HR6064-119

What This Bill Does

The Protecting Homes from Trains Act of 2025 requires the Secretary of Transportation, within 180 days, to establish a grant program for designing or constructing barriers that mitigate rail activity negatively affecting residential structures or their use. Covered impacts include damage caused by train derailments, train noise, and train vibration. Grant-funded barriers must be adjacent to a rail line and between the rail line and a residential area containing structures affected or potentially affected by those rail impacts. Eligible recipients include States, groups of States, interstate compacts, public agencies or publicly chartered authorities established by States, political subdivisions, Amtrak or another intercity passenger rail carrier, Class II or Class III railroads or their holding companies or associations, and any rail carrier partnered with an eligible public entity. The bill authorizes $100 million annually for fiscal years 2026 through 2030.

Who Benefits and How

Residents living near rail lines benefit if barriers reduce derailment damage risk, train noise, and vibrations affecting homes. States and local governments benefit from access to federal grant funds for rail-adjacent residential mitigation projects. Amtrak, intercity passenger rail carriers, and Class II or III railroads benefit when grants help fund barriers near their corridors. Construction and engineering firms may benefit from design and construction work funded by the grant program.

Who Bears the Burden and How

DOT must stand up the grant program within 180 days, review applications, and administer $100 million per year in authorized funds. Eligible recipients must prepare applications and manage barrier design or construction projects. Rail carriers may need to coordinate construction access, safety rules, and right-of-way issues for funded barriers. Federal taxpayers bear the cost of the grant authorization for fiscal years 2026 through 2030.

Key Provisions

• Requires DOT to establish a rail-adjacent residential barrier grant program within 180 days.
• Allows grants for barriers mitigating derailment damage, train noise, and train vibration.
• Limits projects to barriers adjacent to rail lines and between rail lines and affected residential areas.
• Makes States, public authorities, Amtrak, intercity passenger carriers, Class II and III railroads, and partnerships eligible.
• Authorizes $100 million per year for fiscal years 2026 through 2030.