Rail Industry News
CSX, SMART-TD local officer disagree on congestion problems at Selkirk Yard
CSX Transportation is pushing back against allegations a local union official has made regarding operations and safety at the railroad’s hump yard in Selkirk, N.Y.
STB grants request for more mediation time in Gulf Coast dispute
The Surface Transportation Board has granted a request by the parties in the Amtrak Gulf Coast dispute to extend board-sponsored mediation for an additional 30 days.
STB announces new site for CP-KCS public meeting
The meeting set for Sept. 15, 2022, at 6 p.m. CDT will now be held at the Downtown Event Centre, 700 Crockett St., Beaumont, Texas.
CSX rekindles its relationship with venerable Dash-8 locomotives
After selling or retiring its roster of more than 100 General Electric C40-8 locomotives, CSX Transportation once again owns the late-1980s era Dash-8 standard cab locomotive through its June 1 acquisition of Pan Am Railways.
Virginia’s new rail plan unfolding
The statewide rail plan is updated every four years, with 2018 being the last time the state published its long-range plan.
Q&A: Comparison of benefits under Railroad Retirement and Social Security
The following questions and answers show the differences in railroad retirement and social security benefits payable at the close of the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021. They also show the differences in age requirements and payroll taxes under the two systems.
Class Is report slight uptick in July employment levels
Year over year, the category of transportation (train and engine) was up 1.59%.
FRA seeks comment on proposal to codify train crew size requirements
The Federal Railroad Administration is requesting public comment on a proposed rule that would require at least two crew members for most trains.
AFL-CIO kicks off Labor Day early with detailed political plan
The plan features massive from-the-ground-up member-driven involvement, including a feedback loop where workers’ recommendations will adjust the federation’s issue priorities between now and Election Day, and afterwards, President Liz Shuler said.
Can high-speed rail finally become a reality in the U.S.?
We are closer than ever before to the start of experiencing meaningful progress.
AAR reports rail traffic for the week ending August 20, 2022
For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 501,548 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.1 percent compared with the same week last year.
Rail traffic uptick for the week ending August 20
For the week ending Aug. 20, 2022, U.S. rail traffic was up 0.1% over the same week last year; total carloads came in 2.9% higher while intermodal volume continued its downward trend, dipping 2.4%.
Freight railroads, Amtrak ask for more time for Gulf Coast mediation
The parties in the dispute over Amtrak’s effort to launch Gulf Coast service have asked the Surface Transportation Board to extend the period for board-sponsored mediation by 30 days.
For the third time in a year, a freight train derails at the same spot in Tacoma
For the third time in a year, a freight train passing near the Port of Tacoma derailed, knocking down power lines and blocking traffic in the surrounding area Wednesday afternoon.
TSB issues safety recommendations following 2019 CN derailment investigation
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is calling for Transport Canada and the Canadian rail industry to expedite the implementation of automated train control systems and to develop and implement formal crew resource management training, following its investigation of the 2019 CN train collision and derailment in Manitoba.
NTSB investigating Amtrak train, UP maintenance machine collision
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating a collision that occurred July 15 between an Amtrak train and a Union Pacific Railroad roadway maintenance machine in Oakland, California.
The world’s first hydrogen-powered passenger trains are here
The future of environmentally friendly travel might just be here — and it’s Germany that’s leading the charge, with the first ever rail line to be entirely run on hydrogen-powered trains, starting from Wednesday.
Chemical shippers say freight rail service still lacking
A number of chemical shippers still face significant rail service disruptions despite freight railroads’ efforts to improve, according to recent statements from the American Chemistry Council (ACC).
Camanche residents rail against CP, KCS merger
The city of Camanche, population 4,570 at the 2020 census, turned down a $200,000 offer from Canadian Pacific, which is asking for federal regulatory approval to merge with Kansas City Southern.
UP logs volume uptick, adds rail cars to support demand
With its volumes up 2% so far this quarter, Union Pacific Railroad has pulled nearly 3,000 of its own rail cars out of storage to begin adding unit trainsets to support customer demand.
BLET News
BLET’s NASLBC concludes 47th annual meeting
The BLET’s National Association of State Legislative Board Chairmen has met annually since 1975 to hear from each State Chairman about railroad related safety and health issues as well as each state’s political climate.
House Transportation leaders urge FRA to act on fatigue, attendance policies
Leaders of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure are asking the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to take action on a 2008 Congressional mandate to address rail worker fatigue at Class I carriers, with a specific reference to attendance policies such as those imposed at CSX, Union Pacific, and BNSF.
BLET, SMART-TD gather allies at TTD Executive Committee meeting
CLEVELAND, Ohio (April 6) — The nation’s two largest railroad unions continue to gather allies and momentum as they oppose the imposition of precision scheduled railroading (PSR) tactics by Class I carriers that put safety and the health and lives of working people at...
GOP reps encourage BNSF to re-think Hi-Viz
Five Republican U.S. representatives have contacted the BNSF Railway and encouraged its CEO to reengage with its operating unions to alter the highly-restrictive and punitive Hi-Viz attendance policy.
Bragg elected Oklahoma SLB Chairman
Brother N. Shane Bragg, a member of BLET Division 578 (Tulsa, Okla.), was elected Chairman of the Oklahoma State Legislative Board during its quadrennial meeting held March 22-24, 2022, in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
BLET launches electronic delivery of publications
BLET members who prefer to receive the publications in print will continue to do so; those who don’t can update their preferences to view the publications in electronic-only format.
Trumble reelected to fourth term as Michigan State Legislative Board Chairman
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, March 29 — B.J. Trumble was reelected by acclamation to his fourth term as Chairman of the Michigan State Legislative Board at the Board’s Fifth Quadrennial meeting in Lansing, Michigan, March 7-9, 2022. A CN/Grand Trunk Western locomotive...
Union Solidarity, More Important Now than Ever
By Dennis R. Pierce, BLET National President (BLET Editor’s Note: The following message from President Pierce has been excepted from the January-March 2022 issue of the Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen News.) INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, March 28 — In the piece that I wrote...
BLET, SMART-TD pursue arbitration to resolve Hi-Viz dispute
After thoroughly examining all possible avenues to best continue the Unions’ fight against the BNSF Hi-Viz attendance policy, BLET and SMART TD announced today that they will proceed as expeditiously as possible to arbitration over the policy.
Video of Pierce House testimony now available
A video of BLET President Dennis Pierce’s recent testimony before the House Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous materials is now available.
