BLET Ratifies ‘Quality of Life Agreement’ with BNSF

A majority of Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) Divisions have ratified a systemwide agreement with BNSF that improves work-life balance for approximately 8,000 railroaders, four union General Chairmen reported Oct.

(NECR Photograph, Courtesy of Genesee & Wyoming)

BLET Ratifies New NECR Contract

Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) members have ratified a new five-year on-property agreement governing rates of pay, benefits and work rules at Genesee & Wyoming subsidiary New England Central Railroad (NECR),

(G&W Photograph)

BLET Members Voting on Two New G&W Contracts

Contract ratification votes are under way for Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) members at Missouri & Northern Arkansas Railroad (M&NA) and Portland & Western Railroad (PNWR), both of which are Genesee & Wyoming (G&W) subsidiaries.

NJT ALP45DP with MultiLevel coaches at Penn Station Newark.

BLET Authorizes NJ Transit Strike

Members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) of the Teamsters Rail Conference have voted to grant BLET National President Eddie Hall the authority to call a strike at New

Berkshire & Eastern Readies for PAS Operations

Nearly 18 months after CSX acquired Pan Am Systems, Inc. and its short line subsidiaries, Berkshire & Eastern Railroad is set to take over as operator of Pan Am Southern LLC (PAS).

​​Figure 1. Aerial view of the accident scene. (Source: CSX.)

NTSB Issues Preliminary Report on CSX Conductor Trainee Fatality

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its preliminary report for the investigation of the Aug. 6 accident involving a CSX conductor trainee fatally injured during a shoving movement at the CSX railroad yard in Cumberland, Md. The agency said future activity will focus on CSX employee training and close clearance identification practices of the standing locomotives.

Class I Participation in FRA C3RS Still Pending

The Transportation Trades Department of the AFL-CIO has written letters to all six Class I railroads (download below) urging them to join the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) voluntary Confidential Close Call Reporting

(Union Pacific Photograph, via Twitter)

Ratified: UP, SMART-TD Paid Sick Leave Deal (UPDATED)

Union Pacific (UP) on Aug. 2 reported ratifying an agreement with the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART-TD) to provide up to eight paid sick leave days

(BNSF Photograph)

BNSF, BLET Reach Tentative Agreement

BNSF and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) on Aug. 1 reported agreeing to a tentative deal on paid sick leave and other work/rest options for approximately 7,500 railroaders.

FGA operates on 430 route miles of track in Florida generally running east west along the Interstate 10 corridor between Baldwin and Pensacola, with a branch line from Tallahassee to Atapulgus, Ga. It connects with AN Railway and CSX.

FGA Railroaders Vote to Join BLET (Updated)

The train and engine service employees at Florida Gulf & Atlantic Railroad (FGA) will become the newest members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen (BLET), following a recent vote.

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