Cory Martin
Illinois State Legislative Board Chairman
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 "has no meaningful connection to this district."
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 autonomous vehicle industry, experts say
Congressman Chuy Garcia
Had an excellent conversation with Congressman Chuy Garcia this morning. As you can expect, he is very squarely behind the Railway Safety legislation moving through the US Congress. I stressed to him the importance that ALL of the items and protections must stay in tact to provide real protection and safety for our members.
Just so you know, this is now who we have on T&I…
Nehls Leads Call for Biden Administration to Prioritize Rail Safety Over Special Interests? Washington, D.C. - Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX), Chairman of the Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee, led fellow T&I Committee Republicans in urging the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the Biden Administration to immediately return to prioritizing the continued testing of automated track inspection (ATI) safety technology. The Committee Members wrote to FRA Administrator...
Minnesota ISLB Quadrennial Meeting
Got some quality time with our National officers Vince Verna and Brendan Sullivan while attending Minnesota's Quadrennial meeting. Special thanks to State Chairman Joel Mueller for inviting Illinois to participate.
REMINDER ANOUNCEMENT! MAY 1st DUE DATE.
The annual ISLB Don Little Memorial Scholarships for 2023. The Illinois State Legislative Board will be awarding up to (3) $1000 scholarships to Illinois member’s children going to college. Applications MUST BE SUBMITTED by May 1st 2023. I have posted the documents in the files area to apply OR they can be found at this link: 2023_Illinois_SLB_Scholarship
2023 Don Little Scholarship Applications
The BLET’s Illinois State Legislative Board is currently accepting applications for its Don Little Memorial Scholarship Fund, which was established in 2013. Up to Three (3) $1,000 scholarships will be awarded to applicants whose parent or guardian is a BLET member in good standing with a BLET Local Division represented by the Illinois State Legislative Board. Applicants must be 26 years of age or younger. Brother Don Little was a locomotive engineer with Metra commuter rail in Chicago and a...
Congratulations to the 2022 Don Little Memorial Scholarship Winners!
We proudly announce the two recipients of the 2022 Don Little Memorial Scholarships. Haley Dahl from Belvidere, IL and Jacob Harris from Pittsboro, IN. Congratulations!
Don Little Memorial Scholarship Fund
The BLET’s Illinois State Legislative Board is currently accepting applications for its Don Little Memorial Scholarship Fund, which was established in 2013. Two $1,000 scholarships will be awarded to applicants whose parent or guardian is a BLET member in good standing with a BLET Local Division represented by the Illinois State Legislative Board. Applicants must be 26 years of age or younger. Brother Don Little was a locomotive engineer with Metra commuter rail in Chicago and a proud member...
Call To Action!
March 11, 2021 Brothers and Sisters, Once again, I am asking you to rise to the occasion, once again a call to action! The Illinois House Bill HB2524 – VEH CD- FREIGHT TRAIN LENGTH has been assigned to a committee and we MUST “slip” this committee as a proponent (supporter) of this legislation. Please review the attached instruction sheet and proceed to ilga.gov to start the process. The hearing is scheduled for March 15th at noon. It is highly likely that I will be testifying at this hearing...
Another POTUS 47 Firing—NMB This Time
Another POTUS 47 Firing—NMB This Time Hamilton told Railway Age by phone Oct. 16 that she is exploring her legal options, as the firing—much as with that of Surface Transportation Board (STB) member and Democrat Robert E. Primus and Democratic members of the Federal...
Rail industry marks 45th anniversary of Staggers Act
Rail industry marks 45th anniversary of Staggers Act Today marks 45 years since President Jimmy Carter signed the Staggers Rail Act of 1980, which saved the freight-rail industry from near total collapse. By 1980, the railroad industry was on the brink of collapse...
Lawmakers ‘ready to move’ on transit reform, but funding agreement remains elusive
Lawmakers ‘ready to move’ on transit reform, but funding agreement remains elusive Illinois lawmakers will return to Springfield next week hoping to resolve a major unchecked box from the spring: Keep the trains in Chicago running. As the spring legislative session...
BNSF: UP+NS ‘Costly, Unnecessary, Anti-Competitive, Bad for the U.S. Economy’
BNSF: UP+NS ‘Costly, Unnecessary, Anti-Competitive, Bad for the U.S. Economy’ Following Warren Buffett’s pronouncement that Berkshire Hathaway, parent company of BNSF Railway, is not interested in merging with CSX (a development that contributed to CSX President and...
Primus challenges his dismissal from the Surface Transportation Board
Primus challenges his dismissal from the Surface Transportation Board WASHINGTON — Robert E. Primus filed a federal lawsuit today challenging his dismissal from the Surface Transportation Board. President Donald Trump fired Primus on Aug. 27 without giving a reason...
CN and CSX tout railroad collaboration
CN and CSX tout railroad collaboration LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. — Canadian National and CSX executives today touted cooperation — not combination — as the best way to convert freight from highway to rail. While Union Pacific has proposed an $85 billion acquisition of...
Norfolk Southern rolls out automated system to measure track conditions
Norfolk Southern rolls out automated system to measure track conditions Norfolk Southern Railway recently developed and rolled out its new automated track geometry measurement system (ATGMS), the Class I announced yesterday on social media. The ATGMS uses NS...
Rail Customer Coalition warns regulators of potential impacts of UP-NS merger
Rail Customer Coalition warns regulators of potential impacts of UP-NS merger WASHINGTON — The Rail Customer Coalition, which represents the manufacturing, agriculture, and energy industries, has told federal regulators that Union Pacific’s proposed acquisition of...
Aging U.S. railroad bridges are self-inspected and their findings are kept secret
Aging U.S. railroad bridges are self-inspected and their findings are kept secre CORVALLIS, Ore. — The fire burned for about nine hours, billowing smoke and scorching the wooden trestles of a nearly 75-year-old railroad bridge that spans the Marys River in Corvallis,...
CTA budget crisis eased by $74M from Metra, Pace
CTA budget crisis eased by $74M from Metra, Pace CHICAGO - The Chicago Transit Authority avoided immediate service cuts and fare hikes Thursday after regional transportation officials approved a plan to shift suburban transit funds to help cover the city agency’s...