Railway Safety Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Deluzio
In Committee
Summary
This bill would tighten safety for trains carrying hazardous materials by creating new rules, stronger inspections, minimum crew staffing, higher penalties, and targeted funding to prevent derailments and releases.
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- Communities and emergency responders would get required advance notifications, a written gas-discharge plan, and expanded wayside defect detectors to reduce derailments and blocked crossings.
- Rail workers and inspectors would face minimum inspection-time rules, routine audits of federal inspection programs, allowance for an abbreviated pre-departure check for hazmat cars, and a minimum freight crew of two with narrow exceptions.
- Rail carriers would see older DOT-111 tank cars phased out, civil penalties raised and tied to carrier income, a $1.0 million annual fee on Class I carriers, and a $22.0 million appropriation to expand defect detectors.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
9 provisions identified: 6 benefits, 2 costs, 1 mixed.
Stronger tank cars and 2027 phase-out
Starting May 1, 2027, carriers would be barred from using non‑compliant DOT‑111 tank cars to move Class 3 flammable liquids. Cars would need to meet DOT‑117, 117P, or 117R specs. The Secretary would remove or revise any conflicting deadlines. PHMSA would also study stronger, safer tank car and valve technologies, with $5 million authorized, subject to funding.
Two-person crews on freight trains
Freight trains would need two crew members: a certified conductor and a certified engineer. Some exceptions would apply, like certain non‑mainline work, short helper moves, and small carriers meeting strict hour, revenue, speed, and grade limits. No exception would apply to trains with toxic‑by‑inhalation cargo, large blocks or totals of certain tank cars, or trains at least 7,500 feet long. Carriers could seek a waiver. The rule would take effect upon enactment.
More track detectors for hazmat trains
Within one year, the Secretary would set rules for installing and operating wayside defect detectors on routes used by hazardous-material trains. Class I railroads would need a hotbox detector every 10 miles on those lines. The rules would set performance, maintenance, data reporting, alert temperatures, and required actions when detectors flag problems. The bill would also authorize $22 million in grants to help expand and improve these detectors, subject to funding.
New safety rules and local alerts
Within one year, the Secretary would set safety rules for trains carrying hazardous materials that are not covered by the high-hazard rule. The rules would cover train length and weight, train makeup, route analysis and selection, speed limits, track standards, maintenance, signaling, and response plans. Shippers and rail carriers would also have to give advance notice to State and Tribal emergency officials and include a written gas discharge plan. The rules would require steps to reduce or eliminate blocked crossings from train delays.
Stronger inspections and federal oversight
The Transportation Department would tighten rail inspections and oversight. Within one year, it would set minimum time that qualified inspectors must spend on each car or locomotive and set inspection intervals for trains carrying hazardous materials. Audits of rail car inspection programs would start within 60 days, with Class I railroads audited at least once every 5 years and selected Class II/III each year. Railroads would need to fix any problems found, and the Secretary would report noncooperation to Congress. The Secretary would also report to Congress every two years on progress carrying out NTSB recommendations from the Norfolk Southern derailment report.
Higher fines for rail safety violations
Fines for rail safety violations would rise. Penalties would be the greater of a percent of a company’s income or a higher fixed cap. For hazardous materials, the first tier would be 0.5% of income or $750,000. The higher tier would be 1% of income or $1,750,000. Similar 0.5%/$250,000 and 1%/$1,000,000 caps would apply to other rail safety violations. These increases would take effect upon enactment.
New $1 million fee on big railroads
Each Class I rail carrier would pay a $1,000,000 annual registration fee. This fee would be in addition to existing fees. It would take effect upon enactment.
More funds for hazmat responder training
The maximum supplemental amount for hazardous materials emergency response training grants would rise from $2 million to $4 million. The Secretary could also use new Class I carrier fee revenue and recovered grant funds to support these grants. These changes would take effect upon enactment. The program text would update “liquids” to “materials.”
Shorter pre-departure checks for hazmat trains
The Secretary would immediately change rules to allow an abbreviated pre-departure inspection for rail cars in trains carrying hazardous materials. This could save carriers time before trains depart, but it may reduce the length of checks. The change would take effect upon enactment.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Deluzio
PA • D
Cosponsors
LaLota
NY • R
Sponsored 2/4/2025
Rulli
OH • R
Sponsored 2/4/2025
Garamendi
CA • D
Sponsored 2/4/2025
Fitzpatrick
PA • R
Sponsored 3/14/2025
Elfreth
MD • D
Sponsored 3/14/2025
Lawler
NY • R
Sponsored 8/1/2025
Suozzi
NY • D
Sponsored 8/1/2025
Smith (NJ)
NJ • R
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Bresnahan
PA • R
Sponsored 3/4/2026
Soto
FL • D
Sponsored 3/4/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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