WASHINGTON – John Risch, SMART TD National Legislative Director, participated in hearings as a member of the Roundtable on Emerging Railroad Technologies on March 21, 2017. Discussion focused on new and emerging trends in railroad safety including train crew size, recent advancements in train brake technology, and early warning systems.
“Thank you Chairman Schuster, Subcommittee Chair Denham, and Ranking Member Capuano for inviting me to the roundtable discussion on emerging railroad technologies. With nearly 40 years in the railroad industry, I was pleased to have the opportunity to discuss the importance of maintaining minimum crew sizes, implementing Positive Train Control (PTC), and most importantly investing in the installation of Electronic Controlled Pneumatic (ECP) brakes, which are vital to safety of our railroads,” said John Risch, SMART-TD National Legislative Director.
“I look forward to working with the members of the committee to improve railroad safety as we discuss opportunities to strengthen our nation’s infrastructure,” Risch continued.
Click here to read Risch’s complete notes from the hearing.
Click here for information on participants and to view video.
Related News
- SMART-TD’s Chris Smith Wins City Council Seat in Tama, Iowa
- NTSB Issues Two Rail Safety Alerts
- Railroader Healthcare Costs Remain Stable While National Averages Soar
- SMART-TD Mourns the Loss of Sister Tanya Perry
- SMART Canada applauds Federal Budget 2025 for major investments in infrastructure and union training programs
- Call to Action in Mass.: Transit Safety Legislation Up for Final Vote
- New Jersey’s “Vote Labor” Push led by SMART-TD’s Ron Sabol
- Better Short-Term Disability Benefits Coming in 2026
- Leaders train to negotiate strong contracts in revised Collective Bargaining class
- 2025 Tentative Agreement Reached Between SMART-TD and Union Pacific