Rail Industry News
U.S. Rep. Nehls to chair House railroad subcommittee
U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) has been named the new chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s (T&I) Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials.
NJ Transit rail operations celebrates 40 years of service
January 1, 2023 marked the 40th anniversary of NJ Transit assuming control and management of the operations of New Jersey’s commuter rail network, previously operated by Conrail under contract to NJ Transit and the State of New Jersey.
CSX loses federal injunction bid in rail antitrust case
CSX Transportation Inc has lost another key ruling in its antitrust lawsuit seeking greater access to a large Virginia port, after a U.S. judge said he had no power to issue an injunction against rival freight rail operators that control tracks.
Amtrak eyes STB investigation into substandard Sunset Limited service
Amtrak in December called on the Surface Transportation Board (STB) to initiate an investigation into “substandard” customer on-time performance for Sunset Limited service between Louisiana and California.
Century-old train tunnels in Baltimore and New York to get funding from Biden’s infrastructure law
The president is making two big funding announcements this week to address bottlenecks at century-old train tunnels in Baltimore and New York City – two projects that have struggled for years to acquire enough money to get off the ground.
STB says CP-KCS merger would cause adverse noise pollution
The Surface Transportation Board’s Office of Environmental Analysis upheld its conclusion that increased railroad noise levels in some communities would be the greatest environmental impact resulting from the merger between Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern, according to a final statement released Friday.
Evacuation lifted after UP hazmat spill in Louisiana
Residents evacuated because of a Union Pacific derailment Friday night were allowed to return home Sunday evening after leaks in two tank cars were contained.
UP cleaning up after third derailment in eight months near Pocatello
Crews spent Monday morning clearing a train derailment near the Union Pacific train station in Old Town Pocatello. This is the third Union Pacific derailment near Pocatello since June.
1 of 4 spikes driven at Promontory Summit fetches $2.2 million at auction
The Arizona spike, which was ceremoniously driven in Utah to mark the transcontinental railroad completion in 1869, sold for a little more than $2 million during an auction that closed Thursday.
Biden to highlight plans to replace 150-year-old rail tunnel in Baltimore
Ulysses S. Grant was still president when workers finished the Baltimore and Potomac Tunnel, which connected Philadelphia and Washington through rail travel for the first time.
STB denies Class Is’ petition to stay rate arbitration program
The Surface Transportation Board this week denied four Class Is’ petition to stay a specific requirement of the board’s new small rate case arbitration program.
North Louisiana families evacuated after UP derailment, hazmat spill
About 130 people in north Louisiana were ordered to evacuate Saturday after a train derailed and at least two cars began leaking hazardous products, state police said. No injuries were reported.
NS locomotive catches fire near Pittsburgh
A Norfolk Southern locomotive caught on fire on Sunday morning in Westmoreland County.
Final environmental review finds few problems with CP-KCS merger
The Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern merger would cause few adverse environmental impacts aside from increased train noise in some locations, the Surface Transportation Board said in its final environmental impact statement today.
CPKC offers plan to address traffic issues in Chicago-area suburbs
As part of their merger, Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern will work with a group of Chicago-area communities on voluntary measures to address traffic concerns in those communities.
Opinion: High-speed rail is key to American competitiveness
With the introduction of new infrastructure funding and renewed public interest in rail transportation, now is the time to turn our high-speed vision into reality.
UP ends weather-related embargo in Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin
Union Pacific on Thursday ended the weather-related embargo it imposed on traffic moving to and from locations in Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin on Dec. 29.
Railroaders seek quality of life improvements
BLET First Vice President Mark Wallace is pressing UP to expand a new scheduling model across the railroad.
UP actions prompt SMART-TD departure from safety program
GC Roy Davis served UP’s brass notice, saying that he and the union would no longer be part of the hypocritical exercise of hiding behind the existence of the UP’s Safety Program.
Lawmakers advance bill limiting length of freight trains in Iowa
The subcommittee voted unanimously to forward House Study Bill 88 to the full House Transportation Committee for passage that would limit the length of freight trains operating in the state to 8,500 feet, or roughly 1.6 miles.
BLET News
2023 Eastern Regional Meeting draws members from across the country, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy delivers keynote speech
It may be called BLET’s Eastern Regional Meeting, but the union’s gathering in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, this week was packed with 450 members from 177 BLET Divisions who traveled from 39 states. Attendees had an opportunity to learn from the union’s Advisory...
BLET’s longest-serving General Chairman, John Karakian of the Grand Trunk Western, is reelected by acclamation
General Chairman John M. Karakian was reelected by acclamation to his ninth consecutive term of office at the BLET’s CN-Grand Trunk Western (GTW) General Committee of Adjustment quadrennial meeting, held in Novi, Mich., on August 16, 2023. Brother Karakian, a member...
BLET to hold Local Chairman training class, October 23-27, 2023
The course is designed to help Local Chairmen develop and enhance the skills necessary to provide the best representation possible to our members.
BLET speaks out about NJ Transit strike authorization vote
BLET National President Eddie Hall and First Vice President Mark Wallace were both interviewed by NJ Spotlight News for this article and explain the issues of importance for BLET members. Click here to view the article and watch the video: blet.link/3sa3PJW
BLET conducting strike authorization vote at NJ Transit
NJT’s locomotive engineers, members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET), have been seeking a new contract since October 2019. The contract dispute has been in National Mediation Board-sponsored mediation for nearly three years.
Registration open for Legislative Representative training class, September 24-28, 2023
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, August 3 — The BLET Education & Training Department, in conjunction with the National Legislative Office, will conduct a class for BLET Division Legislative Representatives in Washington, D.C., from September 24-28, 2023. The class will take...
BLET to hold Secretary-Treasurer training class, September 11-15, 2023
The BLET Education and Training Department will conduct a comprehensive Local Division and State Legislative Board Secretary-Treasurer training class from September 11-15, 2023, at the BLET National Division headquarters.
Psota reelected BNSF/MRL General Chairman
Kent J. Psota was reelected to his second term as General Chairman of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe/Montana Rail Link General Committee of Adjustment (BNSF/MRL GCA) at the GCA’s First Quadrennial Meeting in Las Vegas on July 19, 2023. The BNSF/MRL GCA is the...
BLET, BNSF reach tentative agreement on paid sick leave, improvements to work schedules for locomotive engineers
On August 1, the BLET announced it had reached a tentative system-wide agreement with the BNSF Railway that will significantly benefit locomotive engineers. The tentative agreement includes up to eight paid sick leave days and grants access to scheduled time off in an...
Cleveland: Brother Lou Shuster, BLET officer and NS conductor, remembered, honored
A memorial plaque honoring the late Lou Shuster, former president of BLET Division 607, was dedicated in a ceremony on July 26 at Norfolk Southern’s Rockport Yard in Cleveland, Ohio. Brother Lou, 46, was killed in an accident while working as a conductor for NS at a...
