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A federal district court in Ohio has ordered arbitration to determine if CSX Transportation violated a collective bargaining agreement with the United Transportation Union (UTU) by entering into a separate agreement with the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) that permits engineers to operate remote-controlled locomotives outside existing terminal limits.

The CSXT-BLET agreement reached in January 2007 conflicts with a remote-control agreement the UTU reached in 2002 with the nation's major railroads, including CSXT, according to a news item posted on the UTU's Web site.

The 2002 agreement stated that the scope of work by UTU-represented conductors extends to remote-control operations "including, but not limited to, yard engines, road switchers, locals and other comparable assignments," the union said

UTU and CSXT officials plan to meet to discuss the mechanics of the arbitration process and select arbitrators.