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S. 1889, The Railroad Safety Enhancement Act of 2007
- This bill has been mooted by the passage of another bill on the same subject or by other events. Check 'Related Bills' below to see if other bills on this subject have been passed into law. Mooted: 10/16/2008.
- This item is from the 110th Congress (2007-2008) and is no longer current. Comments, voting, and wiki editing have been disabled, and the cost/savings estimate has been frozen.
Version saved on March 14, 2008, 04:20:18, by webmaster:
S. 1889 would amend title 49, United States Code, to improve railroad safety by reducing accidents and to prevent railroad fatalities, injuries, and hazardous materials releases.
Detailed Summary
Railroad Safety Enhancement Act of 2007 - Authorizes appropriations for: (1) railroad safety, including transportation of hazardous materials; (2) deployment of a Gage Restraint Measurement System vehicle and a track geometry vehicle or other comparable technology in each region; (3) construction of the Facility for Underground Rail Station and Tunnel Testing and Training at the Transportation Technology Center, Inc., in Pueblo, Colorado; and (4) rail security personnel in Department of Transportation (DOT) regional offices and in Washington, DC.
Provides for the appointment of a Chief Safety Officer for the Federal Railroad Administration.
Requires the Secretary of Transportation (Secretary) to develop: (1) a long-term railroad safety strategy; and (2) a railroad safety risk reduction pilot program.
Revises hours of service requirements for train and signal employees to include that such employees may not be required to be on duty for more than 12 consecutive hours.
Sets forth requirements for: (1) the prevention and reduction of pedestrian and motor vehicle accidents and other incidents, injuries, and fatalities at or near passenger stations, railroad rights-of-way, and highway-rail grade crossings; and (2) the development of new technology to improve safety at highway-rail grade crossings.
Requires the Secretary to increase gradually the number of rail safety-related employees at the Federal Railroad Administration.
Directs the Secretary to issue regulations to require railroad carriers and railroad contractors and subcontractors to develop plans that train certain crafts or classes of employees on relevant federal railroad safety laws and regulations.
Requires the Secretary to establish: (1) a railroad safety technology grants program; and (2) a railroad safety infrastructure improvement grants program.
Directs the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to provide certain assistance to families of passengers involved in a rail passenger accident that results in a major loss of life. Requires a rail passenger carrier to submit to the NTSB, the Secretary, and the Secretary of Homeland Security a plan for addressing the needs of such families.<br>
Exempts solid waste management facilities from the exclusive jurisdiction of the NTSB (effectively allowing state and local authorities to regulate solid waste management facilities).
Status of the Legislation
Latest Major Action: 3/3/2008: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 590.
Points in Favor
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Points Against
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Visitor Comments
Anonymous Engineer (#1)
October 19, 2007, 12:38pm (report abuse)Sorry in advance for the typos and spelling, but I've been up over 24 hours. I just got done with a 15+ hour trip where railroad (mis)management allowed our crew to "go dead" 145 miles from home. Then we had to wait 40 minutes for the van to show up.
Under S.1889, nothing would change for the next three years.
IMO, that's a three year window for Republicans to "revisit" this law and make it permanent. I think carriers have spent $9 million lobbying in the first half of 2007. I expect the railroads to buy the wording they want in the next few years.
S.1889 has too many loopholes that let the railroads continue limbo time abuse. Republicans will argue that there's no risk to the public after 12 hours. I beg to differ. First, our van driver almost ran off of the road. Second, I almost got T-boned on the drive home. I should have been home in bed instead, not almost getting killed.
Anonymous Engineeer (#1)
October 19, 2007, 12:53pm (report abuse)Senators! Here's how you fix it;
*Delete: '(IV) an act of God, '(XI) any other delay...
Better yet, remove all eleven of those loopholes. For peotic justice, allow the crews to use those same exceptions as valid reasons to not show up to work on time. "Sorry, I'm late but I had an act of God." :)
*Then remove '(iii). That's the part that allows 30 hours of limbo time per month for each employee.
The railroads get 30 hours of limbo time per employee per month...and I can only have one weekend day off?!?! How about I get a 'freebie' availability day for every hour of limbo time?
hysteric hoosier
November 28, 2007, 12:56pm (report abuse)Icalled my two senators offices today and their people told me that this bill S#1889 would never even get out of committee. Chalk another one up for Dick Cheney and his winky puppet. keep the pressure on your senators now, they are our only chance.
