Trains Magazine / June 17th

The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the death of a Transtar Rail employee in Fairfield, Ala., the agency said in a social media post on Tuesday, June 17.

WIAT-TV reports that Michael Dewaine Townsend, 39, died from blunt force injuries after being hit by a railcar in an accident that occurred about 11 p.m. on Monday, June 16.

Trains Magazine / June 20th

VIA Rail Canada and Canadian union Unifor have reached tentative agreement on a new three-year contract, averting a strike that could have begun as soon as this Sunday, June 22.

If ratified, the agreement will be retroactive to Jan. 1 of this year and run through Dec. 31, 2027. VIA said terms would only be disclosed following ratification.

Unifor’s Council 4000 and Local 100 represent approximately 2,400 workers at stations, onboard trains, and at maintenance facilities. Union members voted in favor of a strike last month.

SMART-TD / June 9th

Three states bordering Oregon (California, Washington, and Nevada) have passed two-person crew (2-PC) laws. 

Oregon State Representative Paul Evans (D) has voiced support for 2-PC in the past, signaling a readiness to join neighboring states in safeguarding critical logistics infrastructure in his state. When the time came, however, he refused to support the legislation. 

He claimed that Oregon has no use for the law, because he naively assumed the issue has already been resolved at the federal level.  

HANDS OFF!

APRIL 5th NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION

The International Steering Committee (ISC) of Railroad Workers United met on April 2, 2025, at which time we adopted the following three resolutions. Considered together, these raise alarm over the manifold harm that attacks on federal workers, threats to our scarce social safety net (including retirement security), and the privatization of our public goods are exacting on all workers, our democracy, and our future.

We urge you to read these resolutions in full (click on the links), join with activists across the U.S. this Saturday, April 5th, and on May Day, Thursday, May 1st to fight back and say Hands Off! our dignity, safety, and security. To find a local April 5th action near you, visit the Hand Off! national campaign website.

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RWU Resolution on Solidarity with Unionized Federal Workers

RWU strongly opposes the federal government's sweeping staffing cuts across agencies, causing harm to public services — especially for poor and working-class communities — and threats to the livelihoods of dedicated civil servants. We call on railroad unions, workers, and labor activists to unite in solidarity with federal workers and actively resist these attacks.

We strongly endorse April 5th and May 1st, "May Day," as days of action and urge broader labor organizations, including the AFL-CIO, to organize and participate in national efforts defending unionized federal workers.

RWU Resolution in Support of the Railroad Retirement System 

RWU defends the Railroad Retirement System, opposing field office closures and funding restrictions despite the system being self-funded and essential for workers. We call for modernization and protection, urging the government to release internal funds for tech upgrades and to preserve the system’s infrastructure. We urge collective union action, and encourage all railroad workers and retirees to mobilize and advocate for the system’s preservation.

RWU Resolution in Support of Amtrak

RWU supports keeping Amtrak public, and we oppose any efforts to privatize it that would reduce service, compromise safety, and eliminate good union jobs. We call for expanded investment in Amtrak, including more routes, better stations, new trains, and a larger union workforce. We urge unions, communities, and allies to stand with us in protecting and growing Amtrak as a critical public transportation system.

IBEW ratifies contract with rail carriers

FRA Sunsets C3RS RSAC Working Group

Brotherhood Of Railroad Signalmen / March 25th

The Federal Railroad Administration has decided to withdraw the Confidential Close Call Reporting System (C3RS) from the Railroad Safety Advisory Committee.

In addition, the FRA is deactivating the C3RS Working Group, which had been tasked with exploring how to improve rail safety through a voluntary, non-punitive safety reporting system.

CSXT: BLET exposes safety flaws with “zero-to-zero” technology that controls braking and urges the FRA to conduct further study

Trains Magazine / March 6th

Billionaire tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, who heads the advisory “Department of Government Efficiency” as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to upend business as usual in Washington, told a tech conference this week that Amtrak should be privatized.

Musk offered no specifics on how Amtrak could be privatized or what company would be interested in running a passenger railroad that posted a $705 million adjusted operating loss in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30.



Musk said Amtrak was an embarrassment compared to other passenger railroads around the globe. “If you’re coming from another country, please don’t use our national rail. It can leave you with a very bad impression of America,” he said.

Amtrak Is Instead Hyping Up Its Trains Of The Future Like The Airo

Literally, just prior to Elon's comments, Amtrak promoted its new Airo train set to launch in 2026.

Amtrak wrote, "Offering a more sustainable way to travel and featuring a modern design with world-class amenities, Amtrak Airo will transform the travel experience. The new trains will elevate the journey with a focus on comfort and efficiency, providing even more advantages to traveling by rail."

The Airo is in fact built in America, while boosting jobs nationwide with 13,500+ parts manufactured by nearly 100 suppliers in 31 states. Even before it hit the tracks, President Roger Harris praised the project for creating jobs.

"As we build to support the soaring demand for train travel, Amtrak Airo is creating jobs even before the trains are on the track."

The Airo will be featured across 14 different lines. The experience will be upgraded, along with quicker travel times.

How California overcame a major barrier to rail electrification

High Speed Rail Alliance / January 25

Rail electrification with overhead catenary, critical to high speed rail, is an unambiguous positive for the environment. It produces no air pollution at point of source, can be powered entirely by renewable energy, as California High Speed Rail will, and even using California’s current grid emits more than 100x less CO2 per passenger than diesel trains. More importantly, the faster acceleration, higher maximum speeds, and lower maintenance costs compared to other types of trains allow for higher levels of service, creating a demonstrated “Sparks Effect” of higher ridership that reduces emissions from cars. For these reasons and more, mainstream environmentalists have embraced overhead electrification as a climate solution.

 Despite the obvious benefits of electric rail, environmental law has been misused to obstruct vital rail electrification projects. While the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), California’s version of NEPA, provide critical protections against many environmentally damaging projects, over time their scope has been expanded by the courts, enabling abuse by wealthy interests. 

Are passenger trains entering a golden age or reaching the end of the line?

Following decades of penny-pinching, the first half of the 2020s appeared to be the beginning of a golden age for passenger rail investment in the United States. 

Since 2021, Amtrak has received approximately $32 billion from the federal government as a result of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, allowing the national passenger railroad to address a years-long backlog of infrastructure and equipment upgrades. The act also provided funding to study the expansion of Amtrak’s network — including reviving a second route across Montana, the North Coast Hiawatha, that hasn’t had service since 1979. 

While the fruits of that historic investment are still years away in some instances, officials had other reasons to celebrate. During fiscal year 2024, Amtrak carried a record-breaking 32.8 million passengers, a 15% increase over the previous year and a return to its pre-pandemic ridership. The railroad also brought in $2.5 billion in ticket revenue, a record amount in its 53-year history.

People before profits - trains are back in public hands

EIN Presswire / February 3

Increased security and CCTV headline benefits for commuters as rail operations are returned to public control four years after they were sold off by the Marshall government - despite the former Liberal premier’s pledge that he didn’t have a privatization agenda.

The return of train services to public hands today – with trams to follow later this year – realizes a major Malinauskas Labor Government election commitment.

The State Government announced in April last year that it had reached agreements with the private rail operators to bring train and tram services back into public hands in line with Labor’s pledge – which was made before the private contracts were ever signed. Under these agreements, the State Government will not pay any break fees.