Category: Washington
SMART-TD takes lead during ‘Railroad Safety Day’ on Capitol Hill
With daily headlines nationwide about railroad safety legislation, it has come to feel like every day is “Railroad Day on the Hill.” However, the event is formally held once a year on the legislative calendar for representatives from rail unions and rail carriers alike to des [...]
FRA issues safety advisory on long trains
On April 27, Federal Railroad Administration Administrator Amit Bose issued a safety advisory regarding carriers’ operation of longer trains. The recommendations by FRA include that carriers review theiroperating rules and existing locomotive engineer certification prog [...]
REEF Act to prevent rail jobless benefit cuts reintroduced
Under the Budget Control Act of 2011, and a subsequent sequestration order to implement mandated cuts, Railroad Retirement Board-administered unemployment and sickness insurance benefits were reduced by a set percentage that is subject to revision at the beginning of each fis [...]
Ohio SLD Whitaker, senators state case for Railway Safety Act before commerce committee
In the aftermath of February’s rail disaster in Ohio, the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee held a key hearing March 22 on “Improving Rail Safety in Response to the East Palestine Derailment” to get to the bottom of what went wrong in the accident and to discuss the bipart [...]
UPDATED: President Ferguson appears with U.S. Sen. Brown to discuss Railway Safety Act
SMART Transportation Division President Jeremy Ferguson appeared with U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown in Cleveland on Monday morning to discuss the bipartisan Railway Safety Act of 2023 as momentum for legislative action on railroad safety continues to build on Capitol Hill. Sen. Bro [...]
FRA issues safety bulletin on grade-crossing shove moves after fatal accident
FRA SAFETY BULLETIN 2023-02 SUBJECT: Highway-Rail Grade Crossing and Shove Movement Accident The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is investigating a recent switching accident that resulted in a crew member fatality. Based on FRA’s preliminary investigation, a conductor w [...]
Railway Safety Act top of mind at Senate’s NS hearing
Last week’s much-anticipated hearing of the U.S. Senate’s Committee on Environment and Public Works featured a discussion of the Norfolk Southern derailment and the subsequent release of chemicals in East Palestine, Ohio. The spectacle of seeing NS CEO Alan Shaw fend off ques [...]
From the Ballast: Accountability? Shaw didn’t show it
“From the Ballast” is an open column for SMART Transportation Division rail members to state their perspective on issues related to the railroad industry. Members of the union are encouraged to submit content by emailing to news_TD@smart-union.org. Columns are published at th [...]