Rail Industry News
Hartford Line beats expectations with 634,000 trips in first year
(Source: Hartford Courant, June 17, 2019) HARTFORD, Conn. — Ridership on the Hartford Line has exceeded expectations, with an estimated 634,000 trips during the rail line’s first year of operation, officials said Monday. Gov. Ned Lamont’s office said the number of...
Virgin will be the fastest train ever in the southern U.S. when Orlando service starts
(Source: Miami Herald, June 18, 2019) MIAMI — When Virgin Trains, then known as Brightline, opened up its Miami Central station a year ago launching express service from downtown Miami to West Palm Beach, it represented a milestone in the future of travel. Full story:...
Pro-worker labor bill becomes law in Nevada
(Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters press release, June 17, 2019) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Teamsters are hailing progress for workers after passage of a new pro-worker law in Nevada that grants its 20,000 state employees the right to collectively bargain. SB...
Oregon house proposes oil train fees to fund spill planning
(Source: The Oregonian, June 17, 2019) PORTLAND, Ore. — The Oregon House of Representatives on Monday approved a bill to boost readiness for oil spills from trains, advancing legislation whose years-long delay revealed the strong influence of corporate money in Oregon...
Opinion: Is the death of rail-hauled coal true or premature?
(Source: Freight Waves opinion column by Jim Blaze, June 17, 2019) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — The long-term trend line slope for coal is down. The angle of the slope isn’t yet certain. Unchanged, the pattern suggests lower coal demand and a market for building fewer coal...
U.S. rail traffic volumes have fallen for 20 straight weeks
(Source: Market Realist, June 17, 2019) NEW YORK — Overall, US railroad companies’ traffic volume fell for the 20th consecutive week in Week 23, which ended on June 8. On June 12, the Association of American Railroads reported that the companies’ rail traffic fell...
Building the Transcontinental Railroad, the moonshot of the 19th Century
(Source: CBS News, June 16, 2019) NEW YORK — It's something railroad enthusiasts believed they might never see again: one of the biggest steam locomotives ever built in America back on the tracks, rumbling west under its own steam. As Union Pacific # 4014 pulled out...
African American Heritage Group honors men and women who worked for the railroad
(Source: Television station WDBJ7, June 15, 2019) ROANOKE, Va. — The Norfolk & Western/Norfolk Southern African American Heritage Group will honor the contributions of the men and women who worked for the railroad in the Jim Crow south amid racial discrimination on...
Virgin Trains in Central Florida will leave highway traffic in the dust
(Source: Orlando Sentinel, June 17, 2019) ORLANDO, Fla. — When Virgin trains begin service from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and beyond, the Orlando area will gain the distinction for hosting nearly the fastest rail travel in the United States. Full story:...
Federal grant awarded to plan for Amtrak stop at Providence airport
(Source: Associated Press, June 16, 2019) PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Rhode Island has received a $2.8 million federal grant to boost efforts to bring an Amtrak stop to the state’s main airport. Full story: www.turnto10.com
Man shocked by 3,000 volts after falling asleep in CSX train electrical compartment
(Source: Radio station WHOP, June 14, 2019) HOPKINSVILLE, Ky. — Deputies have released the name of a man who suffered electrical burns Friday afternoon in Crofton. Twenty-five-year-old Michael Johnson of Seattle, Washington was stowed away on a CSX train hoping to...
Metra train that caught fire was due for repairs
(Source: CBS Chicago, June 14, 2019) CHICAGO — A Metra train that burst into flames at Union Station Thursday was due for repairs but got passed over because of money, and there are more trains overdue for repairs. It’s still not clear what caused the fire. Metra...
TCRC rail traffic controllers ratify new CN agreement
(Source: CN press release, June 15, 2019) MONTREAL — CN announced today that following the tentative agreement reached in May, the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference Rail Canada Traffic Controllers (TCRC-RCTC) has ratified the agreement. This agreement covers 180 rail...
North Dakota lawmakers seek Chao’s help to fight Washington state’s crude-by-rail law
(Source: Progressive Railroading, June 14, 2019) North Dakota's congressional delegation is making its case to U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao that Washington state's new crude-by-rail law violates the nation's Interstate Commerce Clause and interferes with...
