The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Missouri House Bill 2385 Caps Train Lengths at 8,500 Feet, Restricts Blocked Crossings, and Mandates Two-Person Crews
Last action · May 15, 2026: Referred: Emerging Issues(H)Sponsors: Jeremy Dean and 3 others
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What This Bill Would Do
House Bill 2385 prohibits railroad trains from blocking public roadways for more than 15 consecutive minutes, limits train lengths to 8,500 feet, and mandates a minimum two-person crew for freight trains. The measure also redacts train s' personal identifying information from public incident records and empowers the state department of transportation to enforce these rules with civil penalties.
Local motorists face restricted crossing times while railroad carriers and freight operators must adjust train lengths, staffing models, and incident reporting practices under potential fines up to ten thousand dollars.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
railroad carriers
Railroad operators face new limits on train lengths, restrictions on crossing blockages, mandatory crew staffing minimums, and civil penalties for noncompliance.
train crew members
Train operators and engineers receive mandatory minimum staffing rules and have their personal identifying information redacted from public incident records.
motorists
Drivers experience restricted waiting times at railway crossings blocked by stationary trains.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can a train block a public road under this bill?
What is the maximum allowed length for a train?
Are crew members' names public if a railroad incident occurs?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
4 actions- May 15, 2026HouseCommitteeReferred: Emerging Issues(H)
- Jan 8, 2026HouseFloorRead Second Time (H)
- Jan 7, 2026HouseIntroducedRead First Time (H)
- Dec 11, 2025HouseIntroducedPrefiled (H)
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Conditional Crew Mandate Tied to Federal Rulings
The two-person crew requirement explicitly relies on notification from the attorney general regarding a final judgment on the Federal Railroad Administration's crew rule.
Connected Entities
Sources
house.mo.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance75How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy65Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz40Current news / social attention level
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