Congress

[As published By John Previsich And Edward Wytkind in The Modesto Bee] California has more museums dedicated to railroads than any other state in our country – and it’s easy to see why. From the transcontinental railroad to the developing high-speed rail system, rail transportation has played a significant role in shaping this state’s history. The […]

Washington, DC — Edward Wytkind, president of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), issued the following statement on a bipartisan bill that extends the deadline for implementation of positive train control (PTC) technology: “TTD supports bipartisan legislation – introduced today by the leadership of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee – that extends the statutory deadline […]

As published by Keith Laing in The Hill.   Senate to consider extending deadline for automating trains The Senate committee that oversees transportation issues is scheduled to mark up a measure on Wednesday that would extend a deadline for U.S. railways to equip their trains with automated control systems by five years. Current law requires that […]

Washington, DC—Edward Wytkind, president of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), issues this statement about the Senate markup of the Positive Train Control (PTC) extension bill:  “A five-year extension of the deadline by which Positive Train Control (PTC) technology must be implemented cannot be considered in a vacuum or in isolation. Rail employees, first responders, […]

The weather’s getting warmer, and with that we’re flashing back to last summer in more ways than one: once again, we’re just two and a half months out from watching the Highway Trust Fund go bankrupt. The last short-term extension, which Congress passed last August, will keep the Highway Trust Fund solvent until May 31st of […]

For a few short minutes two weeks ago, 4.1 million Americans may have understood the problems of failing to invest in our nation’s crumbling infrastructure. It wasn’t because a bridge collapsed; it wasn’t because a sinkhole opened up in the middle of a highway; and it wasn’t because of an accident on an aging transit […]

As published by Joan Lowy for the Associated Press.   House passes bipartisan Amtrak bill that could boost Northeast Corridor service WASHINGTON (AP) — In a rare burst of bipartisanship, the House moved Wednesday to boost Amtrak’s popular service between Boston and Washington while giving states a greater say in the local routes they help […]

As published in Progressive Railroading.   House passes $8 billion Amtrak funding bill The U.S. House yesterday passed a bill that authorizes nearly $8 billion to fund Amtrak over the next four years. The Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act of 2015 (PRRIA) would keep Amtrak funded at nearly current levels, about $1.4 billion per year, […]

Washington, DC—Edward Wytkind, president of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), issues this statement about the House passage of the Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act of 2015 (PRRIA): “Today the House of Representatives took an important step to sustain Amtrak, America’s national passenger railroad. The overwhelming vote today on the floor of the House […]

Vote YES on H.R. 749 – the Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act of 2015 Vote NO on the McClintock Amendment to Defund and Bankrupt Amtrak   March 3, 2015 Dear Representative: On behalf of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), I urge you to support H.R. 749 – the Passenger Rail Reform and Investment […]