Railroad News

Rail News Home Union Pacific Railroad 11/12/2021 Rail News: Union Pacific Railroad
Nearly 20% of Union Pacific employees are veterans, with some still active in the National Guard or Reserves. Photo – up.com

Rail News Home Canadian National Railway - CN 11/12/2021 Rail News: Canadian National Railway - CN
CN today announced it has signed the "Business Ambition for 1.5°C" pledge, and has joined the  net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.The 1.5°C scenario is the concept that global warming could be limited to only a 1.5° Celsuis increase by sharply reducing carbon emissions and fossil fuels usage, as well as building more alternatives to produce renewable energy, among other measures to protect the environment.CN is the first North American railroad to commit to the Business Ambition and join the United Nations’ Race to Zero campaign, CN officials said in a press release.CN recently purchased a battery-electric locomotive for a joint pilot program and has announced other relevant partnerships that seek to minimize the environmental impacts of CN operations. CN first set an approved science-based target in 2017, which was reaffirmed earlier this year. In April, the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) approved CN’s pledge to reduce scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 43% per million gross ton miles by 2030 from a 2019 base year, and to reduce scope 3 GHG emissions from fuel- and energy-related activities by 40% per million gross ton miles by 2030 from a 2019 base year.The company will focus on five key initiatives to meet its goals: investing in locomotive fleet renewals; increasing the use of fuel-efficient technologies; leveraging big data analytics; enhancing operating practices; and expanding the use of cleaner fuels."CN has a strong track record of fuel and carbon efficiency and, in 2020, achieved its best locomotive fuel efficiency ever — over 4% better than the previous record set in 2019 — which avoided approximately 275,000 tonnes of emissions," said CN President and CEO Jean-Jacques Ruest. "We will continue to decarbonize our operations and, in turn, will enable our customers to reduce their transportation supply chain emissions."

Rail News Home Norfolk Southern Railway 11/11/2021 Rail News: Norfolk Southern Railway
Guests attending a ribbon-cutting ceremony included Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, NS CEO James Squires (shown holding scissors) and Atlanta civic and business leaders. Photo – Norfolk Southern's Facebook page

Rail News Home BNSF Railway 11/11/2021 Rail News: BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway Co. has joined other Class Is that have filed lawsuits against rail unions that are fighting implementation of the COVID-19 vaccine mandate, a company spokeswoman confirmed yesterday.BNSF's stance had been that an employee's decision to get the vaccine was personal. But, the railroad implemented a vaccine mandate after the Biden administration required federal contractors to implement a vaccine policy. BNSF is a federal contractor."While we maintain that the decision to be vaccinated for COVID-19 is a personal one — and have encouraged employees to make the decision that is best for them and their families — the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate now obligates BNSF’s employees to be vaccinated and we all must work toward that end," spokeswoman Amy Casas said in an email. "That said, the company has processes in place for reasonable accommodations for employees exempting them from the vaccination requirement."Casas confirmed that BNSF on Sunday joined other Class Is that are suing certain rail unions that are fighting the mandate."It was apparent that there is a Rail Labor Act (RLA) dispute requiring federal court resolution," she said. "BNSF thinks it's logical for all those RLA issues to be resolved in a single, coordinated litigation."Both Union Pacific Railroad and Norfolk Southern Railway — which are federal contractors — are involved in legal battles with rail labor unions over the vaccine requirement.CSX and Kansas City Southern have said they are encouraging their employees to get vaccinated, but have not yet required them to do so.