaking petition for Texas Central bullet train
(Source: Progressive Railroading, September 9, 2019) The proposed project to build a bullet train between Dallas and Houston took a major step forward last week when the Federal Railroad Administration granted the Texas Central's petition for a rule of particular...
EEOC sues Union Pacific for disability discrimination
(Source: JD Supra, September 10, 2019) CHICAGO — Union Pacific Railroad Company is violating federal law by refusing to return an employee who once had a brain tumor to work as a custodian, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit...
Massachusetts Republic Services strikers extend picket lines to California
(Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters press release, September 10, 2019) BOSTON — Striking Marshfield Republic Services Teamsters extended their picket lines to Southern California early this morning. Members began picketing outside 17121 Nichols Lane in...
NJ Transit trails other railroads in PTC progress
(Source: www.nj.com, September 10, 2019) NEWARK, N.J. — NJ Transit is one of nine railroads where zero miles of track, equipped with a federally mandated safety system, are in regular service, federal officials said. Full story: www.nj.com
FRA publishes railroads’ Q2 2019 PTC implementation status updates
(Source: Federal Railroad Administration press release, September 9, 2019) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) today provided a quarterly status update on railroads’ progress in fully implementing positive train control (PTC) systems. Based on...
Crews monitoring air quality after Dupo train derailment
(Source: Television station KSDK, September 10, 2019) DUPO, Ill. — Crews are monitoring air quality in Dupo, Illinois, after Tuesday’s train derailment at the Union Pacific yard. Union Pacific railroad says during the derailment, a tank carrying a chemical called...
UP derailment near Dupo, Ill., causes large fire and evacuations; no injuries
(Source: Associated Press, September 11, 2019) DUPO, Ill. — A freight train carrying a flammable liquid used in solvents derailed in an Illinois suburb of St. Louis on Tuesday, causing a fire that sent thick, black smoke into the air and prompted the evacuation of...
Remembering those lost 18 years ago on 9/11
(Source: New York Times September 11, 2019) NEW YORK — Once more, families gathered at ground zero, where nearly 3,000 people died on that bright September morning. Once more, there was an outpouring of grief. Once more, there were the sound of bells tolling in...
BNSF, NS advance more modern locomotives
(Source: Progressive Railroading, September 10, 2019) Two Class Is are aiming to push the technological envelope to improve locomotive operations. Full story: Progressive Railroading
U.S. cities play catch-up on high-speed rail
(Source: U.S. News & World Report, September 10, 2019) NEW YORK — For decades, countries such as China, Spain and Turkey have connected distant cities with rail links of 200 mph or faster while American infrastructure has languished. The country’s only moderately...
Editorial: When it comes to safety, devil is in the details
(Source: Editorial from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, September 9, 2019) PITTSBURGH, Pa. — The railroad and the inspectors should have been twice as careful about making sure those rails were safe and whole — especially as Norfolk Southern has pursued putting more...
UP identifies broken rail as cause of Portland train derailment, crash into columns
(Source: Television station KPTV, September 9, 2019) PORTLAND, Ore. — A broken rail caused a trail to derail and crash into bridge support columns in north Portland, according to Union Pacific. The railroad company stated Monday that the preliminary investigation...
Federal judge clears truck driver to continue Illinois biometrics class action vs CSX over fingerprint scans
(Source: Cook County Record, September 9, 2019) CHICAGO – A federal judge will allow a truck driver to continue part of his class action complaint accusing CSX of violating the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act, saying a recent Illinois Supreme Court decision...
How will dwindling coal freight affect rail shippers?
(Source: Supply Chain Dive, September 5, 2019) NEW YORK — Most Class I railroads have started turning to PSR to achieve higher on-time delivery rates demanded by intermodal service. But many shippers have been frustrated by this transition to PSR. Increasing...
STB reports three Class Is were revenue adequate in 2018
(Source: Progressive Railroading, September 9, 2019) The Surface Transportation Board (STB) announced last week that the Class Is that achieved "revenue adequacy" in 2018 were CSX, Canadian Pacific's Soo Line Corp. and Union Pacific Railroad. A railroad is considered...
Georgia Teamsters go on strike at Republic Services
(Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters press release, September 9, 2019) CUMMING, Ga. — Sanitation workers went on strike at Republic Services [NYSE: RSG] here this morning to protest the company’s violations of federal laws that protect workers’ rights. The...
UPS: Class Is are missing the mark when it comes to on-time delivery
(Source: Progressive Railroading, September 9, 2019) The head of transportation for United Parcel Service (UPS) can sum up Class Is’ service performance for much of this year in one word: underwhelming. Although they got off to a good start in 2019’s first three...
FRA says Positive Train Control 87% done
(Source: Railway Age, September 9, 2019) NEW YORK — With 16 months left until the Congressionally mandated Dec. 31, 2020 deadline for full implementation of PTC (Positive Train Control), the U.S. railroad industry is drawing close, according to the Federal Railroad...
U.S. officials OK BNSF plan for northern Idaho bridges across Lake Pend Oreille
(Source: Associated Press, September 6, 2019) BOISE, Idaho — BNSF Railway's plan to build two bridges as part of a second railroad line in northern Idaho to accommodate increased train traffic and future growth meets environmental requirements, federal officials said...
KCS EVP Erdman sells $871,347 in company stock
(Source: Trent Times, September 7, 2019) NEW YORK — Kansas City Southern EVP Warren K. Erdman sold 6,840 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, September 4. The stock was sold at an average price of $127.39, for a total transaction of...
BLET News
UP worker killed in remote control accident heightens workers’ safety concerns
Early Sunday morning, December 7, 2003, a Union Pacific locomotive struck and killed a 37-year old railroad employee in San Antonio while he was operating two locomotives via a waist-strapped remote-control device. The remote-control device allows an operator to control a locomotive and move trains without an engineer on-board.
Members approve IBT merger
Members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers have overwhelmingly approved a merger with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, joining the largest and most powerful transportation union in North America.
Joint statement from General President Hoffa and President Hahs
The following is a joint statement issued by International Brotherhood of Teamsters General President James P. Hoffa and International Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers President Don M. Hahs.
Allen Park, Mich., is the 44th U.S. community to pass remote control resolution
The city of Allen Park, Mich., has joined 43 other U.S. communities in passing a remote control safety resolution.
Charlotte, N.C., bus drivers choose Teamsters over UTU
Bus drivers at the Charlotte (North Carolina) Area Transit System (CATS) voted by a huge margin to join Teamsters Local 71 on December 2.
Instructions for replacement ballots
The ballots for ratification of the BLE national contract and the BNSF Alternative Compensation Agreement were mailed during the last week of November.
BLE to conduct 2004 Local Chairman Workshops
The BLE Education & Training Department will conduct three Local Chairman Workshops in 2004 with the first scheduled for January 18-23.
West Virginia State Legislative Board Chairman Blake passes away
West Virginia State Legislative Board Chairman Darrell Blake died unexpectedly in his home in Huntington, W.Va., on December 1. Brother Blake was 58 years old.
BLE, GTW reach tentative agreement
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers has reached a tentative contract agreement for locomotive engineers on CN’s Grand Trunk Western lines.
Thanksgiving statement from BLE International President Don M. Hahs
The following is a statement from BLE International President Don M. Hahs on the Thanksgiving holiday.
