The Safety Appliance Act is a

United States federal law The law of the United States comprises many levels of codified and uncodified forms of law, of which the most important is the nation's Constitution, which prescribes the foundation of the federal government of the United States, as well as ...

that made air brakes and automatic couplers mandatory on all

train In rail transport, a train (from Old French , from Latin , "to pull, to draw") is a series of connected vehicles that run along a railway track and transport people or freight. Trains are typically pulled or pushed by locomotives (often ...

s in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

. It was enacted on March 2, 1893, and took effect in 1900, after a seven-year grace period. The act is credited with a sharp drop in accidents on American

railroad Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a prep ...

s in the early 20th century.

Background

After the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government polici ...

, railroads expanded rapidly throughout the United States. The increased traffic was accompanied by an increase in accidents among railroad personnel, especially brakemen. Many accidents were associated with coupling and uncoupling of railroad cars, and particularly with the use of link-and-pin couplers, which were widely used then. The operation of hand brakes was also very hazardous. The rise in accidents led to calls for safety legislation, as early as the 1870s. In the 1880s, on-the-job deaths of railroad workers were second only to those of coal miners. Through that decade, several state legislatures enacted safety laws. However, the specific requirements varied among the states, making implementation difficult for interstate rail carriers, and

Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ...

passed the Safety Appliance Act in 1893 to provide a uniform standard. Former Iowa railroad commissioner Lorenzo Coffin doggedly lobbied for the act almost singlehandedly for six years before Congress finally passed the bill in 1893.

1893 act

The original act was entitled, "An Act to Promote the Safety of Employees and Travelers upon Railroads by Compelling Common Carriers Engaged in Interstate Commerce to Equip Their Cars with Automatic Couplers and Continuous Brakes and Their

Locomotive A locomotive or engine is a rail transport vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. If a locomotive is capable of carrying a payload, it is usually rather referred to as a multiple unit, motor coach, railcar or power car; the ...

s with Driving-wheel Brakes, and for Other Purposes." Its first section makes it unlawful, among other things, for a railroad company engaged in

interstate commerce The Commerce Clause describes an enumerated power listed in the United States Constitution ( Article I, Section 8, Clause 3). The clause states that the United States Congress shall have power "to regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and amo ...

to run any train without having a sufficient number of the cars so equipped with train brakes (such as air brakes) that the engineer on the locomotive can control the speed of the train without requiring brakemen to use a hand brake for that purpose. The second section prohibits such a carrier from hauling or using on its line in moving interstate traffic any car not equipped with couplers which can be coupled and uncoupled automatically "without the necessity of men going between the ends of the cars", and the fourth section forbids the use in interstate commerce of any car not provided with secure grab irons or hand holds on the ends and sides of the car "for greater security to men in coupling and uncoupling cars". The sixth section imposes for every violation of the act a penalty of $100.

Summary of sections

Section 1

Need safety checks on locomotive and a sufficient number of cars. Starting on January 1, 1898, unlawful for a common carrier used for interstate commerce to use locomotive engine not equipped with a power driving-wheel brake and appliances for operating the train-brake system. Also need sufficient number of cars equipped with power or train brakes so engineer in the locomotive can control its speed without requiring a brakeman to use a common hand brake to do so.

Section 2

Need automatic couplers that can be uncoupled without man going between. On January 1, 1898, it will be unlawful for a common carrier used for interstate commerce to haul or permit to be hauled any car that is not equipped with couplers coupling automatically by impact and which can be uncoupled without a man going between the ends of the cars.

Section 3

Can't receive cars not equipped. When any person, firm, company, or corporation engaged in interstate commerce by railroad has equipped a sufficient number of cars to be in compliance with Section 1, he/it may refuse to receive the connecting lines of road or shippers of any cars not equipped in such a manner.

Section 4

Secure grab irons. After July 1, 1895, unless Interstate Commerce Commission says otherwise, unlawful for RR company to use any car in interstate commerce that doesn't have secure grab irons or handholds in the ends and sides of each car (more secure for men who couple and uncouple cars.)

Section 5

Setting standards. Within 90 days of passage of act, the American Railway Association is authorized to set standard height of drawbars for freight cars and fix maximum variation from such standard heights to be allowed between drawbars of empty and loaded cars. Will submit these standards to the Interstate Commerce Commission, which will inform the carriers. If ARA fails to set standard, ICC will do so before July 1, 1894. After July 1, 1895, no cars can be used that don't comply.

Section 6

If violate provision. Any common carrier in violation of any provisions will be liable to pay a penalty of $100 for every violation, to be recovered in federal court.

Section 7

Can extend time within which carriers need to comply with this act. ICC can extend period from time to time with a full hearing and for good reason.

Section 8

If someone working for a non-compliant train is injured. An employee injured in a train that is not in compliance with this act will not need to bear the risk occasioned even if he knew that it was unlawful to do things that way and still continued working for the employer.

Amendments

The original law was amended by a subsequent act in 1903, whose first section provides that the requirements of the original act respecting train brakes, automatic couplers, and grab irons shall be held to apply to all trains and cars used on any railroad engaged in interstate commerce, unless a minor exception were satisfied. By its second section this act requires that not less than 50 percent of the cars in a train shall have their train brakes used and operated by the engineer on the locomotive, and confers upon the

Interstate Commerce Commission The Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) was a regulatory agency in the United States created by the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887. The agency's original purpose was to regulate railroads (and later trucking) to ensure fair rates, to elimina ...

(ICC) the authority to increase this minimum percentage to the end that the objects intended may be more fully accomplished. By an order promulgated June 6, 1910, the Commission increased the minimum number of cars whose train brakes must be under the engineer's control to 85 percent. A 1910 legislative amendment required additional equipment, including ladders, sill steps, and hand brakes.

Transfer of implementation authority

The 1966 ''Department of Transportation Act'' transferred authority for implementation of the Safety Appliance Act to the

Secretary of Transportation A secretary, administrative professional, administrative assistant, executive assistant, administrative officer, administrative support specialist, clerk, military assistant, management assistant, office secretary, or personal assistant is a wh ...

. The Secretary designated the newly created

Federal Railroad Administration The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is an agency in the United States Department of Transportation (DOT). The agency was created by the Department of Transportation Act of 1966. The purpose of the FRA is to promulgate and enforce rail sa ...

(FRA) as the implementing agency. FRA began to take over enforcement responsibilities from the ICC in 1967.

Subsequent railroad safety legislation

The ''Federal Railroad Safety Act of 1970'' expanded FRA's safety responsibilities: * covers all railroads, both intrastate and interstate * all areas of railroad safety * authority to issue emergency orders * preemption of safety rules issued by individual states. Related railroad safety legislation: * Rail Safety Improvement Act of 1974 * Federal Railroad Safety Authorization Act of 1976 * Federal Railroad Safety Authorization Act of 1978 * Federal Railroad Safety Authorization Act of 1980 * Railroad Safety Authorization Act of 1982 * Rail Safety Improvement Act of 1988 * Rail Safety Enforcement and Review Act of 1992.

Case law

* Southern Railway Co. v. United States * ''United States v. Erie Railroad Co.'' (1915).U.S. Supreme Court. ''U.S. v. Erie Railroad Co.'',

References

{{Railway brakes 1893 in law 1893 in rail transport History of rail transportation in the United States Railway safety United States federal transportation legislation United States railroad regulation