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Railroads’ suits say Tenn. diesel unfair

Two of the nation’s largest railroad companies — CSX and BNSF — have filed suit against the state of Tennessee in federal court claiming they are being forced to pay millions of dollars in taxes on diesel fuel that their highway- and water-based cargo-hauling competitors don’ [...]

Oil in Quebec train disaster was mislabeled

TORONTO – The oil carried by a freight train that derailed and exploded in Quebec this year had been misclassified as a less dangerous type of crude, Canadian officials said Wednesday, and they urged U.S. and Canadian regulators to ensure dangerous goods are accurately labele [...]

Veolia gets Tri-Rail contract extension

The Board of the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority unanimously voted Thursday, Aug. 29, 2013, to award Veolia Transportation the three remaining option years for the company’s Tri-Rail contract. The contract now extends through June 2017. The South Florida [...]

Every member should be part of Constitution process

By SMART General President Joe Nigro –  It was really great meeting so many of your leadership team at the recent regional meetings in Boston and Anaheim. They are an active and involved group with a commitment to the labor movement. It confirmed my belief in the potential va [...]

Railroad industry awaits new tank car regulations

BISMARCK — As oil industry representatives met here Tuesday to discuss the ever changing industry, one thing was clear, there will be new regulations over shipping crude oil by train. After the July derailment in Canada of a train carrying crude oil from North Dakota, t [...]

State judge rules right-to-work law unconstitutional

HAMMOND, Ind. – A Lake County Superior Court judge has ruled Indiana’s right-to-work law unconstitutional, but the decision doesn’t mark the end of a legal battle over the measure. Judge John Sedia ruled the law unconstitutional last week because the state c [...]

Crew member texting before Ind. derailment

A federal investigation found a freight train crew member was distracted by text messaging soon before crashing into a stopped train in northwestern Indiana, causing the derailment of more than two dozen locomotives and rail cars. The January 2012 derailment in a rural area a [...]

Passage cleared for taller trains

The first phase of CSX Transportation’s National Gateway project, which will allow trains carrying maximum-sized freight containers stacked two-high to travel between Ohio and East Coast ports, has been completed on time and within budget, the railroad said. The project [...]

TTD seeks to strengthen ‘Buy America’ policy

WASHINGTON – The Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD) Sept. 6 endorsed certain changes by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to Buy America policy that will lead to job creation and stronger transportation and manufacturing sectors. “TTD and our affiliated u [...]

MM&A seeks financing for 2-person crews

PORTLAND, Maine – A bankrupt railroad whose runaway train sparked a fire and explosion that killed 47 people in Quebec is seeking financing to use two-person train crews in the U.S., a company trustee said. The move to beef up the crews comes after criticism of Montreal, Main [...]