[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 15447-15448]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 TO ALLOW RAILROAD EMPLOYEES TO REMAIN ON DUTY AS NECESSARY TO CLEAR A 
            BLOCKAGE OF VEHICULAR TRAFFIC AT GRADE CROSSINGS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. THOMAS E. PETRI

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 18, 2014

  Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, today, along with Representative 
Sensenbrenner and Representative Duffy, I am introducing common sense 
legislation that would provide flexibility for train crews to remain on 
duty past their maximum hours of service, when feasible to the extent 
necessary, in order to clear a blockage of vehicular traffic at grade 
crossings.
  My district and the state of Wisconsin have seen a surge in traffic 
on our rail lines. This is great, but it has also caused a logjam of

[[Page 15448]]

trains waiting on rail lines and blocking crossings, sometimes for 
hours on end. It was reported that last week near the small community 
of Byron in my district, a train blocked a state highway for five hours 
and could not move the fifty feet to clear the crossing because the 
crew had reached its maximum hours of service. A new crew was required 
before the train could be moved.
  I recognize that the rail system is very complex and there are many 
factors that go into trains being held and crossings being blocked. But 
I still struggle with the fact that motorists, including emergency 
services, were forced to wait five hours for a train to move fifty 
feet. Part of the benefit in moving goods by rail is to relieve 
congestion on the roads, not increase it. The goal of this legislation 
is to provide a common sense solution to scenarios such as the instance 
in Byron.
  While I realize these are the waning days of the 113th Congress, I 
hope that by at least introducing this legislation now, it will 
continue a discussion here in Congress and with the rail industry and 
rail labor on this common sense solution.

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