CARSON CITY, Nevada — The Nevada legislature has become the latest to consider limiting the length of freight trains, through introduction of a bill which would prohibit trains of more than 7,500 feet.
AB 456, introduced on March 27, sets penalties for violations beginning at $5,000 and escalating to $25,000. The bill also would set hours-of-service provisions for yardmasters, and requires traffic-control devices at any grade crossing where there has been a collision or near-miss between a train and motor vehicle.
A proposed amendment would also require wayside detectors every 10 to 15 miles, with trains limited to 10 mph or less when traveling in areas not so equipped, and outlines the procedures crews must follow if notified of a defect.
The Nevada Independent reports that the state Assembly Committee on Growth and Infrastructure, was told by labor representatives during a Tuesday hearing about safety concerns stemming from job cuts and deteriorating working conditions. Ron Kaminkow, a Reno-based Amtrak engineer and organizer for the group Railroad Workers United, testified of “fear amongst the workforce. … Hardly a day goes by I don’t talk to somebody, especially in the train and engine craft, who just does not feel safe any longer.”
But the Independent reports Peggy Ygbuhay, head of Union Pacific public affairs in Nevada and California, suggested such regulation is a matter for the federal government because of its impact on interstate commerce.
“A bill like 456 would restrict the flow of commerce into and out of Nevada and impact customers and consumers who rely on a robust supply chain to deliver needed commodities,” Ygbuhay said. “Increased train length did not occur overnight and it is the result of significant work and technological learning over the past decade.”
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