News Archive
Member severely injured in switching accident
A SMART Transportation Division member working as a conductor for Canadian National Railway (Illinois Central) was crushed by a rail car in a switching accident March 15. William C. Moses, 42, a 10-year member of the Transportation Division, was seriously injured in the accid [...]UP again violates Federal Railroad Safety Act
More than 200 whistleblower complaints against railroad since 2001 NORTH PLATTE, Neb. – For the third time since 2011, the Union Pacific Railroad has violated the Federal Railroad Safety Act at its yard in North Platte by disciplining employees who reported workplace injuries [...]Acting FRA chief has some in Congress impressed
After a string of deadly train crashes, a pair of angry U.S. senators stood in New York’s Grand Central Terminal four months ago to denounce the Federal Railroad Administration as a “lawless agency, a rogue agency,” too cozy with the railroads it regulates a [...]Mo. State Legislative Board has new website
State Legislative Director Ken Menges reports that the Missouri Legislative Board has a new website at www.smartmoslb.org. Members can now stay up to date on issues affecting their jobs as well as issues affecting Missouri locals. Members can contact the board directly throug [...]OSHA seeks nominations for Whistleblower committee
WASHINGTON – The Occupational Safety and Health Administration today announced that nominations are being accepted for members to serve on the Whistleblower Protection Advisory Committee. OSHA is accepting nominations for six members to serve on the 12-member committee for a [...]Five ways energy is transforming U.S. railroads
U.S. railroads have not hauled so much crude oil since the short period at the dawn of the petroleum age, when John D. Rockefeller relied on trains to build his Standard Oil empire. But the long, black tanker trains are only the most visible way that the changing U.S. energy [...]NTSB to hold forum on railroad trespassing
WASHINGTON – The National Transportation Safety Board will hold a public forum March 24-25 on the dangers of trespassing on the railroad right-of-way. While railroad tracks have long held a cultural resonance with Americans, featured in motion pictures, TV shows, music videos [...]Oil industry must join railroads to boost train safety
WASHINGTON – Rail operators are going to great lengths to prevent oil train derailments but the energy sector must do more to prevent accidents from becoming fiery disasters, the leading U.S. rail regulator said on Friday (March 13). Oil train tankers have jumped the tracks i [...]