Rail Industry News
Man crushed by rail cars identified as UP employee
(Source: Associated Press, August 21, 2019) BEAUMONT, Texas — Investigators say a Union Pacific worker has died after being pinned between two railway tanker cars in Southeast Texas. The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office says 39-year-old Travis Andrepont of Louisiana...
Time is nigh for overnight passenger train service between Montreal and NYC
(Source: Montreal Gazette, August 21, 2019) MONTREAL — The time is nigh for an overnight train between Montreal and New York City, says François Rebello. The Montreal entrepreneur and former Coalition Avenir Québec MNA says he has lined up $10 million in...
UP train cars derail near downtown San Antonio
(Source: San Antonio Express-News, August 21, 2019) SAN ANTONIO, Texas — About 13 cars derailed, including a locomotive that began leaking fuel, as a train was approaching downtown Tuesday night on the West Side. The train cars derailed just before 10 p.m. in the 2000...
Third UP train derails in just over a month at same Spokane rail yard
(Source: Television station KREM, August 21, 2019) SPOKANE, Wash. — Two empty Union Pacific train cars derailed near the intersection of Sprague Avenue and North Havana Street on Tuesday night. This is the third Union Pacific Train Derailment in just over a month in...
Court rejects rail shippers class formation request; Senators press for rail reform
(Source: Freight Waves, August 20, 2019) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Rail shippers will not be able to form a class action lawsuit to argue against alleged fuel surcharge price fixing, a federal appeals court ruled on August 16. A three-member panel of judges from the U.S....
Taxation of lost wages awards under FELA: the Illinois appellate court applies Loos v. BNSF
(Source: Lexology, August 21, 2019) WASHINGTON, D.C. — In Munoz v. Norfolk Southern Railway Company, 2018 IL App (1st) 171009 (Munoz I), Plaintiff Munoz sued his railroad employer under the FELA for an on-duty personal injury. A jury awarded Munoz a large sum...
Trains block east-side Des Moines streets for hours, prompting accidents, outcry from nearby businesses
(Source: Des Moines Register, August 20, 2019) DES MOINES, Iowa — Trains have stopped across street crossings for hours at a time over the past week, locking up traffic on Des Moines’ east side and causing area business owners to lose money. Last Wednesday, during one...
STB: U.S. Class Is employed fewer workers in July 2019
(Source: Progressive Railroading, August 20, 2019) U.S. Class Is as of mid-July employed 140,703 workers, down 0.46 percent since mid-June and down 4.56 percent since July 2018's count, according to U.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB) data. Only one category —...
Another round of furloughs at UP’s Bailey Yard
(Source: North Platte Telegraph, August 20, 2019) NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — The Union Pacific Railroad’s Bailey Yard at North Platte has received its fifth round of furloughs or job eliminations in less than a year. An unspecified number of mechanical employees have been...
Worker dies after being pinned between two tank cars Beaumont, Texas
(Source: Television station 12 News Now, August 20, 2019) JEFFERSON COUNTY, Texas — A Louisiana man was killed early Tuesday morning when he became trapped between two railway tank cars in Beaumont on Gulf States Road according to officials. The man was identified as...
Japan’s past and future trains float and roll at SCMaglev and Railway Park
(Source: CNET, August 17, 2019) NEW YORK — Maglev sounds as sci-fi as teleporters and hovercars. A train that levitates above a track using electromagnets and cruises at aircraft speeds? That couldn't possibly be a reality. Except it is. China has one that connects...
Amtrak adds service to two New Jersey stops
(Source: Delaware Business Now, August 19, 2019) WILMINGTON, Del. — Beginning Aug. 19, Amtrak will add to service to two popular destinations in New Jersey through its Northeast Regional services which stops in Wilmington. Full story: Delaware Business Now
Alaska Railroad cancels passenger service between Anchorage and Denali due to wildfire
(Source: Anchorage Daily News, August 20, 2019) ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The Alaska Railroad has canceled all passenger service between Anchorage and Denali National Park and Preserve due to the wildfire burning north of Willow, the corporation announced Monday. Full...
