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dontmean2bepoliticalbut · 1 year

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#us politics #2022 #twitter #tweet #sen. bernie sanders #vermont #railway workers #railroads #railroad strike #railway unions #union workers #worker's rights #worker's union #warren buffett #bnsf railway #eat the rich #eat the fucking rich

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dontmeantobepoliticalbut · 1 year

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Earlier this month, a train carrying hazardous chemicals derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, triggering a massive fire and forcing everyone within a 1-mile radius of the crash to evacuate. To avoid a potential explosion, officials conducted a controlled detonation of five tankers three days later, sending carcinogenic vinyl chloride into the air. Two days later, residents of the 4,500-person village were told they could safely return home. Many questioned the safety of the air and water supply.

Since then, reporting has made clear that this environmental disaster was less a freak accident than a predictable outcome of lax safety measures and capitalist greed. Here’s what you need to know about the Norfolk Southern rail company.

NORFOLK SOUTHERN CHOSE NOT TO UPGRADE ITS TRAINS’ “CIVIL WAR-ERA” BRAKES.

A report in The Lever notes that the train that crashed in East Palestine was not equipped with Electronically Controlled Pneumatic brakes—fully electric brakes that experts say could have reduced the severity of the crash. Although Norfolk Southern once touted its use of ECP brakes, it lobbied against requiring them on trains carrying hazardous materials. An Obama-era rule required that HHFTs have ECP brakes, but the Trump administration overturned this rule.

NORFOLK SOUTHERN WORKERS DON’T GET PAID SICK TIME.

Remember when the Senate voted to avert a rail strike and deny workers sick leave? Norfolk Southern workers were among those affected. When investors encouraged Norfolk Southern to offer paid sick leave, the company said, OK, we won’t furlough people as often. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT.) has since demanded that rail companies offer workers at least seven days of paid sick leave.

RAIL COMPANIES REFUSE TO HIRE ENOUGH WORKERS.

Unions say that the rail industry’s use of furloughs to reduce the workforce stretches staff too thin. As Timothy Noah wrote in the New Republic, the 141-car train that crashed in East Palestine carried just two crew members and one trainee:

"On February 10, Anya Litvak of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that security camera footage 20 miles short of where the derailment occurred showed a rail car axle that appeared to be on fire. Why this information was not transmitted quickly to the train crew remains unknown, but it seems likely that the answer has something to do with the number of people who were in a position to sound the alarm."

NORFOLK SOUTHERN HAS SPENT BILLIONS ON STOCK BUYBACKS.

Norfolk Southern made $4.8 billion in operating profit in 2022, More Perfect Union reported, and paid shareholders $4.7 billion in stock buybacks and dividends.

As my colleague Hannah Levintova explained last year:

"A buyback is when companies purchase shares of their own company from investors, driving up the value of the remaining stock because there are fewer shares circulating. Buybacks are taxed at the lower capital gains rate, which maxes out at 20% for the wealthiest households. But for those investors who don’t sell their shares back to the company, there’s no tax—even though the value of their holdings has increased. Until that investor sells the asset, their wealth will grow tax-free. And thanks in part to a tax code loophole that enables the wealthy to pass shares on to their heirs, who can then skip paying capital gains taxes on them altogether, buybacks play a role in building untaxed generational wealth."

THE TRAIN THAT CAUSED THE CLOUD OF SMOKE OVER EAST PALESTINE WAS NOT CATEGORIZED AS A “HIGH-HAZARD FLAMMABLE TRAIN.”

Thanks to pressure from industry lobbyists, the “high-hazard flammable train” categorization applies only to trains carrying a narrow set of materials, like crude oil, The Lever also reported. That designation would have required that the train follow specific speed and braking restrictions.

DESPITE MAKING BILLIONS IN PROFIT, NORFOLK SOUTHERN INITIALLY OFFERED JUST $25,000 TO EAST PALESTINE.

Norfolk Southern managed to scrape together $25,000 for the town that’s been doused in toxic chemicals. People who fled their homes under fear of death can claim $1,000 per person per household. Since then, the company has announced increases in charity.

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angelholme · 8 months

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So when the government is asked for money for the teachers, the junior doctors, the consultants, the railway workers, the fire-brigade, the police, the paramedics and other public sectors we are repeatedly told "there is no more money available"

But when the government discovers there is a problem that might annoy parents -- in an election year no less -- they suddenly find "AS MUCH MONEY AS IT WILL TAKE" to fix it?

