RAIL CROSSINGS: The Pennsylvania House in late March passed a rail safety bill that echoes concerns raised locally about blocked crossings and emergency delays.

The issue has been a recurring topic at McKean County commissioners’ meetings, where Foster Township resident Richard Thomas has urged officials to pursue solutions for long‑standing delays at the Bolivar Drive rail crossing. Thomas has said motorists can be held up for more than 15 minutes and that stalled trains pose risks for police, fire and EMS response.

State Rep. Rob Matzie, D‑Beaver, said those kinds of delays — along with the 2023 derailment in East Palestine, Ohio — prompted him to introduce H.B. 1191, which passed the House and is now with the Senate for consideration. 

“It’s been three years since the catastrophe in East Palestine. We can’t sit around and wait for that to happen again,” Matzie said in a statement. “H.B. 1191 is a way we can start to reduce derailments and protect workers, first responders and community residents.”

The bill would prohibit trains from blocking crossings, limit freight and work trains to 8,500 feet, require at least a two‑person crew, authorize union safety monitors, ensure proper functioning of wayside detector systems, and strengthen oversight for trains carrying hazardous materials. It also includes civil penalties for violations.

A similar bill passed the House in 2023 but did not receive a vote in the Senate.

Matzie said the House has acted and that “it’s time for the Senate to step up and do the same.”