General Information
In latest safety advisory, FRA makes additional hot bearing detector recommendation
(Source: Trains Magazine, June 9, 2023) In the wake of a May 10 Norfolk Southern derailment in Pennsylvania, the Federal Railroad Administration today issued a safety advisory recommending that railroads implement safeguards to ensure that hot bearing detectors properly report defects. Full story: Trains Magazine
Read MoreFederal regulators promise safety review at all the major freight railroads
(Source: Associated Press, June 10, 2023) The Federal Railroad Administration recently completed a review of Norfolk Southern’s safety culture in the wake of the February’s fiery derailment in Ohio, and officials plan to follow up with similar investigations of all the major freight railroads over the next year. Full story: Associated Press
Read MoreOnly Mexican railroads log intermodal growth in Week 21
U.S. railroads hauled 480,998 carloads, containers and trailers in the week ending May 27, a 4.8% decrease compared with the same week in 2022, according to Association of American Railroads data. Total carloads rose 3.5% to 235,307, while intermodal units fell 11.6% to 245,691. Six of the 10 carload commodity groups that AAR tracks every week posted…
Read MoreBLET’s paid sick leave agreement with NS is not tied to attendance policy
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, May 31 — “No concessions and no punitive attendance policy.” That was the clear message delivered to BLET’s Norfolk Southern members over conference calls and Zoom meetings set up to explain the breakthrough tentative agreement announced on May 18. The new policy will provide up to seven paid sick days per year to…
Read MorePresident Hall exposes dangers of long trains in Washington Post interview
Long trains have been a major safety issue for several years now, especially since the introduction of so-called Precision Scheduled Railroading by Class I railroads throughout the United States. The BLET has argued that these long trains put profits over safety — the safety train crews who operate the trains and the citizens of towns…
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