SMART TD office closed for New Year's holiday

The offices of the SMART Transportation Division and UTU Insurance Association will be closed Dec. 31 and Jan. 1 for the New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day holidays. The officers and staff of the SMART Transportation Division and UTUIA wish the membership of the SM [...]

Oil train explodes, burns in crash with grain train

A BNSF Railway grain train derailed and crashed into a crude oil train in North Dakota Monday afternoon, Dec. 30, causing tank cars to explode in towering mushroom-cloud flames. No one was injured in the accident that happened about 2:10 p.m. near Casselton, N.D., about 25 mi [...]

FRA adjusts accident/incident reporting threshold

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) published a Final Rule on Dec. 24, 2013, that increases the rail equipment accident/incident reporting threshold for 2014 from $9,900 to $10,500. This action is taken every year to ensure the figures accurately reflect cost increases [...]

$400M N.M. railroad project may open in 2014

SANTA TERESA, N.M. — A $400 million Union Pacific railroad facility near a young New Mexico border town could open next year, according to the company. Union Pacific spokesman Aaron Hunt said Tuesday that construction near Santa Teresa is ahead of schedule and the facility co [...]

PEB 244 Issues Recommendations In LIRR Dispute

Presidential Emergency Board 244 issued its recommendations Dec. 21 for settling a dispute between the Long Island Rail Road and its unionized employees represented by the SMART Transportation Division and several other labor unions. The board’s recommendations are non-bindin [...]