Bill > HB1191

This bill aims to enhance railroad safety in Pennsylvania by implementing several new regulations and requirements. It prohibits railroads from blocking highway crossings for more than five minutes, which could delay emergency vehicles, and imposes a $10,000 civil penalty for each violation. The bill also limits the length of freight or work trains to 8,500 feet on main tracks or branch lines. Furthermore, it grants collective bargaining representatives the authority to monitor railroad safety practices and operations, including taking photographs and conducting investigations on railroad property, without being considered trespassers. The legislation mandates that trains or light engines used for freight movement must have a crew of at least two individuals, with specific exceptions for smaller railroads and provisions for medical emergencies, and establishes escalating civil penalties for violations. It requires railroads to install and maintain functional wayside detector systems, which are electronic devices that scan trains for defects like hot wheel bearings or dragging equipment, and mandates reporting to the Federal Railroad Administration if a railroad fails to cooperate or is found non-compliant. The bill also calls for a study on the transportation of hazardous materials or waste by railroads, including an examination of existing laws and recommendations for strengthening safety requirements and penalties, and establishes a reporting system for such transportation, with data accessible only to emergency management agencies. Finally, it requires rail carriers to submit a hazard impact assessment to the commission and the Department of Transportation before constructing or expanding railyards if it affects traffic patterns or safety at public grade crossings, and to implement mitigation plans if high-risk intersections are identified, with penalties for non-compliance.

Budget and Finance, Business and Industry, Labor and Employment

https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/bill_history.cfm?syear=2025&sind=0&body=H&type=B&bn=1191