9/11/2015

California Gov. Edmund Brown Jr. on Tuesday signed a bill that requires trains and light engines in the state to be operated by a minimum of two qualified crew members.

The legislation — which was introduced by Sen. Lois Wolk (D-Davis) — prohibits a freight train or light engine from being operated in the state with a crew of less than two individuals, beginning Feb. 1, 2016. The law also authorizes the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to assess civil penalties for any violations. ... Among all the industries subject to the CPUC's oversight — namely energy, water, telecommunications and transportation — rail accidents result in the greatest number of fatalities each year, according to the commission.

"Today's freight trains carry extremely dangerous materials, including Bakken crude oil, ethanol, anhydrous ammonia, liquefied petroleum gas and acids, that may pose significant health and safety risks to communities and our environment in the case of an accident,” said Wolk in a press release. "With more than 5,000 miles of railroad track that crisscrosses the state through wilderness and urban areas, the potential for derailment or other accidents containing these materials is an ever-present danger. This new law will provide greater protection to communities located along rail lines in California, and to railroad workers."

The legislation is supported by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen (BLET), SMART Transportation Division, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, California Labor Federation/AFL-CIO and California Teamsters Public Affairs Council. Several railroads — including BNSF Railway Co. and the Indiana Rail Road Co. — are in favor of using one-person train crews in certain situations.