News - Page 354 of 580

Education, Strength, Unity

September 29, 2014 Thanks to all of the delegates, members, guests and staff that made the First SMART General Convention a resounding success. I have been involved in this union for 45 years. There has never been a more outspoken, honest, and hardworking General Executive Council than the one [...]

104-year-old bridge presents $900M problem

September 26, 2014 It carries more passenger trains than any other railroad bridge in the Western Hemisphere, yet few people beyond those who rely on it have heard of it. It goes largely unnoticed, unless something goes wrong, which happens with irritating frequency. After all, the bridge is 10 [...]

Tags Amtrak, New Jersey Transit, Northeast Corridor, Portal Bridge

Crude oil train safety regulator steps down

September 26, 2014 The head of the federal agency tasked with improving the safety of crude oil transportation by rail is stepping down. Cynthia Quarterman, who has led the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration since 2009, will leave an agency that recently proposed sturdier co [...]

Tags crude oil, Cynthia Quarterman, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

New Jobs Available In Texas

September 26, 2014 New job postings have been issues via the SMART Job Bank for sheet metal positions in Texas. Please visit the Sheet Metal Job Bank for more information.

NTSB examines recent surge in rail worker deaths

September 25, 2014 WASHINGTON – The National Transportation Safety Board Sept. 24 issued a special investigation report on the recent increase in deaths of railroad and rail transit roadway workers on or near tracks and made recommendations to reduce the number of fatalities. The Special Invest [...]

Tags National Transportation Safety Board, NTSB, rail workers deaths, special investigation

Feds delay alcohol, drug regs for MOW workers

September 25, 2014 Federal regulators are putting the brakes on new alcohol and drug regulations for railroad maintenance workers. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) proposed new testing requirements for railroad track workers in July but said Wednesday (Sept. 24) it is extending the com [...]

Tags alcohol and drug testing, FRA, maintenance of way

Education, strength and unity – we'll fulfill our mission

September 24, 2014 Thanks to all of the delegates, members, guests and staff that made the First SMART General Convention a resounding success. I have been involved in this union for 45 years. There has never been a more outspoken, honest, and hardworking General Executive Council than the one [...]

Tags Nigro, SMART

N.Y. MTA proposes $32 billion in capital investments

September 24, 2014 The Metropolitan Transportation Authority yesterday (Sept. 23) published a proposed $32 billion, four-year capital program designed to invest in safety and reliability measures for its subways, commuter railroads, buses, bridges and tunnels. Proposed for 2015 through 2019, th [...]

Tags LIRR, New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Staten Island Railway

Report: Hazardous chemicals not on trains' cargo lists

September 24, 2014 At least 18 times in the past three years BNSF Railway freight trains rolled west out of Minneapolis pulling cars filled with hazardous chemicals that were not on the train’s official cargo list, according to train crew complaints. That’s contrary to federal regul [...]

Tags BNSF Railway, hazardous materials, hazmat, Minnesota

RRB unemployment, sickness benefits to decrease

September 22, 2014 Beginning Oct. 1, 2014, the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) will reduce railroad unemployment and sickness insurance benefits by 7.3 percent, up from the current 7.2 percent reduction, due to federal budget cuts first implemented in March 2013. The adjusted reduction amo [...]

Tags RRB, sickness benefits, unemployment benefits