A major railroad industry organization filed a federal lawsuit Monday aimed at stopping New Jersey from enforcing new safety regulations that the group claims exceed state authority and interfere with federal oversight of rail operations.
The Association of American Railroads submitted the legal challenge in Trenton’s federal courthouse, targeting Senate Bill 3389, which former Democratic Governor Phil Murphy signed before leaving office in January.
The industry group is contesting five key parts of the legislation, including a mandate for two-person crews on trains transporting dangerous materials and establishment of a state-run “wayside detector” system to track wheels, cars and railway infrastructure. The law also grants union representatives access to railroad facilities for safety inspections.
According to the trade organization, “New Jersey is impermissibly attempting to assert its own regulatory authority over an area Congress has placed under exclusive federal control,” which constitutes an unconstitutional “taking” of property.
The lawsuit names New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and Transportation Commissioner Priya Jain as defendants. Both offices declined to provide immediate responses after business hours.
The legal action requests a court order preventing enforcement of the New Jersey legislation.
Industry opponents frequently claim railroads prioritize reduced regulation to maximize profits.
The association speaks for major Class I U.S. railroad companies, including BNSF (owned by Berkshire Hathaway), Canadian National Railway, Canadian Pacific Kansas City, CSX, Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific.
According to the lawsuit, both CSX and Norfolk Southern have operations within New Jersey.
