Feb 24, 2021

Court ruling may make it harder to cut train crew sizes to 1

Posted Feb 24, 2021 6:17 PM

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An appeals court has rejected the Trump administration's decision to drop a proposal requiring freight trains to have at least two crew members that was drafted after several fiery crude oil train derailments.

Tuesday's ruling from the 9th U.S. Court of Appeals will likely make it harder for the railroad industry to reduce the number of crew members, and it opens the door for states to require two man crews on freight trains that carry crude oil, ethanol and other hazardous commodities.

The decision was praised by rail labor groups that argue one-person crews are more dangerous.