Committee presses DOT on rail safety after East Palestine derailment; waiver requests and technology debated
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Summary
Members pressed Secretary Duffy on rail safety steps after the East Palestine derailment and raised concerns about a pending waiver that would reduce regular visual track inspections. Duffy said DOT is reviewing the waiver request and the department is weighing automated inspection technology against the need for human inspection.
WASHINGTON
House members pressed the Department of Transportation to prioritize rail safety measures and to be cautious before approving industry requests to reduce the frequency of visual track inspections.
Lawmakers cited the 2023 East Palestine derailment and the continuing interest in stronger federal rail safety laws and rules. Members said they had not yet seen legislative action commensurate with the risks they described; Duffy said he would support continued congressional work on rail safety while the department examines technology that may augment human inspections.
Key details
- Waiver request under review: Several class I railroads have petitioned DOT to permit a reduction in mandated visual track inspections from twice weekly to twice monthly provided they deploy automated track inspection (ATI) technologies. Ranking members and subcommittee chairs warned the committee that existing studies show ATI currently cannot detect all key defect types and urged caution.
- Data gaps and technology limits: Members said testimony indicates roughly 17 of 23 critical track defects remain detectable only by the human eye. Duffy said the department was considering the waiver request and the potential for ATI to improve safety, but flagged employment impacts and data limitations.
- Legislative action and oversight: Some members urged passage of a rail safety bill and asked DOT to use its enforcement and rulemaking tools to close gaps. Duffy said he wanted collaboration with Congress and supports exploring technological improvements while protecting safety and worker interests.
Quotes
'We want to get this right,' Duffy said of the agency's review of inspection technology and potential waivers.
What remains unresolved: Whether DOT will grant waivers that reduce visual inspection frequency, what performance standards ATI systems must meet to substitute for human inspections, and the timeline for any departmental or congressional rulemaking.