Rail

There is little disagreement among lawmakers, frontline workers, government agencies, and even rail carriers themselves that freight rail in this country must be held to the highest safety standards and oversight rules. Yet, as we speak, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is allowing foreign crews, originating in Mexico, to operate in the U.S. without assurances […]

While right-wing think tanks and anti-government ideologues have always criticized Amtrak’s long-distance routes, questions are now being raised about whether or not Amtrak itself supports a national system.

  In transportation, almost everyone talks about the need to put safety first, but when given the choice between cutting costs and lowering standards, some companies choose wrong. That is what we are seeing in the freight rail industry’s efforts to reduce crew size. Today, nearly every freight train in America is operated by two […]

During last week’s announcement that Amtrak would be purchasing 28 new high-speed train sets, Vice President Joe Biden called out Amtrak’s dedicated employees for their incredible contributions to our national passenger rail system. Praising them for regularly going above and beyond, he noted that “management is fine, but employees are better.” This isn’t just lip service. […]

Common sense tells us that operating a 19,000-ton freight train with a single crewmember – like the railroads want to do – is a dangerous idea. But what do the men and women who actually operate these trains think? Now is your chance to find out! This Thursday, SMART-TD member and BNSF conductor Mike Rankin […]

Other than the lobby for the behemoth, multi-billion dollar railroad companies, almost no one believes we should permit up to 20,000-ton freight trains, many filled with things that blow up, to travel across America with a single crew member at the controls. The American people hate this idea. Across the country, in small towns and […]

Ed Wytkind, president of TTD, discusses high speed rail and its impact on national infrastructure, individual communities and the economy on The Rick Smith Show. Wytkind commented on California’s ambitious high-speed rail plan, which would bring 225 mile-per-hour service to the state, and a proposed project to connect Chicago to several major metropolitan areas, which […]

Note: This is the second piece in a series that explores the connection between a robust transportation system and a stronger middle class. Read the first piece which sets the tone for a much needed national conversation. Around the globe, the race is on to bring the world’s fastest trains — which top speeds nearing […]

The Amtrak crash in Philadelphia has reopened the debate about what can done to make passenger and freight rail safer for both passengers and workers. At recent Senate Commerce Committee and House Transportation and Infrastructure hearings, a number of solutions were proposed, including immediately installing inward-facing cameras in locomotive rail cabs. Proponents of cameras argue […]

The start of summer vacation season begins soon and many families will rely on Amtrak to get them there. Almost 31 million passengers took an Amtrak train last year – that’s up 4 percent. This increased popularity in our U.S. passenger rail system comes at a time when Amtrak continues to be short-changed by those […]