September 2022 NRC Bulletin | |
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NRC Updates and Announcements | |
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NRC 2023 Conference and NRC-REMSA Exhibition: Early Bird discount deadline for NRC Members is Oct 1!
Registration: Register for the 2023 NRC Conference by clicking here .
Take advantage of your member discount. NRC members receive a significant registration rate discount. Were you an NRC member in previous years and are unsure of your current status, or are you currently not a member? Then please visit https://www.nrcma.org/join-nrc for more information. If you have any questions about registration or your membership status please contact Mike McGonagle at mmcgonagle@nrcma.org or call 202-975-0365.
A registration fee table and schedule is below:
| The 44th NRC Conference & NRC_REMSA Exhibition is January 4-7, 2023 at the Boca Raton. More information can be found by visiting our website. Interested in seeing what the NRC Conference and NRC-REMSA Exhibition is all about? Take a look at the Conference highlights video below: | |
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Exhibit Hall: Exhibit space for the 2023 NRC-REMSA Exhibition is on sale now! Click the below links for more details:
For questions regarding the NRC-REMSA Exhibition and reserving your booth, please contact Heidi Baker at (202) 844-6126 or by email at baker@remsa.org.
An exhibit booth fee table is below:
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Golf Tournament: The NRC 2023 Golf Tournament will be held Friday, January 6th and located on two courses: the Boca Raton Resort Golf Club located at 501 E Camino Real, Boca Raton, FL 33432 and the award-winning Deer Creek Golf Club located at 2801 DC Country Club Boulevard, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442 (roughly an 18-20 minute drive from the Boca Raton Resort Golf Club.) Due to the historic size of the NRC Golf Tournament and course size constraints, NRC staff secured two memorable and challenging courses for attendees to experience. To register for the 2023 NRC Golf Tournament, please click here. You must be registered for the conference to participate in this event.
Everglades Tour: Concurrent with the NRC Golf Tournament, an Everglades Tour will be available for those who do not want to golf on Friday, January 6th. Pick-up and drop-off for the event will be at the Boca Raton Resort 501 E Camino Real, Boca Raton, FL 33432. To register for the 2023 NRC Everglades tour, please click here. You must be registered for the conference to participate in this event.
Questions? Please contact mmcgonagle@nrcma.org or visit https://www.nrcma.org/events/nrc-remsa-annual-conference
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Policy on Entertainment - The NRC Board of Directors has adopted a Policy on Entertainment to provide all NRC Conference and NRC-REMSA Exhibition ("Conference") attendees an equal opportunity to participate in the entertainment of our railroad, transit, commuter, passenger and other customers, speakers, and guests.
The Policy applies to events in connection with the Conference. During this timeframe, private hospitality events on or off the Conference premises are not permitted and no organized private entertainment is permitted while conference proceedings or events are occurring. Attendees are encouraged to participate in the common hospitality events and may not organize events that compete with the conference program.
All Attendees are expected to comply with this Policy. By registering for the Conference, you are certifying that all representatives and associates who are attending the Conference on behalf of your organization have been notified of this Policy and will observe and abide by it.
Scam Alert -We ask conference attendees to be vigilant of scams, including any solicitations via email that offer hotel deals or registration lists on behalf of the NRC. These groups are not affiliated with the NRC. Please check the NRC website or email NRC staff directly for the most up-to-date conference information.
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NRC Members: The NRC 2022 Awards deadline is December 1!
The new Innovation in Technology Award will honor and recognize innovation and unique technologies, or technological services, created or implemented by an NRC member company. Eligible technologies or related services include grade crossings, RWP, contractor safety, freight rail, industrial track, rail transit, commuter rail, intercity passenger rail, rail on port facilities and rail on military facilities. To view the Innovation in Technology Award application please click here.
The NRC Railroad Construction Project of the Year Awards recognize exemplary NRC member projects in two categories, the Large Project Category (projects with budgets over $10 million) and the Small Project Category (projects with budgets of $10 million or less). All types of rail construction projects are eligible for the awards and the purpose is to honor innovation, expertise, and quality project management. To view the NRC Rail Construction Project of the Year Award please click here.
