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Committee hears bill to require more wayside detectors, cap long trains and clear blocked crossings
Summary
SB 667 would require wayside detector coverage for California rail lines, impose a 7,500-foot cap for certain trains originating or reconfigured in-state, and require crossings be cleared for emergency-vehicle access; sponsors cite new studies linking train length to derailment risk.
Senators heard testimony on SB 667, the California Railway Safety Act, which aims to strengthen rail-safety rules by expanding wayside detector systems, limiting the maximum length of certain trains operating in California to 7,500 feet, and requiring trains that block grade crossings to be split, moved or otherwise adjusted to allow emergency vehicles to pass.
Author Sen. Lena Archuleta said the bill responds to a series of recent derailments in California and national studies showing longer manifest trains have higher derailment risk. "This bill addresses critical safety gaps in California's…
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