Railroad Industry Asbestos Exposure: Equipment, Materials, and Occupational Risk

The American railroad industry relied heavily on asbestos-containing materials throughout much of the twentieth century. From the steam era through the transition to diesel and electric locomotion, asbestos was considered an essential industrial material — prized for its heat resistance, durability, and fireproofing properties in environments where extreme temperatures, friction, and mechanical stress were constant operating realities. Workers across virtually every railroad craft were exposed to these materials during the decades spanning roughly the 1940s through the early 1980s, when asbestos use on American railroads began to decline in response to federal regulation and growing awareness of the associated health hazards.

This article provides an occupational reference for railroad workers, their families, and attorneys researching historical asbestos exposure in the rail industry.

Company History

The American railroad industry encompasses hundreds of individual carriers — Class I trunk lines, regional railroads, short-line operators, and terminal switching companies — along with the locomotive manufacturers, equipment suppliers, and maintenance contractors that served them. Railroads were among the largest industrial employers in the United States during the mid-twentieth century, and the rail network formed the backbone of national commerce and military logistics throughout World War II and into the postwar era.

Federal oversight of the industry expanded significantly during this period, with agencies including the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) and later the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) setting operational and safety standards. However, occupational exposure to asbestos was not meaningfully regulated at the federal level until the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) began issuing asbestos standards in the early 1970s — years after widespread use of asbestos-containing materials had already become standard practice across railroad facilities and rolling stock.

Major railroad operators of the asbestos era included predecessors and subsidiaries of carriers that would later become Norfolk Southern, CSX Transportation, BNSF Railway, Union Pacific, and other contemporary systems. Locomotive manufacturers such as the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors (EMD) and the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) produced diesel and electric units that were routinely insulated and outfitted with asbestos-containing components during this period. Equipment suppliers, brake manufacturers, insulation contractors, and gasket producers also played significant roles in introducing asbestos materials into the railroad environment.

Asbestos-Containing Products

According to asbestos litigation records, railroad workers were exposed to a broad range of asbestos-containing materials encountered throughout their working careers. Court filings document the presence of asbestos in numerous categories of railroad equipment and facility materials, including but not limited to the following:

Locomotive Insulation Plaintiffs alleged that diesel and steam locomotives were extensively insulated with asbestos-containing materials applied to boilers, engine compartments, exhaust systems, and cab interiors. Pipe coverings, block insulation, and blanket insulation used on locomotive engines frequently contained chrysotile or amphibole asbestos fibers.

Brake Shoes and Friction Materials According to asbestos litigation records, brake shoes used on both locomotives and rail cars were commonly manufactured with asbestos-containing friction compounds through the late 1970s and into the early 1980s. The replacement and inspection of brake shoes was identified in court filings as a significant source of airborne asbestos dust for carmen, inspectors, and mechanical department workers.

Gaskets and Packing Court filings document widespread use of asbestos sheet gaskets, rope packing, and compression packing throughout locomotive and car mechanical systems. Workers who removed, cut, or installed these materials — including machinists, pipefitters, and boilermakers — were identified in litigation as having sustained repeated exposures during routine maintenance.

Pipe Insulation and Covering Plaintiffs alleged that steam and hot-water piping throughout locomotive cabs, engine rooms, and railroad facility boiler rooms was insulated with asbestos-containing pipe covering and fitting insulation. This material was subject to mechanical disturbance during maintenance operations, generating respirable fiber concentrations.

Boiler and Firebox Insulation Court filings document the use of asbestos-containing cements, block insulation, and refractory materials in steam locomotive boilers and fireboxes. Workers assigned to boiler repair and inspection were identified as having sustained significant exposures during the steam era and into the transition period.

Ceiling Tiles, Floor Tiles, and Building Materials According to asbestos litigation records, asbestos-containing building materials were used throughout railroad shops, engine houses, maintenance facilities, and administrative structures. Ceramic and vinyl floor tiles, ceiling tiles, and spray-applied fireproofing materials are documented in court filings as sources of exposure for workers in rail facility environments.

Electrical Components Plaintiffs alleged that certain electrical arc chutes, switchgear components, and wiring insulation in locomotives and rail cars contained asbestos as an electrical insulator and heat barrier.

