Rail Industry News
Class I railroads’ chemical carload growth continues amid economic uncertainty: analysis
U.S. Class I railroads continue hauling more chemicals than before, an area of growth even though higher interest rates are raising fears that the U.S. economy could begin contracting.
BNSF derailment in Montana leads to 31,000-gallon gasoline spill
A BNSF freight train derailed late Friday night outside of Bridger, and dozens of crew members have been onsite around the clock clearing the debris. Although neither of the two people onboard the train were harmed, an estimated 31,000 gallons of gasoline spilled from damaged cars.
Georgia lawmakers respond to NS trains blocking crossings, delaying first responders
Norfolk Southern says the train blocks the Juliette crossing for a number of reasons, like mechanical issues, staffing shortages, and even for crews to take “mandated rest times” of up to four hours. Some Georgia lawmakers are now trying to hold the railroad accountable.
Railroad executives want to eliminate conductors — and exhausted rail workers are terrified
What scares conductor Brian Raleigh the most about the idea of one-person train crews is that trains hauls chemicals, coal and other hazardous materials through towns each day. “It’s not just about saving my partner,” Raleigh said. “It’s about saving my community.”
CN warns regulators that CP-KCS merger could hurt service and competition
Canadian National, which lost the battle for Kansas City Southern to rival Canadian Pacific last year, tried to plant seeds of doubt about the CP-KCS merger in lengthy testimony before federal regulators on Thursday.
Class I railroads’ focus on efficiency, simplicity likely to phase out the piggyback era: analysis
Class I railroads’ focus on efficiency and simplifying service is making trailer-on-flatcar service obsolete.
Teamsters back bill toughening antitrust law as way to crack down on big business
The Teamsters are joining a coalition of more than 35 public interest, labor, and civil society organizations in urging passage of legislation that would raise merger fees on gigantic corporations to beef up funding for antitrust enforcement agencies.
UP train slammed into empty rail cars but unclear why, NTSB says
The collision that killed two Union Pacific employees earlier this month in Southern California happened when the train slammed into 92 empty railcars that had been stored on a side track for nine months, NTSB investigators said Thursday.
AAR reports rail traffic for week ending September 24, 2022
Total carloads for the week ending September 24 were 231,258 carloads, down 3.2 percent compared with the same week in 2021, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 257,853 containers and trailers, down 5.4 percent compared to 2021.
Q&A: Disability Annuities for Railroad Employees
The Railroad Retirement Act provides disability annuities for railroaders who become totally or occupationally disabled. Medicare coverage before age 65 is also available for totally disabled employees and those suffering from ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) or chronic kidney disease.
CP and KCS tout and defend their merger on first day of regulatory hearings
On September 28’s first day of public hearings regarding their proposed merger, Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern sought to blunt criticism of their $31 billion combination by preemptively addressing concerns raised by other Class I railroads, Chicago-area commuter railroad Metra, and lineside communities in the Midwest.
Whistleblower questions CP police force powers in U.S. after KCS merger
While much of the focus on the proposed merger between Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern has been on keeping cross-border gateways open to competing railroads, a Canadian attorney is asking whether there will be national security consequences if a corporate police force run by a foreign entity is operating on U.S. soil.
At STB hearing, Quad Cities mayor testifies against CP-KCS merger
The Surface Transportation Board is holding hearings where, on Wednesday, former Davenport Mayor Bill Gluba spoke out against the CP-KCS merger.
Machinists union strikes improved tentative deal with U.S. railroads
The agreement, that covers 4,900 members, will now be put for a vote by members, a division of International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) said in a statement.
IBEW members approve new railroad labor contract
Rail workers with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) have voted to ratify the union’s labor contract with U.S. freight railroads. IBEW joins two other unions, the Transportation Communications Union/IAM and the Brotherhood of Railway Carmen, that voted to ratify their contracts. IBEW has nearly 4,000 members working for member carriers of the National Carriers Conference Committee (NCCC), the group representing the railroads in labor negotiations.