The NRC Field Employee of the Year Award recognizes a field employee employed by a contractor member companies who exhibits exemplary performance during the year. The purpose of this award is to recognize and honor the rail contracting employee who has demonstrated the most dedication and excellence in his/her field. To view the NRC Field Employee of the Year Award please click here.
The NRC also encourages members to nominate individuals to the NRC Hall of Fame. The purpose of the NRC Hall of Fame is to recognize and honor those individuals who have made significant contributions to the NRC and the rail construction and maintenance industry. The criteria to be nominated is an individual must be a current or former employee or owner of an NRC member company is eligible for induction to the Hall of Fame. Members will be inducted according to the decision of the NRC Hall of Fame Induction Committee. To view the NRC Hall of Fame application please click here.
Questions? Please contact mmcgonagle@nrcma.org
All winners will be recognized at the NRC 2023 Conference in Boca Raton, Florida.
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Renew Your NRC Membership or Join Today!
It's time to renew your company's NRC 2022 membership. NRC staff has emailed your organization's primary contact for with all corresponding information for your organization's renewal. If your organization was a member in 2021, and you would like to renew or have any questions about renewing or joining in please contact NRC staff at info@nrcma.org
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Railroads, Labor Unions Reach Tentative Agreement to Avoid Strike
On September 15, freight railroads and labor unions announced that they reached a tentative agreement to avert a strike that would have gone into effect on 12:01am Friday, September 16. Unionized workers still need to vote to ratify the compromise. The tentative deal pushes off the deadline for several more weeks as union leaders work toward a vote.
The new contracts provide rail employees a 24 percent wage increase during the five-year period from 2020 through 2024, including an immediate payout on average of $11,000 upon ratification, following the recommendations of Presidential Emergency Board (PEB) No. 250. All tentative agreements are subject to ratification by the unions’ membership. As a reminder, NRC co-signed a letter to White House in regards to the PEB for freight/labor relations, encouraging the White House to follow precedent in the process of assembling a PEB and adopting its’ suggestions.
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CSX CEO James Foote Retires, Joseph Hinrichs to Succeed as President and CEO
On September 15, CSX Corp announced that Joseph Hinrichs (pictured right) would succeed James Foote as president and CEO on September 26, as part of a planned succession process. Hinrichs has more than 30 years’ experience in the global automotive, manufacturing, and energy sectors, previously serving as President of Ford Motor Company’s automotive business. In that role, he led the company’s $160-billion global automotive operations, after having previously served as President of Global Operations, President of the Americas, and President of Asia Pacific and Africa. Hinrichs has also held executive roles in global manufacturing, materials planning, and logistics.
“This appointment is the result of a long and deliberate process, in which we identified the strongest candidate to lead CSX through its next phase of growth and transformation. Jim has been at the helm throughout most of the company’s transformation, producing record operating and financial results, focusing on sustainability, and emphasizing the importance of safety. We cannot thank him enough for his contributions to CSX, and his commitment to ensuring a smooth transition,” said John J. Zillmer, Chairman of CSX’s Board of Directors. Foote will continue to work with the company through March 31, 2023 as an advisor to facilitate a seamless leadership transition. A longtime railroader, Foote joined CSX in October 2017 as the railroad's executive vice president and chief operating officer. He became the railroad's top executive after the death of CSX President and CEO E. Hunter Harrison in December 2017. To read the full press release from CSX Corp., please click here
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US Senate Passes Short-term Funding Bill, Heads to House to Avoid Shutdown
On September 29, the US Senate passed a short-term government funding bill by a vote of 72-25. The legislation would keep the government funded through December 16, 2022. The bill now heads to the House of Representatives, who are expected to pass the bill September 30.
The temporary funding patch, Congress’ last major to-do item before the midterm elections, includes a five-year reauthorization of the user fee programs that fund much of the Federal Drug Administration’s work, and it would allow Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to spend billions of dollars through the Disaster Relief Fund at a higher rate, while federal officials rush to respond to devastating hurricanes that have slammed into Florida and Puerto Rico.
