Reps. Larsen, Titus ask Duffy to reject AAR safety inspection waiver request

House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-Wash.) and House Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Ranking Member Dina Titus (D-Nev.) have asked U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to reject the freight-rail industry's safety waiver request to reduce the number of visual track safety inspections currently required of Class Is.

In a June 17 letter to Duffy, Larsen and Titus shared their concerns about the Association of American Railroads’ (AAR) safety waiver request to reduce the number of visual track safety inspections from twice a week to twice a month.

"The request also proposes to allow railroads to address track defects up to 72 hours after finding any defects rather than immediately addressing them, as current regulation requires. We urge you to deny this waiver request in the interest of rail safety," the lawmakers wrote.

While they support the use of technology to improve rail safety, they don't believe fewer visual inspections or waiting three days to address known problems is in the best interests of the public and railroad safety, Larsen and Titus said. They also noted that only two of the six Class Is have over the past two years have joined the Federal Railroad Administration’s Confidential Close Call Reporting System (C3RS), which allows rail workers to report unsafe events and conditions.

Asked to comment on the letter, an AAR spokesperson said in an email, automated track inspections (ATI) combined with visual inspections will enhance safety.

"The waiver request would empower railroads to position technology and skilled employees where each can be most effective," the AAR spokesperson said. "In one pilot, ATI identified 200 defects for every one found through visual inspection, and in some test programs, it has led to over a 90% reduction in unprotected FRA main track defects — making a clear and compelling case for expanding ATI to enhance both the frequency and effectiveness of track inspections.”

The lawmakers letter can be read here; AAR's ATI website can be viewed here.