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Introduced on March 31, 2025 by Troy E. Nehls
This bill would set up federal grants to help freight railcar owners add tracking and safety devices on their railcars. These devices send near real-time data about a car’s location and health, including wheel temperature, whether the hand brake is on, if a hatch is open, and inside temperature, so problems can be caught early and alerts sent to operators. It aims to improve safety, cut manual data entry, and speed up fixes when something goes wrong .
Money would first go to new cars built in approved facilities by approved manufacturers (not owned or controlled by a state-owned enterprise), then to cars in for recertification or regular maintenance. Tank cars that carry the most dangerous materials are prioritized ahead of other cars. To get funds, railcars and sensitive tech must meet federal security rules. The Transportation Department must report on results after three years. A separate pilot program would fund work on new onboard sensors that link to these devices, with a one-year report on what works and what’s being used in the field .