Ohio lawmakers OK rail safety rules after train derailment
1 year, 8 months ago

Ohio lawmakers OK rail safety rules after train derailment

Associated Press  

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Rail safety measures proposed after the February train derailment and toxic chemical burn in East Palestine are closer to becoming law in Ohio, as part of a nearly $13.5 billion transportation budget that cleared the Legislature on Wednesday. Nearly two months after a Norfolk Southern train carrying hazardous materials derailed in a fiery crash in eastern Ohio, lawmakers approved the plan that includes several railway safety provisions. Among them, it would mandate a two-person crew for freight trains; require personnel who receive messages about defects picked up by a railroad’s wayside detector system immediately notify a train operator; and order the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio and Ohio Environmental Protection Agency to submit written reports to the Legislature regarding the transportation of hazardous materials and waste. The safety proposals also include a requirement that the wayside detectors used to help spot problems be installed 10 to 15 miles apart, with oversight from the Ohio Department of Transportation and public utilities commission.

Budget Ohio Public Legislature Rail Safety Provisions  rules  budget  utilities  lawmakers  transportation  legislature  safety  provisions  public  rail  wayside  ok  train  ohio  derailment

History of this topic

Rushed railcar inspections and 'stagnated' safety record reinforce concerns after fiery Ohio crash
5 months ago

Rushed railcar inspections and 'stagnated' safety record reinforce concerns after fiery Ohio crash

Associated Press  

Major freight railroads are rushing railcar inspections, reinforcing known safety concerns raised by unions for years, but at a House hearing Tuesday they’ll present new evidence from federal inspectors that railcar checks are routinely less than two minutes per car. Despite assertions to the contrary, derailment rates for our nation’s largest rail companies have not significantly improved.” AP AUDIO: Rushed …

Railroad industry sues to block limit on crew sizes that Ohio imposed after E. Palestine derailment
1 year, 5 months ago

Railroad industry sues to block limit on crew sizes that Ohio imposed after E. Palestine derailment

Associated Press  

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The railroad industry has sued to block a new minimum crew-size requirement that Ohio imposed after a fiery train derailment in East Palestine in February. It mandated a two-person crew for freight trains and required that the wayside detectors used to help spot problems be installed in shorter intervals of 10 to 15 miles apart, with oversight …

Union official says safety of railroads has been compromised by job cuts and time constraints
1 year, 6 months ago

Union official says safety of railroads has been compromised by job cuts and time constraints

Associated Press  

— Freight railcar inspections are happening less often and are not as thorough as in years past due to staff cuts, time constraints and regulatory loopholes, a union official testified Friday during a federal hearing to examine the reasons behind a fiery train derailment in Ohio. The National Transportation Safety Board said in its preliminary report that an overheating wheel …

Rail Safety Bill, Inspired By Fiery Ohio Derailment, Clears First Major Hurdle
1 year, 7 months ago

Rail Safety Bill, Inspired By Fiery Ohio Derailment, Clears First Major Hurdle

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING A Senate committee on Wednesday advanced legislation aimed at preventing disasters like February’s fiery train derailment and chemical spill in East Palestine, Ohio. “The people of East Palestine are going to deal with the costs of what Norfolk Southern did for the next generation — the mental health costs, the physical health costs, the economic damage, the …

Rail CEO repeats derailment apologies before Ohio Senate
1 year, 8 months ago

Rail CEO repeats derailment apologies before Ohio Senate

Associated Press  

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Norfolk Southern’s CEO reiterated apologies Tuesday for the East Palestine train derailment and vows to make things right during his first testimony to Ohio lawmakers since the fiery accident, expressing support for some additional safety proposals but resistance to others. An Ohio Senate panel on rail safety questioned Alan Shaw over a wide range of topics related …

Ohio governor signs rail safety measures into law
1 year, 8 months ago

Ohio governor signs rail safety measures into law

Associated Press  

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed a nearly $13.5 billion state transportation budget Friday, touting new rail safety measures that were included in response to the February train derailment and toxic chemical spill in East Palestine. The railway safety measures would mandate a two-person crew for freight trains and require that the wayside detectors used to help spot …

Railroads propose safety reforms after fiery Ohio derailment
1 year, 9 months ago

