Rail Industry News
12 rail unions and NCCC enter cooling-off period
Absent agreements or the establishment of a Presidential Emergency Board (PEB), the parties could exercise Self-Help as of 12:01 a.m. EDT, July 18, 2022.
IBEW workers on strike at CN in Canada
CN workers have gone on strike after failing to reach an agreement on Saturday over benefits and wages, according to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers lead negotiator.
UP hit with STB emergency service order for California poultry, feed producer
The emergency service order, issued in response to a plea this week from Foster Farms, directs UP to give preference and priority to unit trains bound for Foster’s facilities at Turlock and Traver, Calif.
Cleanup underway after massive UP coal train derailment in Kansas
Just after 5p.m. Friday, coal cars detached from an engine on Union Pacific tracks at North 1900 Road, according to the Douglas County Sheriff’s office.
Drone’s infrared camera helps check derailed rail cars for fire near Lawrence, Kansas
A drone’s infrared technology was used this weekend to help check for dangerous hot spots after about 40 rail cars of a Union Pacific Corp. coal train derailed near Lawrence, police said in a release.
Sen. Hoeven presses BNSF over backlog of rail cars
North Dakota’s senior senator is concerned about the backlog of rail cars in North Dakota and has called on Burlington Northern Santa Fe’s chief executive officer to continue working on the issue.
Blocked crossings become daily occurrence in Houston’s Fifth Ward, East
Workers like Jesse Torres, along with people going to school or work are forced to wait sometimes past eight hours as 100 trains a day from three different railroad companies block intersections, blow loud horns and even park trains behind homes while hauling goods as they pass through.
IBEW threatens strike at CN in Canada
The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) has notified CN of its intention to strike as of 11 a.m. ET on July 18, the Class I railroad reported June 15.
FRA requiring railroads to submit worker fatigue management plans
The Federal Railroad Administration is now requiring the Class I railroads, Amtrak and commuter railroads to include fatigue risk management plans as part of their larger system safety and risk reduction programs.
FTA orders safety improvements to Boston’s transit-rail system
The Federal Transit Administration yesterday ordered the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) and the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) to take immediate action on safety issues at the greater Boston transit agency.
LIRR, Metro-North set new pandemic-era ridership records
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced this week that Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad set new pandemic-era ridership records on June 14.
AAR reports rail traffic for week ending June 11, 2022
For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 510,295 carloads and intermodal units, down 3.6 percent compared with the same week last year.
STB calls “time out” in Mobile slugfest
The issue was how much infrastructure would have to be built before Amtrak can run two daily round trips between New Orleans and Mobile.
Railroad talks stall, so Biden likely to pick review board
Railroad contract talks remain deadlocked after more than two years of negotiations, so President Joe Biden will likely soon have to appoint a board to help settle the dispute.
For House Rail Subcommittee, an earful on safety
The aim: for members “to hear from government and stakeholder witnesses about the state of freight rail safety and issues pertinent to keeping rail operations, rail workers and communities safe.”
Class I railroads slammed over gaps in rail service recovery plans
The Surface Transportation Board is criticizing the four major U.S. Class I railroads for not providing enough pertinent information on their rail service recovery plans, and it is asking the railroads to supplement what they have already provided.
Rail traffic down for 16th straight week
U.S. freight rail traffic dipped again in Week 23, compared with the prior-year period, as carloads were down 2.8% and intermodal fell 4.4%.
Chairs DeFazio, Payne Jr. statements from hearing on freight rail safety
The following are opening remarks, as prepared for delivery, from Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Chair of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Donald M. Payne, Jr. (D-NJ) during today’s hearing titled, “Examining Freight Rail Safety.”
Small shipper’s case against UP tests railroad common-carrier obligation
Union Pacific has asked federal regulators to dismiss a shipper’s complaint that claims the railroad violated its common-carrier obligations by providing unreliable service and unilaterally reducing local service from five days per week to three.
Metra says new analysis shows CP-KCS merger would vastly increase commuter rail delays
The impact of the Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern merger on Metra commuter operations is even worse than initially thought, the Chicago area commuter railroad has told federal regulators.
BLET News
Former BLET General Chairman Pat J. Williams, 1951-2020
Brother Pat J. Williams, former General Chairman of the BLET’s BNSF (former AT&SF) General Committee of Adjustment, passed away on October 29 from complications related to a blood infection. Brother Williams was 68 years old.
BLET reaches tentative agreement with NYS&W
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) has reached a tentative agreement with the New York, Susquehanna & Western (NYS&W) Railroad. Ballots have been mailed to active members of the BLET employed by the NYS&W who are eligible to vote in the ratification of this agreement.
BLET’s John Tolman retires; Vince Verna is new Vice President & National Legislative Representative
After a distinguished railroad career that began nearly 50 years ago, BLET Vice President & National Legislative Representative John P. Tolman will retire on November 4, 2020. His alternate, Vincent G. Verna, will succeed to his place on the BLET Advisory Board effective November 5, 2020.
Members can view RRB pre-retirement seminar information online
The Office of the Labor Member is pleased to announce that our Pre-Retirement Seminar presentation is now available to view online. We designed this program to help educate those nearing retirement about the benefits available to them, and what they can expect during the application process.
Open enrollment for 2021 Health FSA ends October 31
Open enrollment for the Health Flexible Spending Account Plan (FSA) 2021 benefit will end on October 31, 2020. Members must enroll in the Health FSA every year — FSA enrollment is not automatic each year so interested members should act soon so they do not miss out on enrollment for the 2021 Plan Year.
President Pierce urges aid for Amtrak/commuters, condemns PSR at Senate hearing
BLET National President Dennis R. Pierce testified today before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation at a hearing titled, “Passenger and Freight Rail: The Current Status of the Rail Network and the Track Ahead.” The hearing examined the current state of America’s passenger and freight rail network, including impacts of COVID-19, and legislative considerations for surface transportation reauthorization legislation.
President Pierce to testify at U.S. Senate hearing on October 21
BLET National President Dennis R. Pierce will testify before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on Wednesday, October 21. The hearing begins at 10:00 a.m. EDT and is titled, “Passenger and Freight Rail: The Current Status of the Rail Network and the Track Ahead.”
On the 40th anniversary of the Staggers Act, Congress should consider the collateral damage to the rail industry, and how to fix it
Below is a statement endorsed by all of the rail unions, which explains how the confluence of dramatic deregulation followed by government approval of the major merger and control transactions that left America with a handful of mega-carriers, leading to the problems currently experienced by shippers, rail workers and communities.
Pearson reelected Colorado State Legislative Board Chairman
Brother Paul E. Pearson of BLET Division 133 (Denver, Colo.) was reelected by acclamation to his second term as Chairman of the Colorado State Legislative Board at its seventh quadrennial meeting on September 24, 2020.
Logan elected UP-SR General Chairman
James Logan Jr. of BLET Division 620 (Fort Worth, Texas) was elected by acclamation to the office of General Chairman at the Union Pacific-Southern Region General Committee of Adjustment’s (UP-SR GCA) quadrennial meeting on September 8, 2020.
