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25TH ANNIVERSARY OF SEPTEMBER 11, 2001:
Railroad workers answered the call on one of America’s darkest days
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Twenty-five years ago, on a cloudless September morning, nearly 3,000 lives were lost in the deadliest attack on American soil in our history when two planes commandeered by terrorists crashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City.
On that tragic day, many everyday heroes rose to meet the call of service and ensure the safety of their fellow Americans. That includes the brave train crew members who were among the first to respond. BLET members at agencies such as Amtrak, NJ Transit, Long Island Rail Road, and Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH) worked tirelessly and professionally to run the trains that safely evacuated thousands of citizens away from what became known as “Ground Zero.”
“This will always resonate with us,” said BLET General Chairman Art Blakey, who represents PATH locomotive engineers and the members of Division 497. “One of our stations was destroyed. Cars that we operated were crushed and entombed in the rubble. Our service was disrupted for years. The offices where we took our medical and promotional examinations, utterly erased.”
Brother Alan Zelazo, a now-retired member of Division 497, was on duty as a PATH locomotive engineer on that fateful day. “I was working the Newark to WTC [World Trade Center] route on the afternoon of 9/11,” Brother Zelazo said. “My conductor Rob Henry and I made the third trip to operate that day at 5:40 p.m. from Newark to 33rd Street. As far as I know, PATH was the first rail operation to run after the attack. It would be two years until we got back to the WTC.”
Brother Zelazo also helped restore PATH car 745, which miraculously survived the World Trade Center collapse. With Zelazo’s help, it is now on static display at the Shore Line Trolley Museum, located in East Haven, Conn.
BLET members across the nation answered the call in the days and weeks after the attack. When air travel in the country was halted, BLET members ran the passenger trains that became the country’s only available mass transit option.
“On September 11, 2001, as our nation endured one of the darkest days in its history and much of America’s transportation system came to a halt, Amtrak passenger engineers continued to answer the call,” said Amtrak General Chairman Pat Darcy. “With uncertainty gripping the country and a nation in mourning, they climbed into the cab, moved the trains, and helped keep America connected. Their service, along with the Brothers and Sisters of SEPTA, PATH, NJT, MARC, Metra and LIRR, was more than simply doing their job; it was a quiet demonstration of duty, professionalism, and resolve when our country needed it most.”
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In 2015, PATH car 745 was moved from storage at JFK Airport to a static display at the Shore Line Trolley Museum.
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OHIO:
BLET members ratify new five-year agreement with Indiana & Ohio Railway
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BLET members have ratified a new five-year agreement with the Indiana & Ohio Railway (IORY). The agreement covers 2026-2030 and provides general wage increases, a signing bonus, and various work rule enhancements.
The negotiating team consisted of General Chairman Chip Cole and Vice General Chairman Matt Fadely, with assistance from assigned National Vice President Rick Gibbons. The IORY membership is part of BLET Division 282 in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Owned by the Genesee & Wyoming and headquartered in Cincinnati, the IORY operates over 511 miles of track in western Ohio and in parts of southeastern Indiana and southeast Michigan.
Photo by Susan Finley
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PENNSYLVANIA:
Adam Kaufman elected Chairman of Pennsylvania State Legislative Board
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Officers, members, and guests at the Pennsylvania State Legislative Board's 2026 quadrennial meeting.
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Adam Kaufman was elected Chairman of the Pennsylvania State Legislative Board at its sixth quadrennial meeting in Hershey, Pa., held September 2-3. It is his first term in the role. A third-generation railroader, Kaufman is a Norfolk Southern locomotive engineer and a member of BLET Division 325 in Wilkinsburg, Pa.
The BLET Pennsylvania State Legislative Board represents more than 2,100 active and retired members from 13 BLET Divisions. Brother Kaufman is the Board’s fifth chairman since its founding in 1986.
Also elected during the quadrennial meeting were: 1st Vice Chairman Tim Laveing, Division 325 (Wilkinsburg, Pa.); 2nd Vice Chairman Peter Fernandez, Division 757 (New Castle, Pa.); 3rd Vice Chairman Gary Trice, Division 370 (Pittsburgh, Pa.); Secretary-Treasurer Rob McLean, Division 325 (Wilkinsburg, Pa.); and Alternate Secretary-Treasurer James O’Donnell, Division 74 (Harrisburg-Enola, Pa.). Elected to serve as Trustees were: Gary Trice, Division 370 (Pittsburgh, Pa.); Ray Corr, Division 259 (Eason, Pa.); and John Wagner, Division 287 (Altoona, Pa.).
BLET National President Mark Wallace addressed the delegates via Zoom, giving a detailed report on BLET’s opposition to the proposed Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger and how it would affect all other railroads. In-person guests included: Brendan Sullivan, BLET Director of Political Affairs; John Esterly, Chairman of the Ohio State Legislative Board (who served as Parliamentarian during the meeting); and Sam Schatz, 1st Vice Chairman of the Ohio State Legislative Board (who recorded the minutes during the meeting).
Kaufman has served as 3rd Vice Chairman of the PA SLB since 2022. “I thank outgoing Chairman Tim Laveing for his leadership and guidance, and for helping me prepare for this new role,” Kaufman said.
