By Railfan & Railroad Staff

The U.S. Surface Transportation Board announced on January 24, that it would amend its emergency service regulations. An emergency service order allows the federal government to direct service decisions on railroads. If the STB determines that there is a service issue on a railroad it may “direct the handling, routing, and movement of traffic,” including forcing traffic to be detoured on other railroads. It can also force “joint or common use of railroad facilities” and “prescribe temporary through routes.” 

But getting such an order can be challenging and requires the shipper to jump through many hopes — until now. Under the amended rules, a shipper could receive relief in a matter of days. The STB first proposed changes to the regulations back in 2022. 

“In my view, this revised approach to managing service emergencies is a long-needed reform that will help level the playing field for shippers where rail service failures have caused an acute and serious threat to their business, or when emergency relief is necessary to protect the public,” said Board Chairman Martin Oberman.

Emergency service orders are rare but at least two were issued to Union Pacific to move grain trains in 2022, when Foster Farms said millions of chickens were going to die if they didn’t get fed.