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ARCADIA, Ohio — A Norfolk Southern train carrying 62 tank cars of denatured ethanol derailed here early Feb. 6, with many catching fire and creating what was described as a “huge fireball that could be seen for up to 15 miles.”

No injuries were reported to the crew or others in the derailment of 26 of the tank cars, but residents of 30 homes in the rural area, about 50 miles south of Toledo, were evacuated, according to news reports.

The Toledo Blade reported that all 26 of the derailed tank cars — each containing 33,000 gallons of denatured ethanol — caught fire. Public safety officials are permitting the fires to burn themselves out, which is expected by Tuesday. Denatured ethanol contains five percent gasoline.

The train was traveling east from Chicago to North Carolina. Norfolk Southern officials said the locomotives were not damaged.

John D. Rockefeller and partner Henry Flagler made quite a fortune during the 19th century transporting crude oil by rail from Pennsylvania to Cleveland for refining, and then shipping the refined product via rail to consuming markets.

Flagler later used his portion of the fortune to build Florida East Coast Railway.

Then came pipelines, a less expensive means of crude and refined oil transportation. Except for the Alaska Railroad — which, since 1977, has hauled jet fuel from a North Pole refinery south to the Anchorage airport — crude and refined oil moves mostly by pipeline.

Railroads now are returning to the oil transport business, creating increased train and engine worker jobs.

Because of differences in the price paid for crude oil at refineries, oil brokers are realizing a profit by moving Canadian and North Dakota crude oil to Southwest refineries not fully served by pipelines. “Flexible rail routes could allow oil cargoes to move to destinations where oil fetches a premium,” reports Reuters.

“Shippers who can move barrels from North Dakota to Louisiana by rail — a journey that costs as little as $7 a barrel — stand to capture a big arbitrage premium,” says Reuters.

EOG Resources, for example, is shipping a unit-train daily of crude oil via BNSF from North Dakota to Stroud, Okla. Other oil-by-rail movements are planned from the state, and CN is investigating moving Canadian crude south to Gulf Coast refineries not directly served by pipelines.

It’s winter — the three months of the year during which a significant number of yard fatalities and career-ending injuries occur.

The FRA says risk is concentrated in cold-weather states, but those in warmer climates are not immune, because darkness is a factor along with cold weather and slippery ground conditions that contribute to falls.

An elevated risk during winter is the risk of being struck on mainline track by a passing train, says the FRA.

Of special concern this winter are new workers and experienced workers who have recently been brought back from furlough. “Productivity expectations should adjust to employee experience,” says the FRA, which urges that crew composition should pair an inexperienced employee with experienced employees when possible.

The UTU participates in the Switching Operations Fatalities Analysis (SOFA) working group, which includes labor, management and the FRA — all collaborating to bring railroaders home to their families in one piece.

SOFA’s five lifesaving tips can save yours:

  • Secure all equipment before action is taken
  • Protect employees against moving equipment
  • Discuss safety at the beginning of a job or when work changes
  • Communicate before action is taken
  • Mentor less experienced employees to perform service safely

 The SOFA working group also warns of special switching hazards:

  • Close clearances
  • Shoving movements
  • Unsecured cars
  • Free rolling rail cars
  • Exposure to mainline trains
  • Tripping, slipping or falling
  • Unexpected movement of cars
  • Adverse environmental conditions
  • Equipment defects
  • Motor vehicles or loading devices
  • Drugs and alcohol

Going home to your family in one piece requires situational awareness. SOFA’s life-saving tips are proven to reduce your risk of a career-ending injury or death while on the job.

WILLMAR, Minn. — A 31-year old BNSF conductor , a UTU Local 1177 member, suffered a leg amputation in a yard accident here Feb. 3 — the second UTU member to endure such an accident in 2011.

Corey Lynn Kluver, the father of three young children, reportedly was making a cut of cars in a snow-covered yard when the accident occurred.