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Biden-Harris Administration Announce $1.5 Billion in INFRA Grant Awards
On September 15, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced the Biden-Harris administration had awarded $1.5 billion from the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) competitive grant program for highway, multimodal freight and rail projects. In addition to prioritizing projects that will seek to deliver national or regional economic benefits, INFRA projects were also evaluated based on safety, how they supported freight movement and job creation, efforts to address climate change and resiliency, impacts on equity and quality of life, how they applied innovative technology, their cost effectiveness, and demonstrated project readiness.
"Today we are announcing transformative investments in our nation’s roads, bridges, ports, and rail to improve the way Americans get around and help lower the costs of shipping goods,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “Using funding from President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are able to support more excellent community-led projects this year than ever before." To view a list of the selected projects, please click here.
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Industry News and Updates | |
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Since 1998, the League of Railway Women (LRW) has been recognizing excellence in the rail industry by awarding the LRW Railway Woman of the Year award. Co-sponsored by Progressive Railroading, this annual award honors a woman who exhibits leadership and excellence while supporting the personal and professional growth of others in the rail industry. The 2022 LRW Railway Woman of the Year award recipient will be notified on or before November 1 and will be presented the award at the NRC 2023 Conference & NRC-REMSAExhibition, January 4–7, 2023 in Boca Raton, FL.
As Hurricane Ian continues to impact Florida and the Southeastern portion of the US, Brightline has taken precautionary measures to ensure the safety of its operation and passengers. On September 27, the railroad announced Brightline will operate rail service on a modified schedule with 12 departures for Wednesday, Sept. 28. Brightline stations including West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and MiamiCentral will remain open with essential guest services. Brightline has suspended all construction activities in central and south Florida throughout Orange, Brevard, Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin, Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties. All upcoming work, including closures at railroad crossings, will be postponed until the storm has passed and work can safely resume. Brightline will provide updated schedules as they become available. The NRC is thinking of and would like to extend thoughts and prayers to all those impacted by Hurricane Ian.
On September 22, Amtrak announced plans to achieve net zero greenhouse-gas emissions across its network by 2045. The newly announced goal focuses on expanding efforts across the railroad's carbon footprint and ultimately to reduce the environmental impacts of operations. Amtrak outlines a series of actions it plans to take, including increasing energy efficiency and implementing renewable fuels and energy sources, reducing diesel fuel use through advanced technologies, and achieving 100% carbon-free electricity by 2030. "With new equipment, modernized stations and net zero emissions, [we] can lead the drive toward sustainable transportation throughout the nation," said Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner.
On September 21, the National Transportation Safety Board's (NTSB) released a preliminary report on the August 29 incident where a Union Pacific conductor was killed. The information is preliminary, subject to change, and may contain errors. On Aug. 29, 2022, about 9:14 p.m. local time, the conductor of Union Pacific Railroad (UP) train, ISIEP-29, was killed when two cars of the train derailed while performing a westward reverse movement near UP’s Alfalfa Yard in El Paso, Texas. NTSB investigators inspected track structure and equipment involved in the accident; reviewed event recorder data, forward-facing image recordings, radio and telephone recordings, photographs and drone image recordings; and conducted interviews.
The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced $59 million in grant awards for rail-highway grade crossings in California, Florida, New York, and Pennsylvania. The grants are made possible by the FHWA’s Commuter Authority Rail Safety Improvement (CARSI) program, and were awarded in coordination with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA). “FRA is committed to investing in projects that will improve safety in communities across the country,” said FRA Administrator Amit Bose. “With investments made possible by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and through coordinated efforts like the CARSI Program, we have an opportunity to improve rail crossings, keeping people safe while helping people and goods move more efficiently.”
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The NRC is a trade association representing businesses from across the nation in the rail construction and maintenance field. NRC members range in size from small family businesses to the largest companies in the industry. NRC members perform work for transit, commuter, intercity passenger, industrial, and freight rail customers, with services including track construction and maintenance, grade crossings, signal and communications installation, bridge construction and repair, rail yard work, and many more. The NRC strives to put an emphasis on rail safety and quality while proudly serving the rail industry | | | | | |
