--- title: Slawson urges railroads to embrace “Green Locomotives” description: The America’s Work Force Union Podcast is the nation’s premier daily labor program. Scott Slawson from UE Local 506 joined us on today’s show. image: https://awf.labortools.com/hubfs/AWF-blog-image-template_UElogo.jpg --- 1 min read Season 4, Episode 30 # Slawson urges railroads to embrace “Green Locomotives” [ awfblog ](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/author/awfblog) February 10, 2023 [America's Work Force Union Podcast](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/americas-work-force-union-podcast) [Health, Welfare, and Safety](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/health-welfare-and-safety) [United Electrical Workers](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/united-electrical-workers) [Economic Impact](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/economic-impact) ![AWF-Blogo-Logos-Template-400x400_UE](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AWF-Blogo-Logos-Template-400x400_UE.png?width=400&height=400&name=AWF-Blogo-Logos-Template-400x400_UE.png)   Guest Name: --- Scott Slawson Guest Website: --- [http://uelocal506.com/](http://uelocal506.com/)  Guest Social Media: --- [ Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/UeMembers506/) [ Twitter](https://twitter.com/ueunion) [ YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@UEtube) [ LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/) Supportive Documents: --- Scott Slawson, President of the [United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America Local 506](http://uelocal506.com/about-us/), 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. --- America’s Work Force is the only daily labor podcast in the US and has been on the air since 1993, supplying listeners with useful, relevant input into their daily lives through fact-finding features, in-depth interviews, informative news segments and practical consumer reports. America’s Work Force is committed to providing an accessible venue in which America's workers and their families can hear discussion on important, relevant topics such as employment, healthcare, legislative action, labor-management relations, corporate practices, finances, local and national politics, consumer reports and labor issues. America’s Work Force Union Podcast is brought to you in part by our sponsors: AFL-CIO, American Federation of Government Employees, American Federation of Musicians Local 4, Alliance for American Manufacturing, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes-IBT, Boyd Watterson, Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council, Communication Workers of America, Mechanical Insulators Labor Management Cooperative Trust, International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Local 50, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Crafts, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 6, Ironworkers Great Lakes District Council, Melwood, The Labor Citizen newspaper, Laborers International Union of North America, The National Labor Office of Blue Cross and Blue Shield, North Coast Area Labor Federation, Ohio Federation of Teachers, United Labor Agency, United Steelworkers. - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ##### SUBSCRIBE ON: --- [![Group 342](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AmericasWorkForce/podcast%20logos/Apple%20Podcasts%20Button-Dark.png?width=171&name=Apple%20Podcasts%20Button-Dark.png)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/americas-work-force-union-podcast/id1511224946) [![Group 341](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AmericasWorkForce/podcast%20logos/Spotify%20Button-Dark.png?width=100&name=Spotify%20Button-Dark.png)](https://open.spotify.com/show/0GzkHxFSBxiXvuX0lZpQBn) [![Group 343](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Group%20343.png?width=135&name=Group%20343.png)](https://www.iheart.com/podcast/americas-work-force-union-podcast-62567752/) [![Group 339](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Group%20339.png?width=110&name=Group%20339.png)](https://www.pandora.com/podcast/americas-work-force-union-podcast/PC:47979) [![Group 397](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Group%20397.png?width=125&name=Group%20397.png)](https://americasworkforceradiopodcast.podbean.com/) [![Group 397](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/YouTube_button.png?width=125&name=YouTube_button.png)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuQo1PAtRAel1_tS7-PQOkA)   #### [Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen on the Union Pacific Merger Threat](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/brotherhood-of-railroad-signalmen-on-the-union-pacific-merger-threat) : July 6, 2026 # Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen on the Union Pacific Merger Threat Brandon Elvey, Secretary-Treasurer of the [Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen](https://www.brs.org/),... 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