Slawson urges railroads to embrace “Green Locomotives”

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Guest Name:

Scott Slawson

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http://uelocal506.com/

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Scott Slawson, President of the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America Local 506, made an appearance on the America’s Work Force Union Podcast and urged railroad cariers to invest in “Green Locomotives.”

Members of UE Local 506 build locomotives at the G.E. Locomotive plant in Erie, PA. The Local has an active membership of around 1,500 members.

Slawson said agreed-upon emissions standards for locomotives went into effect nearly eight years ago. These new standards set the stage for his members to build the Tier IV “Green Locomotive.” However, after eight years of production, Class 1 carriers have not embraced the “Green Locomotive.” Of the roughly 26,000 locomotives in use today, approximately 8 percent are “green.” For reference, the EPA projected “Green Locomotives” would account for about 30 percent of the entire fleet by this time.

Slawson acknowledged economic factors could be the driving reasons why railroad carriers are not upgrading their fleets. Among the factors are increased costs and no tax breaks.

He also debunked several misconceptions about the railroad industry going “green.”

Listen to the entire episode to learn more about these topics.

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