Cory Martin
Illinois State Legislative Board Chairman
2024 Illinois Primaries
Brothers and Sisters, it is Primary season in Illinois and we need to get out and vote. 2024 is shaping up to be a big year from the top of ticket to the very bottom, and sometimes the local races are the most vital. You recently received our list of suggested...
Brothers and sisters, as we move forward with this new chapter of the ISLB I want to continue to express my sincerest condolences to the Falaney family. Chris was a wonderful Husband, Father and Union man. He was an example of what we represent and something we should...
I toured the BRC Clearing yard in Chicago today with Illinois Congressman, Sean Casten and other Rail Labor leadership.
The short lines – doing their part in fighting against our safety…
Rail safety legislation: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has continued to speak publicly about his desire to move forward the Brown-Vance rail safety bill (S. 576). The bill would need 60 votes to clear a procedural hurdle and be considered on the floor....
Chairman, Chris Falaney and Vice Chairman, Corey Martin with STB member Robert Primus
Chairman, Chris Falaney and Vice Chairman, Corey Martin with STB member Robert Primus at the 2023 BLET Regional Meeting in Milwaukee.
2023 recipients of the BLET ISLB Don Little Scholarships
The 2023 BLET ISLB Don Little Scholarships have been awarded! Dylan Hawbaker (Div. 155) Sarah Molitor (Div. 131) Morgan Toedebusch (Div. 444) Congratulations, and best of luck on your future endeavors!
17,807
Grain carloads carried by U.S. railroads in the week ending May 20, down 12.7% from a year ago and leaving the commodity traffic down 7.1% so far this year, according to the Association of American Railroads.
Meeting National President Eddie Hall
I got a chance to chat with our new National President Eddie Hall at the NASLBC meeting in Kansas City. (pic)
Norfolk Southern Wants Ohio Securities Suit In Georgia
Norfolk Southern asked an Ohio federal judge Friday to send a proposed securities class action accusing it of misleading investors by not disclosing the heightened risks of train derailments prior to the February incident to the Northern District of Georgia, as it...
California Trucking Bill Has Autonomous Vehicle Industry On Edge.
Momentum for a California proposal seeking to ban autonomous heavy-duty trucks from operating without a human driver behind the wheel has sparked fears that the Golden State will kick off a nationwide patchwork of state regulations that will hinder the burgeoning...
Appropriators proposal trims Amtrak fiscal 2025 budget: Analysis
Appropriators proposal trims Amtrak fiscal 2025 budget: Analysis Eastbound Wolverine No. 350 flies past the shuttered Ypsilanti, Mich., depot on June 7, 2024. The train is operating only Friday though Sunday until mid-October while midday, midweek trackwork takes...
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen National President Eddie Hall introduced The Railroad Safety Enhancement Act of 2024
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen National President Eddie Hall introduced The Railroad Safety Enhancement Act of 2024 The following statement regarding important bipartisan rail safety legislation introduced today by Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX-22) and Rep....
NTSB releases final East Palestine report
NTSB releases final East Palestine report WASHINGTON — The National Transportation Safety Board on Friday released the final report on the Feb. 3, 2023, Norfolk Southern derailment and hazardous chemical release in East Palestine, Ohio — a document finalized by the...
Norfolk Southern backs NTSB safety policy recommendations
Norfolk Southern backs NTSB safety policy recommendations Norfolk Southern Corp. on July 10 endorsed policy recommendations from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) regarding the agency’s investigation into the railroad company’s 2023 East Palestine, Ohio,...
Regulators nervous about rail freight decline
Regulators nervous about rail freight decline WASHINGTON — Federal regulators are summoning executives from the major freight railroads to a rare public hearing to explain how their companies plan to invest in and grow their business amid concern over recent negative...
FRA issues NOFO for $1.1 million in Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program funding
FRA issues NOFO for $1.1 million in Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program funding The Federal RailRoad Administration (FRA) has issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for more than $1.1 billion in Railroad Crossing Elimination (RCE) Grant Program funding....
Chicago transit officials say funding, not restructuring, is key to better service
Chicago transit officials say funding, not restructuring, is key to better service CHICAGO — The heads of Chicago’s four transit agencies argued Tuesday at a legislative hearing that financial support, not structure, is the key issue they face in trying to serve the...
Labor Leaders Urge Congress to Oppose Anti-Worker Resolutions in Congressional Review Act
Labor Leaders Urge Congress to Oppose Anti-Worker Resolutions in Congressional Review Act Today, a coalition of nearly 50 labor organizations sent a letter to lawmakers in Congress that outlines strong opposition to more than a dozen forthcoming Congressional Review...
Rail labor opposes Amtrak request for waiver to deal with ‘loss of shunt’ until testing data is shared
Rail labor opposes Amtrak request for waiver to deal with ‘loss of shunt’ until testing data is shared WASHINGTON — Three labor organizations have opposed Amtrak’s request for a waiver allowing installation of a device the company claims will prevent incidents where...
NTSB to investigate CPKC derailment, UP worker fatality
NTSB to investigate CPKC derailment, UP worker fatality The National Transportation Safety Board has launched investigations into two freight-rail accidents that occurred over the Fourth of July holiday weekend. The first incident involved a Canadian Pacific Kansas...