Kluver was airlifted to a local hospital after two surgeons arrived on the scene to free him. According to local news reports, hydraulic jacks were used to lift the rail car that pinned him.

UTU Minnesota State Legislative Director Phil Qualy said the issue of snow removal in the yard was raised with BNSF officials at a Jan. 21 safety meeting, and a letter had earlier been sent by Qualy to BNSF regarding snow removal in the yard.

In the earlier incident, Norfolk Southern conductor and Local 768 member Larry McVay, 43, lost an arm and a leg in a Jan. 3 switching accident at a yard in Lafayette, Ind.

Neither accident involved a remote control assignment.

Click on the link, below, for a message on yard safety. The UTU Transportation Safety Team recommends you print out the message and post on employee bulletin boards:

https://www.smart-union.org/news/tis-the-season-%e2%80%93-for-deadly-yard-accidents/

By Bonnie Morr
Alternate Vice President, Bus Department

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is seeking comments on proposed new rules affecting drivers of commercial motor vehicles, which includes bus operators.

The rules cover revocation or disqualification of a commercial driver’s license (CDL) for traffic violations received while operating a personal automobile, and a ban on cell phone use while operating a commercial vehicle, which also can result in CDL revocation or disqualification.

The disqualification rules proposed are flawed, especially with regard to not providing a right of appeal or to contest disqualification. This strikes to the heart of job security, because any CDL revocation means a loss of employment.

As proposed by the FMCSA, states would lose federal highway funding if they fail to enact the proposed rules.

The UTU’s National Legislative Office, assisted by the Bus Department, is making the following comments to the FMCSA:

  • The final rule should remove any process for civil penalties against drivers.
  • The rule should contain an appeal process for the levels of disqualification.
  • If cell phone use is to be banned, then other appropriate and effective electronic communication devices must be made available by employers for use by drivers — and they must be sanctioned by the FMCSA.
  • Violations of the cell phone ban should be separate from traffic violations that lead to disqualification, and should not be allowed to progress to a lifetime disqualification.
  • Electronic communication devices should be placed so that they can be used by the driver without having to take one’s eyes off the road to use them.
  • Employers should be subject to periodic review of their procedures in communicating with drivers in emergency situations. Employers should also be subject to fines for noncompliance.

The problem of distracted driving goes beyond the bus operator, and involves employers, who have an obligation to provide effective communications devices in the vehicles we operate.

As a professional driver, I receive calls from my employer on my cell phone, with the company knowing that I am driving. These calls often inform me that I must work overtime or cover an additional shift. I am required to take the call.

Moreover, it is important to have the ability to use a cell phone in an emergency situation, which includes reporting dangerous situations involving passengers or abuse of the driver by a passenger.

I have been a commercial driver of school buses and public transit buses for 28 years, and I know that trained professional drivers are among the safest on the highway. We, as an organization representing trained and safe professional drivers, must make our voice heard within the FMCSA.

February is American Heart Month.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says heart disease is the leading cause of death among both men and women in the United States, claiming more lives than cancer.
Heart disease can strike at any time. Symptoms of a heart-related incident include:
  • Chest discomfort/pressure/squeezing or pain that lasts more than five minutes or goes away and comes back.
  • Discomfort in other parts of the upper body — in one or both arms, back, neck, jaw, stomach or abdomen.
  • Shortness of breath (which may or may not occur with chest discomfort).
  • A cold sweat.
  • Nausea.
  • Lightheadedness.
  • Awareness that your heart is not beating normally (such as rapid heartbeats or palpitations).

