Rail Industry News
Amtrak is suing SEPTA to raise its yearly rent from $1 to $1.5 million
(Source: Philadelphia Inquirer, June 26, 2019) PHILADELPHIA — SEPTA has paid Amtrak a dollar a year for the last 32 years to use land along the East Coast’s busiest railroad tracks, which also double as routes for three Regional Rail lines. Now Amtrak wants to raise...
Teamsters standing strong one year after anti-worker “Janus” ruling
(Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters press release, June 27, 2019) WASHINGTON, D.C. — One year ago, the U.S. Supreme Court sided with anti-union lawyers and billionaires in the contentious “Janus v. AFSCME” case, an attempt to undercut the ability of public...
RRB issues statements of service (Form BA-6)
(Source: Railroad Retirement Board press release, May 28, 2019) CHICAGO — Each year, the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) prepares a Certificate of Service Months and Compensation (Form BA-6) for every railroad employee with creditable railroad compensation in the...
The Empire Builder: Still rolling at 90
(Source: Flathead Beacon, June 26, 2019) KALISPELL, Mont. — For 90 years, the Empire Builder passenger train has connected Chicago with Portland and Seattle by way of Glacier National Park and the Flathead Valley. In its early years, it was not alone. When the first...
Amtrak suspends service to and from Norfolk after NS coal train derailment
(Source: Virginian-Pilot, June 25, 2019) NORFOLK, Va. — Amtrak service to and from Norfolk is canceled again Wednesday after a Norfolk Southern coal train derailed near the Portlock area of Chesapeake just before 4:20 a.m. Tuesday morning, according to a Norfolk...
Virgin Trains USA begins Orlando extension
(Source: Railway Age, June 25, 2019) NEW YORK — Virgin Trains USA (formerly Brightline) recently broke ground on 170 miles of new track in the intermodal facility located in the South Terminal at the Orlando International Airport as part of the company’s Phase 2...
Mobile hesitates on backing coastal Amtrak return
(Source: www.al.com, June 25, 2019) BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Mobile city officials put the brakes Tuesday to a resolution requesting that Gov. Kay Ivey “commit and insure” the funds necessary to return passenger rail to the Gulf Coast. Full story: www.al.com
Canada’s crude by rail traffic jumps 40 percent
(Source: JWN Energy, June 25, 2019) CALGARY, Alberta — Canadian crude by rail activity is on the upswing again, according to new data from the National Energy Board. The NEB reports that rail offtake from the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin averaged 236,252 bbls/d in...
CN to report Q2 2019 earnings on July 23
(Source: CN press release, June 25, 2019) MONTREAL — CN will issue its second quarter 2019 financial and operating results on July 23, 2019, at 4:01 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). CN's senior officers will review the results and the railway's outlook in a...
Conrail conductor alleges railroad attempted to interfere with medical care
(Source: Pennsylvania Record, June 26, 2019) PHILADELPHIA — A New Jersey man alleges his employer attempted to interfere with his medical care when he was injured while working. According to the complaint, the plaintiff was employed by the defendant Conrail as a...
Facebook fishing trip video dooms rail worker’s FMLA claim
(Source: HR Dive, June 25, 2019) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Union Pacific Railroad (UP) was justified in firing an employee who took Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave and then appeared in a co-worker's Facebook live video of a fishing trip on one of the days he was...
Will U.S. rail volumes take a hit from the proposed U.S. tariffs on China?
(Source: Freight Waves, June 25, 2019) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — An additional $300 billion in proposed U.S. tariffs against China could result in lower railroad freight volume in the agricultural, manufacturing and intermodal sectors, but economic uncertainty and...
U.S. House votes to block rail tank cars of LNG
(Source: Freight Waves, June 25, 2019) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. House of Representatives is pushing back on the Trump Administration’s efforts to fast-track regulations to allow liquefied natural gas (LNG) to move in rail tank cars. Citing safety concerns, the...
Canadian Infrastructure Bank to work with Via Rail on high-frequency passenger rail plan
(Source: Globe and Mail, June 24, 2019) OTTAWA — Liberal ministers will announce a formal role for the Canada Infrastructure Bank Tuesday in developing Via Rail’s plans for a new multibillion-dollar passenger rail line, but the joint news conferences in Ontario and...
