1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Railway Accountability Act . 2. Broken rim derailments (a) Study The Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration shall conduct a study of— (1) broken rim derailments, particularly vertical split rim failures, including— (A) the causes of such derailments and failures; (B) the effectiveness of current mitigation strategies; and (C) potential new mitigation strategies; (2) wheel impact load thresholds, including— (A) safe kip thresholds; and (B) potential remedial actions that address the mechanical condition of tank cars used in high-hazard flammable trains; (3) the deployment of ultrasonic wheel crack detection systems; and (4) potential regulations that, if promulgated, would— (A) result in fewer broken rim derailments; and (B) improve avoidance or identification of mechanical defects. (b) Report Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit a report to Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives containing the results of the study conducted pursuant to subsection (a), including any proposed regulations to reduce the frequency of broken rim derailments. 3. Train consist (a) Rulemaking Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall conduct a review of existing regulations relating to the practices regarding the establishment of a train consist. (b) Written switchyard safety protocol plan The Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration shall issue a regulation requiring each railroad to prepare and submit to the Administrator, not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, an updated Risk Reduction Program Plan that— (1) documents the railroad's standards for train consist and safety protocol while trains are in the switchyard