A move aimed at increasing railroad safety in Nebraska is in jeopardy.

A filibuster is underway in the Legislature that would stop railroads from having to carry a minimum of 2-crew members on freight trains.

[View our full report above]

Senator Mike Moser, Columbus (R): “We have a contentious issue here.”

The issue railroad safety. Specifically, a proposed law mandating a minimum, that’s right a minimum, of two-person crews.

A proposal Big Rail, Union Pacific and Burlington Northern have opposed and now find lawmakers at odds.

State Sen. Mike Jacobsen, North Platte (R): “We’re in a full-blown filibuster.”

Some 2-crew critics arguing that while 11 states have OK’d 2-person crews, it’s a federal decision not a state-by-state issue, and 2 on a train is outdated.

State Sen. R. Brad von Gillern, Elkhorn (R): “Technology has even made the single operating crew even safer.”

As we’ve reported that’s an argument some find laughable.

Last Week Tonight, with John Oliver:

Greg Regan, AFL-CIO: “It’s really alarming that the railroad industry actually wants to cut back the number of people operating on a train from two, as is the current standard, to one.

John Oliver: “Right, one person. Which is absurd. Trains need an engineer to drive the train and a conductor for the rest of it. It’s not one of those jobs where we have two people do it, even though it clearly only requires one, like anchoring the news or renovating a home, or hosting the 2011 Oscars. And, people who work on these trains will tell you, every part of their job is exhausting now.”

State Sen. Mike Jacobsen, North Platte (R): “You’re going to go 12 hours. No cell phone, no telephone, nothing. It’s like driving your car from here to San Antonio, Texas with nobody to talk to.”

Jacobsen says he has enough votes to pass the bill, but possibly not enough to stop the filibuster and keep any 2-crew mandate out of Nebraska.

Debate on the bill is scheduled to pick up this morning, we'll let you know what happens.

Should the 2-crew state mandate fail, the federal government could, emphasize could, still order it nationwide, some think as early as April.