Daily Headlines
AAR reports rail traffic for the week ending April 13, 2024
For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 466,463 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.5 percent compared with the same week last year.
CSX profit drops 10% in Q1 2024; CEO says Baltimore bridge collapse will reduce Q2 revenue by about $25 million per month
The railroad said on April 17 that it earned $893 million, or 46 cents per share, in the first three months of the year as it handled 3% more freight. That’s down from $987 million, or 48 cents per share, a year ago.
BRC-TCU secures sick leave at CPKC
(Source: Transportation Communications Union press release, April 16, 2024) The Brotherhood of Railway Carmen Division (BRC-TCU) is proud to announce that a sick leave agreement has been reached with Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railroad (CPKC). This agreement is in...
STB ends probe of UP’s use of embargoes, but slams railroad’s “delay and obfuscation”
The Surface Transportation Board today closed the book on its investigation of Union Pacific’s record use of congestion-related embargoes in 2022 – but not before scolding the railroad for failing to comply with board orders and requests for information.
Federal agency mandates two-person train crews just weeks after Virginia gov. vetoes bill
Mark Wallace, First Vice President of the BLET, said: “The engineers are a lot of times hyper-focused on the controls, and what’s happening not only on the front of the train, but what’s happening in the middle and on the rear of the train. It’s very helpful, and we think, necessary to have a second crew person on the train with us.”
NS reports preliminary Q1 2024 results
In an outlook for Q1 earnings, which are to be released April 24, Norfolk Southern said adjusted earnings would come in at $2.49 a share and adjusted operating ratio would be 69.9%.
Lawyers want East Palestine residents to wait for details of $600 million derailment settlement
The lawyers who negotiated a $600 million settlement with Norfolk Southern over that railroad’s disastrous 2023 derailment in Ohio want residents to talk with them before deciding the historic deal isn’t enough.
NJ Transit board approves 15% fare hike
NJ Transit’s board convened Wednesday to vote on what would be its first fare hike in nearly a decade, a 15% increase that would take effect on the heels of New York City’s controversial congestion pricing tolls, if all goes according to plan.
$430 million improvement plan for PATH
The two-year program calls for the repair or replacement of infrastructure throughout the system, including rail cars, bridges, tracks and track switches.
NS reaches $600 million settlement to resolve East Palestine class-action lawsuits
But Norfolk Southern didn’t admit to any liability or wrongdoing as a result of the settlement.
Now trains must have two-person crews. Will that continue for airplanes?
Once the Department of Transportation (DOT) on Tuesday unveiled new rules requiring two-member crews on board most freight trains, three U.S. pilot unions raised the question: Can the same policy continue for aircraft?
Report urges railroads to adopt growth strategies to regain freight lost to the highway
Recent research on potential 2030 scenarios for North American Class I railroads shows that focusing on growth — backed by a cost-efficient and reliable operation — is the only strategy likely to lead to long-term value creation.
Logjam at Canadian ports as import surge meets rail shortages
A surge of imports meeting strained rail capacity has pushed up container dwell times at North American west coast ports, especially in Vancouver.
Norfolk Southern prunes intermodal network and puts focus on operating ratio improvement
NS has eliminated 53 low-volume intermodal lanes — or 15% of its intermodal network — that had limited growth prospects. The railroad did not say how much volume would be lost as a result.
Victims of Montana asbestos pollution that killed hundreds take BNSF to court
Almost 25 years after federal authorities responding to news reports of deaths and illnesses descended on Libby, Montana, a town of about 3,000 people near the U.S.-Canada border, some asbestos victims and their family members are seeking to hold publicly accountable one of the major corporate players in the tragedy: BNSF Railway.
AAR reports rail traffic for March and the week ending March 30, 2024
Combined U.S. carload and intermodal originations in March 2024 were 1,889,186, up 4.2 percent, or 75,802 carloads and intermodal units from March 2023.
New train crew rule tests industry’s clout
A new rule finalized by the Federal Railroad Administration will require freight trains in the United States to operate with at least two crewmembers in most circumstances.
U.S. finalizes rule requiring two-person crews on freight trains
The Biden administration announced on Tuesday that it had finalized a new rule that will require the nation’s largest freight railroads to maintain their current staffing of two crew members per train, settling a contentious issue between organized labor and the industry.
TCRC calls for strike authorization vote by CN, CPKC train crews
Leaders of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference told their members on Thursday that a strike vote will be held from April 8 to May 1. If the rank and file vote to authorize a strike, the earliest a walkout or lockout could occur on CN and CPKC in Canada is May 22.
OIG: FRA lacks needed oversight of fatigue management
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) recently found that the Federal Railroad Administration needs to improve its oversight of procedures related to railroad hours of service (HOS) compliance and railroad fatigue management requirements.
BLET News
FRA two-person crew regulation: Teamsters say regulators should resist industry push for single pilot cockpits
As rail labor unions celebrated the Federal Railroad Administration’s new regulation requiring two-person crews on freight trains, airline pilot unions raised the question: Can the same policy continue for aircrafts? While current U.S. regulations require two pilots...
Register today! Hotel reservations must be made by May 3 for BLET’s Kansas City regional meeting
BLET members are encouraged to make their reservations as soon as possible for the Western Regional Meeting, which will be held in Kansas City, Missouri, the week of June 3, 2024. Hotel room reservations must be made by May 3, 2024. The meeting will be held at the...
BLET announces creation of the New England Legislative Board
New England Legislative Board Chairman Dan Cadogan _____________________ The BLET is proud to announce the formation of the New England Legislative Board (NELB). It was established earlier this year to acknowledge the regionalization and expansion of the former...
Colorado: Thanks to BLET effort and testimony, rail safety bill advances in state legislature
Colorado State Legislative Board Chairman Paul Pearson ___________________ Colorado BLET members are working hard to secure passage of a major rail safety bill in the state’s legislature. BLET Vice President & National Legislative Representative Vince Verna, BLET...
Social media: Get connected with the BLET
The BLET National Division is investing more time and resources into its various social media outlets. It is the best place to go to get the latest news. Click the link below to get connected! In 2023, the BLET launched this Weekly News Recap, a quick-hitting list of...
Register now for BLET’s Kansas City regional meeting
Registration is now open for the BLET’s Western Regional Meeting, which will be held in Kansas City, Missouri, the week of June 3, 2024. Guests will stay at the Marriott Kansas City Downtown (200 West 12th St., Kansas City, MO, 65105, telephone: (816) 421-6800)....
Have you registered? Join us this summer for BLET regional meetings in Kansas City and Washington, D.C.
Registration is now open for the BLET’s Western Regional Meeting in Kansas City, Missouri, and the Eastern Regional Meeting in Washington, D.C. Please make your plans now to attend one or both meetings. The Western Regional Meeting will take place the week of June 3...
Autonomous rail technology: BLET petitions FRA to deny safety waiver for Parallel Systems test
The BLET has filed formal comments with the Federal Railroad Administration opposing a safety waiver that would allow the introduction of autonomous train technology in the United States. BLET Vice President & National Legislative Representative Vince Verna said...
Two-person crew regulation: BLET keeps it in notch 8, continues to pursue rail safety reforms as railroads sue to block new safety rule
The Federal Railroad Administration’s two-person crew rule announced earlier this month — which requires railroads to “staff every train operation with a minimum of two crewmembers (including a locomotive engineer and an additional crewmember who will typically be a...
Solar eclipse 2024: Hello darkness, my old friend
On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse moved across North America, passing over Mexico, the United States, and Canada. A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the Sun. As you can see in the photo...
