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INCOMPLETE:
UP-NS merger: Mark it “return to
sender.” STB rejects merger
application.
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In a unanimous decision announced on January
16, the Surface Transportation Board rejected the merger application filed by Union Pacific and Norfolk
Southern as “incomplete.”
The STB said the merger application does not
contain certain information required by the
Board’s regulations. Among the missing
information was a failure to provide
“projected market shares” regarding future
revenues and traffic volumes. Also, the
railroads incorrectly identified acquisition
of the Terminal Railroad Association of St.
Louis as a minor transaction, while STB
considers it to be a significant transaction.
The railroads have until June 22 to refile
their application.
After researching the merger proposal and
lengthy discussions with corporate leaders at
the two railroads, the BLET in conjunction
with Teamster Rail Conference affiliate
BMWED publicly announced last month their active opposition to
the proposed merger. Combined, BLET and BMWED
represent 53 percent of the unionized
workforce at UP and NS. The merger of the two
Class I railroads, if approved by federal
regulators, would create America’s first
transcontinental railroad.
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RAIL SAFETY:
FRA moves to reestablish RSAC safety
program
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The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has
announced that it will reestablish the
Railroad Safety Advisory Committee (RSAC), an
important venue for labor, management,
shippers and federal regulators to
collaboratively discuss and develop rules to
improve safety in the railroad
industry.
The announcement was published in the Federal Register on January 13.
The restructured RSAC will contain fewer
members than in the past and membership on the
committee will be determined by FRA’s
administrator. BLET, which has long served on
the RSAC, will reapply for its seat at the
table to continue advocating for locomotive
engineers and trainmen in the safety
process.
The RSAC was first established on March 25,
1996, as a forum for collaborative rulemaking
and program development. The goal is to
generate advice and recommendations for the
development and revision of railroad safety
regulations reflecting the perspectives of
experts with different perspectives.
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NEW JERSEY:
BLET-backed rail safety bill signed
into law requiring two-person crews,
wayside detectors
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The New Jersey State House, where BLET members
spent significant time educating the state's
legislators about the much-needed rail safety
legislation.
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Outgoing New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy
signed a BLET-backed rail safety bill into law
earlier this week. The bill mandates a minimum
of two crew members on hazardous material
trains and requires the proper installation
and ongoing maintenance of wayside detector
systems. The bill also authorizes
representatives of labor organizations to
enter railroad property to assist in
inspecting for safety hazards.
The bill had strong bipartisan support. On
December 22, Senate Bill 3389 (PDF) passed by a vote of 28-9 while Assembly Bill 4460 (PDF) passed by a vote of 66-1.
Ray Vigil, Chairman of the
BLET’s New Jersey State Legislative Board,
said he and NJ SLB
Secretary-Treasurer Andrew Arias, along with fellow BLET members throughout
New Jersey, spent significant time lobbying
for passage of the much-needed rail safety
legislation.
“This bill is a cornerstone for rail safety in
our state,” Vigil said. “I want to thank every
lawmaker who supported this legislation.
Republicans and Democrats in New Jersey came
together with a shared commitment to
protecting workers, passengers, and the
public. This bipartisan effort shows that when
it comes to safety, we stand united for the
people of our state.”
Including New Jersey, 12 states now have
crew-size laws on the books: New York, Kansas,
Ohio, California, Wisconsin, Arizona, West
Virginia, Minnesota, Washington, Nevada, and
Colorado.
New NJ Governor Mikie Sherill was sworn into
office on January 20. In November, Brother
Vigil was appointed to serve on Gov. Sherill’s Transition Action
Team as a member of the Transportation and
Infrastructure Innovation Committee.
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MASSACHUSETTS:
MBTA considering bids for new transit
operator
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About 200 BLET members work at MBTA, the
fifth-busiest commuter railroad in the United
States. Photo
by Cory Rusch, BLET Division
659
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Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
(MBTA) is taking bids to handle transit
operations and maintenance at the nation’s
fifth-busiest commuter rail system. According
to a report from NBC Boston, the list of potential bidders includes
Keolis, Alstom Transport USA Inc., Mass
Regional Rail, and Transdev North America
Inc.
 Keolis is the current operator of MBTA’s 14
commuter rail lines, which serve the Greater
Boston region and Rhode Island. MBTA’s rail
ridership averages nearly 90,000 passengers
per weekday.
Final proposals will be submitted in fall of
2026, and the transit agency plans to select
an operator by the end of the year.
Amtrak General Chairman
Pat Darcy said the BLET is
closely monitoring the situation. The Amtrak
GCA represents 200 locomotive engineers who
work at MBTA.
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2026 BLET SCHOLARSHIP
DIRECTORY:
Financial aid is available to the
dependents of BLET members
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BLET members and their dependents seeking
academic scholarships are encouraged to
explore the 2026 BLET Scholarship
Directory, a resource for a variety of
financial aid programs. If you or a family
member are looking for scholarship
opportunities, don’t delay. Deadlines are
quickly approaching.
Each year, the BLET National Division provides
members and their families with a list of
scholarship programs to consider. The National
Division itself does not maintain its own
scholarship program, nor does it oversee or
otherwise play any role in the administration
of any programs included in this directory.
Interested parties are advised to contact the
scholarship providers for additional
information. Those aware of additional
scholarship opportunities not included in this
directory are urged to contact John Bentley in
the BLET Public Relations Department
at: Bentley@ble-t.org.
The 2026 BLET Scholarship Directory can
be found here on the BLET National Division
website.
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SEE YOU THIS SUMMER:
New Orleans, Chicago to welcome BLET
members for 2026 regional
meetings
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The BLET’s 2026 Western Regional Meeting will
be held in New Orleans, Louisiana, the week of
July 13. The 2026 Eastern Regional Meeting
will take place in Chicago, Illinois, the week
of August 24. Please make your plans now to
attend one or both of these meetings. Regional
meetings are open to all BLET members, we hope
to see you there.
More specific details will be announced in the
coming months. Registration information will
be available soon at the BLET National
Division’s regional meeting website, bletregionals.org.
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