III 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 864 

Expressing support for the designation of the week of September 23 through 

September 29, 2024, as ‘‘Rail Safety Week’’ and supporting the goals 

and ideals of Rail Safety Week to reduce highway-rail grade crossing 

and trespasser-related incidents, fatalities, injuries, and derailments, improve the safe transportation of hazardous materials by rail, and prevent 

rail worker fatalities. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 25, 2024 

Ms. CANTWELL (for herself, Mr. BROWN, Mr. CASEY, Mr. FETTERMAN, and 

Mr. VANCE) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing support for the designation of the week of September 23 through September 29, 2024, as ‘‘Rail Safety 

Week’’ and supporting the goals and ideals of Rail Safety 

Week to reduce highway-rail grade crossing and trespasser-related incidents, fatalities, injuries, and 

derailments, improve the safe transportation of hazardous materials by rail, and prevent rail worker fatalities. 

Whereas the first Rail Safety Week was held from September 

24 through September 30, 2017, by a highway-rail grade 

crossing safety nonprofit organization Operation LifeVerDate Sep 11 2014 03:42 Sep 27, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR864.IS SR864

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•SRES 864 IS 

saver, the Department of Transportation, and other organizations; 

Whereas Rail Safety Week was launched to— 

(1) raise awareness about the need for increased 

education on how to be safe around highway-rail grade 

crossings and railroad tracks; and 

(2) highlight efforts to further reduce collisions, injuries, and fatalities; 

Whereas highway-rail grade crossing and trespassing incidents constituted approximately 96 percent of all rail-related fatalities during 2023; 

Whereas, under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act 

(Public Law 117–58; 135 Stat. 429), Congress provided 

$3,000,000,000 during a 5-year period for the Railroad 

Crossing Elimination grant program that has provided 

nearly $600,000,000 to 63 local communities in 32 states 

to construct and plan highway-rail grade separation 

projects to eliminate crossings; 

Whereas, in 2022, more than 60 percent of all highway-rail 

grade crossing collisions occurred at highway-rail grade 

crossings with lights or gates; 

Whereas preliminary Federal statistics indicate that 2,192 

highway-rail grade crossing collisions occurred in the 

United States in 2023, resulting in 247 deaths and another 764 individuals being injured; 

Whereas many collisions between trains and motor vehicles or 

pedestrians could have been prevented by increased education, engineering, and enforcement; 

Whereas Operation Lifesaver administers a public education 

program about grade-crossing safety and trespassing prevention; 


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•SRES 864 IS 

Whereas, during Rail Safety Week, from September 23 

through 29, 2024, and throughout the year, everyone is 

encouraged to take added caution as motorists or pedestrians approach tracks or trains; 

Whereas the February 3, 2023, Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, which resulted in the 

burning of 5 vinyl chloride tank cars and forced the evacuation of approximately 2,000 nearby residents, was a reminder of the risks posed by hazardous materials transportation; 

Whereas preliminary 2023 Federal statistics indicate that— 

(1) Class I freight railroads had the highest accident 

rate not at grade crossings in the past decade; 

(2) the number of accidents not at grade crossings 

per 1,000,000 miles traveled among Class I freight railroads has increased by 42 percent since 2013; and 

(3) more than 42,000 rail workers have been injured 

and 120 rail workers have been killed on duty since 

2013; 

Whereas the United States, Canada, and Mexico will concurrently observe Rail Safety Week; and 

Whereas this important observance should lead to greater 

safety awareness and a reduction in highway-rail grade 

crossing collisions, derailments, rail worker fatalities, and 

other railroad incidents: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) supports the designation of ‘‘Rail Safety 

3 Week’’; 

4 (2) expresses strong support for— 


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•SRES 864 IS 

1 (A) the goals and ideals of Rail Safety 

2 Week; 

3 (B) efforts to reduce highway-rail grade 

4 crossing and trespasser-related incidents, fatali5 ties, and injuries; 

6 (C) efforts by the Federal Railroad Admin7 istration to improve safety cultures at Class I 

8 freight railroads; 

9 (D) efforts by the Department of Trans10 portation to implement the recommendations of 

11 the National Transportation Safety Board’s in12 vestigation into the February 3, 2023, Norfolk 

13 Southern derailment in East Palestine, Ohio; 

14 (E) the residents of East Palestine, Ohio, 

15 Western Pennsylvania, and all other commu16 nities impacted by the derailment and release of 

17 hazardous materials on February 3, 2023; 

18 (F) the brave actions of first responders 

19 who combat releases of hazardous materials 

20 across the United States, including the brave 

21 actions of the more than 300 firefighters from 

22 50 fire departments who responded to the Feb23 ruary 3, 2023, derailment in East Palestine, 

24 Ohio; and 


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•SRES 864 IS 

1 (G) rail workers who have died or been in2 jured while working to keep people and goods 

3 moving throughout the United States and the 

4 families of those rail workers; and 

5 (3) encourages the people of the United 

6 States— 

7 (A) to participate in Rail Safety Week 

8 events and activities; 

9 (B) to educate themselves and others on 

10 how to be safe around railroad tracks; and 

11 (C) to support efforts to improve the safe 

12 transportation of hazardous material by rail. 

Æ 


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