Rail Industry News
American Red Cross workers vote to join Teamsters in Maine
(Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters press release, January 5, 2016) SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine — Workers at the American Red Cross’ Portland donation center have voted to join Teamsters Local 340. The blood donation center’s 57 employees will now form a...
One Northeast Corridor plan could route Amtrak trains through Long Island
(Source: CBS New York, January 5, 2016) NEW YORK — The Federal Railroad Administration has proposed massive improvements to Amtrak’s very congested Northeast Corridor. One little known proposal calls for an all new route right through the heart of Long Island. Full...
Crews prepare for next phase of Hartford Line construction
(Source: Hartford Courant, January 5, 2016) WALLINGFORD, Conn. — Two short towers rise from a vacant lot on North Cherry Street and miles of newly graded rail bed run parallel to Route 5 far into North Haven, all signs that the long-planned Hartford Line is coming...
Operation Lifesaver names new President and CEO
(Source: Operation Lifesaver press release, January 5, 2016) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Bonnie Murphy, a former commuter rail executive and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) official, will become President and CEO of Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI) in late January, OLI...
Despite cold-weather woes, MBTA says it’s ready for winter season
(Source: Boston Globe, June 5, 2016) BOSTON — State transportation officials on Tuesday defended their winter preparations on MBTA subway and commuter rail lines after track failures caused a train to derail and resulted in service interruptions on the Red Line as...
Ridership, revenue up for Amtrak’s Southwest Chief route
(Source: Denver Post, January 4, 2016) DENVER — Ridership and ticket revenues for Amtrak's embattled Southwest Chief, which runs through southeast Colorado, rose slightly in 2015 amidst successful efforts to preserve the historic route. Passenger numbers totaled...
Smoke on train delays, disrupts rush-hour SEPTA commute
(Source: Philadelphia Inquirer, January 5, 2016) PHILADELPHIA — SEPTA's regional rail travel got jammed in Center City Tuesday afternoon after a report of smoke in a train caused rush-hour delays of up to an hour. Smoke was reportedly being emitted from overhead...
Spanish team poised to win new California high-speed rail contract
(Source: Fresno Bee, January 5, 2015) FRESNO, Calif. — A construction consortium headed by a Spanish company is in line to win a contract to build the third segment of a high-speed rail line through the San Joaquin Valley. Full story: Fresno Bee
KCS releases annual ‘state of the railroad’ report
(Source: Kansas City Southern press release, January 5, 2016) KANSAS CITY, Mo. — According to Merriam-Webster, resilience is defined as an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change. In 2015, KCS demonstrated resilience in every aspect of its...
11 UP train cars derail in east-central Kansas town of Parker
(Source: Associated Press, January 5, 2016) PARKER, Kan. — Crews are cleaning up after a freight train derailed in east-central Kansas. Union Pacific Railroad said in a written statement that 11 of the train’s 166 cars jumped the tracks around 5 p.m. Monday near the...
Montana Rail Link furloughs 19 jobs in Yellowstone County, including 8 in operations
(Source: The Montana Standard, January 5, 2016) BILLINGS, Mont. — Facing declining shipments of coal, oil and other products, Yellowstone County’s two largest railroads have furloughed family-wage workers to cut costs. In the past two months, Montana Rail Link has...
Leaked letters to STB indicate shipper concerns over proposed CP-NS merger
(Source: Railway Age, January 5, 2016) NEW YORK — Reuters, which originally broke the story late last year about Canadian Pacific’s targeting of Norfolk Southern for acquisition before CP officially announced it, has published excerpts of several letters to the...
CP Rail’s 2015 Holiday Train raises more than $1.4 million for food banks
(Source: Canadian Pacific Railway press release, January 5, 2016) CALGARY — The 17th year of the Canadian Pacific (CP) Holiday Train program saw tremendous crowds, generous donations and big smiles as it etched its way across Canada and the northern U.S. With results...
Teamsters call on Solutions One Industries to recognize union, honor contract
(Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters press release, January 4, 2016) FORT IRWIN, Calif. — Teamsters that provide logistical and warehousing support for the men and women who serve at the Fort Irwin National Training Center are fighting an effort by...
19 New York communities get foam tankers for oil train safety
(Source: Associated Press, December 30, 2015) ALBANY, N.Y. — The federal government is giving 19 New York communities located along major rail lines an extra dose of security. Full story: Ohio.com
2016 could be a costly year for Metro-North
(Source: The Journal News, December 27, 2015) NEW YORK — The nearly $40 million that Metro-North Railroad has shelled out to date to settle legal claims filed after a string of deadly crashes over the past three years will increase substantially in 2016. Full story:...
22 injured when Tri-Rail train hits disabled garbage truck in Fla.
(Source: Associated Press, January 4, 2016) LAKE WORTH, Fla. — Over 20 people were injured when a Tri-Rail train hit a garbage truck stuck on the tracks in Palm Beach County. Full story: Naples Daily News
Wage hikes are latest sign workers are winning
(Source: Teamster Nation blog, January 4, 2016) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The movement to raise the minimum wage paid off for workers Jan. 1 in 14 states and numerous cities across the nation. And it is a testament to the thousands of everyday Americans who took to the...
Fresno making way for high-speed rail
(Source: Fresno Bee, January 3, 2016) FRESNO, Calif. — Drivers heading into downtown Fresno may have to take a detour starting Monday as preparations begin on the demolition of the Tuolumne Street bridge. The one-way bridge, which carries eastbound traffic across the...
Number of pedestrian rail fatalities reaches 20-year high in Washington state
(Source: KOMO News, January 4, 2016) SEATTLE, Wash. — Safety campaigns are being expanded in Washington state to try to keep more people away from train tracks. The efforts come after a record number of pedestrians were killed by trains across the state in 2015....
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