Report: Lawmakers Call For Rail Safety After Train Derails Near Fairfield

FAIRFIELD COUNTY, Conn. -- Three members of the state's Congressional delegation called for improved safety on the rails in Fairfield County and in the country during a news conference Wednesday, the Middletown Press reported.

A firefighter investigates the scene of the derailment on the Fairfield-Bridgeport border earlier this month.
Photo Credit: *Fairfield Police Department*

by The Daily Voice

05/30/2013 3:00 a.m.

U.S. Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, along with U.S. Rep. Jim Himes said they will propose legislation to create a railway trust fund, similar to the Highway Trust Fund, which began the year with $10 billion.

The announcement from the three Democrats came less than two weeks after a Metro-North commuter train derailed on the Fairfield-Bridgeport border and a day after a freight train derailed and exploded in Baltimore.

“These recent collisions and accidents are a call to action to highlight the need for investment to make sure they’re reliable and safe,” Blumenthal said. “Without trust and credibility railroads won’t have commuters or freight and these increasing numbers of accidents undermine that confidence and trust.”

Read the full story from The Middletown Press here.

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