Railway Safety Act of 2026

Key Points

• The bill requires Class I freight railroads to have at least a two-person crew on every freight train, including a certified conductor and a certified locomotive engineer. This prevents railroads from moving toward single-person crews on main line operations, high-hazard trains, and trains longer than 7,500 feet.
• New speed limits cap all trains carrying hazardous materials at 50 mph and further limit high-hazard trains with 20 or more cars of flammable liquids to 40 mph in high-threat urban areas, unless tank cars meet upgraded DOT-117 standards. Older tank cars must be phased out for transporting Class 3 flammable liquids by December 31, 2027.
• Railroads must install defect detection networks along main lines, with hot bearing detectors spaced every 15 to 20 miles and positioned at least 10 miles before urbanized areas with 75,000 or more residents. A new grant program and $25 million in authorized funding support research and development of these technologies.
• Civil penalties for rail safety violations jump dramatically, with maximums rising to $1 million for standard violations and $5 million when violations cause death, serious injury, or major property destruction. Penalties can be doubled for repeated violations or deliberate indifference.
• A new emergency response assistance program would reimburse local communities up to $10 million per incident for costs like overtime pay, protective equipment replacement, and baseline health assessments for responders. The responsible railroad must ultimately repay the fund.
• Railroads must share real-time electronic train consist data with fusion centers and provide commodity flow reports to state and tribal emergency response commissions, so first responders know exactly what hazardous materials are passing through their communities.