TOPEKA, Kan. — Kansas has joined the list of states considering legislation to limit the length of freight trains.
Senate Bill 271, introduced at the request of state Sen. Mike Petersen (R-Wichita) would limit trains to a length of 8,500 feet. It also requires rolling stock stored on sidings to be at least 250 feet from a railroad crossing, and provides for penalties for violations of either of those rules ranging from $500 to $100,000.
The bill was the subject of a hearing Tuesday and Wednesday before the Senate Transportation committee. KWCH-TV reports witnesses testified Tuesday about concerns over the amount of time long trains block grade crossings, while a BNSF engineer, Brandon Nunnenkamp, raised safety concerns about the ability to communicate with other crew members via portable radios.
BNSF Associate General Counsel Adam Weiskittel told lawmakers that while there isn’t a federal regulation that speaks directly to train length, it is not an area the state can regulate.
State legislatures in Arizona, Iowa, and Washington are also currently considering bills regarding train length.
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