CALIFORNIA STATE LEGISLATIVE BOARD
BROTHERHOOD OF LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEERS
TIMOTHY L. SMITH, CHAIRMAN
610 Auburn Ravine Rd., Suite C Auburn, CA 95603
(530) 823-7510, FAX (530) 823-7215
Date: August 6,2002
To: All Local Chairmen/All Divisions
From: Tim Smith, Chairman CSLB/BLE
RE: Remote Control
Operations/Beltpacks
Brothers and Sisters,
We are in for the fight of our lives, not only as a viable organization but as a craft of Locomotive Engineers. Now is the time for all of us to do whatever we are called upon to do to save our craft, our jobs, our Quality of Life, our seniority, and our BLE. Along this line, while addressing the above we also accomplish protection of the public, the environment and the shippers that we professionally haul for. Remember, we don't work for the railroad carriers ... bottom line, we work for the shippers. Without them we have no future and no career!
I am asking that each of you post this notice in a conspicuous place for all to read and act upon.
1. All BLE members, their families and friends, and those that sympathize with our plight must call their legislators in their state and protest the use of Remote Control Technology for "SAFETY'S SAKE". Also, protest die use of an under-trained, under-certified, inexperienced NON-Locomotive Engineer to operate Remote Control Locomotives.
2. We must call each Congressional leader from our states, and out US Senators and protest the use of Remote Control Technology for "SAFETY'S SAKE". Again, protest the use of an under-trained, under-certified, inexperienced NON-Locomotive Engineer to operate Remote Control Locomotives.
3. Calls must be made to the Federal Railroad Administration in Washington, D.C.(202) 493-6318 and to all State Public Utility Agencies charged with railroad safety. Protest the same items listed above and protest their inactivity and lack of safety actions regarding this issue. California's (CPUC) phone number is: 1-800-848-5580
4. The media must be communicated with through articles, editorials, interviews etc ... no matter how small the newspaper, cable channel or radio station. Our voices must be heard, not as represented by one BLE Officer, but as represented by a multitude of complaints and opinions coming from you. Remember, YOU ARE THE BLE!!
State your opinions. Make your response short and to the point. Communicate with your State legislative Board, your General Committee and each other! Become educated on the issues. If you need any information, there are a lot of resources available to you. The California State legislative Board website is found at http://www.calslb.com, http://www.remoteinfo.org, http://www.bleupsrgca.com.
Remember that their are five entities that can be severely impacted both literally and figuratively by Remote Control Operations. 1. Hazardous Materials; 2. Hazardous Waste; 3. Spent Nuclear Fuel;- 4. Military Arms Shipments; 5. the Commuter and Amtrak riding public. All of which, if involved in an accident caused by this threat to safety due to the current hill scale implementation of Remote Control Operations, will have a tremendous impact on the public, the environment and the shippers of goods throughout North America. Productivity will suffer greatly because of it, and the shippers will suffer the consequences of the carriers greed and wanton disregard for a slogan they use too loosely, "SAFETY IS NUMBER 1"!
This loss of productivity will occur because the technology cannot even remotely replace standard switch crews and switching operations. Check the California Website for further information at http://www.calslb.com.
Fraternally and in solidarity,
/s/ Timothy L. Smith
Chairman CSLB/BLE