Category: Front Page
NTSB publishes safety alert for MOW
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Monday, July 31, issued a Safety Alert warning rail workers of the risks of working on the tracks using only a watchman/lookout to provide the train approach warning. Safety Alert 066 was prompted in part by the deaths of two ra [...]
James “JR” Cumby, SMART TD Intl. Representative, passes away
James R. “JR” Cumby, age 59, of Salado, Texas, died Friday, July 28, 2017, after a short illness. Mr. Cumby hired out as a yardmaster in 1976, and was an active member of Local 1962. In 2001, Cumby was appointed to the role of Alternate Assistant to the President-Yardmasters [...]
Senate Appropriations Committee passed 2018 transportation funding bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Committee on Appropriations approved the FY2018 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, July 27, which prioritizes funding for critical transportation projects, community development initiatives and [...]
U.S. Senator introduces railroad deregulation bill. Her biggest campaign donor? Union Pacific
DeSmogBlog reported that the top campaign donor for U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) is Union Pacific Railroad – and, four of her top 11 donors are railroad companies. This past June, Senator Fischer introduced the Railroad Advancement of Innovation and Leadership with [...]New high-speed commuter rail in Conn. on target for 2018
According to NBCConnecticut.com, new speed-rail options for commuters in Connecticut will be available in spring of 2018, with additional routes planned for the cities of New Haven, Hartford and Springfield. Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy announced that TransitAmerica Ser [...]
Medicare to issue new cards in 2018 to protect identities of retirees
Whether a person is receiving Medicare through Social Security or through the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB), the patient may be vulnerable to identity theft due to the SSN/RRB Claim number being present on their Medicare card. Soon, you won’t need to worry about someone obt [...]
Letter Carrier Food Drive Collects 71 Million Lbs
The Letter Carriers’ 25th annual “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive, the largest one-day annual food drive in the U.S., collected 71.1 million pounds of food, the third-highest total ever. NALC, its members, its union allies including SMART and its customers, contributed the food [...]Rail workers died fighting for basic human rights: Anniversary of Railroad Strike of 1877
John Risch, SMART TD’s national legislative director, spoke with Jaisal Noor of realnews.com on the significance of the 140th anniversary of the first national railroad strike that began July 14, 1877, also known as the Great Railroad Strike and Great Upheaval. More tha [...]