From: Kevin Howard <kah758@gmail.com>
Date: May 7, 2018 at 7:13:34 AM PDT
To: Howardallington <Howardallington@yahoo.com>
Subject: Fwd: FRA Request For Information – Automation in the Railroad Industry

Please forward

Sent from my iPad

Begin forwarded message:

From: Shahraim Allen <shahraim@gmail.com>
Date: May 5, 2018 at 6:41:48 PM PDT
To: Kevin Howard <kah758@gmail.com>
Cc: Russ Huelle <reh758@aol.com>, Howard Allington <howardallington@yahoo.com>
Subject: Fwd: FRA Request For Information – Automation in the Railroad Industry

Kevin,  (Russ, Howard)

​

Please send out this information to your membership.

​  ​

– Shahraim

To All,

The following information has been progressed by the National Division to all BLET Members a few weeks ago via email, concerning the FRA’s request for information pertaining to the subject matter of Autonomous Rail Operations and its potential future in rail operations in the United States, in Freight and Passenger Service.

To further your understanding as to why this is taking place, an article was located in the Railway Age Magazine, which describes all things associated to the request issued by the Federal Railroad Association.

Link: https://www.railwayage.com/regulatory/fra-rfi-automation-railroad-industry/

FRA RFI: “Automation in the Railroad Industry” – Railway Age The Federal Railroad Administration on March 29 issued an RFI (Request For Information) on “the future of automation in the railroad industry.” www.railwayage.com

In my opinion you are the best source of knowledge, when it comes to the operation of the technologies mentioned in the article, for example, PTC, Trip Optimizer, etc., that is said to be some of a group of technologies utilized in the rail industry leading to the eventual implementation of Autonomous Rail Operations, which is desired by the carriers.

We know first-hand that glitches, flaws, and or inconsistencies in the programming exist in all technology and in this case, to even think of removing the human element in its entirety is not only bordering on insanity, but to remain ignorant to the facts, present, and future which lend to the conversation.

Please click on the highlighted link in the information provided below, and express your concerns to the FRA, about fully automated or unmanned trains.

BLET NEWS FLASH

BLET preparing comments on automation in the railroad industry; Members can also give their input

http://www.ble-t.org/pr/news/newsflash.asp?id=8093

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, April 20, 2018 – The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen is currently drafting comments in response to a request by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) regarding automation in the railroad industry. The notice was published in the Federal Register on March 22, 2018, and the comments are due no later than May 7, 2018.BLET National President Dennis R. Pierce will be submitting comments on behalf of the Brotherhood that are consistent with the Organization’s long-standing position on the need to have two crew members in the cab. President Pierce has also invited all individual members to join him in expressing their concerns to FRA before the May 7, 2018 deadline.

Any BLET member who wishes to file comments regarding the issue of fully-automated or unmanned trains can do so online at the following link:

https://www.regulations.gov/comment?D=FRA-2018-0027-0003

The BLET’s comments will be placed into the docket, and also will be made available on the BLET website.

Thank you,

Fraternally,

Shahraim C. Allen

Chairman

Washington State Legislative Board

Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen

Legislative Representative, Division 238 – Tacoma, WA

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