Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Rail Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Maryland Railway Safety Act would limit train block crossings, cap train length and tighten detector, hazardous‑materials reporting
Summary
Delegate Stein’s HB 958 would (1) bar trains from blocking at‑grade crossings for more than five minutes, (2) cap train length at 8,500 feet, (3) require wayside detector systems to meet FRA guidelines and (4) establish hazardous‑materials reporting and other safety measures; supporters pointed to East Palestine derailment as rationale, while CSX,
House Bill 958, introduced Feb. 20, would impose multiple new state‑level railroad safety requirements, including a prohibition on blocking public grade crossings for more than five minutes, a maximum freight‑train length of 8,500 feet, adoption and maintenance of wayside detector systems consistent with Federal Railroad Administration guidelines, and enhanced hazardous‑materials reporting and first‑responder access to information.
Sponsor testimony cited national grade‑crossing and blocking statistics and the East Palestine, Ohio, 2023 derailment as a rationale for wayside detection, more robust hazardous‑materials reporting to first responders and restrictions on train length to reduce the likelihood of blocked crossings and prolonged emergency response delays. Supporters — SMART rail division leaders, conductors and other rail workers — emphasized worker and community safety and pointed to first‑responder accounts describing confusion and lack of PPE from East Palestine.
Witnesses described mechanics to reduce blocked crossings (on‑site crew actions, splitting trains, distributed power) and urged that two‑person crews be preserved. The bill’s two‑person‑crew provision is framed to take effect only if a federal FRA rule requiring minimum crew sizes were revoked; proponents said the provision mirrors earlier bills the House passed and said it would not take effect unless a federal suspension occurs.
Opposition testimony from class‑I railroads focused on federal preemption concerns, operational impacts and economic consequences. CSX presented maps and said a five‑minute blocking rule and an 8,500‑foot maximum would be operationally infeasible in port areas, would constrain port operations and could divert traffic to other ports. Norfolk Southern raised similar operational and preemption issues and warned the bill would intrude into collective‑bargaining and federally regulated operations.
Committee members questioned technical details (how crews would uncouple trains to clear crossings, where hazardous‑materials reports would be stored and shared, and fiscal impacts cited in the fiscal note). Sponsor and supporters said state requirements would improve safety and that the bill’s reporting and detector provisions would help first responders respond to hazmat incidents quickly; opponents emphasized the existing federal rules and freight‑rail operational realities. No vote was taken at the hearing.