Cracked joint bar caused NJ Transit delays
(Source: NorthJersey.com, June 24, 2019) BERGEN COUNTY, N.J. — Commuters had to deal with more delays in and out of Penn Station for a brief time Monday morning after a slew of problems in the past few weeks. Beth Toll, a spokeswoman with Amtrak, said a cracked joint...
Amtrak Downeaster turning away passengers
(Source: News Center Maine, June 24, 2019) PORTLAND, Maine — Every train in the country requires government subsidies. The Amtrak Downeaster is no exception. Several of its runs are full, however, and the train is unable to add additional cars because none are...
CSX fuel tax case denied third review by Supreme Court
(Source: Bloomberg Tax, June 24, 2019) NEW YORK — CSX Transportation Inc.'s decade-old fuel tax lawsuit against Alabama won’t get a third hearing before the U.S. Supreme Court—a partial win for both the railroad and the state. The court on June 24 rejected cross...
CP expects to ship record amount of grain this year
(Source: The Western Producer, June 20, 2019) SASKATOON, Sask. — Canadian Pacific Railway expects to set a new record in 2018-19 for volumes of Canadian grain moved in a single crop year. Full story: The Western Producer
Weak intermodal hurt CN’s traffic levels
(Source: Market Realist, June 24, 2019) NEW YORK — Weak intermodal volumes hurt Canadian National Railway’s overall rail traffic in Week 24. The company’s intermodal volume fell 1.2% YoY to 50,878 units from 51,486 units in Week 24 of 2018. Among the seven Class I...
11,000 U.S. airline catering workers authorize a strike at airports nationwide
(Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters press release, June 24, 2019) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Workers who prepare, pack and deliver food and beverages served aboard flights for American, Delta, United and other airlines have voted overwhelmingly in favor of...
BLET News
Arbitrator saddles TCU with increased health care costs
The Transportation Communications International Union announced on January 24 that arbitrator Robert Harris had issued a final decision in the union’s arbitration case covering pay and health and welfare issues for the Clerical and Carmen national agreements.
2003 BLE Scholarship Directory available
The children of active, retired and deceased BLE members are eligible for various scholarship opportunities in 2003.
BLE extends sympathy to Rightnowar
On January 6, the brother of Union Pacific-Central Region General Chairman Charlie Rightnowar passed away unexpectedly. Larry Rightnowar was Chairman Rightnowar’s older brother.
BLE commemorates Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Today, we mark the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King has a vast legacy of social change and on this day we choose to honor him for his extraordinary life. We must also strive on this day to further the work that he left undone when his life was cut tragically short.
BLE calls into question statements made by Boyd
After reviewing numerous inquiries from BLE members regarding the outcome of last week’s arbitration ruling on remote control, BLE International President Don Hahs called into question certain statements made by UTU President Byron Boyd in a UTU press release.
BLE files remote control dissent
BLE President Don Hahs filed his dissent yesterday to Chairman Gil Vernon’s decision in the remote control arbitration case, Special Board of Adjustment No. 1141.
Senate bill restores full funding for Amtrak
Last night, the full U.S. Senate approved an amendment to an omnibus spending bill that restores Amtrak’s request for $1.2 billion in subsidies.
Amtrak shutdown looms; your help needed
BLE and GIA members are asked to call their members of Congress immediately in an effort to secure $1.2 billion in funding for Amtrak.
BLE outraged at decision on remote control trains
A decision issued today by Arbitrator Gil Vernon, Chairman of Special Board of Adjustment No. 1141, opens the door for the nationwide operation of unmanned remote control trains, a controversial practice that could compromise safety and lead to widespread job losses, according to the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (BLE).
BLE member seriously hurt in Metrolink crash
A truck driver was killed and more than 20 people injured when a truck slammed into a Metrolink train during morning rush hour today near Los Angeles. Among the injured was the train’s locomotive engineer, BLE Member J.L. Cook, 47, a resident of Palmdale, Calif.
