This bill creates a new chapter in Title 81 RCW that generally bans operation in Washington of freight, passenger, or work trains longer than 8,500 feet unless the utilities and transportation commission approves an exception. Trains that start in Washington yards and terminals must comply with the 8,500-foot limit; trains entering from out of state may pass through but must comply if they stop in Washington to set out or add cars. Each train run in violation is treated as a separate offense. The new law establishes civil penalties and enforcement procedures. Minimum fines are set at $25,000 for a first offense and $250,000 for a second offense, with each subsequent penalty doubled from the previous violation as determined by the commission; the commission may reduce fines for class III carriers not owned by class I railroads. The commission may by order authorize trains up to 10,000 feet on specified routes and directions subject to conditions (including added crewmembers with at least one positioned at the rear, on‑board accessible air brake release valve, and a mobile radio capable of crew/dispatcher and direct voice communication with emergency response agencies). Authorizations expire after three years and may be renewed, the commission may collect fees to recover full agency costs for processing requests, and violations of authorizations are subject to the stated fines and potentially greater fines under RCW 81.40.150(4) if a violation results in serious injury or death. The commission is charged with enforcement. Some details are not provided in the extracted text: the new chapter number in Title 81 RCW is not specified; the bill references “class I” and “class III” carrier classifications without defining them here; it relies on external law for the meaning or criteria of “serious injury” and for the commission’s authority to impose greater fines; and the procedures or standards the commission will use to evaluate authorization requests and how fees will be calculated are not described in the provided facts.

If enacted, Washington would generally limit trains operating in the state to 8,500 feet unless the Utilities and Transportation Commission approves an exception up to 10,000 feet that must meet conditions like extra crew on the rear, an accessible air-brake release valve, and a radio for direct contact with dispatchers and emergency responders. Trains from Washington yards must follow the limit, and trains from outside can pass through but must not stop to add or remove cars without meeting the limit; each violation of the length limit would trigger large escalating fines (minimum $25,000 first, $250,000 second, doubling thereafter), with the commission able to reduce fines for small (class III) carriers and to charge fees to recover its costs for processing exception requests; authorizations would last three years and can be renewed. The people and organizations most affected are railroad companies and their crews, who will likely face higher operating costs (additional crew assignments, equipment checks, possible fees to the commission), stricter planning limits on train length, and substantial financial risk if they violate the rule. The commission will take on new enforcement and review work and can collect fees to cover those costs. Emergency responders gain a communication requirement with longer trains but no funding or operational support is specified. Important implementation details remain unclear from the text provided, including precise definitions of class I vs. class III carriers, how “serious injury” is determined for higher penalties, and how the commission will set exact fee amounts or evaluate exception requests beyond the listed minimum conditions.