The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) has voted unanimously to begin the rulemaking process aimed at strengthening railroad safety requirements across the Commonwealth.
In a 5-0 vote, the Commission adopted a motion introduced by Commissioner Kathryn L. Zerfuss to update Pennsylvania’s rail safety regulations for the first time since 2013. The action comes as communities mark the third anniversary of the 2023 train derailment in East Palestine, a disaster that heightened concerns about the transportation of hazardous materials through populated areas.
“The East Palestine tragedy and other rail-related incidents highlight the need for stronger, commonsense safety regulations in Pennsylvania,” Zerfuss said. “These revisions to our railroad regulations will ensure that the Commission’s authority and responsibility are consistent with technological and operational changes that have reshaped the rail industry since 2013.”
Governor Josh Shapiro voiced support for the Commission’s action, emphasizing continued efforts to protect residents in Beaver and Lawrence counties and across the state.
“Since the train derailment in East Palestine three years ago, my Administration has worked to protect the health and safety of Pennsylvanians, hold the railroad industry accountable, and ensure a derailment like this can never happen again,” Shapiro said. “Pennsylvanians deserve the peace of mind knowing we took action to keep them safe — and my Administration will continue to take commonsense steps to protect our Commonwealth.”
Proposed Rail Safety Enhancements
The proposed amendments to Pennsylvania’s Railroad Transportation regulations (52 Pa. Code Chapter 33) will consider, at a minimum, five key areas:
Wayside Detector Systems: Establish requirements for installation, maintenance and operational use of trackside electronic systems that scan trains for mechanical or safety issues. These systems are not currently covered under federal regulations.
Post-Inspection Compliance Reports: Require railroads to submit documentation demonstrating compliance with federal laws after inspections that identify defects or potential violations.
Train Speed Limits: Preserve the PUC’s authority to regulate train speeds when necessary to address local safety hazards, particularly at rail-highway crossings.
Hazardous Materials Route and Emergency Planning: Require railroads transporting high-hazard flammable materials to analyze routes based on proximity to populated areas and provide the Commission access to emergency response procedures.
Bridge Inspection Responsibility Reporting: Mandate that railroads identify which entities are responsible for inspection, maintenance and repair of rail-highway crossing bridges under PUC jurisdiction.
Under the adopted motion, PUC legal and technical staff will prepare a proposed rulemaking order for Commission consideration within six months.
Rail Safety Division Overview
The PUC’s Rail Safety Division oversees two primary functions:
Engineering Section: Reviews and manages proceedings related to the construction, alteration, relocation or abolition of public highway-railroad crossings to improve safety.
Inspection Section: Conducts inspections and investigates complaints to ensure compliance with PUC regulations and Federal Railroad Administration standards, including track safety, equipment, hazardous materials handling and grade crossings.
Pennsylvania has approximately 5,600 miles of railroad track, 5,600 public at-grade crossings, 1,500 above-grade crossings and 1,685 below-grade crossings. Roughly 65 railroad companies operate within the Commonwealth — more than in any other state.
