Industry publication for railway transport specialists
Illinois Railway Labor Agreement Goes to Vote

06.08.2026

Illinois Railway Labor Agreement Heads to Member Vote

USA: A tentative five-year Illinois Railway labor agreement offers retroactive pay, bonuses and wage increases, with BLET members set to have their ballots counted on August 14.
Ferromex locomotive 4553 with a freight train at Tepic yard in Mexico.

31.07.2026

FRA Proposes English Proficiency Rule and 10-Mile Limit

USA: The FRA English proficiency proposal would make language ability part of engineer and conductor certification while codifying a 10-route-mile limit for Mexican-based crews operating across the southern border.
Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific freight trains on parallel tracks

24.07.2026

STB Orders UP-NS Employee Data Made Public by July 27

UP-NS employee data on planned job cuts, new roles and transfers must become public by July 27 under a Surface Transportation Board order in the merger case.
Operations floor inside Union Pacific’s Harriman Dispatch Center with workstations and rail-network monitoring displays

22.07.2026

35 Lawmakers Challenge FRA Rail Certification Repeal

A bipartisan group of 35 House members has challenged the FRA rail certification repeal, seeking stronger evidence that ending dispatcher and signal-employee requirements would not weaken railroad safety.
Interior of an Atlanta Plane Train car with doors, handrails and route displays

22.07.2026

Atlanta Plane Train Workers Ratify First Union Deal

Atlanta Plane Train workers have ratified their first union contract, securing an immediate 18% wage increase and new workplace protections under a five-year agreement covering 90 Alstom technicians.
BNSF freight train passing under a signal bridge

09.07.2026

BNSF labor agreement covers 1,700 employees

A new BNSF labor agreement has been ratified by signal employees represented by the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen. BNSF labor agreement terms The BRS announced yesterday that the ⁠contract covers about 1,700 employees.
Virginia Railway Express train connected with Keolis operations

23.06.2026

BLET labor developments cover NOW and two pacts

BLET labor developments now cover a newly organized OmniTRAX short line and tentative agreements for workers at Watco and Keolis operations.
BLET agreements advance rail labor talks

03.06.2026

BLET agreements put rail pay gains in sharper focus

BLET agreements now center on two separate labor developments: a ratified three-year contract at Delaware & Hudson Railway and a proposed Metra deal that still needs a union vote.
BNSF Railway Faces Growing Opposition to West Valley Hub

08.05.2026

BNSF Slashes Fleet by 260 Locomotives in Aggressive Push to Close Operating Gap

BNSF efficiency gains are showing up in the railroad’s financial results. CEO Katie Farmer says the company still needs to improve profitability.

03.05.2026

Major Rivals and Shippers Unite Today to Block the Largest US Rail Deal in History

The Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern merger has drawn opposition from a new industry alliance. The group warns that the proposed deal could alter the structure of the US rail market and weaken competition.
UP-NS merger application moves into STB review

02.05.2026

UP and NS Revive $85 Billion Coast-to-Coast Merger Push With Sweeping STB Filing

The UP-NS merger application is back before the Surface Transportation Board for active review. Union Pacific Railroad and Norfolk Southern Railway filed an amended version of their request.
BLET Applauds Move to Block Non-U.S. Train Crews at the Border

23.04.2026

Lawmakers introduce Railroad Retirement Fairness Act

The Railroad Retirement Fairness Act (H. R.