COLUMBUS, Ohio — Legislation setting the stage for the Cincinnati Southern Railway passed the Ohio House and Senate on Wednesday, sending the bill to Gov. Mike DeWine.
HB23, the state transportation bill, passed the state House by a 93-2 vote and the Senate by a 30-1 vote. A conference committee on Tuesday reconciled differences between versions passed by the two chambers, including language that will allow Cincinnati to devote funds from the railway sale to capital projects [see “Legislative compromise may save Cincinnati Southern sale,” Trains News Wire, March 29, 2023]
Unless DeWine exercises line-item veto power on that aspect of the bill, its passage and his signature will clear the way for the sale to be taken to Cincinnati voters for approval. The bill specifies that must happen this year or next.
Cleveland.com reports that other aspects of the transportation bill include requirements that all trains in Ohio operate with two-person crews, and installation of wayside detectors every 10 to 15 miles, mirroring provisions in legislation being considered by the U.S. Senate. It would require the state’s Public Utilities Commission to examine best practices for hotbox and hot bearing detectors, acoustic bearing detectors, and cameras on or near the tracks. Those aspects of the bill were introduced after the Feb. 3 East Palestine derailment.
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