Rail Industry News
STB chairman rips activist investors for threatening viability of railroad industry
The activist investors targeting Norfolk Southern pose a threat to the railroad industry and the U.S. economy and may prompt new regulations, outgoing Surface Transportation Board Chairman Martin J. Oberman told a shipper conference on February 29.
Amid proxy battle, NS CEO notes support from rail labor, customers, regulators
NS CEO Alan Shaw said that customers, other railroads, regulators, and rail labor all support the NS “better way forward” strategy.
Biden Administration announces $9.8 billion to bolster public transit agencies
In a significant move that underscores the Biden administration’s commitment to revamping the United States’ infrastructure, a whopping $9.8 billion in federal funds has been earmarked to support public transit agencies.
Keolis commuter rail workers protest wages, benefits
More than a dozen Keolis workers packed into an MBTA Board meeting on February 29 to describe low pay and lackluster benefits.
AAR: Rail traffic up in week ending Feb. 24
Total carloads for the week ending February 24 were 224,251 carloads, up 2.6 percent compared with the same week in 2023, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 259,405 containers and trailers, up 12.6 percent compared to 2023.
BLET critical of activist investor’s takeover plan at Norfolk Southern
The BLET’s three General Chairmen who represent members at Norfolk Southern have issued a statement supporting the current management team at NS in the railroad’s looming proxy battle with activist investor Ancora Holdings.
STB Chair Oberman: NS takeover could be a “huge detriment” to rail industry
Surface Transportation Board Chairman Martin Oberman is concerned about the potential of activist investors succeeding in their effort to replace Norfolk Southern Corp.’s top leadership in favor of a short-term strategy of cost-cutting and workforce reductions to boost profits.
NTSB preliminary report: NS engineer Chris Wilson was killed when his locomotive was hit by rolling railcars
BLET Division 423 member Chris Wilson suffered fatal injuries when his Norfolk Southern locomotive was struck by a group of 35 railcars rolling on an adjacent track, the National Transportation Safety Board said in a preliminary accident report released on February 28.
BNSF cuts shop positions in Kansas and Nebraska, offers workers incentives to transfer to locations that are hiring
BNSF Railway has cut jobs from mechanical shops in Kansas and Nebraska and has offered affected workers positions at facilities where it is hiring. The railroad did not say where jobs were cut or how many positions were eliminated. But local news reports said that more than 100 positions were cut at BNSF shops in Alliance and Havelock, Neb., and in Topeka, Kan.
Buffett’s 2024 annual letter to investors highlights railroad workers
Berkshire Hathaway Chairman Warren Buffett’s widely read annual letter to investors, released on Saturday alongside the company’s 2023 financial results, included a long passage on railroads in general and BNSF Railway in particular.
BNSF posts lower revenue, income in Q4 2023
BNSF Railway Co. announced total revenue for fourth-quarter and full-year 2023 decreased 6% and 8%, respectively, compared with the same periods in the previous year.
Boosting wages, protecting jobs: Teamsters reach major new agreement with Anheuser-Busch
On Feb. 28, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters reached a five-year tentative agreement significantly raising pay, improving health care and retirement benefits, and providing critical job security for all 5,000 Teamsters at Anheuser-Busch breweries nationwide.
STB’s Robert Primus: Deja vu, all over again
And just when you think our freight-rail network and national supply chain are back on solid ground, we now face yet another assault from those who view the Class Is as short-term cash cows.
TCRC raises safety concerns following 3 B.C. derailments in less than 2 months
Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC), which represents more than 9,000 rail workers across Canada, is raising concerns about safety following three freight train collisions in B.C. in less than two months.
AAR: Rail traffic up during week ending February 17, 2024
For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 474,226 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.7 percent compared with the same week last year.
FRA says Norfolk Southern must focus on safety despite investor activism
The head of the Federal Railroad Administration on Wednesday urged Norfolk Southern to focus on safety after a group of activist investors proposed replacing the company’s top management.
Teamsters Canada Rail Conference warns that work stoppage looms after CN, CPKC seek conciliation
Teamsters Canada president Francois Laporte said demands by Canadian National Railway Co. and Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd. are “non-negotiable.”
President Biden visits East Palestine, calls derailment “an act of greed”
President Biden visited the small Ohio town of East Palestine on Friday, a little more than a year after a Norfolk Southern train derailed there and spilled hazardous chemicals. “Let me be clear. While there are acts of God, this was an act of greed that was 100% preventable,” he said.
FRA releases long-distance study interim report, invites comments
Fifteen new or revived long-distance routes are presented in a new Federal Railroad Administration presentation to accompany the next round of meetings for its ongoing Amtrak Daily Long-Distance Service Study.
FRA issues safety bulletin on rolling equipment after death of BLET member
The Federal Railroad Administration has issued a Safety Bulletin warning rail workers about the dangers of rolling equipment following the death of Norfolk Southern locomotive engineer and BLET Division 423 member Chris Wilson at a rail yard in Alabama last week.
BLET News
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, in a Sunday front page story, highlights safety concerns with the proposed rail merger
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported in a Sunday front page story that in the aftermath of the devastating 2023 East Palestine chemical spill and fire, Norfolk Southern invested hundreds of millions of dollars to boost safety through improved training programs,...
BLET Town Hall Meetings set for Spokane, Alliance, & Kansas City — Plus December Zoom Sessions
All BLET members are encouraged to attend the upcoming Town Hall meetings to discuss the terms of the tentative national agreement. These meetings are an opportunity for members to hear directly from national officers, ask questions, and share feedback. In addition to...
BLET to host Town Hall Meeting in Roanoke on November 21
The BLET will host a Town Hall Meeting in Roanoke, Va., on Friday, November 21, to discuss the terms of the tentative national agreement. This in-person meeting will provide an opportunity for members to hear directly from national officers, ask questions, and share...
Federal government shutdown ends after 43 days, the longest in U.S. history
The federal government shutdown that began on October 1 came to an end this week after Republican and Democratic Senators struck a deal on the evening of November 9. The 43-day shutdown was the longest in American history. The Senate on November 11 passed the deal by...
Ballots mailed in tentative agreement with Indiana & Ohio Railway
The BLET has reached a tentative agreement (TA) with the Indiana & Ohio Railway (IORY). Ballots were mailed to members this week. The five-year TA runs through 2030 and provides a 7% general wage increase (GWI) for 2026, with 4% GWIs each year from 2027-2030....
Three Town Hall meetings set for next week to discuss tentative national agreement
All BLET members are invited to three Town Hall meetings next week to discuss the tentative national agreement. These meetings are an opportunity for members to hear directly from national officers, ask questions, and share feedback. Details are as follows:...
Veterans Day 2025: BLET thanks all veterans and their families
On this Veterans Day, the BLET thanks all members who have served in our nation’s armed services. Thank you for your service and the sacrifices made by you and your families. We salute you.
RRB announces new location for Boston field office
The Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) has announced that its Boston District Office has moved to a new location. RRB previously announced similar field office relocations in Ohio and Minnesota (details here). The RRB said the moves are part of a series of relocations...
Railroad Retirement Board: Monthly annuities, earnings limits will rise in 2026
Most railroad retirement annuities, like Social Security benefits, will increase in January 2026. Cost-of-living increases are calculated each year in both the Tier I and Tier II portions of a railroad retirement annuity. The Tier I portion, like Social Security...
BLET National Division staffer Sandra Slaughter retires
National Secretary-Treasurer David Estes (left) with retiring BLET staff member Sandra Slaughter, Executive Assistant to the President’s Staff. ____________________ The BLET National Division celebrated the retirement of Sandra Slaughter, Executive Assistant to the...
