BLET News

(Source: Progressive Railroading, September 13, 2017) CSX Corp. has eliminated 2,700 jobs so far this year, as the Class I works through its transition to a more efficient operating plan, Chief Financial Officer Frank Lonegro told investors at a conference last week. Full story: Progressive Railroading Thursday, September 14, 2017

(Source: Railroad Retirement Board press release, August 31, 2017) CHICAGO — Railroad retirement benefits are based on months of service and earnings credits. Earnings are creditable up to certain annual maximums on the amount of compensation subject to railroad retirement taxes. Credit for a month of railroad service is earned for every month in which an…

(Source: Associated Press, September 12, 2017) PHILADELPHIA — An unusual, 11th-hour attempt to put an Amtrak engineer behind bars for a deadly 2015 derailment in Philadelphia unraveled Tuesday as a judge dismissed the case without trial because he found the evidence pointed to an accident, not negligence. Full story: www.startribune.com Wednesday, September 13, 2017

(Source: Association of American Railroads press release, September 6, 2017) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending September 2, 2017, as well as volumes for August 2017, which was the best month in history for intermodal traffic. U.S. railroads originated 1,343,405 carloads in August 2017,…

(Source: Reuters, September 7, 2017) CHICAGO — A week before Hurricane Harvey walloped Houston, workers for Union Pacific Corp began moving rail cars out of the railroad’s Englewood switching yard near downtown and brought in enough generators to fill 70 tractor trailers to keep signal systems running. Full story: Reuters Friday, September 08, 2017