Eleventh Circuit rejects freight railroads’ challenge to federal two-person crew rule

A federal appeals court upheld a Federal Railroad Administration rule requiring certain trains to operate with two crew members, rejecting a challenge brought by freight railroads and industry groups, The Hill reported.

The case was decided by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, according to the report. The plaintiffs included six railroads and two trade groups, with Union Pacific Railroad and Berkshire Hathaway-owned BNSF among the companies named.

The rule at issue would require that certain trains run with two crew members, a federal mandate the railroads and trade groups had argued was unlawful or otherwise improper. The court’s decision means the FRA crew-size requirement remains in place for trains covered by the regulation.

The railroads’ challenge was joined by industry organizations that represent freight rail operators. The Hill identified the Association of American Railroads and the American Short Line and Regional Railroad as two of the trade groups involved in the litigation.

With the appellate court decision, the companies’ effort to overturn or block the FRA rule did not succeed. The legal outcome leaves railroads with the task of complying with the two-person crew requirement for operations subject to the agency’s regulation, as described in the reporting.

The practical effect of the ruling centers on how the federal government regulates railroad operations and staffing. For rail carriers, two-person crew requirements can affect staffing models, scheduling, and operating costs. For regulators and the rail safety framework, the decision preserves a crew-size standard intended to govern day-to-day operations on covered trains.