Transportation News

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N.D. draft rail plan to increase freight traffic

BISMARCK, N.D. — The Planning and Rail Section of the North Dakota DOT (NDDOT) has a draft rail plan that they believe will grow freight rail in the state. The plan focuses on crossing safety, safe transportation of HazMat, passenger rail service and improvements to inf [...]

A solution to get our nation back on track: electric trains

In an article published June 5 on Resilience.org, activist Bill Moyer outlined his case for investment in high speed electric rail, and is leading an effort in his home state of Washington to lobby for this mode of  transportation that has existed in Europe and Asia for decad [...]

Bus operator assaults on the rise in Spokane, Wash.

According to a story by The Spokesman-Review, bus operators employed by the Spokane Transit Authority (STA) in Spokane, Wash., have seen an increase of assaults by riders. According to the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1015, which represents the STA operators, there’s [...]

The mile-long circus train rolled into town for the last time

The Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus rolled across the U.S. for the last time, holding their final show on May 22, 2017, at Long Island’s Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The iconic traveling circus that crisscrossed America on the Red and Blue trains for 14 [...]

Patrick W. Simmons passes away, former SLD, Ill.

The following statement was issued June 1 by current SMART TD Illinois State Legislative Director Robert W. Guy: It is with great sadness to announce the passing of former UTU Illinois State Director and longtime UTU member Patrick W. Simmons, who passed away this past Monday [...]

Former UTU VP Bruce Wigent dies

Bruce Robert Wigent, 73, of Prescott, Wis., died Wednesday, May 25 at United Hospital. A member of Local 1709 in Pontiac, Mich., Wigent hired out as a switchman on the Grand Trunk Western Railroad in December 1964. He was first elected as a local officer in 1970 and then serv [...]

Trumka: President Trump’s budget betrays working people

On May 23, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka released a statement on  how President Trump’s FY2018 budget proposal favors the top one percent and hurts working Americans. Trumka described Trump’s proposal as a “blueprint for how to rig the rules of the economy to f [...]