Curious that.

#dangerous schools #raac #tory government #public sector pay #junior doctors #consultants #railway unions #paramedics #tory #election year

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politijohn · 1 year

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Railway workers: "sick days pls or we'll strike"

CNN: "is a strike worth it? the holidays are just around the corner. think about the economy! now joining us live is the Bank of America CEO to weigh in"

#mass news media #railway workers #strike #unions #unionize #capitalism #current events

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zvaigzdelasas · 1 year

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Biden signed the fuck workers bill so now the threat of a strike is averted bc the fuck workers bill obviously took into account the workers demands which lead us here in the first place. Hey what's that second link

[2 Dec 22]

#stupid railway workers - this is what the unions wanted! at least thats what aoc told me

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trainsgenderfoxgirl2816 · 1 month

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Trainposting :3

#trainposting #amtrak #electric traction #reading railroad #amtrak cascades #southern railway #southern serves the south #northern pacific #rock Island Railroad #new york central #south shore railroad #union pacific #steam locomotive #passenger train #electrification #electric train

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emeraldexplorer2 · 1 month

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Afternoon Hiawatha was photographed in this scene leaving Chicago Union Station in June 1968.

#1968 #hiawatha #chicago union station #trains #train #vintage train travel #vintage trains #railway #railroad #vintage railroads

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allthecanadianpolitics · 2 months

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The union representing 9,300 workers at Canada’s two biggest railways says public safety is at stake after contract negotiations ground to a halt this month, with a potential strike on the horizon.

Teamsters Canada president François Laporte said demands by Canadian National Railway Co. and Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd. are “non-negotiable.”

“CN and CPKC aim to eliminate all safety-critical rest provisions from our collective agreements. These provisions are necessary to combat crew fatigue and ensure public safety,” he said in a press release on Monday.

Full article

Tagging: @politicsofcanada

#cdnpoli #canada #canadian politics #canadian news #canadian #unions #strike #railways #railway workers #safety #workers rights #workers' rights

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stave-writes · 7 days

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Darlington (Chilchuck x GN!Reader)

Summary: First Meet With Chilchuck <3

If the Island Dungeon was known for one thing, it'd be danger. Then again that was the same for most Dungeons, but well...Lately, it'd gotten worse. Rumours of a Red Dragon prowling on a higher floor than usual and even the Dungeon Lord appearing higher than normal!

As a traveller to the island, you'd chosen to stay out of the dungeon. You'd be either an idiot to enter without a reliable party and most of those wouldn't take a new adventurer like you... Although, you had made a "business contact" which turned out to be a friendship. Chilchuck Tims, the head of the Half-foot union, was said contact.

The rumours you'd heard didn't paint him in a very good light, per se. Other half-foots called him greedy, demanding his pay upfront and taking union dues from members. Parties without a half-foot called him uncooperative and stubborn in terms of pricing, even if he was a skilled and tenured locksmith.

So by the time you'd met him, there was a small impression forming in the back of your mind despite your better judgment. Yet...he wasn't at all the way.

Chilchuck was mild-mannered, with a voice in an even tone and despite his race's common features, it was easy to tell he wasn't all that young. His hair was grey in places, and visible tear-throughs (wrinkles just beneath the eyes). Despite his professional demeanour, there was a sense of tiredness to him. Languished sighs and irritation at his fellow party members.

But he was kind enough to you. A bit of a smile while talking to you, or a careful piece of advice. Unlike everyone had said him to be, he seemed to have a good heart. From what you could tell, who knew, maybe it was just how professionals were on the island.

It'd been about a week since you last talked to him, his party had gone into the depths of the dungeon and not returned. It was concerning, but you weren't that close anyways...no use for your worries. A hope that he would come back safe is what you kept as you went on with your business.

Sorry this is so short! tbh I kind of forgot where I wanted to go with this </3 Buuut, promise I'll make a continuation sometime so you can get some romance content chil fandom

#for anyone wondering! the title Darlington is based off one of the first industrial railways which lead to the creation of the first unions #also this is here because I am a transport nerd <3 #and as he's a beautiful union man...#if yk you know #dungeon meshi chilchuck #chilchuck tims #chilchuck tims x reader #chilchuck x reader #chilchuck delicious in dungeon

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vagonca-rigo · 5 months

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You like trains, I like trains, I wanna share with you a train that connects us more than one would think!

This little adorable 2' Českomoravská Kolben-Daněk locomotive, built in 1940!

