Surface Transportation Board Reform Act of 2001

Surface Transportation Board Reform Act of 2001 - Amends Federal transportation law to declare as primary objectives for U.S. rail transportation policy: (1) ensuring effective competition among rail carriers at origin and destination; (2) maintaining reasonable rates in the absence of such competition; (3) maintaining consistent and efficient rail transportation service to shippers, including the timely provision of railcars requested by them; and (4) ensuring that smaller carload and intermodal shippers are not precluded from assessing rail systems due to volume requirements.

Requires a rail carrier, upon a shipper's request, to establish a rail transportation rate. Requires the Surface Transportation Board, if a shipper challenges the reasonableness of such a rate, to then determine its reasonableness without regard to specified factors.

Sets forth certain requirements with respect to: (1) acceptance of requests for grain service by rail carriers; and (2) the Board's mandate to require terminal facilities owned by a rail carrier providing rail transportation to be used by another rail carrier.

Declares that a rail carrier, corporation, or person participating in the consolidation, acquisition of control, or merger of another rail carrier is exempt from the antitrust laws and from State and local laws governing such consolidations, mergers, and acquisitions of control of rail carriers to the extent necessary to let such rail carrier, corporation, or person carry out such transaction.

Requires the Board in a proceeding involving the approval of the merger or control of at least two Class I railroads to consider, among other things, at least the: (1) safety and environmental effects of the proposed transaction; and (2) the effect of such transaction on rail passenger transportation.

Sets forth certain requirements with respect to: (1) the Board ensuring that commuter authorities are able to provide commuter rail passenger transportation that meets the commuter rail passenger transportation needs of the United States; and (2) water carriers making their tariffs containing the rates established for their transportation or service available electronically to any person.