US lawmakers introduce another bill aimed at rail safety

U.S. senators representing Pennsylvania and Ohio have introduced the Railway Accountability Act to address additional long-standing rail safety concerns not included in the recently proposed Railway Safety Act.

The bill seeks to protect workers and help prevent "future harm" to rail-side communities, according to a press release from U.S. Democratic Sens. John Fetterman and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania and Sherrod Brown of Ohio.

The legislation would direct the Federal Railroad Administration to study wheel-related failures and derailments, enhance switchyard safety practices, enact "common-sense" brake safety measures, require large freight-rail companies to join the confidential close-call reporting system administered by the FRA and NASA, and ensure that railroads provide sufficient reporting and safety equipment to its workers.

"This bill will implement common-sense safety reforms, hold the big railway companies accountable, protect the workers who make these trains run and help prevent future catastrophes that endanger communities near railway infrastructure," said Fetterman. The bill is the first piece of legislation that Fetterman has introduced since he joined the Senate in January.

Like the Rail Safety Act, the Railway Accountability Act is being introduced in the aftermath of the Feb. 3 Norfolk Southern Railway train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, which is located on the state border between Ohio and Pennsylvania. Some of the derailed cars were carrying hazardous materials.

The derailment ignited a day-long fire, sending toxic chemicals into the air and prompting an evacuation order. To prevent a potential explosion, crews released and burned vinyl chloride from derailed tank cars. The environmental cleanup is expected to take months.