Leaders and Members of the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen (BRS) joined more than 300 representatives from across the rail industry for Rail Safety Day on Capitol Hill. The event marked a unified effort to meet with over 300 congressional offices and push for stronger safety standards, continued funding for the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB), and protection of critical federal regulations that safeguard rail workers and the public.
BRS delegates including Vice President East Doug VanderJagt, Director of Research Chris Hand, Grand Lodge Representative Justin Pier, and General Chairmen Carlton Everett, John Heise, and Dan Jacopino, along with Local President Damon Walker. These representatives joined other stakeholders from Class I and short line railroads, contractors, and suppliers to draw attention to the policies that directly affect the lives and livelihoods of American railroad workers.
The Brotherhood used the occasion to advocate for provisions in the Railway Safety Act, emphasizing the need for mandatory use of defect detectors, limits on unsafe inspection practices, and stronger accountability measures for railroads that violate safety rules. Members also called on lawmakers to preserve 49 CFR Parts 234 and 236, the federal signal inspection standards that the rail industry has targeted for repeal.
“These regulations were put in place because lives were lost and lessons were learned,” said Chris Hand, Director of Research for the BRS. “Weakening them for convenience or cost-cutting reasons ignores the history behind them. Technology has a place, but it cannot replace qualified Signalmen doing the work.”
BRS Representatives also urged Congress to ensure full and stable funding for the Railroad Retirement Board, the agency responsible for administering earned retirement, disability, and unemployment benefits for over 730,000 railroad workers and their families. The BRS pressed for $170 million in FY26 appropriations and exemptions from hiring freezes and reorganization policies that have severely strained RRB staffing.
The union also emphasized the importance of keeping all 53 RRB field offices open. Many rail workers rely on in-person assistance to file claims and submit original documentation. Field office closures would disproportionately affect workers in rural areas, adding unnecessary barriers to accessing earned benefits.
“The RRB is one of the most efficient and effective retirement systems in the federal government,” said BRS Legislative Director Mike Efaw. “It is funded entirely by railroad workers and the industry, not taxpayers. Congress has a responsibility to protect it and ensure it can continue to serve the people who built and sustain the rail system.”
With Congress preparing to take up appropriations, tax policy, and early drafts of the next surface transportation bill, the timing of Railroad Day was critical. BRS leaders made clear that their presence in Washington was not ceremonial. It was a deliberate effort to ensure that rail labor remains at the center of policy decisions that will shape the future of rail safety and worker protections.
