Railroad Safety Enhancement Act of 2026

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.
• 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.