Transportation News

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Bipartisan effort to regulate dangerous chemicals

The following editorial by The Washington Post’s editorial board was published by the newspaper May 29, 2013. In today’s Washington, it’s strange enough to see a burst of bipartisanship. Odder still is that the unexpected cooperation might lead to the first major environmenta [...]

Fire rages for hours after Baltimore train crash

A huge fire outside Baltimore, triggered by the collision of a freight train carrying chemicals and a trash truck, raged for 10 hours before being brought under control, officials said early Wednesday. A dark, thick plume of smoke could be seen for miles after two of 15 derai [...]

Railroads crack down on personal electronics

A recent incident discussed by the Federal Railroad Administration reveals just how important it is for railroad workers to abide by all federal regulations, even those that might not seem especially critical or safety related. As the unfortunate episode reveals, failure to d [...]

Szabo: Build more integrated rail systems

The following message was sent to the UTU National Legislative Office from Federal Railroad Administrator Joe Szabo: Friends: We know well the population growth, mobility, and environmental challenges revealing a clear need to invest in passenger rail, and of passenger rail’s [...]

Seven hurt when UP, BNSF trains collide

ROCKVIEW, Mo. – Seven people were injured early Saturday, May 25, when two freight trains collided, spurring the collapse of a highway overpass. Dispatcher Clay Slipis of the Scott County Sheriff’s Department said two vehicles were on the Highway M overpass about 2:30 a.m. wh [...]

Congressmen announce public transportation caucus

U.S. Reps. Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.) and Michael Grimm (R-N.Y.) announced May 23 the formation of the Congressional Public Transportation Caucus aimed at addressing issues facing the country’s public transportation systems, including rail, light rail, bus rapid transit, and tradi [...]

Amtrak board extends contract of CEO Boardman

WASHINGTON – The Amtrak board of directors is extending the contract of President and CEO Joe Boardman for his achievements in improving the operational and financial performance of America’s Railroad and providing the continuity of leadership critical to the ongoing implemen [...]

Chicago Terminal employees vote SMART

Operating employees of Chicago Terminal Railroad May 20 were successful in their efforts to bring union representation to their property. The National Mediation Board has certified that 70 percent of eligible employees voted for representation by the SMART Transportation Divi [...]

Firefighters use ladder to rescue CP workers

CHARLES CITY, Iowa — Faced with dark and muddy conditions, firefighters used a long ladder to rescue three railroad workers from a train derailment caused by a washed-out rail line near Charles City early Tuesday. No one was injured. Tuesday night, Ed Greenberg, a spokesman f [...]

Do programs produce safety, or manipulate reality?

By Mike Futhey, SMART Transportation Division President –  Throughout my career as a union officer, I have experienced every type of carrier safety program imaginable: from official company “snitches” to complex, overly burdensome and intrusive research, to innovative, cooper [...]