Sens. Blumenthal, Schumer propose rail safety bill

Written by Jenifer Nunez, assistant editor
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John Marshall Mantel, Newsday via Sen. Schumer flickr account

U.S. Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Charles Schumer (D-NY) have proposed an overhaul of rail safety laws and protocols to enforce and enhance safety and reliability with a rail safety bill.

 

The senators say that rail catastrophes nationwide have exposed a glaring need for comprehensive reform of the nation’s rail safety laws and protocols.

Sens. Blumenthal and Schumer’s bill would put into law many of the recommendations found in the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) “Operation Deep Dive” report assessing the safety and training plans and practices by Metro-North, as well as the findings of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s own Blue Ribbon Panel study released last week.

“This major, comprehensive measure will help American railroads move toward 21st century safety and reliability. Rigorous public oversight and scrutiny are critical and that’s where this bill begins. We must assure that safety and reliability standards receive real enforcement, not mere lip service. The watchdog agencies must bite, not just bark and whistleblowers must be protected. We need a national rail strategy to stop the cascading catastrophes, derailments, spectacular crashes, senseless worker injuries and deaths and needless mundane delays that all undermine public trust and confidence. This measure seeks to restore public trust and confidence and assure that railroads reflect what commuters and communities demand—safety and reliability and on time performance, as complementary not conflicting goals. The bill also lays the groundwork for investments in important technology like Positive Train Control and other upgrades that are proven to save lives and enhance service. They must be followed by other investments that hopefully will gain bipartisan support, because they benefit our economy and all Americans,” Sen. Blumenthal said.

The bill would bolster the FRA’s oversight of rail systems by authorizing an increase in funding for FRA’s safety and operations work; require greater FRA accountability for unmet statutory mandates and open National Transportation Safety Board recommendations through regular quarterly reports to congress; strengthen FRA’s enforcement powers by increasing civil penalties for those who engage in unsafe activity; improve railroad operating practices by requiring enhanced inspection practices by commuter railroads; require greater use of modern inspection technology and stepped up enforcement of speed restrictions; require the installation and implementation of technology such as inward- and outward-facing cameras, alerters and redundant signal protection; provide resources for passenger and commuter railroads so they can implement critical technology, such as Positive Train Control; require coordination between the United States Department of Transportation and the Federal Communications Commission to ensure passenger and commuter railroads have access to necessary spectrum to make PTC operate effectively; require expedited FRA action on the development of rules governing fatigue management plans for railroads; require safer operating practices for the transportation of crude oil and flammable liquids; require the national roll out of a confidential close call reporting initiative and the participation by freight, passenger and commuter railroads in the program and ensure the openness and transparency of railroad safety information.

 

 

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