Washington Supreme Court weighs in on the question of weight in Taylor v. BNSF
(Source: JD Supra, August 19, 2019) WASHINGTON, D.C. — In Taylor v. Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Company, the Washington Supreme Court recently held that obesity is always an “impairment” under the Washington Law Against Discrimination (“WLAD”). The court held...
50th anniversary of major CT train wreck brings renewed call for PTC
(Source: Connecticut Post, August 20, 2019) BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — On Tuesday — the 50th anniversary of a train accident in Darien that killed four and injured 43 passengers — Sen. Richard Blumenthal will make a renewed call for train safety. Full story: Connecticut...
$125 million Baltimore tunnel grant opens double stack option for rail shippers
(Source: Logistics Management, August 20, 2019) WASHINGTON, D.C. — East Coast rail shippers stymied by the lack of double stack rail container option on a 125-year-old tunnel underneath Baltimore may be seeing light at the end of the tunnel. Full story: Logistics...
Bernie Sanders send pizza to miners blocking coal train
(Source: The Hill, August 19, 2019) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), a 2020 White House hopeful, sent 18 pizzas to Kentucky coal miners protesting unpaid wages, one for every day the miners have demonstrated, according to a local radio station. Full story:...
BNSF, Wabtec advancing the future of motive power
(Source: Railway Age, August 19, 2019) NEW YORK — In a wide-ranging interview with Railway Age in December 2018, BNSF’s then-Executive Chairman Matt Rose had this to say about the future of locomotive propulsion technology: “We’ve got to look at alternative fuels for...
Blocked crossings become problematic in Abilene, Kansas
(Source: Reflector-Chronicle, August 20, 2019) ABILENE, Kan. — A train blocking the railroad crossing at Buckeye Avenue near Second Street last week caused U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., to be late to his visit to Abilene. “Being on time is an important thing to me,...
Stopped freight trains causing safety concerns in Highland, Indiana
(Source: CBS Chicago, August 19, 2019) HIGHLAND, Ind. — Stopped freight trains in Highland, Indiana are causing major safety concerns and putting lives at risk. Police told CBS 2 Highland Road is often blocked, sometimes for up to four hours and it turns the community...
BLET News
BLE-IBT Town Hall meeting set for Idaho
The BLE will hold a Town Hall Meeting in Nampa, Idaho, next month regarding the proposed merger with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
President Hahs statement on national contract
A copy of the BLE’s tentative national contract with the National Carriers Conference Committee should be posted on the BLE website by the end of next week, BLE International President Don Hahs reported.
Regional meetings set for 2004
BLE and GIA members who are making vacation plans for next year may wish to consider attending one of the Brotherhood’s four regional meetings.
Town Hall Monday in Seattle
Hotel arrangements have been made for members in need of a place to stay while attending the BLE-IBT Town Hall Meeting in Seattle on Monday (October 27).
St. Louis is the 38th community to adopt a remote control safety resolution
St. Louis, Mo., has joined 26 other cities and 11 counties in adopting a remote control safety resolution.
Wamac, Ill., enacts remote control safety resolution
The city of Wamac, Ill., has joined the ever-growing list of cities and counties enacting resolutions to oppose remote control locomotives within its jurisdiction.
CIRB conducts hearing on CP Rail representation election
The Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) held hearings in Toronto on October 15 regarding a request to hold a representation election for running trades employees at Canadian Pacific Railway.
General Chairman Hannah re-elected
BLE General Chairman Bill Hannah was re-elected unanimously by delegates attending the Union Pacific-Western Lines General Committee of Adjustment’s Triennial Convention on October 14.
BLE-IBT Town Hall meetings set for N.D., Minn.
The BLE will hold Town Hall Meetings in North Dakota and Minnesota next month regarding the proposed merger with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
Clinton County, Iowa passes remote safety resolution
Clinton County, Iowa has become the 11th county to enact a remote control safety resolution in recent months. The resolution was passed on October 6, 2003.
