Railcar Safety

For years, Class 1 freight railroads have prioritized short-term profits over the safety of their workers and the communities we live in. While train lengths have stretched to three miles or more, inspection times for rail cars have decreased, leaving workers with less than 60 seconds to assess each car’s brakes, connection to other cars, and other important safety features. Additionally, railroads have also cut more than 30% of all rail inspector jobs, in many cases forcing other crafts to perform these jobs without training, proper tools, or licenses. Regulations and rules need to be updated to clarify the role of car inspectors and to allow adequate inspection times for the safe operation of every rail car. 

Shorter inspection times have been enforced through work rules and disciplinary actions against workers who exceed unrealistic, arbitrary time limits set by management. These draconian, unsafe practices are driving existing workers away from the industry and making hiring new workers more difficult – further driving down employment and putting even more pressure on the remaining workforce.  

The TWU strongly supports legislation in Congress that would impose new regulations on freight rail carriers in response to the East Palestine, Ohio derailment. Legislation introduced in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate would impose minimum car inspection times, require at least two crew members on Class I freight trains, institute bigger fines for railroads who commit safety violations, require railroads to enroll in a confidential close call reporting system, and improve a system that alerts first responders to the presence of potentially hazardous materials on trains when they are responding to an incident. So far, bills have been introduced to improve freight rail safety but none have received a full vote in the U.S. House or Senate.  

The TWU is urging elected officials and agency leaders take the following steps on behalf of rail safety: 

• Prohibit railroads from setting maximum inspection times 

• Ensure that only qualified, certified mechanical inspectors perform all Class 1 brake tests and inspections