Real Story - Locomotive Engineers Protest Remote Control Trains

Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (BLE) To Hold Informational Demonstration, Rally WHAT: Locomotive Engineers to hold informational demonstration and rally WHEN: Tuesday, July 23, 2002, 4 p.m. PST WHERE: Westcoast Tri-Cities Hotel (1101 N. Columbia Center Blvd., Kennewick, WA, (509) 783-0611)

CLEVELAND, July 17 --

BACKGROUND

Members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers in the Tri-Cities and Hermiston, Ore., area will conduct an informational demonstration and rally to educate the public and customers of the Burlington Northern-Santa Fe and Union Pacific Railroads regarding potential safety issues and job losses related to the implementation of Remote Control Operations -- locomotives operating without Locomotive Engineers on board.

"Everyone who shares an interest in the safe and efficient operations of the Burlington Northern-Santa Fe and Union Pacific Railroads has an obligation to educate themselves regarding Remote Control Operations," BLE Spokesman Dennis Pierce said.

BNSF and UP have started widespread implementation of Remote Control Operations at rail yards across the country, despite a Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) safety advisory that states, "FRA has limited data on which to base an objective safety analysis and must therefore proceed prudently."

At UP's major rail yards in Des Moines, Iowa, Hinkle/Hermiston, Ore., and Kansas City, Mo., numerous accidents have occurred since this new program was implemented. Because BNSF and UP are major transporters of nuclear waste, hazardous materials and deadly chemicals, the BLE believes it is imperative that the public be made aware of potential safety issues created by the irresponsible implementation of Remote Control Operations.

"On May 25, the U.S. Department of Transportation issued a warning about possible terrorist attacks on the nation's railroads," BNSF Spokesman Dennis Pierce said. "While the airline industry is increasing security by placing trained professionals in airports and on airplanes, railroads such as the BNSF and UP are taking federally-certified Locomotive Engineers off of trains and running them by remote control. It makes no sense."

The BLE believes that BNSF and UP could avoid many of these potential safety hazards and operating efficiency issues by using federally-certified Locomotive Engineers in Remote Control Operations. Locomotive Engineers are the most highly trained, skilled and experienced employees in the railroad industry and are the only railroad employees who are required by the federal government to be licensed and certified to perform their duties. Currently, more than 60 Locomotive Engineer jobs have been eliminated in the U.S. while railroads such as BNSF and UP -- in an apparent cost-cutting move -- insist on using employees with limited training and experience in Remote Control Operations.

For more detailed information visit: www.remoteinfo.org or www.wslb-ble.org .