Rail Industry News
AAR reports rail traffic for week ending May 25, 2019
(Source: Association of American Railroads press release, May 29, 2019) NEW YORK — The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending May 25, 2019. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 527,966 carloads and...
China’s new 373 mph maglev train will be the world’s fastest
(Source: Robb Report, May 28, 2019) Taking the train through China is about to get a lot more interesting—and about 100 mph faster. Late last week in Shandong province, state-owned rail company China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC) unveiled the body prototype...
Plans underway for “largest single-terminal container facility in the western hemisphere”
(Source: Railway Age, May 29, 2019) NEW YORK — The St. Louis Regional Freightway and the Port of Savannah are forging a partnership to create a new connection between the St. Louis, Mo., region and what aims to be “the largest single-terminal container facility in the...
North Dakota rail safety inspection extended, may be permanent
(Source: Associated Press, May 30, 2019) BISMARCK, N.D. — A state-run rail safety pilot program that supplements federal oversight of oil train traffic will continue for at least two more years and probably will be made permanent, North Dakota’s Republican Senate...
Lawmakers raise security concerns about China building NYC subway cars
(Source: The Hill, May 29, 2019) WASHINGTON, D.C. — A bipartisan group of House members from New York are raising concerns about Chinese involvement in building New York City subway cars, zeroing in on the potential that the new train cars could be hacked or...
UE Union conducts informational picketing, leaves door open to strike at Wabtec plant in Erie, Pa.
(Source: GoErie.com, May 29, 2019) ERIE, Pa. — Wednesday afternoon brought a reminder of cold days in February as members of the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America union carried signs and marched outside the gates of the former GE Transportation...
Positive Train Control may open up railroads to new kinds of cyber attacks, expert says
(Source: Trains Magazine, May 28, 2019) According to a recent report in Trains Magazine, cyber hackers are mostly looking to enrich themselves from railroads, but their efforts could open up a path for even more serious attacks. “A malicious cyber breach of PTC or...
FRA publishes first quarter 2019 PTC status update
(Source: Federal Railroad Administration press release, May 29, 2019) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) today released a status update reflecting railroads’ self-reported progress toward fully implementing positive train control (PTC)...
Q&A Medicare for railroad families
(Source: Railroad Retirement Board press release, May 7, 2019) CHICAGO — The Federal Medicare program provides hospital and medical insurance protection for railroad retirement annuitants and their families, just as it does for social security beneficiaries. Medicare...
CSX CFO Lonegro departs company
(Source: Railway Track & Structures, May 28, 2019) NEW YORK — CSX Corporation (CSX) has announced the departure of Frank Lonegro, executive vice president and chief financial officer (CFO). Full story: Railway Track & Structures
Great Plains flooding sends intermodal loads off-track
(Source: Freight Waves, May 28, 2019) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Flooding has become an unfortunate fact of life for many people in the Great Plains recently. Periods of severe thunderstorms and torrential rain for the past few weeks have finally taken their toll on...
Railroads risk market share by charging shippers excessive fees
(Source: Freight Waves, May 28, 2019) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — The Surface Transportation Board (STB) held two days of hearings on accessorial and demurrage charges last week. What’s the strategic game theory play here? The railroads that are utilizing precision scheduled...
Transport Canada unveils proposed regulation for recording devices on trains
(Source: Freight Waves, May 28, 2019) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — The proposed regulation requires certain passenger and freight railways to install voice and video recording equipment in the cab of the locomotive for the purpose of collecting data on in-cab operating...
Wabtec, UE Union make progress as deadline nears
(Source: GoErie.com, May 28, 2019) ERIE, Pa. — There are important signs of progress as talks continue between Wabtec, which purchased the former GE Transportation on Feb. 25, and the 1,700-member unionized workforce. Full story: www.goerie.com
UE, allies take message to Wabtec shareholders: “One union, one tier”
(Source: United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE) press release, May 20, 2019) PITTSBURGH, Pa. — Chanting “One Union, One Tier” and carrying a banner reading “Don't Derail Our Future,” over 50 UE members and allies picketed Wabtec's shareholder...
