Senate reschedules rail safety hearing

The Senate committee that oversees transportation issues has rescheduled hearing about freight rail ail safety that was postponed by a snow storm last month.

The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee is scheduled to meet Thursday to conduct a review of freight rail safety regulations following a spate of high-profile passenger and freight trains accidents last year.

{mosads}Safety advocates have called for increased regulations following an oil train derailment in North Dakota that spilled 400,000 gallons of crude in December and a crash on New York Metro-North commuter railway in November.

The hearing was originally scheduled for Feb. 13, but it was cancelled because of a snow storm that struck Washington, D.C. that week.

The capital area was struck with another snow storm on Monday, but the weather is expected to be clear in time for Thursday’s hearing.