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UTU Transportation Safety Team joins investigation

PORTAGE, Ind. -- The UTU Transportation Safety Team (TST) has joined with personnel from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to investigate the collision yesterday of a Chicago-bound commuter train with a semi-trailer that resulted in the death of three train passengers.

About 20 people were aboard South Shore Railroad train number 102 from Michigan City, Ind., when the engine collided with a semi-trailer truck carrying a 45,000-pound rolled steel coil at a grade crossing in Portage, Ind. According to reports, the train was traveling at about 75 mph when it struck the semi-trailer.

The impact sent the steel coil flying into the rail car, crushing three passengers to death. Injured passengers were taken to a local hospital.

The driver of the truck, who was unhurt, apparently stopped his double-trailer truck because of train traffic on a northern set of tracks, and the second trailer had not cleared the westbound track.

Engineers, brakemen, conductors and operators on the electrified commuter line that runs between Chicago and South Bend, Ind., are members of UTU Local 1526 in Michigan City, Ind.

BNSF halts rail line sales program

BISMARCK, N.D. -- Citing an unstable regulatory climate in Washington, D.C., Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad officials said the carrier has halted its systemwide rail line sales program.

At a meeting held with the North Dakota Public Service Commission, a BNSF official said the carrier was halting the program because the shortline industry was pushing for regulations that would nullify existing agreements between spin-off railroads and their former Class I owners.

He said most sales were concluded at well below market value, with the provision that traffic generated on the track could only be interchanged with BNSF, but the regulations being sought would undercut the carrier.

"We’ve been working for more than a decade to stop shortline sales because they steal our members’ jobs and reduce wages in the industry," noted UTU’s North Dakota State Legislative Director John Risch. "Now, it looks as though the greed on the part of shortline owners has done it for us, as least with the BNSF for now."

BNSF said it had 10 pending rail line sales totaling some 421 miles of track that it intends to complete.

Amtrak accident kills one in N.C.

DURHAM, N.C. – A New York-bound Amtrak train hit a tractor-trailer at a downtown grade crossing yesterday killing the truck driver and injuring 11 others.

A 39-year-old Virginia man driving the truck was killed and 8 children were injured. They were on a field trip. The train hit the truck at about 11:30 a.m. at the grade crossing, which was equipped with flashing signals and crossbucks.

Chicago announces $2 billion airport expansion

CHICAGO – City officials announced a $2 billion effort on Thursday to make O’Hare International and Midway airports safer and more passenger friendly.

The money would be used to accommodate an expected 35% increase in passenger traffic expected by 2012. The city plans to issue $600 million in bonds next month to fund a new terminal at Midway and 3,000-space parking garage.

At O’Hare, five new gates will be added to accommodate new, larger planes and more parking will be added.

TWU leader told to be nicer to Philly mayor

PHILADELPHIA – One of the state’s most powerful politicians met with TWU Local 234 President Steve Brookens telling him to "stop beating up on the mayor and city."

State Sen. Vincent Fumo (D) told Brookens during a 90-minute meeting to stop waiting for a federal arbitrator to settle the strike and that the union’s strategy is "wrong" and that "they are not going to win it this way."

Fumo also said that contract currently on the table "is as good as they’re going to get. However, Brookens said, "We’re at war, and the war will continue. By no means will we go back to work without a contract."

The strike is in its17^th day and there are no new talks scheduled.

Polish rail strike causes major central Europe delays

WARSAW – A strike that started Wednesday by the engineers of the Polish State Railway (PKP) has caused significant delays on some central European rail-freight routes.

The president of PKP, which is losing $3.4 million a day because of the strike, says he will consider giving temporary licenses to as many as 11 private transport companies to let them use PKP tracks to keep freight moving.

About 60% of all freight trains and 33% of all passenger trains are idled because of the strike. Estimates are that 850 engineers have stopped work. The Trade Union of Train Engineers called the strike, which the government calls illegal.

Russian miners posed to resume railroad blockade

SYKTYVKAR, Russia – The miners of Inta in northern Russia are ready to resume their "war on the rails" on Monday because the government has failed to comply with its financial obligations and promises with respect to financing the coal industry and paying back wages.

Wages are delayed again even though the region’s mines are working at full capacity.

AAR wants some Hamberger

WASHINGTON – The Association of American Railroads is negotiating with Washington lobbyist Ed Hamberger to become the new head of the trade group, the Journal of Commerce reported today.