By Justin Franz
Most freight trains in the United States will need to have at least two people in the cab, according to a long-awaited ruling by the Federal Railroad Administration.
On April 2, the federal agency released new rules regarding minimum train crew sizes. The issue of crew size has been debated for well over a decade and the FRA had unsuccessfully tried to pass such regulations before. In a press release announcing the new rules, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said the minimum was needed to keep workers and the public safe.
“Common sense tells us that large freight trains, some of which can be over three miles long, should have at least two crew members on board – and now there’s a federal regulation in place to ensure trains are safely staffed,” Buttigieg said. “This rule requiring safe train crew sizes is long overdue, and we are proud to deliver this change that will make workers, passengers, and communities safer.”
According to the ruling, some one-person crew operations will continue with FRA approval following a “rigorous risk assessment.” Short lines like Indiana Rail Road have used single-person crews in the past and that operation has often been highlighted by the industry as proof it can be done safely. But opponents of the practice have pointed to other episodes, including the Lac-Megantic, Que., oil train disaster in 2013. In that instance, 47 people were killed when an oil train rolled downhill after being improperly secured by a lone engineer. Last year’s explosive derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, was also used as evidence that freight trains that carry hazardous materials should have at least two people on board (In that instance, there were three crew members on board).
Since the East Palestine wreck states including Ohio, Virginia, and Colorado have passed laws requiring two people on freight trains, but those have been challenged by the industry.
The Association of American Railroads was quick to criticize the ruling, noting that in the past, crew size was determined between the railroads and the unions.
“FRA is doubling down on an unfounded and unnecessary regulation that has no proven connection to rail safety,” said AAR President and CEO Ian Jefferies. “Instead of prioritizing data-backed solutions to build a safer future for rail, FRA is looking to the past and upending the collective bargaining process.”
The ruling notes that the second crew member does not necessarily have to be in the cab, meaning passenger operators (which usually have an engineer in the cab and a conductor back in the train) will be able to continue operating as normal.
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