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Two-Person Crew Bills Introduced in Neb., Wyo.

February 13, 2015 Legislation requiring two-person railroad crews in the states of Nebraska and Wyoming have been introduced in the respective state legislatures. Nebraska State Legislative Director Bob Borgeson reports that state Legislative Bill 192, legislation requiring freight train crews [...]

Tags Nebraska, two-person rail crews, Wyoming

Rail Worker Safety Bills Marked Up in Wash. State

February 13, 2015 Members of the SMART Transportation Division’s Washington State Legislative Board have been quite busy in recent weeks. Working with the board members and state emergency management officials, state senators and representatives of the Washington State Legislature Jan. 29 intr [...]

Tags Herb Krohn, two-person rail crews, Washington state

House Committee Approves Amtrak Funding Legislation

February 13, 2015 The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Feb. 12 unanimously approved bipartisan legislation that improves the infrastructure, reduces costs, creates greater accountability and transparency, leverages private sector resources, and accelerates project delivery for Amtra [...]

Tags Amtrak, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, passenger rail

House committee approves Amtrak funding legislation

Tags Amtrak, passenger rail, Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act of 2015, PRRIA, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee

SEPTA bus operators ink new two-year agreement

February 12, 2015 Members of the SMART Transportation Division employed by Southeastern Pennsylvania Metropolitan Transportation Authority ratified Jan. 11 a 2.5-year agreement with the carrier. The contract, which is retroactive to April 1, 2014, and extends until Nov. 18, 2016, covers bus op [...]

Tags Anthony Petty, Brian Caldwell, bus, Calvin Studivant, Curtis Fulmore, Dave Stinsman, Eric Goodwin, SEPTA, Southeastern Pennsylvania Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Waverly Harris

African American railroaders forge history at museum

February 12, 2015 ROANOKE, Va. – Members of the African American Norfolk & Western Heritage Group in Roanoke stepped behind a curtain and took their first look at how the Virginia Museum of Transportation will present their history. “I think it’s great,” said Carroll Swain, 87, one of the [...]

Tags African-American railroad workers, history, Norfolk & Western Heritage Group

Foxx says PTC deadline will not be extended

February 12, 2015 A Dec. 31 deadline for railroads to equip all trains with crash-avoidance technology known as “positive train controls” won’t be extended, Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said Feb. 11. Testifying before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Commi [...]

Tags Anthony Foxx, positive train control, PTC

Voice your opposition to right to work bills in Mo.

February 11, 2015 Right to work legislation will be taken up Wednesday, Feb. 11, in the Missouri House of Representatives, Transportation Division State Legislative Director Ken Menges reports. Menges is asking SMART members in the state to contact their state representatives and ask them to v [...]

Tags Menges, Missouri, right-to-work

The other train accident victims: Rail workers

February 11, 2015 In December 2013, after a Metro-North train jumped the rails in the Bronx, killing four and injuring 75, a union leader described the train engineer as “totally traumatized.” The New York accident made national headlines, but other than the union quote, little attention was g [...]

Tags post-traumatic stress disorder, PSTD

Response to SEPTA’s service hours waiver request

February 10, 2015 The Federal Railroad Administration Feb. 10 will hold a public hearing before ruling on a waiver request by Southeastern Pennsylvania Metropolitan Transportation Authority (SEPTA)?to extend its current waiver of hours of service provisions for on duty points. SEPTA has asked [...]

Tags John Risch, Keith English, Kyle Brightbill, Local 61, Michael Stevens, Pokrowka, SEPTA