Rail Industry News
DOT highlights new efforts to keep communities safe, hold rail industry accountable
As part of its ongoing work to protect the American public, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration laid out a new round of steps focused on the safety and accountability of the freight rail industry.
FRA publishes FY22 safety enforcement report
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has released its annual enforcement report, summarizing regulatory compliance inspections and audits conducted in the past fiscal year by FRA or state inspectors participating in FRA’s rail safety program, as well as the civil penalty enforcement actions arising from them.
Landslide halts Amtrak service between Seattle and Portland
Amtrak service between Seattle and Portland has been canceled through at least Wednesday after a landslide between Vancouver, Wash, and Kelso, Wash., on Monday.
Union Pacific’s new paint scheme
Union Pacific is in the final stage of modifying the paint scheme of its locomotive fleet.
Trans employee says BNSF wouldn’t promote her
A former BNSF worker who was named one of the railroad’s employees of the year in 2021 for her work in supporting LGBTQ+ workers is now suing the railroad where she worked for 30 years, saying that after being promoted regularly earlier in her career she was denied advancement opportunities after her gender transition.
DOT Secretary Buttigieg pushes to improve rail safety
DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg said the EPA is holding Norfolk Southern accountable for the cleanup, and the DOT is also keeping a close watch on it, too.
Engineers frustrated with railroads even as others get sick time
Tens of thousands of engineers remain frustrated with the lack of paid sick time and the demands railroads like BNSF are making in negotiations despite the deals that have been made this year for most of the other rail unions.
Bipartisan Railway Safety Act of 2023 heads to Commerce Committee vote
This law creates a statutory requirement that all trains operated by Class I railroads are operated with two crew members. This ensures that the public is not used in a test case for finding out if things could have been worse with only one crew member on the East Palestine train.
Senate committee to vote May 10 on bipartisan rail safety bill
The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee on Wednesday will vote on sweeping bipartisan rail safety legislation prompted by a Norfolk Southern-operated train derailment on Feb. 3 in Ohio.
UP’s appeal of CPKC merger can be summed up in one word: Laredo
Union Pacific’s decision to challenge the Surface Transportation Board’s approval of the Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern merger is likely a last-ditch attempt to protect its cross-border traffic from upstart CPKC. Competition at Laredo is chief among Union Pacific’s concerns.
Coal company demands emergency service from BNSF
Navajo Transitional Energy Company (NTEC) has gone to the U.S. Surface Transportation Board, the independent federal agency charged with overseeing the nation’s railroads, demanding an “emergency service” order — essentially asking the federal government to force BNSF to move coal.
CN objects to CPKC’s data reporting intentions under STB oversight
CN is taking issue with the amount of data reporting that Canadian Pacific Kansas City wants to submit to the Surface Transportation Board as part of the board’s post-merger oversight.
NS train blocking Alabama neighborhood for five days has finally been moved
A representative from Norfolk Southern confirmed to WBRC that a train that has been parked on Cardiff Lynn’s Crossing Road has now been moved.
Belt Railway of Chicago eyes participation in close call reporting program
The Belt Railway Company of Chicago (BRC) is seeking to join the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) voluntary confidential program (C3RS) that allows railroads and their employees to report close calls.
Proposed bill would create new commission to oversee MBTA safety
Members of the Joint House Committee on Transportation met on Monday to hear proposals for several bills geared toward improving or changing the way people in the state get around.
BNSF’s Q1 2023 profit sags as volume declines 10%
The railroad’s operating ratio was 68.4%, a 3.8-point increase from a year ago, as costs rose 7.8%. Overall volume declined by 10.3% in the first quarter.
UP takes STB to court over CP-KCS merger
UP had expressed concerns during STB hearings on the merger that the board needed to impose conditions upon CP and KCS that would ensure competition at interchanges.
PHL displays battery locomotive at ceremony for graduating locomotive engineers
Pacific Harbor Line (PHL) and the Federal Railroad Administration today welcomed the latest PHL class of locomotive engineers to serve the important role of moving millions of shipping containers 24/7 at the Los Angeles/Long Beach ports complex.
Elevated cancer rates found near rail chemical spill in Kansas
Kansas health officials have identified elevated levels of liver cancer among people living in several historically Black neighborhoods in Wichita where groundwater was polluted by a Union Pacific rail yard chemical spill.
Six rail systems receive $700 million in federal grants for new equipment
Six rail transit systems will receive more than $700 million in grants to replace aging railcars under grants announced May 5 by the Federal Transit Administration.
BLET News
Missouri’s elected leaders discuss need for rail safety after East Palestine
Missouri State Representatives Robert Sauls (front row, 3rd from left) and Patty Lewis (front row, 4th from left) with BLET members from Missouri. _____________________ Elected government leaders from the State of Missouri addressed BLET members during the Western...
SMART-TD President Continues Misinformation Campaign
A Message to the Members: From the BLET Advisory Board June 11, 2024 Dear Brothers and Sisters: This is an open letter from the BLET Advisory Board in response to the comments made by the President of the Transportation Division of the International Association of...
FRA to relaunch remote control RSAC group
From left: BLET President Eddie Hall, FRA Administrator Amit Bose, First VP Mark Wallace and National S-T David Estes ____________________ FRA Administrator Amit Bose revealed during his speech at the BLET Western Regional Meeting in Kansas City that the FRA will soon...
Kansas City: BLET wraps up 2024 Western Regional Meeting
Thursday, June 6, was the final day of BLET’s Western Regional Meeting in Kansas City, Missouri. More than 300 BLET members participated in educational workshops and specialized training for Local Chairmen, Legislative Representatives, and Secretary-Treasurers....
Nevada: Don’t roll the dice on railroad safety
It’s been a year since Nevada’s governor vetoed an important rail safety bill, and the BLET is marking this anniversary by calling on Nevada legislators to put rail safety over corporate profits. A joint message from Brother Matt Parker, Chairman of the Nevada State...
CN-IC, Iowa Northern: Members ratify new implementing agreement
BLET members have voted in favor of an implementing agreement regarding the Canadian National-Illinois Central Railway’s (CN-IC) acquisition of the Iowa Northern Railway. Ballots were tabulated on May 30, 2024. The implementing agreement addresses changes in...
Ohio: House of Representatives passes “Stop, Look and Listen” rail safety bill
Dr. Michele Grim (front row, fourth from right) marched with BLET members at the 2023 Toledo Labor Day parade. ____________________ The Ohio House of Representatives has passed a BLET-backed railroad safety bill. The bill’s primary sponsor — Dr. Michele Grim, Ohio...
BLET’s National Legislative Board Chairmen hold annual meeting with Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives among the guests
From left: Jordan Wheeler, Div. 234 and Ross County (Ohio) Clerk of Courts; John Esterly, Ohio SLB Chairman; and Jason Stephens, Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives. ____________________ Members of the BLET’s National Association of State Legislative Board...
Remote control: BLET stands on the side of safety, others stand with management
In his remarks to The New York Times, BLET First Vice President Mark Wallace was highly critical of the Union Pacific Railroad regarding remote control train operations. “We have seen an aggressive approach by Union Pacific to take remote controls outside the...
Explosive New York Times investigative report exposes dangers of remote control operations
The BLET questions the safety of remote control train operations and demands safety reforms in a sweeping investigative report published by the New York Times on May 27 (via Yahoo, no subscription necessary). This major news story with national implications came about...
