Bill would let Amtrak fight freight railroads in court over late passenger trains

U.S. Reps. Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.) and Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.) last week introduced the Rail Passenger Fairness Act legislation to help Amtrak improve on-time performance across the country.

The bill would provide Amtrak the ability to take freight railroads to court to enforce current law that requires freight trains to give Amtrak trains preference when operating on those freight-rail lines. If the bill becomes law, it would help reduce Amtrak delays, hold freight railroad corporations accountable and save public money, the congressmen said in a press release.

"As a frequent commuter on Amtrak from my district to Washington, D.C., I have an acute firsthand understanding of how rail delays can adversely impact passengers and commerce,” said Boyle. “This legislation will provide railway passengers with additional safeguards from unanticipated rail delays and cancellations. Strengthening the rights of railway passengers only enhances customer satisfaction and trust in public transport and rail systems.”

In 1973, Congress passed the Amtrak Improvement Act, which mandated that intercity and commuter passenger rail be given preference over freight railroads in using a rail line. Freight railroads sometimes disregard the law, which results in Amtrak service delays.

Freight train interference was the cause of the majority of Amtrak’s delays in recent years; in 2023 the interference amounted to 900,000 minutes of delay for Amtrak riders, the lawmakers said.