The Railway Safety Act and a proposed bill in 2026 have come under fire for assuming that a two-crew mandate leads to increased safety. Critics argue that recent accidents have been caused by other factors.

The $30 million question: What's driving rail safety policy?

The National Transportation Safety Board found that, in 2020, 61% of the 3,305 rail accidents were not caused by staffing levels. it was a simple question of lawmakers: If staffing levles were not the cause of the accident, why has staffing become the centerpiece of the solution?

Across the country, millions of Americans safely ride systems that operate differently. freight and passenger rail are not identical, but the principle remains : safety outcomes should drive policy, not assumptions.

An echo of Sydney's 2024 institutional buy-up?

The U.S. has already seen what happens when railroads become less flexible, more expensive to operate, and slower to adapt. Railroad service contracts, investment slows,and jobs disappear, as communities lose opportunity. Eventually, taxpayers are asked to help carry the burden.

Congress should not repeat that mistake in the name of safety,and instead focus on reforms that can actually improve safety and strengthen the industry at the same time.

What auditors flagged in the May filing?

The CEO of Tower K Group, Phil Bell, expect Congress to focus on measures that could improve safety by investing in equipment .

The Senate's three-vote margin: A call for caution

The question Congress should ask is not whether a proposal sounds tough, but whether it would have prevented the next East Palestine. The Rail Safety Act needs further scrutiny.