Ohio reps reintroduce RAIL Act to require two-person crews

U.S. Reps. Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Ohio) and Mike Rulli (R-Ohio) earlier this month reintroduced the Reducing Accidents in Locomotives (RAIL) Act. 

Sykes first introduced the RAIL Act in 2023 following the February 2023 Norfolk Southern Railway train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, which released toxic chemicals into the area's air, soil and creeks.

“Two full years have passed since this tragic and preventable disaster uprooted the lives of the people of East Palestine and neighboring communities, and Congress has not passed legislation to prevent this from happening again in the future," Sykes said. "The people of East Palestine deserve better, and I hope the majority does right by the people of this country and prioritizes rail safety.” 

The legislation that Sykes and Rulli introduced this year includes a measure to codify the Federal Railroad Administration's two-person crew rule into law, the lawmakers said in a press release. Rulli's district includes East Palestine. That train-crew rule was not included in last year's bill.

The lawmakers say their legislation also would improve rail safety and operations by:

• directing the U.S. transportation secretary to promulgate new rules to improve safety based off the findings of the National Transportation Safety Board's investigation in conjunction with the FRA;

• increasing inspections on all trains, including those carrying hazardous materials;

• requiring railroad corporations to provide notification in advance to pertinent to any state or tribal agency regarding the transportation of hazardous materials;

• strengthening requirements pertaining to safety placards that assist emergency responders in identifying the hazardous materials in rail cars onsite;

• strengthening regulations to prevent wheel bearing failures;

• increasing maximum penalties for rail-safety regulation violations;

• increasing funding for hazmat training for first responders; and

• auditing federal rail inspection programs.