U.S. poised to approve shipping LNG by rail for export with no new safety rules
(Source: DeSmog Blog, June 14, 2019) NEW YORK — On June 6, the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) announced that the company Energy Transport Solutions LLC had applied for a special permit to transport liquefied natural gas (LNG) in...
Irish baby born on a train given free rail travel for 25 years
(Source: BBC News, June 13, 2019) LONDON — A baby girl who was born on an Irish train has been given 25 years' worth of free rail travel. The unscheduled arrival happened on the 15:05 local time service from Galway to Dublin on Tuesday, June 11. A doctor and two...
Texas ranks No. 1 for railroad accidents in the U.S.
(Source: Television station KSAT, June 13, 2019) SAN ANTONIO — Texas tops the list for the number of railroad crossing accidents with a total of 1,223 accidents from 2014 to 2018, according to the Federal Railroad Administration. Full story: www.ksat.com
Pennsylvania’s funding cuts jeopardize Amtrak service, PennDOT official says
(Source: Tribune-Review, June 13, 2019) PITTSBURGH, Pa. — The state’s Amtrak passenger rail service will be impacted when the Pennsylvania Turnpike’s $450 million annual payment to PennDOT plunges by $400 million three years from now, a PennDOT official warned...
Appeals court: Union Pacific owed “no duty of care” to contractor, despite injuries in rail yard
(Source: Cook County Record, June 13, 2019) CHICAGO — An Illinois state appeals court says the employee of a contractor can't sue Union Pacific Railroad for injuries he suffered on a Union Pacific job site. Full story: Cook County Record
Alberta government in talks with oil producers about offloading crude-by-rail contracts
(Source: Reuters, June 11, 2019) CALGARY, Alberta — The provincial government has started talks with the private sector about Canadian oil producers taking over contracts signed by the previous NDP government, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said on Tuesday. The talks...
BLET News
Vice President Cassidy retires; Wingo elevated to Advisory Board
Joe Cassidy, one of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers’ most veteran and well-respected Vice Presidents, formally announced his retirement today. Paul L. Wingo Jr. is now an International Vice President of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.
Meany Center offers hazmat training
The George Meany Center-National Labor College will conduct four hazardous waste/chemical emergency response training programs next year on its campus in Silver Spring, Md. In addition, the Meany Center will also offer five online hazmat awareness training programs in 2002 and 2003.
Hahs calls for emergency anti-terror meeting with carriers, government
In light of the recent warnings by the Federal Bureau of Investigation regarding possible terrorist attacks on America’s railroads, BLE International President Don Hahs today issued an open letter to the nation’s labor organizations, rail carriers, the Federal Railroad Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board asking for an immediate anti-terror summit to address these threats.
BLE-IBT subcommittees begin talks
Joint subcommittees of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters began meetings this week to explore the possibility of a merger or affiliation of the two organizations.
BLE and Carriers agree that remote control operators will not operate locomotives from the locomotive cabs pending arbitration
BLE and the Class I rail carriers involved in the dispute over the assignment of remote control technology have agreed that until the dispute is resolved in arbitration, remote control operators (RCOs) will be instructed not to operate locomotives while they are inside locomotive cabs.
Space remains for November 10-13 S-T training session
There is still room available for Secretary-Treasurers wishing to attend the BLE’s Compliance Class at the George Meany Center in Silver Spring, Md., on November 10-13.
Remote control arbitration deadlines extended
In recognition of the death of UTU General Counsel Clint Miller’s wife, BLE and the carriers have agreed with UTU to extend by two weeks the deadlines for the exchange and filing of submissions and the convening of the arbitration hearing.
BLE schedules two LC workshops for 2003
The BLE’s Education & Training Department is scheduling two Local Chairman Training Workshops next year at the George Meany Center in Silver Spring, Md.
Baton Rouge votes to ban remote control locomotives
By a vote of 10-1, the City Council of Baton Rouge, La., passed a resolution to ban the use of remote control locomotives in the city due to public safety concerns.
Congressional Alert! Amtrak facing crisis!
All BLE and GIA members are asked to contact the U.S. House of Representative’s Appropriations Committee immediately to express support for Amtrak.
