Pennsylvania HB1191: An Act amending Title 66 (Public Utilities) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in railroads, providing for prohibition on blocking of crossings, for limitation on length of freight or work trains, for authorization to monitor safety practices and operations by collective bargaining representatives, for safe staffing levels for trains or light engines, for wayside detector systems, for study of transportation of hazardous materials or waste, for reporting system for transportation of hazardous materials or waste and for hazard impact assessment; and imposing penalties.

What the bill says

Amending Title 66 (Public Utilities) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in railroads, providing for prohibition on blocking of crossings, for limitation on length of freight or work trains, for authorization to monitor safety practices and operations by collective bargaining representatives, for safe staffing levels for trains or light engines, for wayside detector systems, for study of transportation of hazardous materials or waste and for reporting system for transportation of hazardous materials or waste; and imposing penalties.

From the introduced text, April 15, 2025:

Amending Title 66 (Public Utilities) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in railroads, providing for prohibition on blocking of crossings, for limitation on length of freight or work trains, for authorization to monitor safety practices and operations by collective bargaining representatives, for safe staffing levels for trains or light engines, for wayside detector systems, for study of transportation of hazardous materials or waste and for reporting system for transportation of hazardous materials or waste; and imposing penalties. The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby enacts as follows: Section 1. Title 66 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding sections to read: § 2710. Prohibition on blocking of crossings. A railroad owner or operator may not allow for the blocking of a railroad/highway grade crossing that results in the delay of an emergency vehicle from assisting a person or property in distress for more than five minutes. The commission shall assess a civil penalty of $10,000 for each violation of this section. § 2711. Limitation on length of freight or work trains. A railroad operating on a main track or branch line in this Commonwealth may not run, or permit to be run, a freight or work train which exceeds 8,500 feet in length on any part of the main track or branch line. § 2712. Authorization to …