The proposed legislation, General Assembly Raised Bill No. 7059, aims to enhance the operations and safety of rail services in Connecticut. It mandates that the Department of Transportation fund the New Haven Line at pre-COVID-19 levels for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026. Additionally, the bill establishes a requirement for freight trains operating in the state to have a minimum crew size of two persons, with exceptions for helper and hostling services. Violations of this crew requirement would incur fines ranging from $250 to $10,000 depending on the number of offenses. Furthermore, the bill requires the installation of hotbox detectors every twenty miles on rail lines where passenger trains operate, with deadlines for new constructions and existing lines.

In terms of financial provisions, the bill increases the bond issuance limit for the State Bond Commission from $17.5 million to $20 million, which will be allocated for competitive grants aimed at improving and modernizing commercial rail freight lines. The grants will cover 100% of costs for state-owned rights of way and up to 70% for privately owned lines, with certain conditions for waiving matching grants. Lastly, the Commissioner of Transportation is tasked with studying the feasibility of operating hybrid trains on the Danbury branch line and potentially expanding it to New Milford, with a report due by February 1, 2026.

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