Partnership Lays Groundwork For Railroad Safety Program In Bucks

DOYLESTOWN, PA — A first-of-its-kind railroad safety training program in Pennsylvania is coming to Bucks County in 2026.

At its April meeting, the county commissioners approved an agreement with the Bucks County Community College, Dow Chemical, and Conrail, to construct a rail spur on county-owned property as a training site for train derailments and hazardous transportation incidents.

The spur, to be built by Conrail at no charge to the county or the college, will be used as a training ground for the college's new railroad safety training program scheduled to launch in 2026.

The program will include a mobile safety train with classroom cars, tank cars, and a protective housing flatcar for immersive training that will be used to strengthen emergency response to incidents involving the railroads in Bucks County

In addition to the new spur, Dow will be donating two training cars to be used as part of the program.

The program will offer extensive, immersive, realistic training that includes full-scale scenarios to help responders be better prepared for surface transportation emergencies.

"We are really proud of the relationship we have here and we can move forward because we think it will mean a lot for public safety in this county and it is something unique in Pennsylvania. I don't think it's done anywhere else," said Bucks County Commissioner Bob Harvie.

"This is a very exciting project between the county, Dow, Conrail and the community college," said Tracy Timby, the vice president of workforce and strategic partnerships at the Bucks County Community College.

According to Timby, the program will train firefighters, EMTs, police and other emergency personnel in how to respond to hazardous rail incidents.

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"Train derailments remain a significant concern in the United States with an average of 1,000 derailments per year. Currently the most advanced training is in Colorado. So most of our public safety personnel who need this training have to go out to Colorado at significant expense,” said Timby.

“This is an investment in community safety and first responder confidence in the county. We're taking a leadership role in the region for emergency preparedness in moving forward with this project."

Harvie said people “sometimes forget how much rail - especially freight rail - we have that criss-crosses the county in multiple areas, not just Lower Bucks, but all over. We're focused on the roads we're on, the sidewalks we're on, and not necessarily the railroads.”

Timby said in addition to first responders being interested in the program, some segments of the private sector have also expressed interest.

“Dow currently sends all of its people out to Colorado to do this training. So we're not just talking about the firefighters in the area,” said Timby. “A lot of those trains that come through carry hazardous materials, which is the real threat, so in addition to the derailment threat and threat to human life it's what those trains are carrying and knowing how to contain that problem."