News Archive
Former UTU communications director passes away
Born in 1930, Art Hanford began his railroad career as a darkroom technician for the Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) Railway in 1953. While with the C&O, he earned a reputation as a quality photographer and writer. He was a trusted employee of Cyrus Eaton, the C&O Boa [...]
Two-person crew made law in Colorado
On March 21, 2019, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed legislation into law that requires that all freight trains in the state are operated by a crew of at least two individuals. The signing of H.B. 1034 caps a massive effort by SMART Transportation Division members that spanned [...]
FRA declares emergency because of Midwest flooding
Pursuant to Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) § 211.45, Federal Railroad Administration Administrator Ronald L. Batory has determined that the extreme flooding currently occurring throughout the Midwest United States constitutes an “emergency event” as related [...]
Railroad Technology Event Report form available online
To better understand and evaluate the use of certain technologies implemented by carriers, SMART Transportation Division is seeking information regarding the operation of the technologies such as Positive Train Control, Trip Optimizer/Leader and others. In order for our organ [...]
All state rail transit safety oversight programs have been certified by FTA
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced March 18 that the 31 State Safety Oversight (SSO) programs in 30 states have been certified in advance of the April 15, 2019, safety deadline. “Safety is the department’s [...]
RRB announces schedule of spring pre-retirement seminars
The Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) has announced its schedule of pre-retirement seminars for March – June 2019. The RRB hosts these seminars for rail employees and spouses who are within five years of retirement. The board recently combined their traditional informatio [...]FRA denies KCSR’s request to outsource brake tests to Mexico
In a victory for safety, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) denied a request by Kansas City Southern Railroad (KCSR) to outsource brake inspections to Mexico, the AFL-CIO’s Transportation Trades Department (TTD) reports. “In its decision, the FRA correctly told KCSR th [...]
AFL-CIO TTD sets rail safety priorities at meeting
The AFL-CIO’s Transportation Trades Department (TTD) on March 11 announced the railroad industry issues that the coalition of transportation unions, of which SMART Transportation Division is a member, will prioritize in the coming months. Of the highest importance, the [...]