During this upcoming Memorial Day weekend, let’s take an opportunity to remember that the simple freedoms we take for granted exist because of our brothers and sisters of the United States Armed Forces, who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country.
Learn more about the history of Memorial Day.
Author: amyr
Progressive Railroading reported that a bill passed by the Senate last week includes provisions requiring Amtrak to spend its profits from Acela and Northeast Regional service on projects in the Northeast Corridor (NEC). Read the entire story here.
SMART Transportation Division has announced the Mark Hopkins Intercontinental as the overflow hotel at the 2016 Western Regional Meeting in San Francisco.
The room block for the Fairmont San Francisco is almost full, so we’ve arranged for the Mark Hopkins Intercontinental (located across the street from the Fairmont) to accommodate us for the same low price of $169 (plus tax) per night.
Members have until Friday, June 17 to take advantage of this deal. Call 1-800-662-4455 to make reservations at the Mark Hopkins. Please identify yourself as “SMART Union Annual Western Regional Meeting” to receive the blocked room rate.
Click here for reservation details.
Great Lakes Airlines has announced a new date to begin flights between Salina, Kan., and Denver. Flights will now begin June 15.
The airline was originally set to begin flights April 1, but was delayed due to the lack of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security screening at the Salina airport.
TSA announced at the end of April that they would restore screening service at the airport, but did not say when. Interested parties can begin booking their flights to or from Salina, Kan. now via the Great Lakes Airlines website.
Read more from the Salina Journal.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) held a board meeting (webcasted live) yesterday, detailing the probable cause of the May 2015 Amtrak train 188 derailment outside of Philadelphia.
The derailment caused eight people to lose their lives and over 200 injuries. The NTSB found that “the probable cause of the accident was the engineer’s acceleration to 106 miles per hour as he entered a curve with a 50 mile per hour speed restriction, due to his loss of situational awareness likely because his attention was diverted to an emergency situation with another train. Contributing to the accident was the lack of a positive train control (PTC) system. Contributing to the severity of the injuries was the inadequate requirements for occupant protection in the event of a train overturning.”
The NTSB also made numerous recommendations to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Amtrak, American Public Transportation Association (APTA), Association of American Railroads (AAR), Philadelphia first responders, Philadelphia’s mayor and National first responders organizations based on the accident and their findings.
The NTSB recommended to the FRA that they consider requiring railroads to install procedures where no PTC is present; modify existing regulations to include the number of crewmembers required in the cab of the locomotive and use the data regarding the number of crewmembers in the controlling cab of the train at the time of an accident to evaluate safety adequacy of current crew size regulations; and conduct research to evaluate the causes of passenger injuries and evaluate methods for mitigating those injuries such as the use of seat belts and implement any findings.
The NTSB recommended to Amtrak that they incorporate training strategies for operating crewmembers and new hires to recognize and effectively manage multiple concurrent tasks in prolonged, atypical situations.
Click here to read a summary of the NTSB’s findings.
Click here to read NTSB Chairman Christopher Hart’s opening statement.
Click here to read the presentation given by the NTSB.
Click here to read Hart’s closing statement.
Click here to view the webcast.
“The greatest threat to Railroad Retirement and Social Security is if Congress tries to mess with either one, which would automatically affect our pensions,” said John Risch, National Legislative Director of SMART TD. He made his remarks to the biannual convention of the National Association of Retired and Veteran Railway Employees, Inc., (NARVRE) in St. Louis, Missouri on May 16, 2016.
Risch thanked NARVRE leaders and members for their efforts in protecting Railroad Retirement and for their support of job related issues, including their strong support of Amtrak and pending legislation of the two-person crew bill.
Risch also explained that attacks on any defined benefit pension plan in America is really an indirect attack on Railroad Retirement. He cited the recent attacks on public employee pensions and pointed out that “Instead of being critical of public employees because they have a pension, workers without pensions should be demanding a pension of their own.”
He urged attendees to meet with their congressional reps and senators, “whether they are right, left, Republican or Democrat – to make sure they understand our railroad pension and how it works, and to ask them to support more rail jobs by supporting passenger rail—and also, to support a law requiring two-person crews.”
Risch also outlined pending regulatory proposals including: railroad speed signs; locomotive inward facing cameras, remote control operations and others.
“It’s not NARVRE or the rail unions that will protect our pension. It’s the grass roots efforts of our members and people like all of you in this room—people who demand of their congressional delegation that Amtrak gets the money it needs; who demand that Congress keep their hands off our Railroad Retirement and Social Security. It means asking them to support more rail jobs; it means demanding that they support a law that requires two-person crews.”
“You are all political activists or you wouldn’t be at this convention,” Risch said.
“America’s railroad workers are counting on your help to protect Railroad Retirement and to grow rail jobs in America and we in SMART-TD pledge to do all we can to do the same,” he said.
The SMART TD Minnesota State Legislative Board, Local 1000 at Minneapolis, and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) have partnered together to offer Minnesota railroaders HAZMAT training.
The class is being held Friday, June 3, 2016, from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the SMART TD Minnesota State Legislative Board office, United Labor Centre, 312 Central Avenue SE, Room 217, Minneapolis, MN 55414. There is a $175.00 stipend for attendees. Lunch will be provided by the legislative board.
The class is limited to the first 30 railroad workers. Click here to register.
Ten First Student Bus locations have recently received the Blue Seal of Excellence from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE). Of the 10 properties that received the award, Local 1908 of Buffalo, N.Y., were one of those properties.
According to First Student, the properties that received the award demonstrated dedication to safety and a commitment to setting the highest standards.
The ASE was created in 1972 to improve the quality of vehicle repair and service by testing and certifying automotive professionals. The Blue Seal of Excellence is the highest certification level given by ASE.
SMART Transportation Division represents mechanics and bus drivers on the Buffalo property. SMART TD congratulates the mechanics on their award.
Read more from First Student.
…and right across the street!
SMART TD recently negotiated a great deal with Extended Stay American Hotels, located at 24851 Country Club Blvd. in North Olmsted—a short walk to SMART TD headquarters.
These roomy suites have been completely renovated and cost only $64 per night (plus tax) for SMART union members and officers.
All suites have been completely remodeled—everything has been freshly painted and is brand new, down to the linens. Comfort, convenience and great accommodations have never been closer to our offices!
To reserve by phone, call 800.804.3724 and ask for the SMART Union rate ($64.00 per night plus tax).
To reserve online, go to www.extendedstayamerica.com;
In the reservations section, top left corner, go to the “Special Rates” field, select ‘Corporate’ and enter code EASMU.
*Upon check-in, please identify yourself as a SMART Union member.
National Legislative Director John Risch and Local 759 (Newark, N.J.) Secretary and Treasurer Craig Harrison testified at a public hearing today before the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) about Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
Harrison, who works for Coach USA, testified about his hardships as a result of being diagnosed with Sleep Apnea.
Click here to read Risch’s testimony before the FRA and FMCSA.