Among ways to keep your heart healthy are:

  • Better nutrition. Select lean meats and poultry, as well as fat-free or low-fat dairy products. Also, choose foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain foods.
  • Cut back on beverages and foods with added sugar.
  • Avoid salt — it’s almost everywhere and in everything. Become a food label-reader and ensure that you consume fewer than 2.3 grams of sodium a day (about a teaspoon of table salt).
  • Stop smoking and avoid second-hand smoke.
  • After consulting with your doctor, consider starting an exercise routine. Even just 30 minutes per day can help reduce your risk of heart disease. Exercise also helps to reduce everyday stress.
  • Talk with your doctor about risk factors for heart disease, which include blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride numbers, body mass, waist measurements, blood sugar level, and an eating plan best for you. Don’t be afraid to ask questions until you understand.
  • If you have diabetes, follow your doctor’s instructions for controlling your blood sugar. Diabetes is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke.

If you suspect you are having a heart attack or other cardiac event, such as a stroke, get help quickly:

  • Stop your activity, sit or lie down, and call 911.
  • If you can get to the hospital faster by car, have someone else drive you. Do not drive yourself to the hospital.
  • At the hospital, immediately alert emergency personnel that you may be suffering a heart attack.

For more information, click on the following link:

www.heart.org

For those covered by Medicare, note that Medicare covers cardiovascular screenings that check for high cholesterol and triglyceride levels every five years. Medicare pays for these tests, so you would need only to pay your Medicare co-pay. Medicare also provides for a yearly wellness exam by your physician.

For more information on Railroad Medicare, click on the following link:

www.palmettogba.com/medicare

FedEx Freight, which is the nation’s largest stand-alone less-than-truckload carrier of freight, is going intermodal.

Less-than-truckload, or LTL, is commonly defined as freight weighing more than 151 pounds and less than 20,000 pounds.

LTL carriers collect these small to medium-size fright shipments from customers in a defined region, then consolidate them into single trailer or container loads for line-haul transportation to a distant destination, where the shipments are broken down for final local delivery to customers.

FedEx Freight is distinct from FedEx Express, which is an express carrier that primarily moves letters and packages via aircraft for the line-haul.

Instead of line-haul movement entirely by truck, FedEx Freight is choosing rail intermodal (trailers and containers atop flat cars) for some of its line-haul business.

Norfolk Southern says it was selected by FedEx Freight as a “preferred eastern rail carrier” for intermodal shipments.

FedEx Freight operates a 350-terminal network nationwide, with annual freight revenue of $4.4 billion. This compares with annual freight revenue of almost $8 billion for Norfolk Southern, and more than $14 billion each for BNSF and Union Pacific, which are North America’s two largest railroads.

Canadian Pacific Railway has job openings for qualified and experienced conductors at 14 Midwest locations.

The locations are:

  • Bensenville, Ill.
  • Davenport, Iowa
  • Elkhart, Ind.
  • Enderlin, N.D.
  • Harvey, N.D.
  • Huron, S.D.
  • Kansas City, Mo.
  • Marquette, Iowa
  • Mason City, Iowa
  • Portage, Wisc.
  • Rapid City, S.D.
  • St. Paul, Minn.
  • Thief River Falls, Minn.
  • Waseca, Minn.   

All applications must be made on-line using the following link:

https://performancemanager4.successfactors.com/career?company=CPR

Other rail job opportunities may be found by clicking on the following Railroad Retirement Board website link:

www.rrb.gov/PandS/Jobs/rrjobs.asp

Members who received disability-claim payments from Anthem or Lincoln in 2010 will be receiving IRS W-2 forms from those insurers.

This does not mean that the benefits are taxable. It is merely a reporting requirement of the IRS.

The payments will be listed in Box 12 with a “J” and the amount received. This notifies the IRS that the disability income is non-taxable.

Warning: Do not try this without your employer’s permission.
That said, a bus driver in Geneva, Switzerland, has gained television stardom there for her singing while at the wheel, reports AFP international news service.
The 49-year-old female driver, Maya Wirz, was given to singing opera while on the job, and soon gained the nickname of Switzerland’s Susan Boyle. “I want to sing for heaven’s sake,” the driver told the AFP.
So after a 13-year career as a bus driver, she is now flirting with national stardom, reports the AFP.
She also sings in the bath, she told the AFP — probably a better place for most wannabe sopranos than on the job.