As federal regulators plan tighter oversight, Norfolk Southern and AAR unveil their very own rail security plans
After a latest string of rail accidents involving its trains, Norfolk Southern Corp. and rail trade group the Affiliation of American Railroads (AAR) this week have unveiled a spate of recent security initiatives in an effort to set their very own working requirements earlier than federal regulators do it for them.
Norfolk Southern right this moment mentioned it will set up a regional security coaching middle in Ohio—the place all three incidents occurred—to coach first responders. That transfer intently follows two different security plans introduced by the Atlanta-based railroad operator, which mentioned it additionally plans to set up extra sensors alongside rail strains to scan the wheel bearings of passing vehicles and to be a part of a federal system that enables railroad staff to confidentially report security issues.
On the similar time, the AAR right this moment launched a set of steps it’s taking to achieve “a future with zero incidents and 0 accidents” and to keep away from a repeat of the Feb. 3 derailment that spilled poisonous chemical substances in East Palestine, Ohio. Below the AAR’s plan, the rail trade would set up roughly 1,000 new detectors, develop assist for first responders, and provoke actions based mostly on the preliminary accident report produced by the Nationwide Transportation Security Board (NTSB) in regards to the East Palestine crash.
Based on the AAR, these steps are a part of its effort to regain public belief after the derailment whilst regulators on the U.S. Division of Transportation (DOT) and a bipartisan group of Senators in Congress debate stricter measures. “Whereas taking part in public coverage discussions, railroads encourage policymakers to take an goal, data-driven strategy. Coverage actions taken reflexively that aren’t more likely to obtain significant security advantages might have a variety of unintended financial and environmental penalties and a destructive influence on the secure motion of all items, together with hazmat,” the AAR mentioned in a launch.
“Wholesome railroads are important to the U.S. financial system, and constantly and reliably secure operations are important to wholesome railroads,” AAR President and CEO Ian Jefferies mentioned in a launch. “Our lengthy historical past of voluntarily using security measures that go above and past federal necessities proves our perception in that precept. Whereas we are going to proceed to comply with the Nationwide Transportation Security Board’s ongoing investigation in Ohio intently and acknowledge its deliberate, methodical, and fact-based strategy, railroads are dedicated to taking acceptable steps now.”
Regardless of the rail trade’s effort to set its personal security guidelines, different teams are already lining as much as assist tighter authorities regulation. The prepare staff’ union the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) has already introduced its assist for the Rail Security Act of 2023, a invoice that might improve security procedures for trains carrying hazardous supplies, set up necessities for wayside defect detectors, create a everlasting requirement for railroads to function with not less than two-person crews, and improve fines for wrongdoing dedicated by rail carriers.
And Illinois-based environmental advocates with The Collins Legislation Agency have criticized Norfolk Southern’s six-point security plan for imprecise language, an absence of specifics, and no clear timetable. “That is Norfolk Southern saying it doesn’t plan to do something that issues,” the agency’s associate and proprietor Shawn Collins mentioned in a launch. “It simply desires us to suppose that it’s doing one thing, whereas it performs for time, trusting that this gibberish will placate trade pleasant regulators and elected officers till the horrific prepare derailment in East Palestine is off the entrance web page. Historical past has confirmed that this cynical technique will work.”
