Railway Accountability Act

This bill addresses safety requirements for rail carriers.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) must review existing regulations relating to the practices regarding the establishment of a train consist (i.e., the contents and location of each rail car in a train). The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) must issue regulations requiring each railroad to submit an updated Risk Reduction Program Plan that (1) documents the railroad's standards for train consist and safety protocol for trains in the switchyard, and (2) strives to balance derailment risk and rail yard employee safety.

DOT must issue a regulation that prohibits conducting train brake inspections while a train is in motion and requires the mechanical inspector assigned to inspect a locomotive or rail car to be the official who signs off on the inspection.

The FRA must amend regulations to require (1) more frequent communication checks between a head-of-train device and an end-of-train device, and (2) repetition of the emergency brake signal transmission until it is received by the end-of-train device.

Class I railroads must join the Confidential Close Call Reporting System if they have been ordered to pay the maximum civil penalty for specific rail safety regulation violations.

Further, the FRA must (1) study and submit a report to Congress on broken rim derailments and proposed regulations to reduce the frequency; and (2) post on the FRA public website a list of specific active Class I railroad safety waivers, including those relating to brake procedures and brake inspection requirements.