BROTHERHOOD OF MAINTENANCE OF WAY EMPLOYES DIVISION Of The International Brotherhood Of Teamsters Volume 116 ■ Number 4 www.bmwe.org July/August 2007 Rail Conference Leaders Form Mexico Rail Study Group embers of the IBT Rail MConference Mexico Rail Study Group met in Laredo, Texas, July 31 through August 2, 2007. The study group consists of Union Officers from the BMWED and BLET. Among the group’s goals is to protect rail workers from the negative effects flowing from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and to promote work opportunities which may result from increased rail traffic from Mexico. The group chose Laredo, Texas for its first meeting because of its geographical proximity to one of the gateways for traffic between the U.S. and Mexico at Nuevo Laredo, UP and Mexican locomotives coupled in Laredo, TX rail yard. Mexico. The North American Free Trade while being utilized in Mexico. And, at Government amended its constitution private companies. One of those rail Agreement became effective January the time, the rail industry in Mexico allowing for the privatization of the rail systems was sold to Mexican Railway 1, 1994. However, American Railroads was owned and operated by the industry. By 1999 Mexico had split up Transportation (TFM), a group which were initially reluctant to take advan- Mexican Government. the government railroad, Ferrocarriles included Mexican Maritime tage of the Agreement because of In 1995, apparently spurred on for Nacionales de Mexico (FNM) and had Transportation (TMM) and Kansas the lack of protection for their rail cars economic reasons, the Mexican sold seven separate rail systems to See Rail on Page 7 Runaway Train Imperils CSX Track Crew Quick Reactions by BMWED Members Avert Disaster onday morning July 23 began as Lashomb that runaway cars were and the prompt and orderly evacuation BMWED members of gang 6XC6 Ma typical day for CSX Curve Patch heading in their direction. The by the crew was remarkable. Their averted disaster and prevented horrific Gang No. 6XC6 working in Watertown, Roadway Worker In-Charge of the professionalism, safety consciousness, injuries and loss of human life.” NY. The 45-man curve patch and rail crew, Foreman B. Kacenski, immedi- and situational awareness prevented Rick Inclima, BMWED Director of laying crew established their Exclusive ately ordered his workers to vacate this incident from becoming a real Safety echoed Brother Long’s senti- Track Occupancy authority, conducted their machines and clear the track. At tragedy. The quick reaction by See Runaway on Page 7 their on-track safety briefing, and occu- 9:02 A.M., the runaway cars slammed pied the main track with men and into the maintenance machines left on equipment to begin replacing continu- the track and the propane exploded ous welded rail. upon impact. Unbeknown to the rail laying crew, Roads within a half mile of the derail- several cars located at nearby Fort ment were closed and residents and Drum military complex got away from businesses near the accident site were the loading dock at the base and evacuated. The collision and derail- began their high speed runaway ment caused extensive damage to the towards the rail gang. Two of the run- track and the vacated on-track mainte- away cars were carrying containers nance machines. However, due to the marked “explosives” and at least one emergency warning from Foreman car was carrying propane. According Lashomb, the quick reaction of to a report by the Post-Standard, the Roadway Worker In-Charge Kacenski, runaway cars traveled approximately and the immediate and orderly evacua- eight miles unmanned and unattended, tion by the track crew, injury and cata- building to speeds of 40-45 MPH. strophic loss of life was avoided. Minutes before the runaway cars Ed Long, Assistant General reached the location of the rail gang, Chairman of the BMWED Consolidated the work crew received a frantic warn- Rail System Federation said, “The ing over the radio from MW Foreman L. quick reaction of the foreman in-charge Track equipment destroyed by runaway train in NY. ★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Meridian and Bigbee Employees Join BMWED he maintenance of way employ- birthplace of the Brotherhood of National Division and the Allied Chairman Andrew Shelton. “Welcome Tees on the Meridian & Bigbee Maintenance of Way Employes. The Eastern Federation were on hand to to the BMWED.” Railroad (M&B) recently voted for rep- BMWE was formed in Demopolis in listen to concerns, discuss pending The Meridian & Bigbee Railroad resentation by the Brotherhood of 1887 as a benevolent society which negotiations and welcome the new operates over 180 miles between Maintenance of Way Employes later became the Order of Railroad members. “I look forward to attending Meridian, MS and Montgomery, AL Division. The BMWED Organizing Trackmen and eventually, the your union meetings and addressing and is owned by Genesee & Wyoming Department had been meeting with Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way any issues that might arise,” said Vice