Report: DOT Secretary Elaine Chao still owns stock she vowed to divest
(Source: New York Magazine, May 28, 2019) NEW YORK — Prior administrations might argue that the Transportation Secretary owning shares in the largest supplier of gravel mix used in road construction is an explicit conflict of interest. But according to a report from...
CSX increasing train speeds on Alabama route
(Source: www.al.com, May 28, 2019) BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — CSX Transportation is increasing the traveling speed of its trains through parts of Alabama and Georgia. Effective June 1, CSX will increase its maximum speeds from 25 mph to 40 mph on tracks between Waycross,...
Washington State Senator proposes new transportation panel in wake of NTSB’s DuPont derailment report
(Source: www.mynorthwest.com, May 24, 2019) SEATTLE, Wash. — Washington State Senator Steve O’Ban is proposing a new transportation panel in response to the fatal train derailment near DuPont in 2017. Standing at the site of incident, he pointed to some of the...
Relentless severe storm onslaught disrupting freight movement
(Source: Freight Waves, May 23, 2019) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Severe thunderstorms and tornadoes are simply a part of life in the Great Plains, especially in the springtime. But when they come day after day for almost a week, life can go from bad to worse, including in...
Why a rail tunnel under the Hudson River is stuck in Washington, D.C.
(Source: Bloomberg, May 28, 2019) WASHINGTON, D.C. — It’s widely regarded as among the most vital infrastructure projects in the U.S., but it’s been canceled once and now is stuck in limbo. President Donald Trump’s administration ranks the tunnel near the bottom of 37...
BLET News
Amtrak in crisis! Total shutdown possible
By next Tuesday or Wednesday, June 25 or 26, Amtrak could be completely shut down, with bankruptcy filings scheduled for Thursday, June 27. This is the message that has come from a conference call today with Amtrak CEO David Gunn, who stated that the Bush Administration is taking an adverse position on the funding of Amtrak, which, if successful, would shut down the entire Amtrak system by the middle of next week.
CN reaches another ground-breaking labor agreement with BLE
Canadian National (CN) and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (BLE) announced today the signing of a progressive labor agreement covering 415 locomotive engineers who work on CN’s former Illinois Central properties in the United States.
Tell Congress to fund Amtrak
While a movement is underway in Congress to save Amtrak, BLE members are asked to contact their Representatives to make sure the passenger railroad receives the necessary funding to stay in business.
Informational picketing in Kansas City
Members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers conducted informational picketing in Kansas City on Tuesday to protest the Union Pacific Railroad’s replacement of locomotive engineers with pilotless remote control trains.
BLE flag at half mast in honor of fallen Brother
Following the death of BLE member G.D. Shelby, BLE International President Don M. Hahs extended deepest sympathies to Brother Shelby’s family and friends.
Texas crash kills BLE member
A BLE member was killed and three other train crew members were injured in a fiery head-on collision between two Burlington Northern Santa Fe trains near Clarendon, Texas, on May 28.
Teamsters, TTD ask NMB to dismiss UTU request
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) and the AFL-CIO’s Transportation Trades Department (TTD) today filed a joint submission requesting that the National Mediation Board (NMB) dismiss the United Transportation Union’s (UTU) efforts to create a combined craft of “train and engine service employees” on the Kansas City Southern Railway (KCS).
One killed in Panhandle BNSF collision
One person is dead, one is injured and two are still missing after two Burlington Northern Santa Fe freight trains collided head-on this morning near Clarendon, Texas.
DOT warns of possible attack on rail, transit
In light of a warning issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation, BLE International President Don Hahs is asking all train crew members to be extra-vigilant over the Memorial Day weekend.
Engineers asked to sound whistles on Memorial Day
The U.S. Department of Transportation is asking all BLE members to sound their locomotive horns at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day — Monday, May 27.
