Railroad Safety Program

The Commission’ Railroad Safety Division is responsible for insuring public and railroad employee safety from unsafe equipment and conditions by enforcing both Nebraska statutes and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) regulations related to railroad safety.

The Commission has jurisdiction over the service, facilities and equipment of all railroad carriers in the state. The Jurisdiction applies to the general public and those having business relations with the railroad carrier. The commission also enforces railroad standards related to track and rail car safety.

Nebraska has been a member of the Federal/State Rail Safety Participation Program since 1976. Currently, the Commission has one federally certified inspector that completes compliance inspections and enforces safety rules on locomotives, freight cars, and air brakes. The inspector assists the FRA with rail accident investigations.

Railroads that Operate in Nebraska


Class I Railroads	Location
BNSF Railway	Fort Worth, TX
Union Pacific Railroad	Omaha, NE


Class III	Location
Appalachian Railcar Services	Hastings, NE
Adams Warehousing	Sidney, NE
Manning Grain Company	Fairmont, NE
Nebraska Central Railroad Company	Norfolk, NE
Nebraska Kansas Colorado Railway, Inc.	Grant, NE
Omaha Public Power District	Omaha, NE
Sidney & Lowe Railroad, Inc.	Sidney, NE

Frequently Asked Questions

I need to seek a track clearance waiver? What do I do?

If you are an entity or railroad carrier that needs to request a track clearance waiver, an application must be submitted along with a one-time application fee of $250.00. Applications should also include plans illustrating the structures/equipment that necessitate the waiver.

How do I report a rail safety issue (non-emergency)?

If it is an emergency, call 911.

If you have general rail safety questions or a non-emergency, call the Commission at 402-471-3101 or 1-800-526-0017 (NE Only). Please have as much information about the issue as possible, such as location, train or crossing number, time of day, etc.

If you are at a blocked crossing, you can also call the railroad carrier telephone number located on the crossing signage.

How do I report an accident to the Commission?

To report an accident, please call the Railroad Department at 402-471-0260.