The entire rail industry faces increasing risks as a consequence of climate change. A 2020 study found that temperature-related delays could cost the U.S. rail network up to $60 billion by 2100.157 The Federal Railroad Administration warns that weather events increasingly threaten the “safety, effectiveness, equity, and sustainability” of rail transportation.158 An Amtrak assessment concluded that “Amtrak’s assets have a wide range of vulnerability to various climate stressors.”159 Economic and energy shifts also pose serious challenges to the industry and its workers. As the United States moves away from coal powered locomotives, freight lines will need to use other power sources.

Still, rail must play a central role in creating a climate-safe economy. Any viable path to decarbonization will require investments that increase the resilience and capacity of railroads. Rail is the most fuel-efficient way to transport freight in bulk. Furthermore, reducing emissions from transport has the immediate effect of improving air quality. Railroads create a cleaner and more efficient method of transporting goods and people.160 Expanding existing networks is a climate-friendly job creator.

One obstacle to developing a 21st-century rail network is deteriorating conditions in the industry. So-called “precision scheduled railroading” (PSR) erodes safety standards and puts entire communities at risk. PSR entails consolidating freight loads into trains that stretch up to three miles long–while simultaneously reducing the number of workers assigned to run and maintain locomotives.161 Rail Division Special Assistant to the President Josh Hartford describes the philosophy behind PSR as “run it harder, run it longer.”162 In 2022, the IAM National VP Matt

156 U.S. Department of Transportation, “Freight Rail Overview.”

157 Chinowsky et al., “Impacts of Climate Change on Operation of the US Rail Network.”

158 U.S. Department of Transportation, “Rail Climate Considerations.”

159 Amtrak, “2022 Amtrak Climate Vulnerability Assessment Summary.”

160 Timperley, “Eight Charts Show How ‘Aggressive’ Railway Expansion Could Cut Emissions.”

161 Ma and Woods, “How Precision-Scheduled Railroading Played a Role in the Ohio Train Derailment.”

162 Hartford, interview.

Hollis testified before Congress to report on the “complete and utter degradation” of the nation’s railroads. Private equity firms, Hollis warned, are deploying “business models that extract as much wealth as possible, to the detriment of workers, customers, and the public interest.”163 PSR has contributed to massive workforce reductions; companies laid off more than 20,000 rail workers in 2019 alone.164 In 2020, The Washington Post reported that “the biggest cuts have been from the conductor and maintenance ranks.”165 In the IAM’s shops across the country, “leaner” operations mean fewer skilled workers inspecting and maintaining tracks and locomotives.

The horrific derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, spotlighted the implications of companies’ staffing decisions. In June 2024, the National Transportation Safety Board announced that a defective wheel bearing and faulty monitoring equipment caused the East Palestine disaster–as well as subsequent derailments in Delaware and Pennsylvania.166 To avoid an even bigger catastrophe, rail workers were forced to trigger an explosion which spat toxic chemicals into the air, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate the surrounding areas. East Palestine and the broader region will now contend with the long term consequences of the catastrophe.167 “If the right people had been doing the right inspections…[the derailment at] East Palestine could have been prevented,” says Hartford.168

PSR and other low-road business models threaten the future of North American rail, and climate change is compounding existing problems. In the summer of 2024, heat waves swept the Eastern seaboard and forced Amtrak to shut down service along the Northeastern Corridor.169 “That’s becoming more and more common,” reports Hartford, “We see these things [repeatedly].”170 High winds, rockslides, heat waves, and snow storms damage essential infrastructure.171 In coastal regions, hurricanes and floods wash out tracks.172 In February 2024, storms pummeled California, causing landslides and coastal erosion that blocked lines on the Los Angeles-San Diego route.173 Thick fog and torrential rain reduce visibility. Critical infrastructure such as electric wiring and railroad tracks cannot withstand extended bouts of extreme weather. Even worse, outdoor workers must contend with extreme temperatures, while manufacturing workers face rising temperatures and worsening air quality.174

163 International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, “IAM Rail Division Will Testify before the Surface Transportation Board on Precision Scheduled Railroading, Urgent Issues in Freight Rail Service.”

164 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Employment, Hours, and Earnings from the Current Employment Statistics Survey (National).”

