Category: News
FRA approves $1B loan to N.Y. MTA for PTC system
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced April 24 that the Federal Railroad Administration has approved a loan of $967.1 million to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority for the improvement of the safety of the signal systems used by the MTA’s two commuter railroads, the Long [...]Oil train safety legislation passes in Wash. state
OLYMPIA, Wash. – State lawmakers gave final approval April 24 to a bill meant to increase oil train safety. The bill was taken up in response to the uptick in oil train traffic in the region. It directs oil taxes to help pay for oil-train spill response. It also imposes publi [...]BMWE urges tougher safety standards on tracks
Union officials say tougher inspection and maintenance standards for railroad tracks could help prevent dangerous derailments of trains carrying crude oil. While lawmakers and regulators focus on the strength of oil tank carsand volatility of crude oil, officials of the rail [...]
N.Y. MTA seeks $1B loan for PTC system
The MTA is close to securing final federal approval of a nearly $1 billion loan to install technology on its commuter trains that could have prevented the 2013 Metro-North derailment in the Bronx in which four people died. Positive train control technology provides a new laye [...]
University of Tennessee shuttle operators seal deal
The campus shuttle operators for the University of Tennessee’s transportation service unanimously ratified their first agreement with their employer after choosing SMART representation last year, Alternate Vice President – Bus Alvy Hughes reports. The members of newly formed [...]
BNSF retakes market share from Union Pacific
BNSF Railway Co. won back market share for grain and agriculture commodities that it lost to Union Pacific Corp. in 2014 when the railroad owned by Warren Buffett struggled to keep up with customer demand. In last year’s first quarter, BNSF lost about 4 percentage points of m [...]
Metra to spend $80 million to launch PTC system
Metra’s board on Wednesday approved two large contracts, including one for $80 million to help implement a high-tech safety system that federal officials said would have prevented two Chicago derailments that killed two people and injured scores of passengers. The other [...]
SMART joins NJT Rail Labor Coalition
SMART Transportation Division’s General Committee of Adjustment GO 610 representing conductors and trainmen, General Committee of Adjustment GO 340 representing yardmasters and SMART Sheet Metal Mechanical and Engineering Local 396 representing mechanical workers have [...]