7 hot issues for rail stakeholders in 2024

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Railroads, shippers and unions are tracking hot topics ranging from service improvement to...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/7-hot-issues-for-rail-stakeholders-in-2024

FRA’s train crew size rule moves forward

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The Federal Railroad Administration has submitted its final rule on train crew staffing to the U.S....

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/fras-train-crew-size-rule-moves-forward

Derailment, safety, partnerships among rail’s big issues in 2023

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2023 seemed to kick off quietly for U.S. freight railroads: The industry had seen the resolution of...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/derailment-safety-partnerships-among-rails-big-issues-in-2023

Maintenance-of-way rail union and Union Pacific tussle over furloughs

Debate about furloughs at Union Pacific and how many employees could be affected continue to play out in the public arena following a recent industry conference where Surface Transportation Board Chairman Marty Oberman called out Union Pacific leadership.

The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way – Employes Division (BMWED) sent two letters to the STB: one on Oct. 27 before the RailTrends conference in November hosted by Progressive Railroading and independent Wall Street analyst Tony Hatch and one...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/maintenance-of-way-rail-union-and-union-pacific-tussle-over-furloughs

STB chairman will not seek reappointment to agency

Surface Transportation Board Chairman Marty Oberman will not seek reappointment to the agency, the STB confirmed late Thursday.

STB spokesman Michael Booth said Oberman announced at the RailTrends conference in New York that he had decided against seeking reappointment, according to a news release from the board. The release said Oberman will continue to serve several months into next year, which is within his one-year holdover period. His current term is set to expire on Dec. 31 of this year.

STB...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/stb-chairman-will-not-seek-reappointment-to-agency

STB gets earful on proposed rule for reciprocal switching

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The Surface Transportation Board recently closed the comment period for rail stakeholders to file...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/stb-gets-earful-on-proposed-rule-for-reciprocal-switching

Head count for US Class I rail operations shows mixed bag

The average number of employees working for the U.S.-based operations of the Class I railroads for the first three quarters of 2023 is roughly flat to lower compared with the same period in 2020, according to data collected by the Surface Transportation Board.

But when comparing those two periods, only two rail employment categories from within that total number grew: the train and engine (T&E) category and the category for executives, officials and staff assistants. 

On average, the U.S....

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/head-count-for-us-class-i-rail-operations-shows-mixed-bag

Sick leave agreement between CSX and railroad signalmen ratified

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CSX and another division of union members with the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen have ratified a...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/sick-leave-agreement-between-csx-and-railroad-signalmen-ratified

BNSF and train conductors union reach work scheduling deal

Western U.S. Class I railroad BNSF and the union representing train conductors have reached a systemwide agreement on work scheduling.

BNSF (NYSE: BRK-B) said the agreement with the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers, Transportation Division (SMART-TD) “goes well beyond” the mandatory local bargaining items recommended by the Presidential Emergency Board, a three-member independent panel brought in last summer by President Joe Biden and the unions when...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/bnsf-and-train-conductors-union-reach-work-scheduling-deal

Lower volumes prompt furloughs at Union Pacific

Amid a drop in rail traffic, Union Pacific has furloughed at least 94 employees, including 43 machinists in 11 locations, according to an official with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM).

Josh Hartford, special assistant to the international president of IAM, said employees were told that the furloughs were happening because of plans to store 200 locomotives now and potentially an additional 100 within the next few weeks or months.

UP confirmed that furloughs...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/lower-volumes-prompt-furloughs-at-union-pacific

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