Committee rejects train-length limits
The House Public Transportation Committee on Tuesday rejected a bill that would cap the length of trains in Arkansas at 8,500 feet and that was opposed by train operators and businesses.
House Bill 1631, by Rep. Vivian Flowers, D-Pine Bluff, was supported by two union rail workers, who said that increasingly long trains — some more than 3 miles in length — pose a hazard to both workers and communities.
Long trains cause gridlock on the state’s rails and can block intersections in some areas for hours, threatening medical and fire services, said Gerald Sale, the legislative director for the Transportation Division of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers.
Sale also said longer trains can disrupt radio communications between conductors at the front and rear of the trains and increase the likelihood of derailment.
Rep. Mark Berry, R-Ozark, said he viewed the union’s advocacy as self-serving, noting that a length limit would require more trains and thus more workers.
“I see this as more of a jobs-creation initiative by your organization than a safety issue,” Berry said.
The bill also drew opposition from the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce and Union Pacific Railroad, whose representatives said limiting the length of trains violated interstate commerce protected by the U.S. Constitution.
After about an hour of testimony, the committee voted down the bill. Similar legislation failed in 2019 and was referred to interim study.