Illinois Terminal Railroad: Road of many manifestations
By Mike Schafer for trains.com Interurbans, steam, big diesel freights — Illinois Terminal had ’em all The Illinois Terminal Railroad might be one of the most misunderstood Class 1 railroads of the 20th century. If you think “the I.T.,” as most called it, was just a creaky electric interurban that gave up on passengers and […]
Federal government hands out $2.4 billion for 122 railroad projects nationwide
Vernon M. Slatton
FRA aims to tighten rules for waivers that allow railroads to experiment with safety technology
By Bill Stephens for trains.com The proposal would give rail labor and trackside communities more of a say while seeking to protect union jobs from advancements in technology WASHINGTON – The Federal Railroad Administration today proposed more stringent requirements that railroads must meet in order to obtain safety rule waivers that allow experimentation with track […]
COST SHARE DECREASES FOR RAILROAD EMPLOYEES COVERED BY THE NATIONAL RAILROAD PLAN
October 10, 2024 – Although healthcare premiums across the country continue to rise, effective January 1, 2025, TCU members’ monthly cost-share will decrease by $31.67 for those covered by the Railroad Employees National Health and Welfare Plan. Over the last two years (2023 and 2024), TCU has fought to keep employee cost-sharing steady, and now contributions […]
UP explains absence from early contract agreements with organized labor
By Bill Stephens for trains.com The railroad wants to negotiate changes to work rules DALLAS – As BNSF Railway, CSX, and Norfolk Southern continue to sign tentative contract agreements with their labor unions well in advance of the start of national negotiations, one U.S. Class I railroad has been conspicuously absent: Union Pacific. To continue […]
TRANSPORTATION COMMUNICATIONS UNION AND BROTHERHOOD RAILWAY CARMEN RATIFY AGREEMENTS WITH CSX TRANSPORTATION
September 12, 2024 – Washington, DC Today, the Transportation Communications Union (TCU) and Brotherhood Railway Carmen (BRC) announced that their members have voted strongly in favor of ratifying their respective Agreements with CSX Transportation. These agreements cover the TCU Clerical as well as BRC and TWU Carmen on CSXT. The agreements consist of a five-year […]
Railroad BNSF stresses safety but is still held back by longstanding industry issues, report finds
BY JOSH FUNKUpdated 1:48 PM CDT, August 28, 2024Share Freight railroad BNSF is generally striving to improve safety on a consistent basis, but that message doesn’t always reach front-line workers who often don’t feel comfortable reporting safety concerns for fear of being disciplined, according to an assessment released Wednesday by regulators. To continue reading…(apnews.com)
TRANSPORTATION COMMUNICATIONS UNION (TCU) & BROTHERHOOD RAILWAY CARMEN (BRC) REACH LOCAL AGREEMENTS WITH NS AND BNSF
August 23, 2024 – TCU and BRC have reached tentative agreements with both Norfolk Southern (NS) and Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF). The tentative agreements are a five (5) year term that mirror the agreements reached earlier this week with CSX Transportation, which provides 17.5% in General Wage Increases (18.77% compounded), improves vacation agreement entitlements, secures […]