Transportation News

Visit the digital archive of the SMART-TD News (PDFs)

Derailments prompt N.Y. MTA safety review

NEW YORK – The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has asked six railroad and transportation experts to examine recent safety-related incidents at three of its operating subsidiaries.
 The panel will study the causes of recent derailments at Metro-North, the Long Isla [...]

Metro-North accidents focus of federal hearings

HARTFORD, Conn. – An October hearing will be held to address railroad issues including track inspection and maintenance as well as safety standards for both passengers and workers, federal officials investigating two recent Metro-North Railroad accidents in Connecticut announ [...]

Norfolk Southern Railway sued by EEOC

Company refused to allow employee with disability to return to work after treatment, federal agency charges ATLANTA – A Norfolk, Va.-based railway company unlawfully discriminated against an employee because of his disability, degenerative disc disorder, the U.S. Equal [...]

Labor Day photos: Care to share?

Did your local do something special to celebrate Labor Day? Did you hold a picnic or participate in a parade? If so, we would like to see your photographs. If we receive enough of them, we’ll run them in next SMART Transportation Division newspaper. Send your photograph [...]

Ga. court: Injured conductor can sue railroad

The case of a Norfolk Southern railroad conductor injured in a Dodge County train accident went all the way to the Georgia State Supreme Court. On Sept. 23, the state’s highest court ruled that William Zeagler could sue the railroad, because he had not been trained prop [...]

Confidential Close Call Reporting system expanding

The Confidential Close Call Reporting System (C3RS) took a significant step forward Sept. 1 by expanding the geographic coverage for Amtrak train and engine workers from 10 Amtrak yard facilities to all Amtrak-owned and dispatched territory throughout the system. The C3RS is [...]

UTU testimony earns coal project support

National and state labor unions are supporting a coal export project in Washington, calling it a chance for an economic boon to an area in financial distress. State AFL-CIO leaders testified earlier this week in front of a committee of the King County Council that not only ha [...]

Judge orders striking railroad workers back to work

BREWSTER, Ohio – The more than 100 locomotive engineers and trainmen who went on strike Friday have been ordered by a federal judge to return to work. U.S. District Court Judge John R. Adams issued a temporary restraining order late Friday afternoon that ended the daylong str [...]

Colo. SMART members invited to UMWA ceremony

SMART Transportation Division Colorado State Legislative Director Carl Smith invites all SMART members in the Trinidad area to a memorial service at 11:00 a.m. on Sept. 22 commemorating the Ludlow Massacre of April 20, 1914. The United Mine Workers of America service will hon [...]

Treasurers’ workshop scheduled for October

The UTU International is conducting a local treasurers’ workshop at its headquarters in North Olmsted, Ohio, Oct. 8-10. Attendance is limited to 24 registrants. Those interested in attending the workshop should contact the office of the UTU director of updating/auditing depar [...]