Transportation News

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

New appointment at FRA

The Federal Railroad Administration’s new associate administrator for administration is Michael Logue, a 29-year employee of the agency. Logue has served as a railroad safety inspector trainee and in various positions within the Office of Safety and the Office of the Administ [...]

FRA warns of coveralls safety hazard

The Federal Railroad Administration has called attention to an injury where a conductor, while lifting the operating lever on a freight car, was dragged four car lengths after the lever became tangled in the hammer loop of his coveralls. The FRA recommends cutting off the ham [...]

Warren Buffett — a rail fan — sings in China

Billionaire Warren Buffett, whose Berkshire Hathaway investment fund owns 100 percent of BNSF, recently appeared on television in China, singing “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad” while strumming a ukulele. To view the performance, click on the following Yo [...]

Ken Knorr, longtime local official, dies

UTU local and International officer Kenneth L. Knorr, 58, died Jan. 20. Knorr was a member of Local 1031, Savannah, Ga. He hired on with the Seaboard Coast Line, now part of CSX, in 1977. He served in a variety of local union offices for 29 years, and was president of Local 1 [...]

Patience, persistence will ensure HSR

In 2008, California voters authorized a $9.95 billion bond measure as a down-payment for a high-speed rail project linking the Sacramento (in northern California), the San Francisco Bay area and Los Angeles. The projected $98 billion route subsequently won $3.3 billion in fed [...]

UTUIA now accepting scholarship applications

The UTUIA is now accepting scholarship applications for the UTU/UTUIA Scholarship Program. Information regarding the scholarship and the application process is below. The application form printed in the January edition of the UTU News is the official scholarship application f [...]

Walking papers for Wis. Gov. Walker

MADISON, Wis. – Twice the number of signatures needed to force a recall election of anti-union Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker were delivered to state election officials Jan. 17. State officials told The New York Times that the number of signatures submitted in the petition drive [...]

Notice to UTU local treasurers

UTU local treasurers must file Internal Revenue Service forms W-2 and W-3 forms for all employees receiving wages in 2011. The W-2 form reports wages paid to employees, and the Social Security or Railroad Retirement taxes and Medicare taxes withheld, and must be filed with th [...]

NTSB urges action on speed-restriction complaince

WASHINGTON – Warnings of speed violations have been issued by the National Transportation Safety Board, which urges unions, their members, carriers and the Federal Railroad Administration to work collaboratively to ensure compliance of train and engine crews with speed restri [...]

MLK advocated economic opportunity, trade unions

By Calvin StudivantAlternate Vice President, Bus Department As we follow the demonstrations of the 99 percent against the greed and wealth of America’stop one percent, I am reminded of a 1967 speech by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in which Dr. King advocated a transformation “f [...]