Railroad Company Accident Reporting

The UTC requires railroad companies to report any event linked to railroad operations that causes:

  • A release of a hazardous material (things are corrosive, flammable, explosive, react with other materials, or are poisonous).
  • The death of any person.
  • An injury from a railroad-highway crossing accident that needs medical care beyond first aid.
  • Property damage of $50,000 or more.

Railroad companies must call in these events within 30 minutes of learning about them. They must call the Washington Emergency Operations Center’s 24-hour duty officer at 800-258-5990. Each report must include the information listed in UTC rules WAC 480-62-310.

Railroad companies must also send written copies of any event reports they send to the Federal Railroad Administration to the UTC. For hazardous materials incidents, they must send copies of any written reports they send to the U.S. Department of Transportation to the UTC.

To submit an incident or accident report:
Email utcrailreporting@utc.wa.gov

To submit a hazardous materials report:
Email WUTC5800Reporting@utc.wa.gov

Questions

Email Rail@utc.wa.gov