One of the final locomotives built by CKD before it became BMM during the occupation.

And somehow, it made its way from Europe, to California, then over to Indiana. And when it arrived at the Hesston Steam Museum in Indiana in the 80s or 90s, they checked it over and found chalk marks on the inside of the boiler from when it was built.

It had never been steamed before!

Anyway hehe wanted to share an adorable little loco Ive seen and ridden behind

RIDDEN BEHIND?? I'M INCREDIBLY JEALOUS!! AND SUCH PRETTY LIVERY....

And it was THAT fresh? Sounds like a successful attempt at saving it from use/dismantling by the nazis, though I see that the story behind it is a complete mystery with only speculations around...still, very interesting!! :3c

#reminds me of the Siemens/Halske MillFAV* unit which i think after '89 when we parted ways with the soviet union was transferred to #the Brno museum of technology but then they decided to only keep n show czech stuff and they transferred it to the Kennebunkport #trolley museum which actually wanted to get ahold of one for a long while #as far as i know though its not yet operational #*MillFAV(and many other spellings) is kind of a catch-all name for the old and 'new' units on M1 of Budapest though the one #i mentioned has a nick: Old lady!#and one still operates on nostalgia events! theres also 2 displayed at Deák Ferenc tér in the underground railway museum #Postaláda #mutuals #trains

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grainelevator · 6 months

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Union Pacific 4-8-8-4 "Big Boy" #4001 takes on fuel at the small coaling tower in West Harriman, Wyoming on September 5, 1956. Source

#trains #locomotive #coal tower #vintage photography #union pacific #wyoming #history #rail #railway #heavy industry #function

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carbone14 · 6 months

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Canon Schwerer Gustav 'Dora' pendant le siège de Sébastopol – Campagne de Crimée – 1942

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railway-roundhouse · 11 days

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They weren't fucking kidding...those boys sure can big

#trains #trainblr #locomotive #railways #rolling stock #union pacific #big boy 4014 #steam locomotive #freight locomotive

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trainmaniac · 7 months

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flickr

Item last by Greg Brown Via Flickr: Late on a spring evening in May 1998, a Union Pacific intermodal train arrives at Klamath Falls, Oregon. The job is about to cross KLAD crossing, which crews have nicknamed for the local radio station that maintained its studios for many years in an adjacent building. As the northbound approaches, the ancient magnetic flagman merrily warns the world that a train is nearing the crossing. Once ubiquitous along lines of the Southern Pacific, the wig wag signal here is the last one in service on the Shasta Route.

#Klamath Falls #Oregon #Union Pacific #UP #Southern Pacific #SP #wig wag #Magnetic Flagman #Intermodal #Z train #Freight Train #Railroad #Railway #flickr

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dontmean2bepoliticalbut · 1 year

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#us politics #news #twitter #tweet #2023 #daivd pakman #norfolk southern #east palestine #ohio #train derailment #hazardous chemical spill #railway workers #railroads #railroad unions #conservatives #republicans #gop #gop policy

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trainsgenderfoxgirl2816 · 2 months

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whats the weirdest train you know?

Oh there are so e really fucking weird ones a lot of weird ones were very niche and were designed for something very specific but some were actually rather popular like the better garratt which were very popular in South Africa but weren't that common anywhere else although some were used in Australia and because South Africa only ceased Steam Traction in 1991 many of the Locomotives were sold off and sent overseas mainly to the UK, New Zealand, and Australia

But that's just the better garratt which weren't that weird and about 1200 were built from about 1908 to 1968 to about 100 different designs

The next few Locomotives were much less common starting with an Ancestor of the Garratt; The Double Fairlie

These were an type of strange Double ended Locomotive in the 1860s but really only the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railway used them and they still have a few like the one above (they also purchased a few Garratts from South Africa seen above)

Next on to the Steam turbines which were largely experimental and never really panned out but several different designs were built mostly one-offs

Most of them didn't work very well

Next is a retrofit of an regular steam Locomotive to be able to use a different fuel source during a coal shortage that being the Bizarre Swiss Steam-Electric Locomotive

Switzerland has almost no Coal and thus during world war 2 had no coal but they did have cheap Hydroelectricity and their railways were mostly Electrified so they just made the abombonations

#steam locomotive #trainposting #electric traction #steam boiler #south African Railways #beyer garratt #Swiss railways #sbb #welsh highland railway #pennsylvania railroad #union pacific

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