UTU News Digest - March 20, 1998

UTU activates telephone hotline for Union Pacific members

CLEVELAND – On the final day of National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) hearings into safety problems on the Union Pacific Railroad, the United Transportation Union (UTU) opened a telephone hotline today for its members to report safety and operational problems.

The number is 1-800-964-9464

"The Union Pacific Railroad must solve its serious labor problems now," said UTU International President Charles L. Little. "UTU members have suffered needlessly because of the poor execution of UP’s merger with the Southern Pacific."

The UTU decided to establish the hotline after a recent Summit Meeting with top UP officers to make sure the carrier lives up to its word about correcting operating and safety problems. The UTU-UP Task Force leading this information gathering operation is a cooperative effort of the International and the UP General Committees.

Railroad Association president quits $500,000 job

WASHINGTON – Only eight months after signing on to a $500,000 a year job as president of the Association of American Railroads, M.B. Oglesby, Jr., resigned his position.

Oglesby joined the AAR in July. Yesterday he said he is leaving his job "to pursue other interests." AAR declined comment on the abrupt resignation.

Funding sought for Midwest high-speed rail

CHICAGO – Transportation officials in Illinois and six other states are looking for financing for a high-speed rail network capable of hitting speeds greater than 100 mph.

The seven states have formed the Midwest Railroad Initiative to lobby Congress for federal funds for smaller projects that eventually could be linked to form a high-speed rail network. A Missouri newspaper said one part of the system would be a high-speed train that would link St. Louis and Chicago capable of making the trip in 3 ½ hours.

Light rail seen as solution to Florida traffic congestion

ORLANDO – The Florida Department of Community Affairs is asking light-rail planners to resolved their concerns in four cities along the light-rail route.

The FDCA believes a path alongside Interstate 4, and not the CSX railroad, would better serve planned growth and development in the cities of Winter Park, Eatonville, Altamonte Springs and Maitland.

CN says IC a "perfect fit"

WINNIPEG – Canadian National President and CEO Paul Tellier said the proposed $24. Billion merger of the Illinois Central into his railroad was a "perfect fit" that will extend his company’s service to three coasts.

Tellier said CN would offer shippers a new single-line service from the Atlanta to the Pacific to the Gulf of Mexico. The merger is subject to Surface Transportation Board approval. Tellier said IC would retain its name, logo and a significant corporate presence in Chicago.

"Rail traffic in the Canada-U.S.-Mexico trade corridor is growing three times faster than east-west traffic," Tellier said.

UP says Texas service improves, but Laredo congestion delays traffic

OMAHA -- Union Pacific Railroad said its rail service in the Texas-Missouri corridor has shown specific improvements, but noted that congestion south of the Laredo gateway is delaying traffic for Mexico.

UP’s directional running between Texas and Missouri has shown substantial improvement. UP cites a significant reduction in freight cars in two main Houston terminals as the reason, along with similar improvements in its Forth Worth terminal.

Update: No transit strike yet in Philly; TWU, SEPTA talks continue

PHILADELPHIA – Talks continue between the Transport Workers Union (TWU) and SEPTA over a new contract. The TWU said it would not strike during mid-day so those commuters who take public transit to work can also take it home. No new developments have been reported.

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Friday, March 20, 1998