The Railway Safety Act of 2025 would establish new safety requirements for trains and rail carriers with hazardous materials, which include:
- requiring all shippers to inform state emergency response commissioners about what they're transporting in advance;
- mandating the use of wayside defect detectors to detect mechanical failures before it's too late; and
- having carriers comply with requirements around train length and weight, speed, and the development of response plans.
These steps are essential to preventing more tragedies like the Norfolk Southern Railway freight train derailment in the future. Let's urge our House Representatives to get on board!