The Association of American Railroads (AAR) is prioritizing industry convenience over public safety. In newly submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Transportation, AAR is urging the repeal of long-standing federal rail safety rules, including those that govern signal system inspections under 49 CFR Parts 234 and 49 CFR Parts 236, among others. The lobbying effort is cloaked in the language of efficiency and modernization, but for the workers who maintain these systems and the public who depend on them, the implications are dangerous.
The AAR argues that quarterly inspections of critical components, including energy buses, relays, circuit controllers, and similar equipment, are no longer necessary due to advances in microprocessor-based systems and remote diagnostics. But workers on the ground say that remote monitoring can only detect failure once it happens. In contrast, hands-on inspections often prevent failures before they occur.
“Cutting back on inspections because you think a remote signal will catch everything is just reckless,” said BRS President Mike Baldwin. “This isn’t about innovation; it’s about cutting labor costs and removing accountability. We know what happens when profit drives safety decisions, and we refuse to sit back while the railroads gamble with lives.”
The BRS strongly opposes any effort to weaken these protections. These inspection rules were not created arbitrarily. They are the direct result of preventable accidents and close calls, many of which occurred under conditions that would have been avoided with proper oversight. The signal inspection intervals that AAR wants to roll back are foundational to the safety architecture of the entire rail system.
“Every regulation they are targeting was put there because something went wrong,” said Chris Hand, BRS Director of Research. “These aren’t just policy lines on a page — they are hard-won safeguards earned through tragedy and investigation. AAR’s approach ignores that history and creates new risk for both workers and the public.”
The union is urging all members to remain alert and continue submitting Trouble Tickets and Remote Monitoring Tickets for any anomalies, particularly when automated systems generate alerts that are delayed or suppressed. Documentation will be critical in countering AAR’s claims and ensuring DOT regulators have a clear picture of what is really happening in the field.
The BRS has issued a warning to its members — the rail industry is watching these reports, and so is the Department of Transportation. Every verified inspection failure and delayed dispatch undermines the AAR’s narrative that technology alone can guarantee safety.
AAR’s latest request makes its priorities clear, the AAR seeks fewer workers, less accountability, and more unchecked control over an already dangerous system. The Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen will continue to stand in the way of any attempt to deregulate the craft, dilute safety protections, or place workers and the traveling public at unnecessary risk.
“We’re not against progress,” Baldwin added. “But progress that ignores the human element, and ignores the voice of experience in the field, is just a shortcut to disaster.”
Full comment submitted by the AAR
Table of AAR Ideas for Reducing Regulatory Burdens