Occupational Exposure

The railroad industry supported a wide variety of skilled crafts and labor classifications, and asbestos exposure was not confined to any single job category. According to asbestos litigation records, workers across numerous trades sustained documented or alleged exposures during the course of ordinary railroad employment.

Locomotive Engineers and Firemen operated in cab environments insulated with asbestos-containing materials and were exposed to deteriorating insulation during routine operations, particularly in older locomotive classes.

Carmen and Car Inspectors routinely handled asbestos-containing brake shoes, gaskets, and sealing materials during inspection and repair cycles. Court filings document carmen as among the most frequently identified exposure groups in railroad asbestos litigation.

Machinists and Boilermakers worked extensively with gaskets, packing, and boiler insulation. Plaintiffs alleged that machining, grinding, and cutting operations on asbestos-containing components generated concentrated airborne fiber exposures in enclosed shop environments.

Pipefitters and Steamfitters applied and removed asbestos pipe insulation and compression packing as part of regular maintenance on locomotive and facility piping systems. Court filings identify these trades as having sustained prolonged, repeated exposures over entire working careers.

Sheet Metal Workers and Insulators applied and removed asbestos-containing insulation in locomotive and facility settings. According to asbestos litigation records, insulation work performed in confined engine compartments was associated with particularly elevated fiber concentrations.

Electricians working on locomotive electrical systems were alleged to have disturbed asbestos-containing arc chutes, wiring insulation, and panel components during maintenance and overhaul operations.

Laborers and Helpers working in railroad shops and roundhouses were identified in court filings as having sustained bystander exposures from work performed by skilled tradespeople nearby, even when they were not directly handling asbestos-containing materials themselves.

The latency period associated with asbestos-related diseases — typically ranging from ten to fifty years between initial exposure and clinical diagnosis — means that workers employed in the railroad industry during the 1940s through early 1980s may only now be receiving diagnoses of mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, or other asbestos-related conditions.

The railroad industry does not have a consolidated asbestos trust fund equivalent to those established by bankrupt asbestos product manufacturers under Section 524(g) of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. Most major railroad carriers remain solvent operating entities and have addressed asbestos-related claims through the civil litigation system rather than through bankruptcy reorganization.

According to asbestos litigation records, claims against railroad operators have been filed in federal and state courts across the country under various legal theories, including claims brought under the Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA), which governs injury claims by railroad employees against their employers in interstate commerce. FELA provides a distinct legal framework from standard state workers’ compensation systems and requires a showing of employer negligence — a standard that courts have interpreted in the context of asbestos exposure cases.

Plaintiffs have also pursued claims against locomotive manufacturers, brake and friction material suppliers, insulation manufacturers, and gasket producers whose asbestos-containing products were used in railroad environments. Many of these supplier and manufacturer defendants have subsequently established Section 524(g) asbestos trust funds as a result of bankruptcy proceedings. Workers with railroad exposure histories may be eligible to file claims with one or more of these third-party trusts, depending on the specific products to which they were exposed and the documentation available.

Court filings document that asbestos claims against railroad industry defendants have proceeded in jurisdictions throughout the United States, with results varying based on exposure history, medical diagnosis, applicable law, and individual case facts.

Railroad workers and their families researching asbestos exposure have several potential legal avenues worth understanding:

  • FELA claims against railroad employer defendants remain the primary litigation path for railroad employees, requiring proof of employer negligence in an asbestos exposure context.
  • Third-party product liability claims against manufacturers of asbestos-containing brake materials, insulation, gaskets, and locomotive components may be pursued in civil courts, with some defendants having established asbestos trust funds through bankruptcy.
  • Trust fund claims may be available against the manufacturers of specific asbestos-containing products used in railroad settings, even when the railroad carrier itself has not established a trust.
  • Documentation of craft classification, work locations, specific equipment handled, and co-worker testimony is important to establishing exposure history for both litigation and trust fund purposes.

Workers diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer with asbestos exposure history, or other asbestos-related diseases who worked in the railroad industry during the mid-twentieth century should consult with an attorney experienced in asbestos litigation to evaluate which legal options may apply to their specific circumstances.