Rail Safety

The Commercial Transportation Law establishes general safety requirements for track, facilities and equipment belonging to rail carriers within Illinois, and gives the Commission jurisdiction to administer and enforce those requirements. Functions of the Commission's Rail Safety Section include:

• Manage crossing safety projects paid, in part, by the Grade Crossing Protection Fund;
• Engineering oversight of all safety improvements and/or modifications to the State's public highway/rail crossings;
• Inspection of all Railroad track in the State for defects which could cause train derailments;
• Oversight of all Railroad hazardous material shipments through the State, including radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel;
• Engineering oversight of all improvements/modifications to highway traffic signal systems interconnected with Railroad warning devices;
• Implementation of Illinois' Operation Lifesaver public education campaign; and
• Investigation of highway/rail collisions and other rail related incidents that occur in Illinois.