Bill > HB0114

This bill establishes new railroad safety regulations in Wyoming, including limitations on train length to a maximum of 8,500 feet or the length of the shortest passing track or siding on its route, and prohibits trains from blocking highway crossings for more than ten minutes, with significant civil penalties for violations, including fines per foot of excess length or per blocking incident, and a maximum penalty of $250,000 for gross negligence or repeated violations causing injury or death. It also mandates the installation and maintenance of "wayside detector systems" every ten miles on main lines, which are electronic devices designed to detect defects like overheating bearings or dragging equipment and alert train operators, and requires these systems to be fully operational at all times. Furthermore, the bill requires railroad companies to conduct human visual inspections of main line tracks at least twice a week, with at least one day between inspections, and any identified defects must be immediately corrected or the track removed from service, with penalties for failing to conduct these inspections. Train operators must report any alerts from wayside detectors or non-operational detectors, and railroads must submit annual reports to the department of transportation detailing detector usage, maintenance, and derailments, with these reports being public records. The bill also authorizes two full-time positions within the department of transportation for implementing these regulations and appropriates $300,000 for their funding, with an effective date of July 1, 2026.

https://www.wyoleg.gov/Legislation/2026/HB0114