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On March 11, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers plans to hold a rally at Federal Railroad Administration's Washington, D.C., offices to address locomotive remote-control (LRC) safety issues.


Speakers include BLE International President Don Hahs, International Brotherhood of Teamsters President James Hoffa and AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department Executive Director Edward
Wytkind.


"We sincerely believe this technology is a safety hazard to both railroad
employees and the general public when remote-control trains are operated
by employees who are lesser-trained and less qualified than locomotive
engineers," said Hahs in a prepared statement. "Earlier this month, there was another employee death as a result of the use of this technology. We are beginning to ask ourselves, 'How many people have to die before something is done about it?'"


FRA has refused to meet with BLE leaders regarding LRC safety despite more than 40 accidents associated with the technology since 2000, BLE officials said. In November 2000, BLE asked FRA to develop formal regulations governing the use of LRCs, "but no enforceable regulations have been issued," BLE said.


In January, an arbitrator ruled that LRCs are not specifically reserved for operation by locomotive engineers, enabling United Transportation Union members to operate remote controls per an agreement with National Carriers Conference Committee.