Setting train speed limits locally
By ANNA M. TINSLEY
Harte-Hanks Austin Bureau
AUSTIN - State Rep. Charles Finnell is urging the U.S. Congress to give up control over setting train speed limits and let locally elected city councils make that determination.
Finell, D-Holliday, has introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives urging Texas' delegation to the U.S. Congress to pass a bill that would let each locality set speeds at which trains may travel through their area.
"The federal government should no more be setting the speed of trains within the city limits than they should be determining how fast a vehicle can travel on our highways and roads," said Finnell, whose district includes Haskell and Throckmorton counties.
The national Railroad Safety Act puts regulating train speeds completely in the hands of the federal government, which sets speeds depending on the quality of the rails.
"Trains can enter and leave Texas at 60 mph, ignoring the concerns of cities, both large and small," Finnell said.
Finnell's proposal is pending before the House Transportation Committee, of which he is a member.
"Despite the best efforts to reduce the number of rail accidents throughout Texas, there were still more than 400 train-automobile collisions in 1995 alone, resulting in 48 fatalities and 207 injuries," Finnell said. "Train speed was most decidedly a factor in these accidents and who would know better than the local city which is the site of the rail trackage."
Texas leads the nation in accidents, fatalities and injuries because it has the most rail line - 10,681 miles, officials said.
To try and prevent accidents, the Texas Railroad Commission has a long-running educational program, "Operation Lifesaver," that teaches students and civic business organizations about railroad crossing safety.
Finnell said power to regulate the speeds at which trains travel through Texas communities should belong to local leaders.
"Smaller cities and rural areas of Texas are very much at risk," Finnell said. "Lives can be spared, however, by insisting that the U.S. Congress revisit this issue and return this matter to locally elected governments."