BLET News
FRA publishes railroads’ first quarter 2020 PTC implementation status update
(Source: Federal Railroad Administration press release, May 15, 2020) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) today released a quarterly status update on railroads’ self-reported progress, as of March 31, 2020, toward fully implementing positive train control (PTC) systems by December 31, 2020, as required by Congress. Based on railroads’ First…
Read MoreBrake defects plague Canada’s aging grain cars
(Source: Railway Age, May 15, 2020) NEW YORK — Hard-to-detect braking system defects have rendered Canada’s aging fleet of grain hoppers a safety hazard, says a former director of derailment investigations for the country’s Transportation Safety Board (TSB), the Canadian equivalent of the U.S. NTSB. Ian Naish, who retired from the TSB in 2009, in…
Read MoreTeamsters denounce new trucker Hours of Service rules for threatening safety
(Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters press release, May 14, 2020) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Teamsters are taking aim at new truck driving hours-of-service rules released today by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), saying they would lead to reduced roadway safety for drivers and the traveling public at large. Effective 120 days from now, the…
Read MoreRail safety expert warns of more mountain crashes due to faulty brakes if Transport Canada doesn’t act
(Source: CBC News, May 15, 2020) CALGARY — When Canadian Pacific Railway’s doomed Train 301 left Calgary in early February 2019 heading into the B.C. mountains bound for Vancouver, crew members had no idea it was on a death ride. Full story: www.cbc.ca Friday, May 15, 2020
Read MoreCP Rail to upgrade testing of train brakes after deficiencies found
(Source: Calgary Herald, May 13, 2020) CALGARY — CP Rail will upgrade testing of train brakes on grain cars following a derailment that killed three workers and in light of research showing defects in the process, the company said Wednesday. Full story: Calgary Herald Thursday, May 14, 2020
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