Proposed new rail regulations common sense
U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown, D-Cleveland, and J.D. Vance, R-Cincinnati, are cosponsors of an important piece of legislation that would impose both new regulations for the railroad industry and financial consequences for breaking them. The Railway Safety Act of 2023 may have been inspired by a disaster in East Palestine, but the changes could help keep people across the country safer.
Among the necessary changes included in the act are requirements that all rail carriers with trains carrying hazardous materials — even those that do not fall under existing regulations for high-hazard flammable shipments — must create emergency response plans and provide information and advance notification to the emergency response commissions of each state through which a train will pass.
The bill also would set train crews at a two-person minimum, and require the U.S. Department of Transportation to take another look at rules on train size and weight. And it would set a requirement for installing, maintaining and placing devices that detect overheated bearings and other mechanical problems, and mandate that they be scanned every 10 miles.
Under the proposed act, the Federal Railroad Administration would be required under the bill to update inspection regulations to assure rail cars carrying hazardous materials receive regular checks by trained mechanical experts.
It sounds like a lot of “why weren’t we already doing this?” doesn’t it?
And the danger exists that industry lobbyists will again bend lawmakers’ ears (or fatten their wallets) to a degree the legislation will not survive. But we must hope lessons have been learned as East Palestine continues to recover; and that members of Congress understand they will be held accountable should they fail to do the right thing.
Proposed new rail regulations common sense
U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown, D-Cleveland, and J.D. Vance, R-Cincinnati, are cosponsors of an important piece of legislation that would impose both new regulations for the railroad industry and financial consequences for breaking them. The Railway Safety Act of 2023 may have been inspired by a disaster in East Palestine, but the changes could help keep people across the country safer.
Among the necessary changes included in the act are requirements that all rail carriers with trains carrying hazardous materials — even those that do not fall under existing regulations for high-hazard flammable shipments — must create emergency response plans and provide information and advance notification to the emergency response commissions of each state through which a train will pass.
The bill also would set train crews at a two-person minimum, and require the U.S. Department of Transportation to take another look at rules on train size and weight. And it would set a requirement for installing, maintaining and placing devices that detect overheated bearings and other mechanical problems, and mandate that they be scanned every 10 miles.
Under the proposed act, the Federal Railroad Administration would be required under the bill to update inspection regulations to assure rail cars carrying hazardous materials receive regular checks by trained mechanical experts.
It sounds like a lot of “why weren’t we already doing this?” doesn’t it?
And the danger exists that industry lobbyists will again bend lawmakers’ ears (or fatten their wallets) to a degree the legislation will not survive. But we must hope lessons have been learned as East Palestine continues to recover; and that members of Congress understand they will be held accountable should they fail to do the right thing.
editorial@vindy.com
Proposed new rail regulations common sense
U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown, D-Cleveland, and J.D. Vance, R-Cincinnati, are co-sponsors of an important piece of legislation that would impose both new regulations for the railroad industry and financial consequences for breaking them. The Railway Safety Act of 2023 may have been inspired by a disaster in East Palestine, but the changes could help keep people across the country safer.
Among the necessary changes included in the act are requirements that all rail carriers with trains carrying hazardous materials — even those that do not fall under existing regulations for high-hazard flammable shipments — must create emergency response plans and provide information and advance notification to the emergency response commissions of each state through which a train will pass.
The bill would also set train crews at a two-person minimum and require the U.S. Department of Transportation to take another look at rules on train size and weight. And it would set a requirement for installing, maintaining and placing devices that detect overheated bearings and other mechanical problems, and mandate that they be scanned every 10 miles.
Under the proposed act, the Federal Railroad Administration would be required under the bill to update inspection regulations to assure rail cars carrying hazardous materials receive regular checks by trained mechanical experts.
It sounds like a lot of “why weren’t we already doing this?” Doesn’t it?
And the danger exists that industry lobbyists will again bend lawmakers’ ears (or fatten their wallets) to a degree the legislation will not survive. But we must hope lessons have been learned as East Palestine continues to recover and that members of Congress understand they will be held accountable should they fail to do the right thing.
editorial@vindy.com