COLUMBUS, Ohio – State Sens. Al Cutrona of Canfield and Casey Weinstein of Hudson on Monday introduced a resolution urging Congress to pass the Reducing Accidents in Locomotives Act.
The bipartisan legislation, introduced by U.S. Reps. Michael Rulli of Salem, R-6th, and Emilia Sykes of Akron, D-13th, seeks to address critical safety issues in the nation’s rail system, spurred by the Feb. 3, 2023, train derailment in East Palestine.
“Ohioans are used to seeing trains every day and being stopped at a crossing is routine, but what isn’t common is realizing the danger that is running on those rails,” said Cutrona, R-33rd. “The residents of East Palestine deserve to have better safeguards in place to ensure that these tragedies never happen again and the RAIL Act, much like Ohio’s Rail Safety Act, will go a long way to making sure safety is always the priority.”
The RAIL Act includes provisions such as increased inspections for all trains, stronger safety placard requirements to assist emergency responders in identifying hazardous materials, higher penalties for safety violations and the requirement for two-person crews on all Class I freight and passenger trains.
The legislation also directs the Department of Transportation secretary to implement safety rules based on findings from the National Transportation Safety Board, specifically targeting issues such as wheel bearing failures that contributed to the East Palestine derailment.
“The tragedy in East Palestine made it painfully clear that we need stronger safeguards in our rail system to protect our communities,” said Weinstein, D-34th. “The RAIL Act is a necessary and timely response to ensure that we are not only addressing the immediate safety concerns but also making long-term improvements. By requiring better inspections, two-person crews and stronger safety measures, we are prioritizing the well-being of the public and people who live near these railways.”
Pictured at top: This photo taken with a drone on Feb. 4, 2023, shows portions of a Norfolk Southern freight train that derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, on Feb. 3. (AP Photo | Gene J. Puskar, File)