With Congress on its August break, a number of important things are not getting done. A couple of recent incidents in West Virginia remind us rail safety reform continues to be one of them.

Last month, a minor train derailment in downtown Parkersburg closed a street, and had residents asking questions about the contents of the tanks that were leaning. The tanks were safely sealed and empty, and a crew got the train back on track with no injuries.

On Aug. 3, the St. Albans Fire Department responded to the derailment of a CSX coal train. There were no injuries reported in this accident, either.

But what if?

]Federal Railroad Administration data shows there were 793 Class I railroad train derailments in the U.S. in 2024. Approximately 74% of those happened in low-speed rail yards. Of those that did not, five resulted in non-fatal injuries and six resulted in a release of hazardous materials.

Yet action on multiple bipartisan rail safety reform efforts inspired by the East Palestine, Ohio, derailment in 2023 has gone nowhere.

Organizations such as the National League of Cities, and public officials ranging all the way up to Vice President JD Vance, have begged for improved rail safety legislation.

The Reducing Accidents in Locomotives Act, introduced Feb. 4, addressing “safety requirement for rail carriers and trains transporting hazardous materials,” still carries only the “Introduced” label on Congress’s bill tracking site, six months later. The same is true for the Railway Safety Act of 2025, also introduced Feb. 4.

What could possibly be influencing our elected representatives to sit on their hands in this matter?