Railroads propose safety reforms after fiery Ohio derailment

Associated Press  

— The major freight railroads announced a number of steps Wednesday that they are taking to improve safety in the wake of last month’s fiery Ohio derailment, but it’s not clear if their actions will be enough to satisfy regulators and members of Congress who are pushing for changes. Congress plans to scrutinize Norfolk Southern’s safety record and its response …

Railroads propose safety reforms after fiery Ohio derailment
1 year, 9 months ago

Railroads propose safety reforms after fiery Ohio derailment

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ …

Latest Ohio derailment poses no public risk, officials say
1 year, 9 months ago

Latest Ohio derailment poses no public risk, officials say

Associated Press  

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — Authorities in Ohio say there is no indication of any risk to public health from the derailment of a Norfolk Southern cargo train between Dayton and Columbus, the second derailment of a company train in the state in a month. Norfolk Southern and Clark County officials say 28 of the southbound train’s 212 cars, including four empty …

Ohio senators introduce rail safety bill after fiery crash
1 year, 9 months ago

Ohio senators introduce rail safety bill after fiery crash

Associated Press  

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Railroads including the one whose train derailed and caught fire in Ohio would have to follow new safety rules under bipartisan legislation introduced Wednesday by the state’s two U.S. senators, even as regulators plan to step up inspections on tracks carrying the most hazardous materials. “The U.S. Department of Transportation will continue to use our tools to …

Ohio train derailment: Fetterman, Hawley and Vance among senators proposing new regulations
1 year, 9 months ago

Ohio train derailment: Fetterman, Hawley and Vance among senators proposing new regulations

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “Action to prevent future disasters is critical, but we must never lose sight of …

Ohio’s U.S. senators introduce bipartisan rail safety bill in wake of East Palestine derailment
1 year, 9 months ago

Ohio’s U.S. senators introduce bipartisan rail safety bill in wake of East Palestine derailment

LA Times  

Cleanup continues at the site of a Norfolk Southern freight train derailment on Feb. 24, three weeks after it occurred in East Palestine, Ohio. Railroads like the one involved in last month’s fiery crash and toxic chemical release in Ohio would be subject to new federal safety regulations under bipartisan legislation introduced Wednesday by the state’s two U.S. senators. Federal …

Railroads urged to examine track detectors after Ohio crash
1 year, 9 months ago

Railroads urged to examine track detectors after Ohio crash

Associated Press  

— Freight railroads should reexamine the way they use and maintain the detectors along the tracks that are supposed to spot overheating bearings, federal regulators urged Tuesday in the wake of a fiery Ohio derailment and other recent crashes. The National Transportation Safety Board has said the crew operating the Norfolk Southern train that derailed outside East Palestine, Ohio, near …

Upset Ohio town residents seek answers over train derailment
1 year, 10 months ago

Upset Ohio town residents seek answers over train derailment

Associated Press  

EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — Residents of the Ohio village upended by a freight train derailment packed a school gym on Wednesday to seek answers about whether they were safe from toxic chemicals that spilled or were burned off. “Norfolk needed to be here.” In a statement, Norfolk Southern said it was not attending Wednesday’s open house gathering with local, state …

Ohio derailment aftermath: How worried should people be?
1 year, 10 months ago

Ohio derailment aftermath: How worried should people be?

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. They say continuing air monitoring done for the …

Fiery Ohio derailment raises railroad safety questions
1 year, 10 months ago

Fiery Ohio derailment raises railroad safety questions

Associated Press  

— The fiery derailment of a train carrying toxic chemicals — sending a huge plume of smoke in the air and forcing residents of a small Ohio town to evacuate — has highlighted the potentially disastrous consequences of train accidents and raised questions about railroad safety. “I’m eventually going to have to go back, but it makes me want to …

Fiery Ohio derailment raises railroad safety questions
1 year, 10 months ago

Fiery Ohio derailment raises railroad safety questions

LA Times  

The fiery derailment of a train carrying toxic chemicals — sending a huge plume of smoke in the air and forcing residents of a small Ohio town to evacuate — has highlighted the potentially disastrous consequences of train accidents and raised questions about railroad safety. Federal Railroad Administration data showed hazardous chemicals were released during 11 train accidents nationwide last …

Discover Related