Office of Rail Safety
HB24-1030 established a new Office of Rail Safety within the PUC to promote transparency, accountability, and safety in all rail operations in the state.
The mission of the Office of Rail Safety is to ensure freight, passenger, community and environmental rail safety in the state for the state’s unique and delicate terrain, its headwaters, its communities, and its rail workers.
HB24-1030 directs:
- The PUC to establish two new advisory committees to advise on rail safety:
- The PUC to work with the Federal Railroad Administration to secure authority for the State of Colorado to address all Colorado railroad safety disciplines. This, includes crossings, track, signal and train control, motive power and equipment, operating practices, compliance, and hazardous materials.
- The PUC, together with Colorado’s Department of Transportation (CDOT) and Department of Public Safety (CDPS), to provide a report to legislature by December 1, 2024
- Railroad operators to coordinate with emergency services to minimize crossing obstruction to emergency vehicles and to report annually to the PUC on wayside detector system and how detected defects are managed
- The establishment of fines for violations of the wayside reporting and minimizing crossing obstruction requirements
- Railroads carrying hazardous materials to work with the Department of Public Safety to make emergency response plans and to report certain emergencies, as defined in the legislation, to the State Watch Center within 30 minutes.