Fatigued Engineer Part 1
December 4, 2007, 6:57pm (report abuse)I see after following all the hearings an tesimony's from union an Doctors, AAR, NTSB. FRA an all the Studies it looks like NO ONE LISTENED! We've got people that has no idea what its like on the RR, passing judgement on what needs to be done. IF they would have Listened more adgressive measures would be in this bill, besides "LOWERING" LIMBO TIME; before anything is done on this i would like someone from congress have to come do this for JUST 2wks! Then lets talk.
Norfolk Southern Engineer
December 12, 2007, 8:18pm (report abuse)I ,as well as everyone who works in transportation for the various railways across the nation know one thing,FATIGUE is the number one reason for everything that goes wrong on the railway,why are we permitted to work longer than truck drivers across the nation?does the general public understand that one "Tanker" of hazardous material in my train is the same as 4 to 5 semi loads of hazmat,and I may have 5,,10 or more of these.Eliminate Limbo time make the carriers pay for abusing there men
James UPShrek
February 11, 2008, 1:50pm (report abuse)Much of what is said so far are more half-truths tah anything. For one,working 12 hours on any railroad is the way it is, your fatigue matters aren't the reason that you are fatigued. What I would recommend is that the rest time after tie-up should be lenghtened to compensate for the exact time previously served on duty beyond 12 hours (dead on the law). eg.A crew goes dead on the law and remains on the head end for 2 more hours,cab arrives relives crew and crew continues to terminal (2hrs) for tie-up. At tie-up the crew has actually been on duty 16 hours, so the law should be adjusted to 16 hours rest plus 2 for travel time. So,a total of 18 hours rest is allowed before the caller can talk to that crew for reassignment, as opposed to the 8-hour rule now in existance.
Texas Eng
February 16, 2008, 3:54am (report abuse)We spend 12 hours running the train then die and the carrier doesnt care if we get to tieup--no transportation availiable-- we are told. We rest and then wait to go back to work and wait and wait until we are no longer rested. Then they call-- adress the normal sleep cycle-- I understand the need to run trains and the problems with timing -- but there has to be limits!!
casey jones
March 18, 2008, 1:57pm (report abuse)Stop using our government to legislate union contracts! Limbo time, rest hours and absenteeism are problems that our "unions" should be helping us with, not Congress. If we would hire some real negotiators to deal with the companies on our contracts instead of wasting our dues on Democrat politicians maybe we could solve these problems ourselves. All of us knew what these jobs required when we signed up- nothings changed. If you don't want to sit on a train 16 hours, or you want every weekend off, then quit.
Anonymous Engineer (#1)
April 25, 2008, 6:23pm (report abuse)Update: April 25th, 2008. Nothing has changed. Management is still abusing limbo time.
Yesterday, KMBC 9 News in Kansas City ran a short story about crew fatigue. It didn't really educate the general public on the issue, but at least it was something.
keith bennett
May 1, 2008, 4:38am (report abuse)In my 32 year railroad career i have watched the government funded F.R.A. lapdogs allow constant abuse of our existing laws concerning hours of service while the employees endure excessive discipline for their inevitable fatigue related mistakes. my carrier has a an existing policy in place to automatically dismiss employees for signal violations while it also enforces a policy of intimidation for absenteism based on calendar dates instead of hours worked. will this new administration be any different?
old mare
June 29, 2008, 7:14pm (report abuse)Speaking of loopholes, can you see the rotating off days and no regard for seniority contained in this bill?
Waylon
July 26, 2008, 6:19pm (report abuse)Casey Jones you are sad. You must be A Manager, New hire or just stupid. Im sorry that you think that their can be no ballance between work and life.
Amtrak Conductor
September 10, 2008, 10:54am (report abuse)casey jones should be ousted for those comments. What side are you on. he must not be a union member.
Joe
September 10, 2008, 8:33pm (report abuse)What I dont understand is why the Ble and the UTU want Amtrak to have a 3 year waiver? It's suppose to be so Amtrak can get more data. I'm not buying it. They should of asked membership before the go and spaek for us. You give Amtrak a waiver and they will ask for an extentsion. Dumb dumb dumb.
38 year UTU member
September 28, 2008, 6:46pm (report abuse)I have worked through 16 hr days then the short lived 14 hr and now the 12 hr day. I could not imagine multitasking, as crew members need to do today, for 11hrs and 59 min 6 to 7 days a week again. This bill has more than the issue of fatigue. This bill contains timely safety issues affecting our brother's and sister's lives and not only livelihood. I just hope this bill is signed into law it is only 38 years too late as I have lost many good freinds through the years.
As a foot note Casey Jones was an SP scab who would not help his brothers during the strike--perfect pseudonym