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What part of ‘no’ can’t railroads understand?

March 20, 2012 Sadly, there is a part of “no” that railroads just can’t understand. So, once again, the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has hit a railroad in the wallet for violating an employee’s rights as protected under the Federal Railroad Safe [...]

Tags Federal Rail Safety Act, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, OSHA, Rail Safety Improvement Act, Union Pacific

Senate transport bill only a first step

March 16, 2012 WASHINGTON – A two-year blueprint for transportation spending has emerged from the Senate, but House action still is required before a bill is ready for President Obama’s signature into law. Notwithstanding the headlines, the Senate’s passage of the two-year S. 1813, “Moving [...]

Tags MAP 21, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century, S. 1813

Job briefings save limbs and lives

March 13, 2012 Job briefings can prevent serious injuries and fatalities, says the Federal Railroad Administration in a switching fatalities and severe injury update. The FRA cites 23 fatalities that have occurred as a result of what it terms “inadequate job briefings.” The FRA offers the f [...]

Tags job briefings, safety, SOFA, Switching Operations Fatality Analysis

Metrolink leading way installing PTC

March 12, 2012 Positive train control (PTC) is modern technology to reduce train accidents, save lives and limbs, improve on-time performance and produce revenue-enhancing business benefits for railroads. PTC utilizes the satellite global positioning system (GPS), wireless communications an [...]

Tags James Stem, John Fenton, John Risch, Los Angeles Metrolink, positive train control, PTC

NS needs conductors in Pennsylvania

March 9, 2012 In another sign the economy is improving, Norfolk Southern Railway says it needs to hire more conductors in Pennsylvania. The company says it plans to hold recruiting sessions Tuesday, March 20, in Harrisburg, Pa., and Thursday, March 22, in the Allentown, Pa., area to seek c [...]

2012 tax rates to remain the same

March 9, 2012 Local treasurers should note that employees will continue to receive the benefit of reduced payroll taxes and access to extended unemployment benefits under legislation signed by President Barack Obama on Feb. 22. That law, the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of [...]

Tags payroll taxes, Treasurers

MBCR GM knows who does the heavy lifting

March 9, 2012 BOSTON — Have you ever thought it would be nice to hear an employer give credit to the front-line workers who do the heavy lifting? Well, such long overdue recognition came from Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad (MBCR) General Manager Hugh Kiley Jr. March 1, and he sh [...]

Tags Hugh Kiley Jr., Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad, mbcr

There’s a mobile app for rail health care info

March 8, 2012 There is a smartphone app for SMART TD members covered under the Railroad Employees National Health and Welfare Plan or the National Railway Carriers and SMART TD Health and Welfare Plan. The mobile app is available for users of iPhone, Blackberry and Droid platforms, and th [...]

Tags smartphone

Vision plan assistance for tornado victims

March 8, 2012 VSP Vision Care is working to fulfill the eye care needs of those directly affected by recent tornadoes throughout the Midwest. * Any VSP member who has lost or broken their eyewear due to the tornadoes may call the VSP member services support line at (800) 877-7195 to have t [...]

Tags vsp

Lullaby and goodnight — if only …

March 5, 2012 UTU members hearing about a National Sleep Foundation study just released might be tempted to roll their eyes and ask – depending on craft – “Does ballast contain rip-rap? Do buses have headlights? Do airplanes have wings?” Yet, sometimes, what is as obvious to transportation [...]