Rail Security After 9/11

Abstract

The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, raised serious questions about the security of the U.S. rail system. The rail freight industry has been largely deregulated since the 1980s and has been prospering, raising questions about how post-9/11 public policy might affect its ability to control its operations and at the same time ensure security against terrorist events. A response to the threat has been adopted by the private sector rail industry and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that attempts to optimize and to implement a collaborative approach to regulation. Recent legislation is reviewed to show how this approach is now becoming the statutory basis for rail security.