The BLE headquarter offices are located in Cleveland, Ohio,U.S.A; and Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The offices of the National Legislative Representatives are maintained in the capital cities of Ottawa and Washington. 

The International Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (BLE) represents locomotive engineers, train dispatchers, and rail traffic controllers in North America's $36 billion revenue rail industry. BLE total membership is nearing 55 000. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A., the union also maintains national legislative offices in Washington D.C., U.S.A., and Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

The BLE concentrates on two areas: collective bargaining, and freight and passenger train safety. 

BLE local units are known as Divisions. Each Division has four elected officers: a President, a Local Chairman, a Secretary-Treasurer, and a Legislative Representative.

The Local Chairmen constitute a BLE General Committee of Adjustment. A general committee autonomously negotiates, interprets, and upholds contracts with its railway.

The Legislative Representatives within a state or province comprise a BLE State/Provincial Legislative Board. A legislative board educates policy, and lawmakers, concerning the impact of transportation regulations on employee and public safety.

In 1993, the 2000 member American Train Dispatchers Association merged into the union, becoming the American Train Dispatchers Department of the BLE. In 1995, the 700 member Rail Canada Traffic Controllers merged into the union.

Founded in 1863, the BLE is the senior national labour organization in the U.S.A, and North America's oldest rail union.