Welcome to the American Railroading Podcast! In this episode our host Don Walsh is joined by guest Betsy Cantwell – President of GoRail. Together they discuss the legislation pending in DC that will impact the rail industry such as the Railway Safety Act and overall Surface Transportation Bill. They do a deep dive into the current and impressive safety record of the rail industry, review all the programs GoRail offers to foster local community-based rail advocacy such as Rail Champions, as well as their Rail Grant Hub, accessibility to freight rail policy and data, and much more! Tune in to this episode to gain valuable insights and broaden your understanding of American Railroading! You can find this episode and more on the American Railroading Podcast's official website at www.AmericanRailroading.net , and watch our YouTube Channel at the link below. Welcome aboard!

KEY POINTS:
• The American Railroading Podcast remains in the Top 10% of all podcasts globally, now downloaded in 83 countries, nearly 50% of the world!
• Don announces the celebration of the podcast’s 3-Year Anniversary! Time sure flies!
• Since joining GoRail in 2015, Betsy has led the organization’s advocacy and communications strategy to build public and political support for freight rail, including earned media, digital campaigns, grassroots mobilization, and message development, aimed at making freight rail policy accessible and compelling to the communities it impacts the most.
• Per the GoRail website at www.GoRail.org, founded in 2004 on the principle that “all politics is local,” GoRail believes that direct input from constituents is the best way to communicate with elected officials. GoRail works with thousands of community leaders across the country to tell the local story of freight rail — stronger economies, more jobs and cleaner skies.
• Among all the data available on the GoRail Website is a link to “Check Data for Rail in Your State”, which not only provides the data and benefits of rail in your state, but also gives contact information for your state reps and each major railroad.
• Betsy gives her opinion on the potential pros and cons of the pending Railway Safety Act and Surface Transportation Act.
• 2025 has been reported as the safest year on record for the rail industry, with improvements across almost every safety metric. According to the Association of American Railroads, Freight Rail Safety - Fact Sheet available at www.AAR.org , the overall train accident rate declined 14 percent year-over-year, while derailments, equipment caused accidents, and track caused accidents each fell to the lowest levels in the railroad industry’s history.
• In a press conference from March 13, 2023, former STB Chairman, Marty Oberman stated in part regarding rail safety: “The Bureau of Transportation Statistics documented last year (2022) that 94% of all hazardous materials spills occurred on truck and only 1% occurred on rail. So if you were trying to make sure communities all over the country are safer, you would want to move more of this material by train, rather than by truck”.
• Don encourages everyone to follow him on his LinkedIn page at Don Walsh | LinkedIn , and to review his article he published 05/21/26 titled “Railroads Helped Build America & New Policy will Shape the Future of Railroading”.
• If you like what we do, please leave us a 5-Star Review…and please Share the episode!

LINKS MENTIONED:
https://www.americanrailroading.net
https://www.therevolutionrailgroup.com
https://www.youtube.com/@americanrailroadingpodcast
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dwalshX
https://www.enviroserve.com
Don Walsh | LinkedIn
https://www.GoRail.org
https://www.AAR.org
https://www.SERTC.org