Safe Freight Act of 2025

(a) Short title This section may be cited as the Safe Freight Act of 2025. (b) Freight train crew size Subchapter II of chapter 201 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 20153 the following: 20154. Freight train crew size safety standards (a) Minimum crew size No freight train may be operated without a 2-person crew consisting of at least 1 appropriately qualified and certified conductor and 1 appropriately qualified and certified locomotive engineer. (b) Exceptions Except as provided in subsection (c), the requirement under subsection (a) shall not apply with respect to— (1) train operations on track that is not a main line track; (2) a freight train operated— (A) by a railroad carrier that has fewer than 400,000 total employee work hours annually and less than $40,000,000 annual revenue (adjusted for inflation, as calculated by the Surface Transportation Board Railroad Inflation- Adjusted Index and Deflator Factor Table); (B) at a speed of not more than 25 miles per hour; and (C) on a track with an average track grade of less than 2 percent for any segment of track that is at least 2 continuous miles; (3) locomotives performing assistance to a train that has incurred mechanical failure or lacks the power to traverse difficult terrain, including traveling to or from the location where assistance is provided; (4) locomotives that— (A) are not attached to any equipment or are attached only to a caboose; and (B) do not travel farther than 30 miles from the point of origin of such locomotive; and (5) train operations staffed with fewer than a 2-person crew at least 1 year before the date of enactment of this section, if the Secretary determines that such operations achieve an equivalent level of safety as would result from compliance with the requirement under subsection (a). (c) Trains ineligible for exception The exceptions under subsection (b) may not be applied to— (1) a train transporting 1 or more loaded cars carrying material toxic by inhalation (as defined in section 171.8 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations); (2) a train transporting— (A) 20 or more loaded tank cars of a Class 2 material or a Class 3 flammable liquid in a continuous block; or (B) 35 or more loaded tank cars of a Class 2 material or a Class 3 flammable liquid throughout the train consist; or (3) a train with a total length of at least 7,500 feet. (d) Waiver A railroad carrier may seek a waiver of the requirements under this section in accordance with section 20103(d).. (c) Clerical amendment The analysis for subchapter II of chapter 201 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 20153 the following: 20154. Freight train crew size safety standards..