Category: News

Role of aircraft automation eyed in air crash

July 9, 2013 WASHINGTON – The crash landing of a South Korean airliner in San Francisco has revived concerns that airline pilots get so little opportunity these days to fly without the aid of sophisticated automation that their stick-and-rudder skills are eroding. The National Transportat [...]

Tags airline, pilot

Train disaster spurs rail vs. pipeline debate

July 8, 2013 A train disaster that killed five people in Quebec promises to touch off debate over the safety of shipping crude oil by rail or pipelines such as TransCanada Corp. (TRP)’s Keystone XL. As authorities began investigating the explosion of refinery-bound tank cars hauled by Mon [...]

Tags crude oil, derailment, Quebec

Futhey to step down following arbitration proceedings

July 7, 2013 At the conclusion of the SMART Transportation Division’s Boston regional meeting July 3, Transportation Division President Mike Futhey announced he will step down from office, pending resolution of arbitration proceedings regarding the union’s constitution. In October 2011, G [...]

Tags Futhey, SMART constitution

Three confirmed dead in freight train explosion

July 7, 2013 QUEBEC – The official death toll has grown to three Lac-Mégantic, Que., one day after a derailed train carrying crude oil exploded in the town’s core, levelling buildings and forcing as many as 2,000 people from their homes. Quebec provincial police said two more bodies were [...]

Tags Canada, derailment, Rail World Inc.

Amtrak barred from rulemaking over freight rails

July 3, 2013 Amtrak’s role in setting on-time performance standards that could trigger U.S. investigations of railroads whose trains get in its way are unconstitutional, a federal appeals court ruled. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington today said Congress had i [...]

Rep. Lynch, Boardman visit Boston regional meeting

July 2, 2013 The SMART Transportation Division opened its Boston regional meeting July 1 with a town hall forum at which SMART members were able to pose questions directly to the union’s leadership. More than 800 members, guests and presenters are attending the regional meeting. Aft [...]

Tags boston 2013 regional meeting, Futhey, Nigro

Court: Ala. discriminates against railroads

July 2, 2013 BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal appeals court July 1 ruled that Alabama discriminated against railroads by forcing them to pay a sales tax on fuel when it exempts its competitors – trucking and barge companies. The U.S. 11th Court of Criminal Appeals issued its opin [...]

Tags CSX, fuel tax, NS

600 LIRR retirees to lose disability pay

July 2, 2013 About 600 Long Island Rail Road retirees will lose their disability benefits after a federal agency voted last week to halt the payments, amid a sweeping investigation into what prosecutors have called a major disability fraud scheme, according to agency documents and officia [...]

Tags disability, LIRR, Railroad Retirement Board

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Telephone service down at International office

June 27, 2013 Due to heavy overnight rains, telephone service at the UTU/SMART Transportation Division and UTUIA International offices has been disrupted. Callers are currently receiving a busy signal. Repairs are underway.