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Congress·In Committee·H.R. 7662

Rep. Nehls Introduces Railroad Safety Enhancement Act to Mandate Two-Person Crews and Faster Safety Tech

Railroad Safety Enhancement Act of 2026

22 days ago·View on Congress.gov

Legislative Progress

House
Senate
President
Law

Key Points

  • The bill creates strict new safety rules for trains carrying hazardous materials, including a 50 mph speed limit for all such trains and a 40 mph limit for trains with 20+ cars of flammable liquids passing through high-threat urban areas. Railroads must also share real-time electronic cargo lists with emergency responders and fusion centers.
  • Class I freight railroads would need at least a two-person crew on most trains — one certified conductor and one certified locomotive engineer. Exceptions exist for short-distance helper locomotives and yard operations, but not for high-hazard trains or trains longer than 7,500 feet.

    From policy text

    “a freight train operated by a Class I railroad may not be operated without a 2-person crew consisting of at least 1 appropriately qualified and certified conductor and 1 appropriately qualified and certified locomotive engineer”
    View in full text
  • Older, less safe tank cars must be phased out by December 31, 2027. Any tank car carrying Class 3 flammable liquids must meet modern DOT-117 specifications or be retired. If manufacturing capacity is insufficient, the deadline can be pushed one year to 2028.
  • A new emergency response assistance program would quickly reimburse communities up to $10 million for costs after a major hazmat train incident — covering overtime, damaged protective gear, health assessments for responders, and emergency center costs. The responsible rail company must ultimately pay the government back.
  • Penalties for railroad safety violations jump dramatically — up to $1 million per violation normally, and up to $5 million if the violation causes death, serious injury, or major property destruction. Penalties can be doubled for repeated violations or deliberate disregard of safety.
  • The bill authorizes $1.5 billion per year from 2026–2029 for eliminating dangerous railroad crossings and requires railroads to set up toll-free phone lines for the public to report blocked crossings. School bus routes get special priority for crossing safety projects.

    From policy text

    “There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for grants under section 22909 of title 49, United States Code, $1,500,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2029.”
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Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions
Feb 24, 2026House

Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Feb 24, 2026

Introduced in House

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

6 months after enactment

Railroads must set up toll-free phone lines for reporting blocked crossings

People stuck at blocked railroad crossings will be able to call a toll-free number to report the problem directly to the railroad — within 180 days of enactment

2027-12-31

Older tank cars banned from carrying flammable liquids

By the end of 2027, all tank cars carrying flammable liquids like crude oil and ethanol must meet modern safety standards or be pulled from service — removing the most dangerous cars from the rails

Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Railroad Safety Enhancement Act of 2026

Bill NumberHR 7662
Congress119th Congress
ChamberHouse of Representatives
Latest ActionReferred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(2)
D: 2

Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.