Rail Security Alliance celebrates ten years of advocacy

Founded in 2016 with a mission to protect the North American freight railcar industry from Chinese incursion, RSA has led the way to strengthen the domestic freight railcar manufacturing industry and protect American jobs

This month, the Rail Security Alliance celebrates 10 years since its founding as the leading organization working to strengthen the North American freight railcar manufacturing and supply industry against Chinese incursion.

At the time RSA was founded, China’s global railcar builder CRRC had already racked up a passenger rail manufacturing contract in Boston and had secured a similar contract in Chicago. China’s industrial policies, the Belt and Road Initiative and Made in China 2025, were new and their effects unknown; CRRC’s footprint in Australia, where it had entered the market and decimated the country’s railcar manufacturing industry in less than ten years, was cautionary to U.S. industry.

“Ten years ago, there was very little talk about the threat of Chinese state-owned enterprises on U.S. manufacturing in general, and nobody was talking about the concrete threat that China’s CRRC posed to America’s freight railcar manufacturers and suppliers. Fortunately, we saw the writing on the wall.” —Erik Olson, Executive Director of the Rail Security Alliance

KEY ACTIONS OVER THE PAST DECADE

Advocated for and helped secure major legislation:

• TIVSA (Transportation Infrastructure Vehicle Security Act, part of 2020 NDAA): Bars federal funding for transit agencies buying passenger railcars/buses from Chinese SOEs.
• SAFE TRAINS Act (in 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act): Prohibits Chinese SOEs from supplying freight rail rolling stock for the U.S. interchange system; full implementation completed in 2024–2025.

Pushed for national security measures: Testified before Congress, lobbied the Department of Defense (now the Department of War) to keep CRRC on lists of companies tied to the Chinese military/PLA, and highlighted cyber risks, Uyghur and child forced labor, and intellectual property issues in Chinese rail manufacturing.

Supported trade enforcement: Backed Section 301 tariffs on Chinese rail products and urged investigations into anti-competitive practices, subsidies, and technology transfer.

Public awareness and reports: Commissioned studies, released polls showing public concern over Chinese control of critical infrastructure, and issued frequent press releases, op-eds, and letters warning about economic and security threats.

Ongoing advocacy: Pushed for Buy America enforcement, highlighted concerns with CRRC contracts with U.S. transit agencies, leading to termination of SEPTA’s contract in Philadelphia; and supported domestic manufacturing incentives like the Freight RAILCAR Act, and extended efforts to Europe through collaboration with UNIFE, Europe’s rail supply industry.