New safety rules set training standards for train dispatchers and signal repairmen

By JOSH FUNK
AP Business Writer

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — New federal certification rules have been finalized for train dispatchers and signal repairmen will set minimum standards for those jobs to counteract the investor pressure on railroads to continually cut costs while making sure those employees have the skills they need to operate all the high-tech systems on today’s trains. The new Federal Railroad Administration rules finalized Monday are the latest steps in that agency’s effort to improve rail safety since the disastrous East Palestine derailment in Ohio last year. FRA Administrator Amit Bose said it made sense to set standards for these jobs because of their technical nature. Bose said the railroads are concerned about safety but too often only do the minimum as they try to boost profits.