The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) ruled last month on the probable cause of a fatal accident in June 2017 that killed both a CSX conductor and a conductor trainee. The men were struck from behind at 11:18 p.m. June 27, 2017, by an Amtrak train while walking to t [...]
The sons of member Byron Watson have been labeled as heroes after saving a 4-year-old girl from drowning while at a birthday party March 24 at the Santa Maria Beach in Santa Cruz, California. The boys’ mother, Nicole, who was watching over her boys while they were swimming in [...]
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) announced Tuesday, April 9, that the Rail Safety Advisory Committee (RSAC) will meet later this month for the first time since its reinstatement last autumn. According to a notice published in the Federal Register, RSAC is scheduled t [...]
John D. Whitaker III has been elevated to vice president from alternate vice president after Vice President David B. Wier retired April 1. Whitaker’s railroad career began in 1997 when he hired out as a conductor with CSX Transportation. In 2002, he was certified as an engine [...]
The state of Maryland is one step closer to having a two-person crew law on the books. H.B. 66 passed both houses of the state General Assembly and now heads to Gov. Larry Hogan’s desk for consideration. The bill passed the state House with 102 voting yea, 30 voting nay, four [...]
The Federal Railroad Administration’s Switching Operations Fatality Analysis working group (SOFA) – which has three SMART TD representatives – has released its switching fatality and severe injury update for the fourth quarter of 2018. SOFA reported a total of 17 severe [...]
According to an analysis done by northjersey.com, Metro-North, New Jersey Transit (NJT) and the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) have been fined hundreds of thousands of dollars since 2013. Before the companies’ lawyers negotiated for lower fines, Metro-North had been assessed mo [...]
Amtrak as we know it is in the budget crosshairs again, and if proposed cuts go through, it could have a lasting effect on not only our nation’s communities, but Railroad Retirement benefits as well. President Donald Trump’s budget request proposes a $1.06 billion reduction i [...]
The SMART TD Wyoming State Legislative Board, led by State Director Stan Blake, recently donated $1,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Sweetwater County, reported Wyo 4 News. “We are so grateful for Representative Blake for helping us secure this donation. He has been a huge [...]
Alaska Railroad could get an extension into Canada, pending the approval of a permit from President Donald Trump, reports the Anchorage Daily News. In the proposed project by the Alberta to Alaska Railway Development Corporation (A2A), 1,700 miles of track would be built in a [...]
