Two regulations proposed by the Federal Railroad Administration call for freight railroads to create programs to certify train dispatchers and signal employees.
FRA has issued a safety advisory asking freight railroads to be aware of the operational adjustments that must be made when they deploy longer trains.
The way that trains are configured might have factored into the derailments of six Class I trains over the past two years, according to the Federal Railroad Administration.
The Federal Railroad Administration is taking action on a proposed rule that would provide hazmat train crews with safety equipment that would protect them from breathing in hazardous fumes in the event of an accident.
The Natural Resources Defense Council wants the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Association to prohibit the transport of LNG by rail unless a company receives a special permit.
“While the Railway Safety Act of 2023 has potential, railroad workers are concerned with what is glaringly left out of the bill and what aspects are left to the DOT and FRA to draft, implement, and administer,” said Matt Weaver of Railroad Workers United.
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Railroad Administration will conduct investigations into Norfolk Southern’s safety practices.
The Federal Railroad Administration collects a lot of data related to rail safety. What does that research show when it comes to the performance of the Class I railroads?
This AskWaves article describes the various stakeholders involved in regulating rail safety.
All seven Class I railroads have agreed to participate in a federal program in which workers can anonymously provide tips on operational conditions. The participation will complement existing internal programs at the railroads, says the Association of American Railroads.
The Federal Railroad Administration and a bipartisan group of five senators aim to show their responsiveness to rail safety concerns via new initiatives and proposed regulations.
The Federal Railroad Administration has issued a safety advisory that calls on railroads to evaluate their procedures for using and maintaining hot box detectors in light of the Feb. 3 Norfolk Southern train derailment in Ohio.
Rail unions warn that revisions to a rule affecting railroad contract workers could be a step backward for safety.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and others have suggested the freight rail industry needs more regulation to ensure safe operations.
Union members are putting a spotlight on the derailment of a Norfolk Southern train in Ohio, with the Transportation Trades Department calling for greater safety oversight from the Federal Railroad Administration.
Union Pacific’s proposed testing of one-person crews is on hold because the program can’t proceed without negotiations between the railroad and affected union members.
The U.S. Small Business Administration wants the Federal Railroad Administration to revise its analysis for the proposed train crew size rule, contending it “significantly understated” costs and the number of potentially affected businesses.
The U.S. Government Accountability Office’s report on precision scheduled railroading serves as a broad overview of how the freight rail industry has changed over the past decade.
Major U.S. railroads have pushed for years to eliminate the in-cab conductor role. But unions think the cost-cutting rule could undermine safety.
The Federal Railroad Administration heard starkly different opinions from some railroads and unions about whether the agency should mandate freight train crews of at least two people.