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ILLINOIS:
BLET reaches tentative agreement with Illinois & Midland
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Eligible members at IMRR who have not received a ballot by September 21 should call the National Division. Photo by Joseph T. Wagner
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The BLET has reached a tentative five-year agreement with the Illinois & Midland Railroad (IMRR). Ballots were mailed this week.
If ratified by the membership, the tentative agreement would provide general wage increases each year of the contract (2027-2031). The tentative agreement would also provide increased pay for trainers and make no changes to the cost of employee health & welfare.
The IMRR membership is represented by the BLET’s CN-IC General Committee of Adjustment. The negotiating team consisted of CN-IC General Chairman Billy Evans and assigned Vice President Randy Fannon.
The IMRR, a subsidiary of Genesee & Wyoming, headquartered in Springfield, Illinois, operates over 97 miles of track and interchanges with BNSF, CPKC, Union Pacific, and the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad.
Note to IMRR members: Ballots were mailed on September 10 and will be tabulated on October 1. Members who are eligible to vote and have not received a ratification packet by September 21 should call the National Division’s dedicated voicemail line at (216) 241-2630, ext. 222. When connected to the voicemail, please leave the following information:
- Your name, address, and phone number;
- The division to which you belong;
- The railroad you work for;
- Your date of birth;
- The last four digits of your Social Security number; and
- Your email address.
All replacement ballots will be distributed by email. Any member who requires a replacement ballot must include their email address in the voicemail; otherwise, they will not be able to participate in the ratification vote.
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KENTUCKY:
Mark Elkins reelected Chairman of Kentucky State Legislative Board
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Top: Chairman Elkins provided Kentucky-made and union-made Louisville Slugger baseball bats to members of BLET's Executive Committee. Bottom: Officers, members, and guests at the Kentucky State Legislative Board's 2026 quadrennial meeting.
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Mark Elkins was reelected to his second term as Chairman of the Kentucky State Legislative Board at its ninth quadrennial meeting held on September 2. Elkins is a CSX locomotive engineer and a member of BLET Division 271 in Russell, Ky.
The BLET’s Kentucky State Legislative Board represents approximately 1,200 active and retired members from 11 different BLET Divisions.
BLET National President Mark Wallace addressed delegates regarding several issues of national importance, including the growing strength of the BLET and Teamsters Rail Conference on Capitol Hill. BLET First Vice President Gary Best provided an update on BLET’s efforts to oppose the Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger. BLET National Secretary-Treasurer David Estes gave a presentation on the BLET’s financial strength and growing membership numbers, and also discussed programming from the BLET Education & Training Department, which he heads.
Also elected were: 1st Vice Chairman Justin Dzan, Division 365 (Louisville, Ky.); 2nd Vice Chairman Joseph Peyton, Division 199 (Danville, Ky.); Secretary-Treasurer Daniel Maynard, Division 271 (Russell, Ky.); and Alternate Secretary-Treasurer Travis Wolfe, Division 165 (Louisville, Ky.). Elected to serve on the Audit Committee were: Edgar Richards, Division 199 (Danville, Ky.); Glen Elkins, Division 698 (Ashland, Ky.); and Jamie Elswick, Division 698 (Ashland, Ky.). Brother Maynard has served the Board as Secretary-Treasurer since 2006.
Guest speakers at the meeting were Kentucky Lieutenant Governor Jaqueline Coleman and Kentucky State Senator (District 28) Greg Elkins, the brother of Chairman Elkins.
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OHIO:
BLET pride on display at annual Labor Day parade in Toledo
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BLET members, families, and guests from across Ohio participated in this year's Labor Day parade in Toledo.
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Locomotive engineers from throughout Ohio, along with their families, proudly represented the BLET at the annual Labor Day Parade in Toledo, Ohio, on Monday, September 7. The delegation consisted primarily of BLET members from Division 4 (Toledo, Ohio) and Divisions 34 and 894 (Columbus, Ohio). State Representative Michele Grim (District 43) was a special guest who marched with the BLET group. The Toledo parade is one of the largest in the Midwest.
“Representative Grim is a long-time friend of the BLET who has been instrumental in helping advance our rail safety agenda in recent years,” said John Esterly, Chairman of the BLET’s Ohio State Legislative Board, who also marched in the parade.
America’s first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City. Labor Day honors the social and economic achievements of American workers. It is also an annual national tribute to the contributions workers have made to our nation's strength, prosperity, and well-being. Organized labor, through its membership, has consistently contributed substantially to creating the highest standard of living and the highest levels of worker production the world has ever known.
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FAVORABLE VIEW OF LABOR:
Record-high 47% of Americans want unions to have more influence
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On the heels of Labor Day, a new Gallup poll shows Americans are giving labor unions a big thumbs up. The poll shows that 71% of Americans approve of labor unions, while 47% want unions to have more influence.
Americans’ strong desire for unions to gain influence coincides with labor union approval tying its recent high. The current 71% approval rating matches the 2022 reading and extends a six-year period in which approval has stayed between 67% and 71%.
Union approval has risen sharply from the all-time low of 48% recorded in 2009. Approval was only higher than now in the 1950s, when it reached 73% to 75%, and in the initial measure in 1936 (72%).
Full survey results are available on the Gallup website.
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