610 N. Whitney Way Suite 110

P.O. Box 7854
Madison WI 53707-7854

Phone: 608-266-0276

Fax: 608-261-8220

The Office of the Commissioner of Railroads is the state agency with primary responsibility for making determinations of the adequacy of warning devices at railroad crossings, along with other railroad related regulations. These duties include: 

Installation of new highway/rail crossings
Alteration of existing crossings
Closing or consolidating existing crossings
Repair of rough crossings 
Determining adequate railroad fences and
Exemptions from railroad track clearance laws

RAILROAD EMERGENCY CONTACT NUMBERS

May 14 , 2012 Office Calendar

May 21, 2012 Office Calendar

Frequently Asked Questions
Including: petition procedures, links to statutes, administrative codes, helpful links, and registered agents for service of process

Federal Railroad Administration
This site has information on the new train horn rule, as well as the FRA database of crossings and accident history.

Wisconsin railroad map, 2010

Links to railroads in Wisconsin

NEW: DOCKET DATABASE

Hearing records

State of Wisconsin portal

On June 17, 2011, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals issued its decision reversing the district court in Samuel Johnson 1988 Trust v. Bayfield County. The 7th Circuit ruled in favor of the land owners and against Bayfield County. See Doug Wood's PowerPoint presentation, dated November 1, 2011, on this subject here.

The full original study on the subject can be located here. This was based on the decision that was overturned by the 7th Circuit Court.

Office of the Commissioner of Railroads Staff

Jeff Plale, Commissioner, 608-266-0276, jeff.plale@wisconsin.gov

Elizabeth Piliouras, Agency Liaison, 608-266-0276, elizabeth.piliouras@wisconsin.gov

Douglas S. Wood, Legal Counsel, 608-266-9536, doug.wood@wisconsin.gov

Tom Clauder, Safety Investigator, 608-266-2874, tom.clauder@wisconsin.gov   

B. J. Kraemer, general office operations questions, 608-267-2336, bonnie.kraemer@wisconsin.gov

Heather Graves, general office operations questions, 608-261-8221, heather.graves@wisconsin.gov