Inc. the M&B employees over a number of Employes. It was there, on a hot months prior to the successful vote. “I summer day in 1887, that founder commend our new members for stay- John T. Wilson called together a group ing focused and achieving their goal of fellow Track Foremen to discuss of becoming union members,” said their plight of low wages, dangerous Amtrak Crew Goes BMWED Director of Organizing Tim work and their family’s economic inse- McCall. curity. The new members on the Meridian History repeated itself on June 16, Seven Years Injury Free & Bigbee will be represented by the 2007 when, like their predecessors, Allied Eastern Federation. “We look the newly organized M&B employees ighteen BMWED track depart- VanDerMaelen. “Our crew has forward to the business of obtaining a met in Demopolis to discuss ways to Ement members headquartered gone seven years without injury, fair contract for our members at M&B,” improve their working conditions and at the MOW base in New Haven, and over 8 years without a contract! said General Chairman Dennis to identify issues of concern to be CT were recognized in July for I don’t blame the local managers Albers. “We have served notice on addressed in their first union contract. achieving a full seven years of for this, but someone up high in M&B for improvements in those areas “I was a member of the BMWE for 20 injury free service to Amtrak. A the Amtrak food chain needs to get identified by our members and are years before my road was sold,” said breakfast for the gang was hosted real and settle this contract. We eager to begin negotiations.” Track Foreman Jesse Holland. “The by local management to commem- work very hard to keep these The Meridian & Bigbee member’s most important issues to me would be orate this safety milestone and to tracks safe, and we live in one of first meeting was held in Demopolis, improving wages and vacation acknowledge the crew’s commit- the highest cost of living regions in AL, a place well known for being the allowance.” Representatives from the ment to safety. the northeast. We deserve to be All are members of BMWED fairly compensated.” Local Lodge 1718, Northeastern Joe Mattie is Vice General BMWE Division System Federation. The vast Chairman of the Northeastern majority of these members have System Federation and a Track 30+ years of service, having hired Foreman for Amtrak with 34 years JOURNAL CONTENTS on with Amtrak or transferred from of railroad service. “I think we the predecessor Penn Central have made significant gains in July/Aug. 2007 ■ BMWE DIVISION JOURNAL ■ VOLUME 116 ■ NUMBER 4 Railroad when Amtrak took over safety over the years and our The BMWED Journal is the official news publication of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division ownership of the Northeast record proves it,” said Mattie. of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Corridor (NEC) in 1976. “This has been a joint effort by Freddie N. Simpson Perry K. Geller, Sr. E. Randall Brassell The NEC basically splits at New everyone involved and I am proud President and Editor Secretary-Treasurer Associate Editor Haven, with trains on the Shoreline to be part of it. We try to watch out The BMWED Journal (ISSN 1049-3921 /USPS 067640) is published bi-monthly-6 times annually at 20300 Civic route traveling east and west and for one another and put our own Center Drive, Suite 320, Southfield, Michigan 48076-4169. Periodicals postage paid at Southfield, Michigan and safety, and the safety of Amtrak additional mailing offices. trains on the inland Hartford- ATTENTION POSTMASTER: Springfield Line running north and passengers, at the very top of our Send address changes to BMWED, 20300 Civic Center Drive, Suite 320, Southfield, Michigan 48076-4169. south through the center of agenda each and every day. We Subscription Price: U.S. and Canada—$20.00 (U.S.) per year, in advance. Connecticut. The 62-mile long are maintaining the fastest track in Hartford-Springfield line services the country, but our pay rates are www.bmwe.org the state capitals of both among the lowest in the land. Connecticut and Massachusetts. My crew steps up to the plate with Rail Conference Leaders Form Hazardous Materials Training The members headquartered at skill and dedication every single Mexico Rail Study Group 1 has Come A Long Way 3 New Haven work on both lines, day. It’s really past time for the Runaway Train Imperils Two RRs Partner with NLC for keeping Amtrak’s high-speed Acela corporate big-wigs at Amtrak to CSX Track Crew 1 “Craft-Specific” HazMat Training trains moving safely along the step up to the plate and negotiate Quick Reactions by BMWED President’s Perspective 4 Shoreline’s FRA Class 6 & 7 track the kind of agreement these men Members Avert Disaster between New Haven and Boston, deserve.” Message from Teamsters and maintaining Amtrak’s FRA President Simpson said, “The Meridian and Bigbee General President Jim Hoffa 4 Class 4 track between New Haven New Haven crew is typical of MW Employees Join BMWED 2 Future Staff Positions at and Springfield on the inland route.