(Radio Iowa) – Three lawmakers have given the green light to a bill that would limit the length of trains passing through Iowa, but all three say it could get stopped in a House committee. The bill would make it illegal for trains to be more than one-point-six miles long. That would be up to 130 rail cars according to Chris Smith of Tama, a Union Pacific conductor and engineer. He’s a local leader in the SMART T-D union that represents railroad workers.

“Currently, there is no legislation that restricts the length of trains,” Evans says. “Right now they’re operating up to 15,000 feet, which is three miles. Infrastructure in this state was never designed to handle that…It blocks crossings in towns for extended periods of time.”

Mike Triplett, a lobbyist for Union Pacific, says train traffic is regulated by the federal government because it’s interstate commerce — and the proposed eight-thousand-500 feet limit on trains running through Iowa is unconstitutional. “If this bill were to pass and Nebraska says I’d like to do one better and we’re going to go 8000 and then Illinois goes 6000, the supply chain gets wrecked,” Triplett says.

Brad Epperly, a lobbyist for B-N-S-F Rail, says states can’t preempt federal law when it comes to regulating trains.  “It would be something along the lines of nullification,” Epperly says, “and that was decided by the Civil War.” Republican Representative Brent Siegrist of Council Bluffs has some concerns about the bill, but voted in subcommittee to keep it alive for further debate. “I’ve been stuck like we all have at rail crossings,” Siegrist says.

He said “Once it gets to 100 cars..” he starts getting irritated. Republican Representative Tom Determann of Camanche says lawmakers need to gather more information before taking action on the bill.

“We have some problem in eastern Iowa with the CP/KCS thing and especially so I’m inclined to take it to committee for more discussion,” he said. The merger of Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern railroads is expected to increase train traffic between Sabula, Iowa and Kansas City according to the Iowa D-O-T.