H. Staggers Sr.; Led Congress to Rail Reform Act

Harley O. Staggers Sr., the former congressman who revamped America’s rail industry, died Tuesday of congestive heart failure. He was 84.

Staggers, a West Virginia Democrat, served in Congress from 1948 until his retirement in 1980. His son Harley Jr. has held the same seat since 1982.

Born in a two-room log cabin in Mineral County, W. Va., Staggers was a railroad hand and a sheriff before he was elected to Congress.

Staggers represented the 2nd District, which stretches from Monroe County at the southeastern tip of West Virginia through the eastern Panhandle. It is the largest congressional district in area east of the Mississippi River.

In 1966, he became chairman of the powerful House Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee, which developed and modernized laws on energy, health, environment, transportation and consumer protection.

The Staggers Rail Act of 1980, the centerpiece of his career, provided for regulatory reform of the nation’s railroad system. Supporters say it was responsible for preventing the industry’s collapse.

Under the act, railroads and shippers were permitted for the first time to negotiate private contracts for the transportation of goods. The measure also led to the merger of several railroad networks.

He also was credited with preserving national rail passenger service and improving working conditions for railroad employees.

Staggers also was responsible for a 1966 law requiring uniform observance of daylight-saving time.

During one hearing, he cited a Moundsville, W. Va., bus driver who encountered seven time changes while making runs to St. Clairsville, Ohio, a distance of about 20 miles.

Staggers is survived by his wife, Mary, and five other children.