OneRail News

Washington, D.C.  – The OneRail Coalition released a new report today, “Rail Safety in the United States” that highlighted a 31 percent decline in rail accidents over the past 10 years, making rail transport significantly safer than other transit modes. This positive safety trend occurred even as passenger rail traffic grew and freight rail traffic remained steady over the same time frame.

January 28, 2016

Dedicated, Long Term Funding for Intercity Passenger Rail: OneRail supports the creation of a new predictable, dedicated federal funding program with contract authority for capital investment in intercity passenger rail infrastructure projects in the surface transportation reauthorization legislation.

Annual Appropriations: In addition, OneRail supports retaining the current intercity passenger rail appropriations accounts for general operations, maintenance, and state of good repair investments

Attachment: 

onerail-statement-passenger-rail-funding-final-9-4-15.pdf

The OneRail Coalition concurs with the U.S. DOT’s conclusion in June 2015, based on its MAP-21 Comprehensive Truck Size and Weight Limits Study, that “current data limitations are so profound” in predicting the impacts of federal truck size and weight limits that “no changes in the relevant truck size and weight laws and regulations should be considered until these data limitations are overcome.”  

Attachment: 

onerail-statement-truck-size-and-weight-increases-9-10-15.pdf

On March 2, 2015, the OneRail Coalition sent a letter to all Members of the House of Representatives in support of the bipartisian passenger rail bill passed out of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee.

Attachment: 

onerail-letter-house-appropriators-fy16-transportation-appropriations-4-29-15.pdf

March 17, 2015

Dear Chairman Price, Chairman Enzi, Ranking Member Van Hollen, and Ranking Member Sanders,

As you prepare your FY 2016 budget resolutions and set priorities for our nation, we are writing to urge you to invest as robustly as possible in the domestic discretionary side of the budget, which includes support for transportation and infrastructure investments.

Attachment: 

onerail-coalition-letter-budget-committees.pdf

On May 8, 2017, the OneRail Coalition sent a letter to the FRA urging the FRA not to cut 40% of funding for Operation Lifesaver (OLI). It is our understanding that FRA is contemplating a $400,000 cut in FY 2017 for support of OLI. Such a severe reduction would put the continued exis-tence of this important safety organization in jeopardy.  The OneRail Coalition urges FRA to maintain its $1 million plus funding for OLI in support of its critical safety mission. 

Attachment: 

onerail-oli-letter-fra-5-8-17.pdf