From Skeptic to Supporter: Members Work Across the Aisle to Tackle Rail Safety

Less than three years ago, the idea of State Representative Ty Winter meeting with SMART-TD’s Colorado State Legislative Board (SLB) would have seemed impossible.  
 
That’s exactly what happened on Wednesday, when the former rail safety legislation opponent met with our brothers and sisters who offered their support for his reelection campaign.  
 
How did a lawmaker who was against us become an unexpected ally? Look no further than the power of our union and the strength of our members. 

The Challenge: Gaining Winter’s Support for Rail Safety   

Back in 2023, Representative Winter was very clear: he refused to support the rail safety legislation being championed by SMART-TD’s Colorado Safety & Legislative Director Carl Smith.

The bill was forged in the immediate aftermath of the East Palestine disaster. Over the following months, several major derailments in Colorado underscored the need for greater oversight over railroad operations.  
 
Representative Winter served on the committee responsible for deciding whether to “preapprove” the bill, which ultimately set the stage for how the General Assembly would view the proposed legislation.  
 
This posed a problem.  

Winter Listened to His Constituents, AKA SMART-TD Members 

Representative Winter’s district just happens to have the largest number of active and retired SMART-TD members in the state, so SLD Smith mobilized our Colorado brothers and sisters, flooding the lawmaker’s office with phone calls and messages.  

When it was time to vote, Representative Winter shocked the railroads by announcing his support for the rail safety bill.  
 
“I truly believe that hearing from his constituents and especially our members who live in his district was a huge factor in gaining Representative Winter’s support,” explained SLD Smith. “Our members rose to the occasion and showed what our union can accomplish when we come together to reach a common goal.”  
 
SLD Smith points out that Representative Winter’s father also happened to work in the roundhouse for Colorado and Southern Railroad, so this was a topic that likely hit home for him.  
 
“In the end, it was probably a pretty easy bill to support,” said Smith.  

Our campaign was not an effort to intimidate or threaten. You, our members, explained your issues and informed him of the urgency of passing this bill. To Representative Winter’s credit, he heard you, he respected your voice as industry experts, and he acted in response to the information provided.  

To accurately represent the will of their constituents is everything we hope to see in a government official.

Safety Knows No Party 

While the final version of the legislation that passed earlier this year looked different from what was first introduced, Representative Winter’s early support was key to getting it over the finish line.  
 
SMART-TD stands by our word: if you are an elected official who supports us, we will support you, regardless of the letter that’s next to your name.