Over the past two decades, freight trains have grown longer and regulatory safety measures have lagged, blocking highways, delaying passenger trains and increasing the likelihood of derailments, according to a new federally commissioned new report. This was discovered through a survey.
In a report released Tuesday, researchers from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine found that a variety of rail cars of different weights and sizes can stress equipment and pose challenges for train crews on trains above 7,500 feet. It is written that there is a sex. (It's almost 1.5 miles.)
The researchers found that whenever a railroad makes major changes to its operations, including the use of long-distance freight trains, auditors should assess safety measures and verify their implementation to meet railroad risk mitigation requirements. Researchers recommend that the system should be strengthened.
It also urges Congress to release data on blocked railroad crossings, work with railroads to repair the most problematic blockages, as required by law, and ensure that railroads are freed to allow freight trains to pass Amtrak trains. It called for an order to FRA to better monitor it.
Researchers say rail companies that do not comply should face significant financial penalties.
“Freight railroads are often overlooked because they have provided a reliable means of transporting goods and materials across the United States for so long, but railroad operations have changed significantly over the past few decades and the use of “The technology we use and our understanding of best safety practices has changed,” said Debra Miller, chair of the committee that authored the report. “Therefore, it is time for Congress, regulators, and the industry itself to take a hard look at rail practices and regulations to ensure the safest operations going forward.”
The Association of American Railroads disputed the report's findings, saying freight trains of any length are safe. According to the association, the Class I mainline accident rate has decreased by 42% since 2000. Class I refers to railroads with annual revenues of $250 million or more.
Ian Jeffreys, chairman and CEO of the association, said: “Safety is at the heart of every decision we make on rail, and train length is no exception.” “As operations continue to evolve, railroads are leveraging three key levers to further improve safety and reliability: technology, training, and infrastructure.
In New Jersey, advocates have long lobbied lawmakers to strengthen safety measures and emergency procedures for so-called “long-distance trains,” which can span more than a mile. FRA does not limit train length.
Tracy Carluccio, deputy director of the Delaware River Guardian Network, said the report proves the dangers posed by long-distance trains. The network is calling for limits on train length.
“We have to go back to reality and realize that it's impossible to handle very long trains like this, over a mile and a half,” Carluccio said. “The government needs to heed these recommendations. In New Jersey, many of these lines run through the middle of towns, and people are directly affected.”
Jeff Tittel, a longtime environmentalist in New Jersey, said disasters like the 2013 derailment of a 73-car train carrying crude oil in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, killed 47 people. Still, he criticized state and federal policymakers for not continuing to strengthen safety measures on freight trains. Last year, 38 rail cars carrying hazardous materials derailed in East Palestine, Ohio.
“We still have the same dangerous bridge over the Hackensack River, and we still have trains passing through areas within feet of homes and apartment buildings. If an accident were to occur, it could be catastrophic.” Tittel he said. “Years have passed and nothing has really changed. Every day we play Russian roulette on the train.”
Get your morning headlines.
Subscribe
