Bipartisan Group of Senators Introduce Railway Safety Act of 2023 to Prevent Future Train Derailments

A bipartisan group of senators has introduced the Railway Safety Act of 2023, a bill designed to prevent future train derailments like the one that occurred in East Palestine, Ohio in February. The bill includes a number of provisions to boost safety procedures, such as requiring rail carriers to give advance notice to state emergency response officials about what they’re transporting, increasing rail car inspections, and requiring crews of at least two people for every train.

The bill also calls for increased monitoring of wheel bearings, which the National Transportation Safety Board found overheated in the Feb. 3 derailment of a Norfolk Southern train. The train, which was carrying hazardous materials, derailed and sparked serious health and environmental concerns for the area’s residents.

The Railway Safety Act of 2023 was introduced by a bipartisan group of six senators, including the two from Ohio. The bill is intended to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future and to ensure the safety of rail passengers and the communities they travel through.

The bill is currently being reviewed by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. If passed, the Railway Safety Act of 2023 would become the first major rail safety legislation in more than a decade. The bill’s sponsors hope that it will help to ensure the safety of rail passengers and the communities they travel through.