Safety and Security

For railroads, pursuing safe and secure operations is not an option, it’s an imperative. Through massive investments in safety-enhancing infrastructure, equipment, and technology; extensive employee training; and cutting-edge research and development, railroads are at the forefront of advancing safety and security.

Positive Train Control

“Positive train control” (PTC) describes technologies designed to automatically stop or slow a train before certain accidents occur. Recent legislation requires freight railroads to have PTC systems in place by the end of 2015. Railroads will comply with this mandate, but FRA regulations implementing the mandate should be equitable.

 AAR Background Paper: Positive Train Control (PDF)

Transportation of Hazardous Materials

Each year, railroads transport 1.4 to 1.5 million carloads of hazardous materials. Toxic inhalation Hazard (TIH) materials — gases or liquids, such as chlorine and anhydrous ammonia, that are especially hazardous if released — accounted for 0.24 percent of total U.S. rail carloads in 2007.  Under the common carrier obligation, the federal government requires railroads to transport hazmat, whether they want to or not. Trucks and barges don't have this same obligation and may refuse to carry hazmat at their discretion.  Railroads strongly support efforts to replace TIH materials with less hazardous substitutes and new technologies wherever possible. Safer substitutes are already feasible for many TIH materials today.

  AAR Background Paper: Hazmat Transportation by Rail, An Unfair Liability (PDF)

Grade Crossing Safety

Grade crossing collisions have fallen sharply over the years, but too many still occur. Under the federal “Section 130” program, some $220 million in federal funds are allocated each year to states for installing new active warning devices, upgrading existing devices, and replacing or improving grade crossing surfaces. The Section 130 program has helped prevent tens of thousands of injuries and fatalities, according to the FRA. Lawmakers should continue to fund the “Section 130” federal grade crossing safety program as part of the re-authorization of SAFETEA-LU.

 AAR Background Paper: Raise the Grade on Grade Crossing Safety (PDF)