Archive for September 2020
Report: Amtrak to furlough nearly 2,000 workers
(Source: Trains Magazine, September 1, 2020) Amtrak will furlough approximately 1,950 of its unionized workers as part of cutbacks for fiscal 2021, according to a message sent to workers today and obtained by Trains News Wire. Additionally, approximately 100 managerial positions will be eliminated. Full story: www.trainsmag.com Wednesday, September 2, 2020
Read More“Not unlike the Postal Service:” Advocates want Amtrak to prioritize service over profit
(Source: New York Times, September 1, 2020) NEW YORK — For Amtrak, the coronavirus pandemic has not only slashed ridership and any chances of breaking even, it has also forced its leaders to face an existential choice: act like a for-profit airline or a government-subsidized entity. Full story: New York Times Wednesday, September 2, 2020
Read MoreUP to begin operating North Platte’s Bailey Yard as single classification yard
(Source: North Platte Telegraph, September 1, 2020) NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — The Union Pacific Railroad will consolidate its North Platte railcar-sorting operations in Bailey Yard’s newest and westernmost “hump yard,” the railroad said Tuesday. The announcement marks a major operational change at what long has been considered the world’s largest rail classification yard. Full story: North…
Read MoreMake sure your voice is heard in November
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, September 1 — In advance of the upcoming November elections, the BLET National Division has created a website to help members make sure their vote counts. Available here, the page is informational in purpose. It lets members check to confirm that they are registered to vote and provides the location of polling places. And,…
Read MoreTriMet caps off Steel Bridge project, light-rail revitalization
(Source: Progressive Railroading 09/01/2020) This past weekend, the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet) completed improvements to the 108-year-old Steel Bridge on the MAX line. The project marked the end of the agency’s biggest light-rail revitalization effort in 34 years and represented an important accomplishment in continuing to maintain reliable MAX service, TriMet officials said in…
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