Man who assaulted locomotive engineer charged with attempted hijacking
A man from Sauk Rapids is charged with attempted hijacking of a BNSF train and assaulting the engineer.
CSX, NS stocks sink to near two-year lows after analysts cite “deteriorating outlook”
Shares of CSX Corp. and Norfolk Southern Corp. both sank toward the lowest levels in nearly two years Tuesday, after UBS analyst Thomas Wadewitz backed away from his long-time bullish stances on the railroad operators, citing a “deteriorating” economic outlook.
Senator Baldwin introduces bill to address common-carrier rules
U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) introduced a bill this week seeking to better define railroads’ common-carrier rules and establishing criteria for the Surface Transportation Board to consider when assessing complaints about service issues, as well as a timeline to do so.
To avoid next crew crisis, railroads need to broaden their appeal to younger workers
In order to attract, hire, and retain conductors – and avoid crew shortages that snarl operations and hurt service – Class I railroads need to make the job more appealing to today’s workers.
Police say man jumped on freight train, attacked locomotive engineer with knife in Minnesota
A man is facing felony charges for allegedly attacking a train engineer with a knife, causing the victim to flee by jumping from a moving locomotive Tuesday near Sauk Rapids, Minnesota.
BLET News
BLET opens Denver regional meeting
More than 370 members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen and their families convened in Denver, Colorado, on the morning of June 14 for opening ceremonies of the BLET’s first regional meeting of 2022.
United Rail Unions statement on national bargaining, June 9, 2022
The Rail Unions remain united in their effort to negotiate a fair agreement and stand together in rejecting all proposals that the rail carriers have advanced in our mediation sessions. Our members are the backbone of the rail network and they have earned a contract that recognizes their contributions. None of the Carrier proposals to date come close to that.
Arrangements announced for former BLET VP Paul Wingo
The family will receive friends at the Maple Grove Baptist Church (9525 Birchwood Pike, Harrison, TN 37341) on Thursday, June 9, from 4:00-6:00 p.m., and a service will follow at 6:00 p.m. Brother Wingo will be laid to rest with military honors on Monday, June 13 (10:30 a.m.), at the Chattanooga National Cemetery (1200 Bailey Ave, Chattanooga, TN 37404).
Groose reelected Missouri State Legislative Board Chairman
Calvin L. Groose was reelected by acclamation to his second term as Chairman of the Missouri State Legislative Board at its quadrennial meeting in Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri, May 15-17, 2022.
Former BLET Vice President Paul Wingo, 1944-2022
Paul L. Wingo Jr., retired International and National Vice President of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, passed away on June 6, 2022. He was 78 years old.
BLET hero drowns while rescuing children from riptide
BLET member Zackary T. Stine, age 36, of Division 182 (North Little Rock, Ark.), bravely and selflessly sprang into action after a group of four small children got caught in a riptide out in the river at Soggy Bottom Trails, an ATV park in Oklahoma.
United Rail Unions statement on national bargaining, June 2, 2022
These joint mediated negotiations, under the direction of the NMB Board Members themselves, resulted from the Unions’ request to be released from mediation after more than two years of bargaining with the major U.S. Class I railroads.
BLET-backed two-person crew bill advances in New York state
The BLET-backed two person crew bill — S3953B — has been passed by both the New York State Assembly and Senate, and members who live in New York state are urged to contact Governor Kathy Hochul’s office and ask her to sign the bill into law.
Memorial Day 2022
Statement by BLET National President Dennis Pierce: Each year on Memorial Day, our Brotherhood pays tribute to the men and women who have given their lives serving in our military. It is an important holiday for the BLET and its members as we honor the fallen for defending our country and our way of life.
Timothy T. Price, 1969-2022
Timothy T. Price, Chairman Emeritus of the Ohio State Legislative Board, passed away on May 15, 2022, after a battle with cancer. He was 53 years old.
