Rail Industry News
AAR: Rail traffic down 17.3 percent from 2015 for week ending June 4
(Source: Association of American Railroads press release, June 8, 2016) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending Jun. 4, 2016. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 455,346 carloads...
Deadline is June 15 in Hoffa Scholarship Essay Contest
As a reminder, the deadline for the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund’s Annual Essay Contest is June 15, 2016. Students who are either the son or daughter of a Teamster member (including BLET, BMWED and GCC) and are currently attending a college, community...
CP cuts off access to rafting on popular B.C. river
(Source: Globe and Mail, June 8, 2016) VANCOUVER — In response to concerns raised by Transport Canada, Canadian Pacific Railway has closed the entrance to a popular white water rafting spot, saying it can’t be used safely by the rafting companies, even though they had...
Port of Vancouver’s rails kept to higher-than-standard stafety level
(Source: The Columbian, June 8, 2016) COLUMBIA, Wash. — Hundreds of things could go wrong with the thousands of locomotives pulling millions of tons of cargo across the country every day. So the Port of Vancouver maintains its 38 miles of track at a higher-than-needed...
Expanded Social Security would curb retirement crisis
(Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters press release, June 8, 2016) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Retirement security is a real challenge for everyday Americans. The reduction of pension availability, the unpredictability of Wall Street and low wages that make it hard...
Crude oil in Oregon derailment exceeded proposed safety limit
(Source: Albany Times Union, June 6, 2016) ALBANY, N.Y. — On Monday, Federal Railroad Administration officials said the oil, being shipped westward in a 96-car train from the Bakken fields of North Dakota, had a vapor pressure of 9.2 pounds per square inch (psi) —...
Editorial: Oil trains are a fact of life; so should rail safety
(Source: Yakima Herald editorial, June 9, 2016) YAKIMA, Wash. — The demand for petroleum products isn’t disappearing anytime soon, and neither are Western Washington’s oil refineries or the Bakken oil fields of North Dakota and Montana. Until all that changes, Pacific...
Washington state governor presses BNSF, UP on oil train safety
(Source: www.klcc.org, June 8, 2016) PORTLAND, Ore. — Washington Gov. Jay Inslee wants oil trains to slow down and safety improvements to speed up. Inslee said Wednesday that he personally delivered that message to the CEO of Union Pacific and the executive chairman...
Sen. Cantwell calls for more federal regulation in light of oil train wreck
(Source: Seattle Times, June 9, 2016) SEATTLE — Sen. Maria Cantwell is calling for federal regulation of Bakken Shale crude in the aftermath of Friday’s derailment at the edge of an Oregon town in the Columbia River Gorge. Full story: Seattle Times
CSX downsizing Winston rail yard operations near Lakeland, Fla.
(Source: Lakeland Ledger, June 8, 2016) LAKELAND, Fla. — CSX is downsizing operations at its Winston switching yard and moving staff and most of the operations to Tampa, The Ledger has learned. Full story: Lakeland Ledger
Derailed train cars emptied of oil, being moved from Mosier
(Source: The Oregonian, June 8, 2016) PORTLAND, Ore. — Crews have removed all the crude oil from 13 derailed Union Pacific train tankers and have begun moving the cars out of Mosier, authorities announced Wednesday. Full story: The Oregonian
Oil train rules move to White House review
(Source: The Hill, June 8, 2016) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Regulators are one step closer to adopting new standards for oil trains that Congress mandated last year. Full story: The Hill
U.S. throws China off high-speed rail project
(Source: Los Angeles Times, June 8, 2016) LOS ANGELES — Nine months after announcing that China would help build a high-speed rail line from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, the private U.S. company behind the plan said late Wednesday that the deal was off Full story: Los...
Railroads jump as commodities rally boosts outlook for carloads
(Source: Bloomberg, June 8, 2016) NEW YORK — CSX Corp., Norfolk Southern Corp., and Union Pacific Corp. climbed as lower coal stockpiles and a commodities rally led by grain and oil hinted that a cargo slump may have hit bottom. Full story: Bloomberg
UP plans Nevada infrastructure improvements
(Source: Union Pacific press release, June 3, 2016) ROSEVILLE, Calif. — Union Pacific plans to invest $33.7 million in 2016 to improve Nevada's transportation infrastructure. The company's multi-million dollar private investment will enhance employee, community and...
Metra blames Amtrak for Monday delays at Union Station
(Source: NBC Chicago, June 7, 2016) CHICAGO — Frustrated riders who waited in long lines at Union Station Monday say something must be done about delays for Metra trains, but Metra said the issue wasn’t the transit agency’s fault. Full story and video: NBC...
Animal fat spills from tanker car along 200-mile stretch of Iowa tracks
(Source: Ames Tribune, June 8, 2016) AMES, Iowa — The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will be following up with Union Pacific Railroad to see what can be done to prevent another spill of animal fat that dribbled from a tanker car along a 200-mile stretch of...
Canadian Pacific closing Davenport maintenance shop
(Source: WQAD, June 5, 2016) DAVENPORT, Iowa — Canadian Pacific Railway will be closing its Nahant maintenance shop in Davenport sometime this summer. Full story and video: www.wqad.com
Long battle ends with strong contract for Teamsters at Roma Food
(Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters press release, June 7, 2016) CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif. — Food distribution drivers and warehouse workers at Roma Food, a Performance Food Group (PFG) company, are celebrating after winning a strong first contract as...
OSHA fines leading rail equipment manufacturer $105,000 for exposing workers to several cancer-causing chemicals, other hazards
(Source: U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) press release, June 1, 2016) SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Federal workplace safety and health inspectors have cited a Steuben County rail manufacturing and repair service facility for 17...
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