:: Transportation Department Railroad Division The Public Service Commission has two major responsibilities regarding railroads: service and safety. It employs two safety inspectors. One is responsible for inspecting motive, power and equipment such as brakes, couplers, locomotives, etc. and the other is responsible for performing track inspections. The Railroad Motive Power and Equipment Inspection Program is a cooperative agreement with the Federal Railroad Administration, a division of the U.S. Department of Transportation. Responsibilities of this inspector include conducting routine inspections of freight cars and power equipment of all carriers in the state and conducting investigations of railroad accidents for the PSC and the FRA. Collisions, reportable derailments, or other accidents resulting in serious injury to person or property involving railroads are investigated to determine if state or federal regulations were violated. Complaints are filed, comprehensive reports are prepared and recommendations are made to improve railroad safety. The inspector also responds to numerous complaints received from the public and other sources concerning railroad operations. The Railroad Track Inspection Program includes an inspector responsible for monitoring railroad compliance with State and Federal Track Safety Standards. The inspector is certified by the Federal Railroad Administration under the Federal Railroad Safety Act of 1970 and participates in a joint effort on track inspection and safety with the FRA. Responsibilities of this department include conducting routine inspections of all rail carriers in Nebraska and handling various railroad matters which come to the attention of the Public Service Commission. The track inspector conducts investigations of rail-related incidents and accidents which result in serious injury to a person or damage to property. Applications for waiver of clearance requirements are handled and recommendations are made to the Commission concerning the findings. Complaints are investigated and reported to the Commission. The goals and objectives for this division are to reduce railroad-related accidents and promote a safe environment for railroad employees and citizens of the State of Nebraska. To report railroad crossing problems in the state, contact the Railroad Division at 1-800-526-0017 (Nebraska only) or 402-471-3101. Best viewed with Netscape or Internet Exporer 4.0 and above at screen resolution 800x600 and above.