165 Long, “Railroads Are Slashing Workers, Cheered on by Wall Street to Stay Profitable amid Trump’s Trade War.”

166 Spirito, “NTSB Release Final Report on East Palestine Train Derailment Cause.”

167 Perkins, “Ohio Catastrophe Is ‘Wake-up Call’ to Dangers of Deadly Train Derailments.”

168 Hartford, interview.

169 Hartford.

170 Hartford.

171 Rossetti, “Potential Impacts of Climate Change on Railroads.”

172 Dupigny-Giroux et al., “Chapter 18: Northeast.”

173 Zukowski, “California Storms Sever Amtrak, Commuter Rail Line Once Again.”

174 Hartford, interview.

Despite this turmoil, the current moment presents an opportunity to leverage federal and state investments in green infrastructure to build a better industry. The IRA created a $3 billion Department of Energy loan program for manufacturing low emissions heavy duty vehicles– including locomotives.175 The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes an additional $102 billion earmarked for railroad upgrades.176

Despite unprecedented federal investment in climate infrastructure, some companies remain unwilling to invest in technologies and workforce development that can protect the industry’s future.177 Advocating for railroad expansion and decarbonization is the most direct way the IAM can help address the climate crisis and build a more powerful union in the rail industry. Several initiatives, such as forging new routes, expanding service on existing routes, increasing freight capacity, investing in passenger rail, growing Amtrak’s fleet, and manufacturing green locomotives, have massive job creation potential. Legislators, investors, unions, and high-road employers can partner to advance proven models, such as Metra’s apprenticeship program in Chicago, to recruit and retain the next generation of railroaders.178

Some IAM members are already seeing benefits from modernizing investments in the U.S. rail network. Forty-six unions and companies comprise the U.S. High Speed Rail Coalition.179 The coalitions secured an MOU with Brightline Holdings to build a high-speed rail system connecting Las Vegas and Southern California. According to Brightline, trains on the new line will transport passengers at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour. As travelers make the long journey by train rather than automobile, California and Nevada could see carbon emissions reduced by over 400,000 tons annually.180 The project is expected to create thousands of new jobs, and it provides a window into how a well-managed rail buildout could benefit IAM members.181

Nearly three-quarters of Americans support creating a nation-wide high-speed rail network. An ambitious expansion and modernization of existing rail infrastructure would spur job creation and reduce emissions from the transportation sector.182 The Biden administration mobilized billions to upgrade rail infrastructure,183 and the American High Speed Rail Act, currently

175 CALSTART, “Summary of Clean Transportation Provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act.”

176 U.S. Department of Transportation, “Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Information from FRA.”

177 Hartford, interview.

178 Hartford; Metra, “Working at Metra | Metra.”

179 U.S. High Speed Rail Coalition, “US High Speed Rail Association: 21st Century Transportation for America.”

180 Mishra, “Making History: America’s First High-Speed Rail Connecting Las Vegas To Southern California Breaks Ground.”

181 Porritt, “Brightline West Inks Commitment with High-Speed Rail Labor Coalition.”

182 Bickerton, J. (2024, June 23). America is Embracing High-Speed Rail. Newsweek.

183 U.S. Department of Transportation, “President Biden Announces $8.2 Billion in New Grants for High- Speed Rail and Pipeline of Projects Nationwide | US Department of Transportation.”

pending in Congress, would contribute an additional $205 billion to jumpstart construction.184 Investment in our railroads is a popular and practical approach to combating the climate crisis.

IAM members have the skills necessary to build and maintain high-speed rail systems. As part of the High Speed Rail Coalition, the IAM secured a memorandum of understanding (MOU) ensuring that the “Brightline West” high-speed rail project will be built, operated, and maintained by union workers. The project will create 35,000 jobs during construction, 1,000 permanent jobs, and annually remove 400,000 tons of CO2 from the air. Additionally, the IAM has reached a Voluntary Recognition Agreement with Siemens Mobility to represent workers who will build state-of-the-art trains for Brightline West.185

The all-electric Brightline West system will service a 218-mile route connecting Las Vegas and Los Angeles. At speeds reaching over 186 miles per hour, the trains will transport passengers at half the average driving time.186 The project broke ground in 2024 with the goal of being open in time for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

More than one-third of the world’s track miles are electrified, with China, India, and Europe targeting fully electric and high-speed rail networks.187 Meanwhile, less than 1% of North American rail lines are electrified.188 Building a climate safe rail network, where renewable energy powers high-speed locomotives, is a chance for rail unions to help members, travelers, and communities across the country.