FED UP with the big Class I freight railroads’ incessant drive to put profits over people and safety, and with federal regulators’ piecemeal and often pro-corporate responses, a coalition of rail freight unions issued a comprehensive analysis of the problem, with key recommendations to the government to force the carriers to put people first.

The study, including pages of internal railroad documents and emails, reveals the horrible impacts of the railroads’ system, Precision Scheduled Railroading (PSR). It’s designed to cut costs and workers, including safety workers who inspect freight cars and locomotives.

Key recommendations include having the federal government impose uniform training requirements industry-wide and minimum staffing requirements for the overall number of workers needed to inspect and certify the safety of locomotives and freight cars.