Rail Industry News
STB concerned Class I service troubles could impact grain harvest season
In light of recent freight-rail service problems, the Surface Transportation Board is expressing concern about the Class Is’ ability to meet grain shipping demand during the upcoming harvest season.
CSX, NS say new conductors slowly entering service
Norfolk Southern and CSX Transportation executives say their railroads are slowly on the mend as more conductors begin active duty and start to ease the crew shortages that have caused widespread service problems.
Americans are ready for high-quality passenger rail
America should always lead the way in technology and infrastructure — and that means Americans shouldn’t have to look abroad to see world-class passenger rail. But for far too long, our country has struggled to maintain our existing railways, let alone prepare for the future.
CSX cancels Santa Train for third straight year
For the third year in a row, the CSX Santa Train, a legacy of predecessor Clinchfield Railroad, will be sidelined — this time because of staffing and supply-chain issues.
STB approval of Uinta Basin Railway challenged
The Surface Transportation Board’s (STB) “inadequate” assessments of the Uinta Basin Railway project’s climate, public health and safety impacts undermine its approval of the project under the Interstate Commerce Commission Termination Act, according to a Colorado County and environmental groups, Law360 reports.
BNSF to end California traffic embargo in September
BNSF Railway on Sept. 4 will end its embargo on certain types of carload traffic bound for California, saying that the restrictions enabled the railway to reduce traffic backlogs on its Southern Transcon.
AAR reports rail traffic for the week ending August 13, 2022
For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 502,775 carloads and intermodal units, down 0.3 percent compared with the same week last year.
Iowa town turns down CP offer to address KCS merger traffic concerns
Canadian Pacific offered Camanche $200,000, for closing two of the seven railroad crossings in Camanche to cross traffic.
DOT announces $233 million in grants to upgrade intercity passenger rail service
The U.S. Department of Transportation today awarded over $233 million to 11 projects in 8 states to improve and modernize vital intercity passenger rail service.
Homeland Security allots preparedness grants to public transit, Amtrak
Of the money allotted, $93 million will be provided to owners and operators of public transit systems and $10 million will be provided to Amtrak to “protect critical surface transportation and the traveling public from acts of terrorism and to increase the resilience of transit infrastructure.”
NS to face daily fines if it doesn’t remove soybeans from waterway after derailment
The Department of Natural Resources’ Environmental Protection Division has ordered Norfolk Southern to remove soybeans from Flat Creek under threat of penalties up to $50,000 per day.
Disqualified for disabilities, railroad workers fight back
Hundreds of Union Pacific employees are fighting back with federal lawsuits after losing their jobs because of health issues.
UP says Q3 2022 volumes up 2% over 2021
U.S. railroad operator Union Pacific’s Chief Financial Officer Jennifer Hamann said on Tuesday the company’s third-quarter volumes were up 2% so far from a year earlier, on improved staffing levels and easing congestion.
Rising Canadian crude output triggering more crude by rail
Canadian crude oil production has exceeded pre-pandemic levels and is poised to hit new records above 5.2 million b/d by the end of 2022, opening up a crude-by-rail arbitrage until pipeline capacity catches up.
North American rail volume down through first 32 weeks of 2022
This is the second consecutive week that total traffic has declined.
Sheng named STB Director
Surface Transportation Board Chairman Martin J. Oberman today announced that he has appointed, with the approval of the Board, Janie Sheng to serve as Director of the Office of Public Assistance, Governmental Affairs, and Compliance (OPAGAC).
BNSF intermodal train derails in Texas
Crews were working to clean up the site of a train derailment which took place overnight Wednesday and involved 17 BNSF train cars.
Report shows contamination in Houston’s Fifth Ward cancer cluster worse than anyone thought
There’s a shocking new bombshell about the cancer cluster in Houston’s Fifth Ward and Kashmere Gardens.
STB chairman “not optimistic” about pace of rail service improvement
Surface Transportation Board Chairman Marty Oberman expressed doubt that the four major U.S. Class I railroads could ramp up rail service and reach the service targets they laid out by December.
Chemical shippers tell STB rail performance has yet to improve
“To date, steps by Class I railroads to boost hiring and other measures have not translated into meaningful service improvements,” the American Chemistry Council (ACC) told the Surface Transportation Board (STB) in an update earlier this month on rail challenges and their impact on U.S. chemical producers.
BLET News
BLET welcomes Amit Bose as new Administrator of FRA
On January 12, 2022, the U.S. Senate confirmed Amit Bose to serve as Administrator of the FRA. Dennis R. Pierce, National President of the BLET, issued the following statement…
Ballots mailed in tentative BLET, Metra agreement
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, January 11 — The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) has reached a tentative contract agreement with Metra, the commuter railroad system serving Chicago. BLET National President Dennis R. Pierce announced that ballots were...
District court denies BLET, SMART-TD bid to halt Metra vaccine mandate
The unions took the position that Metra had no authority to unilaterally implement and enforce a COVID vaccination mandate among its employees without the required bargaining pursuant to the Railway Labor Act (RLA). The court ruled in favor of Metra finding the matter to be a minor dispute.
America’s Largest Transportation Labor Coalition Gains 3 More Unions, Unifies Rail Labor
The BLET and BMWED have re-affiliated with the AFL-CIO’s Transportation Trades Department.
2022 BLET Time Books coming soon
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen is currently mailing 2022 Time Books to all eligible active members of the union.
2022 Hoffa scholarship application process now open
BLET members and their families are advised that the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund has begun accepting applications for the 2022 award year. The Fund awards financial scholarships to the sons, daughters and financial dependents of Teamster members.
Two-person crew bill introduced in Michigan
On December 2, 2021, a railroad safety bill requiring qualified two-person train crews was introduced in the state of Michigan’s House of Representatives and Senate.
BLET to conduct virtual training for Secretary-Treasurers
The BLET Education and Training Department will conduct two virtual training classes for Division Secretary-Treasurers via Zoom from the BLET National Division headquarters in Independence, Ohio. Classes will be held December 14-16, 2021, and January 4-6, 2022.
BLET, SMART-TD suit seeks immediate halt to BNSF and Metra vaccine mandates
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) and the Transportation Division of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers (SMART-TD) have filed motions for preliminary injunctions, seeking to immediately halt unilaterally implemented vaccine mandates imposed by Metra commuter rail and BNSF Railway, and require the carriers to negotiate over the issue.
BLET, SMART-TD suits seek immediate halt to Amtrak vaccine mandate
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) and the Transportation Division of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers (SMART-TD) yesterday filed motions for a preliminary injunction, seeking to immediately halt a unilaterally implemented vaccine mandate imposed by Amtrak, and require the carrier to negotiate over the issue.
