Federal Budget Adds $15M For Rail Safety | Bedford Hills Real Estate

The Federal Railway Administration is expected to receive a $15 million budget increase to go toward hiring railway inspectors and improving rail safety after two derailments occurred on Metro-North tracks, U.S. Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Charles Schumer (D-NY) announced Tuesday.

The additional funds are expected to be approved this week in Congress, according to Blumenthal and Schumer, the main sponsors of the legislation. This comes a month after a Metro-North train derailed in the Bronx, killing four people and injuring dozens and leading to the resignation of Metro-North President Howard Permut.

The Federal Railway Administration will use the funds in part to hire 45 railroad inspectors. The additional money is part of the administration's $185 million total budget that is part of $1.1 trillion proposed federal budget unveiled Monday.

The agency is "woefully underfunded" and has the resources to inspect only 1 percent of the nation's rails, Blumenthal said.

“This is a vitally important increase in urgently needed inspectors, who will make railroad travel safer now and in the future,” the senators said in a joint statement.



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