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The BLE will soon conduct wide-spread field tests on locomotive cab temperatures in an effort to document the need for federal regulations requiring working air conditioners in all locomotives.
The continued heat wave, particularly in Texas, presents a good opportunity to measure the extreme cab temperatures that our members are exposed to in non air-conditioned cabs.
The BLE recently discussed the issue with FRA Administrator Jolene Molitoris.
The RSAC Cab Working Conditions Committee has also discussed the issue over the last several months at the urging of the BLE. So far, all BLE Legislative Representatives have been contacted for input.
The National Association of State Legislative Board Chairmen held their annual meeting in Coeur D' Alene, Idaho from June 7-10. New officers elected to head the NASLBC were Chairman Raymond A. Holmes (Texas); Vice Chairman J.T. Norris (Virginia); and Secretary-Treasurer Perry Renfro (Oklahoma).
Pictured above are the BLE State Legislative Board Charimen, the Provincial Legislative Board Chairmen, and invited guests. They are, from left: Robert Crawford, Federal Railroad Administration; Steve Jasso, FRA; Dick Clairmont, FRA; J.T. Norris, Virginia; Leroy Jones, Vice-President & U.S. National Legislative Board Chairman; Clarence Monin, International President; George Gavalla, FRA; Raymond Holmes, Texas; Perry Renfro, Oklahoma; Craig Gilchrist, Montana; and Bill O'Brien, Ohio.
Second row: Ken Kertesz, Pennsylvania First Vice-Chairman; Keith Luebke, Wisconsin; Tommy Mayne, Kentucky; Darrell Grywacheski, Manitoba; Bill Verdeyen, Indiana; Edward Way, Illinois; John Hubbard, Mississippi; James Brittain, Tennessee; Jim Keele, Kansas; George Last, Colorado, and John Collins, New York.
Third row: Jim Chappelle, New Jersey; Tom Armstrong, Saskatchewan; Tim Young, Arkansas; Darrell Blake, West Virginia; and Darrell Azarcon, California First Vice-Chairman.
Fourth row: Tim Smith, California; Don Bergman, Arizona; Keith McCarthy, Wyoming; Thomas Perkovich, Minnesota; Jeff Ramage, Idaho; Mike Muscha, North Dakota; Dale Jeremiah, Washington; George Newman, Massachusetts; Doug Horstman, Oregon; and Dean Hansen, Utah.
The House Subcommittee on Railroads held the first of several hearings on rail safety matters focusing on human factors and fatigue in rail safety.
Testifying on behalf of the BLE was Canadian Vice-President & National Legislative Representative George Hucker. It marked the first time in the history of the BLE that a Canadian vice-president testified before the U.S. Congress.
A hot topic of discussion at the upcoming U.S. Railroad Retirement Board's meeting is an amendment that would allow railroaders to retire early.
The proposed amendment to the Railroad Retirement Act would allow employees to retire with an unreduced annuity at age 55 or after 30 years of service, whichever comes first.
The House and Senate are now working with two funding levels for Amtrak during Fiscal Year 1999.
The House bill provides $609 million, while the Senate bill provides $555 million. The bills now go to a Conference Committee that will consider restoring Amtrak's funding level to $621 million, as originally requested by the Administration.
A federal court in Mississippi ruled that motorists who fail to stop at plainly marked railroad crossings and are hit by trains have no valid claim against the railroads.
President Clinton signed the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) into law. The bill greatly increases funding for transportation programs over its six year term, adding about $217.5 billion for highway and transit spending through the year 2003.
The diesel fuel excise tax which railroads pay will decrease 23% beginning Nov. 1 when a portion (1.25 cents per gallon) of that tax expires.
Section 130 provided increased funds for highway-rail grade crossing improvement. A considerable amount of money was allocated for high-speed rail projects.
Amtrak was ordered to pay $2.3 million in damages for failing to put up a crossing signal at an intersection where a train struck a truck, killing BLE Engineer Randall Moses, 43, in 1995. His family and two injured engineers will receive the money.
Ohio State Legislative Board Chairman Bill O'Brien reports that an Ohio appeals court has ruled that as long as railroads comply with federal law on warning devices at grade crossings, they are protected from negligence lawsuits based on state law.
The FRA ordered installation of a new train control system to ensure safety for faster trains on the northeast corridor between New Haven, Conn., and Boston. The new Advanced Civil Speed Enforcement System (ACSES), in combination with existing cab signal and automatic train control features already in place, will complete the elements of Positive Train Control.
The order also authorizes Amtrak to increase speeds to 135 miles per hour south of New York City for its equipped high speed trains after installation of ACSES on high-speed tracks.
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