Rail

Washington – The National Transportation Safety Board hosted a forum on rail safety April 22-23 in response to a series of train derailments in 2013 that resulted in spills of flammable shipments – some leading to fatalities.

Washington – The rail industry will be unable to meet Congress’s 2015 deadline for installing positive train control – in part because of delays caused by the Federal Communications Commission, according to the Association of American Railroads.

Washington – Stakeholders from the hazmat transportation industry testified April 2 during a House Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee hearing on funding priorities for the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration's next hazmat safety programming reauthorization.

Washington – The Federal Railroad Administration announced April 9 that it intends to propose a rule that would require a minimum of two crewmembers for most train operations.

For the first time, the National Transportation Safety Board has placed mass transit operations on its “Most Wanted” list of safety improvements, as recent high-profile incidents spur questions about human behavioral factors and safety culture.

Washington – A final rule from the Federal Railroad Administration requires railroads to implement “critical incident stress plans” for certain workers who witness fatalities or traumatic injuries.

Washington – The National Transportation Safety Board has scheduled a free public forum on April 22 and 23 to discuss safety concerns associated with transporting crude oil and ethanol by rail.

Washington – The Metro-North Commuter Railroad’s emphasis on on-time service over safety contributed to four serious rail incidents in 2013, according to a Federal Railroad Administration report.

Albany, NY – New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo (D) recently urged federal officials to speed up federal rail safety reforms, as derailments of trains transporting volatile crude oil continue to occur in North America.

Washington – Federal officials attended a March 6 Senate subcommittee hearing to discuss the progress of various rail safety efforts.