HARRISBURG, PA — One year after the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment that impacted Pennsylvanian families, State Rep. Rob Matzie, D-Beaver, is calling on the state Senate to pass the Safer Rails, Safer Communities Act, a bipartisan bill designed to enhance rail safety across the Commonwealth.
“We didn’t wait for Washington, D.C., to act, we took the lead and made sure we crafted a Pennsylvania solution to protect Pennsylvania communities, families and first responders,” Matzie said. He expressed frustration that the legislation, which passed the state House by a vote of 141-62 in June, has been stalled in the state Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee.
The proposed law comes in response to a disturbing trend: nearly 1,700 train derailments occur every year in the U.S., posing significant safety risks to nearby communities. The Safer Rails, Safer Communities Act, or H.B. 1028, seeks to address these risks at a state level, implementing stringent safety measures that would be enforced by the state Public Utility Commission (PUC).
Among the bill’s provisions are staffing and train length requirements, including a minimum two-person crew and a maximum train length of 8,500 feet, or approximately 1.6 miles. It also mandates the development of standards for reporting and tracking the transport of hazardous materials, with the PUC working in conjunction with the state Transportation Department to maintain a database accessible by emergency response agencies in the event of a derailment.
In addition, the bill would ensure the proper functioning of wayside detectors, trackside sensors designed to alert operators when train cars are overheating due to issues that could cause derailment.
To facilitate access for emergency response vehicles, the proposed legislation would limit the duration trains can be parked in areas where they block road crossings. It also protects union representatives present for rail safety inspections from being accused of trespassing.
Matzie emphasized that the bill is not intended to hinder railroads or businesses. Instead, it aims to bolster rail safety for the public, the workforce, and emergency responders.
“The bill doesn’t hurt railroads and doesn’t hurt businesses – that never would be our intention – but the bill does enhance and strengthen rail safety for the public, the workforce and emergency responders. Extraordinary events bring about extraordinary action. This bill lets the public know we hear them, and we are responding,” Matzie said.
Matzie urged Pennsylvanians concerned about preventing future derailments like the one in East Palestine to contact their state senators and voice their support for the Safer Rails, Safer Communities Act.
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