Rail Industry News
January 19 ceremony to honor UP workers who died in Pecos derailment
The ceremony will take place at the West of the Pecos Museum at 4 p.m.
DOT announces over $1.1 billion in new grants to reduce train-vehicle collisions and blocked rail crossings
The grants for communities in 41 states will fund construction of railroad overpasses and underpasses, helping to reduce the risk of collisions between trains and roadway users and prevent blocked crossings.
Border agency seeks to close security gaps on rail exports to Canada, Mexico
Proposed rule includes penalties of up to $100,000 for each violation.
2 killed, 3 injured when UP train derails in Pecos, TX, after collision
BLET President Eddie Hall said the derailment “should serve as a wake-up call to legislators to improve rail safety.”
January 6, 2025, marks 20th anniversary of Graniteville tragedy
BLET locomotive engineer Chris Seeling was killed in the crash on January 6, 2005. He was 47 years old.
A NJ Transit rail strike could be coming soon
A second Presidential Emergency Board, #252, is evaluating both sides of the argument.
NS line to Asheville, N.C., to be closed until March 2025
Reopening will include 12 miles east of Asheville, N.C; Old Fort Loops segment still being inspected
Analysis: Railroads head into 2025 with headcount momentum to support growth
CSXT, BNSF Railway, and Union Pacific have larger T&E rosters than they did a year ago. Norfolk Southern’s year-over-year T&E roster is down 6%.
Wyoming and Montana seek to reverse decision that would end Powder River Basin coal leases
The move came after a federal court ordered the agency to re-evaluate its environmental review criteria to include both limited leasing and no coal leasing options.
Railroads ramp up the use of artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is weaving itself into the daily operations of big U.S. railroads, helping managers make data-backed decisions about operating plans and identify trends among virtually any t process.
Supreme Court to hear argument on new U.S. rail line
The 88-mile Uinta Basin Railway would connect Utah oil fields to the national rail network, enabling up to 350,000 barrels of crude oil per day to travel on trains as long as two miles.
The decline of North America’s hump yards
Only 36 left, hump yards remain enormously important to the carload network
CSX’s appeal to Supreme Court tests reach of antitrust law
Freight rail giant CSX has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to revive its lawsuit accusing rival Norfolk Southern of denying access to a key East Coast terminal, costing CSX hundreds of millions of dollars in lost profits.
More people are riding Amtrak than ever before, and improvements are on the way
Amtrak said its goal is to double its ridership to 66 million passengers a year by 2040.
Amtrak notches ridership and revenue record for FY 2024
A 24% gain in ticket revenue from long-distance trains compared to 2019, in spite of constricted coach and sleeping car capacity, generated a 6% rise in total revenue.
BNSF wraps up Kansas double-tracking project, reaching milestone on Southern Transcon
The Kansas double-tracking project began in 2019 and continued the legacy of the Santa Fe, which in 1992 committed to adding a second main all the way from Los Angeles to Chicago.
STB scolds Union Pacific for lack of cooperation
The strongest words, however, come in a concurrence to the unanimous decision by Board Chairman Robert Primus.
NS makes deal with Ancora to prevent another fight for control of the railroad
Under the deal, Norfolk Southern will add another independent director to its board and work to further improve its operations.
DOT announces nearly $1.5 billion for 19 projects along Northeast Corridor
The NEC is one of the busiest and most economically significant rail corridors in the world, with hundreds of thousands of daily riders in a region that represents 20 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product.
Flurry of contract deals come as railroads, unions see Trump’s election looming over talks
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen union has been unwilling to sign onto any of these early deals.
BLET News
2026 BLET SCHOLARSHIP DIRECTORY: Financial aid is available to the dependents of BLET members
BLET members and their dependents seeking academic scholarships are encouraged to explore the 2026 BLET Scholarship Directory, a resource for a variety of financial aid programs. If you or a family member are looking for scholarship opportunities, don’t delay....
MBTA considering bids for new transit operator
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) is taking bids to handle transit operations and maintenance at the nation’s fifth-busiest commuter rail system. According to a report from NBC Boston, the list of potential bidders includes Keolis, Alstom Transport USA...
BLET-backed rail safety bill signed into law requiring two-person crews, wayside detectors
Outgoing New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed a BLET-backed rail safety bill into law last week. The bill mandates a minimum of two crew members on hazardous material trains and requires the proper installation and ongoing maintenance of wayside detector systems....
FRA moves to reestablish RSAC safety program
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has announced that it will reestablish the Railroad Safety Advisory Committee (RSAC), an important venue for labor, management, shippers and federal regulators to collaboratively discuss and develop rules to improve safety in...
UP-NS merger: Mark it “return to sender.” STB rejects merger application.
In a unanimous decision announced on January 16, the Surface Transportation Board rejected the merger application filed by Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern as “incomplete.” The STB said the merger application does not contain certain information required by the...
Register soon for rail worker hazmat training
BLET members should act quickly to register for a spot in one of two upcoming rail worker hazardous materials training sessions scheduled for February and March. Spaces are limited and the courses are filling up quickly. These 40-hour, in-person classes will be held...
Rail worker fatigue: Railroads thwart safety fixes, costing lives
A widely circulated analysis by the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism has found that too little is being done to counter safety lapses related to fatigue in the railroad industry, leading to preventable accidents and death. Behind the lax oversight is the...
Education & Training: Training to assist with U.S. Department of Labor reporting announced for February
The BLET National Division Education & Training Department will offer a full slate of training opportunities throughout 2026. Two Secretary-Treasurer classes are confirmed for February: LM-3 / LM-4 Refresher Class (Zoom) Dates: Feb. 17–19, 2026 • Class One: Tue.,...
Still time to apply for a Union Plus scholarship: Deadline is January 31
Rising education costs are making it difficult for many union families to afford the cost of tuition. That’s one reason Union Plus, which provides important consumer benefits to union members and retirees, offers a unique scholarship program. It has distributed more...
Union coalition requests second PEB in dispute with LIRR
Last week a coalition of five rail unions that includes BLET, representing the majority of unionized workers at the Long Island Rail Road, wrote to the White House to formally request that a second Presidential Emergency Board (PEB) be appointed to resolve a nearly...
