July 17, 2023 | Headlines, Legislation, Railroad Retirement
(Source: Railway Age, July 13, 2023) Two rail industry associations and two unions teamed recently to encourage Congressional support of the Railroad Employee Equity and Fairness Act (REEF Act; H.R.2785/S.1274), which they said would “eliminate cuts to railroad...
July 3, 2023 | Headlines, Legislation, STB
(Source: Trains Magazine, June 29, 2023) Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) on Wednesday introduced the Reliable Rail Service Act, which seeks to clarify the definition of railroads’ common carrier obligation and establish specific criteria for...
July 3, 2023 | 2-man Crews, Headlines, Legislation, Railroad Safety, Train Length
(Source: Associated Press, June 27, 2023) Spurred on by train derailments, some states with busy criss-crossing freight railroads are pursuing their own safety remedies rather than wait for federal action amid industry opposition and questions about whether they even...
June 22, 2023 | Headlines, Legislation, Railroad Safety
(Source: Wisconsin Examiner opinion column by Sarah Zarling, June 20, 2023) At a time when the nation’s attention to rail disasters has soared due to continued high-profile derailments, and with the likelihood that many more thousands of rail cars with hazardous...
June 22, 2023 | Headlines, Legislation, Railroad Safety, Unions
(Source: Freight Waves, June 21, 2023) The unions representing locomotive mechanics and railroad electricians want the Senate to take action to help move the rail safety bill toward a vote. IAM and IBEW estimate that they represent nearly 1.4 million members across...
June 16, 2023 | East Palestine-NS, Headlines, Legislation, Railroad Safety
(Source: Freight Waves, June 15, 2023) Blocked crossings and prevention of future derailments are among the key issues as three lobbying groups representing state and local governments push Senate leaders to bring the Railway Safety Act of 2023 to the Senate floor for...
June 16, 2023 | Headlines, Legislation, NTSB
(Source: Progressive Railroading, June 15, 2023) U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.) on June 12 introduced a bill that would increase federal funding to enable the National Transportation Safety Board to add 15 railroad, pipeline and hazardous materials...
June 13, 2023 | 2-man Crews, East Palestine-NS, Headlines, Legislation, Railroad Safety
(Source: Morning Journal, June 13, 2023) U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) took time out of his tour of RBS Manufacturing in East Palestine on Monday to discuss the current status of the Railway Safety Act of 2023 — the bipartisan bill introduced by Brown and his...
June 12, 2023 | East Palestine-NS, Headlines, Legislation, Railroad Safety
(Source: Spotlight PA, June 12, 2023) In the wake of a hazardous train derailment less than a mile from the Ohio border, Pennsylvania lawmakers are advancing legislation that supporters say would improve safety standards and increase corporate accountability. But the...
June 12, 2023 | Canada, CN, CPKC, Headlines, Legislation
(Source: Canadian Press, June 11, 2023) Set to come into effect with Ottawa’s federal budget bill, an obscure law has Canada’s two main railways fighting back over concerns about expenses and congestion, with the drama playing out in social media posts and...
